MUPPETS MOST WANTED
Dir: James Bolin (2014). USA. Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: Don’t forget to take your kids with you to the cinemas so they won’t have to ask you years from now who the heck Kermit the Frog. Also, watch out for awesome cameos from Tom Hiddleston (yes, with the moustache), Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Stanley Tucci, Chloe Grace Moretz, Usher and Celine Dion. Seriously, you’ll probably laugh louder than your kid.
Based on: A group of rowdy, comedic puppets that Jim Henson gave life to in 1955. This is also a huge Disney franchise people seemed to forget still existed.
Synopsis: Disney sends the Muppets on a global tour and finds themselves stuck in the middle of a crime when Kermit gets mistaken for Constantine, the world’s most dangerous frog.
Why see it: If Tom Hiddleston’s viral Superbowl ad isn’t enough to make you want to see this film, consider Tina Fey talking with a very breathy, deep, sexy accent that we can’t figure out yet. We did hear, however, that she and Muppeteer Matt Vogel went through intense dialect coaching for it!
DIVERGENT
Dir: Neil Burger (2014). USA. Theo James, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: if you’re pissing your pants with excitement for opening of The Fault In Our Stars, go and watch Divergent this week to tide your hungry heart. This way you can prepare yourself for the awesome acting abilities of Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort who play brother and sister roles as opposed to their boyfriend-girlfriend roles in TFIOS.
Based on: Veronica Roth’s bestselling young adult, science fiction book of the same name.
Synopsis: As she turned 16, Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) finds out that she is a Divergent, a person with more than one faction (a society of people with specific virtues). She soon realizes that trouble is brewing in between the five factions and gets stuck in a secret that can destroy society as they know it.
Why see it: If you’ve read the trilogy then this must be a no-brainer for you. However if you haven’t picked up the Divergent series but are a huge fan of dystopian-themed books like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner (also soon to be released as a film), you have got to see this!
EMPIRE STATE
Dir: Dito Montiel (2013). USA. Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano. MTRCB PG.
Hot tip: If, like us, you felt his The Expendables stint was too short and are raring to see Liam in an action-packed scene (preferably without Miley Cyrus), this film is just right for you.
Based on: The life of Greek-American Chris Potamitis and the biggest cash theft in the US history.
Synopsis: Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth) ends up as a security guard for the Empire State, an armored truck company which he robs along with his best friend Eddie (Michael Angarano). They successfully take home over $11 million but are held back when Detective Ransome (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) counts them both as suspects to the crime.
Why see it: The film’s budget is $11 million… and the film was produced by Chris Potamitis himself…who got $11 million off of his robbery stint. Hmmm… very fishy… (Kidding, watch out for the final words at the end of the movie!)
STRAIGHT A’S
Dir: James Cox (2013). USA. Anna Paquin, Ryan Phillippe, Luke WIlson. MTRCB R-13.
Hot tip: Remember that Barry guy from I Know What You Did Last Summer? How about Rogue from X-Men: The Last Stand? How about Uma Thurman’s boyfriend in My Super Ex-Girlfriend? Nope? Okay, then go and watch this film so you’ll remember!
Based on: Family life in Texas and the overwhelming rate of drug addiction all over the world.
Synopsis: Druggie and alcoholic Scott (Ryan Phillippe) decides to go back to his family in Texas after being haunted endlessly by his dead mother. Upon coming home he finds out that his brother married Katherine, his first love who is apparently still not over him.
Why see it: If you think you’re a black sheep or someone in your family is a super black sheep then you have to see this…but not with your underage brother or sister! Go watch the trailer until the end for a punch-kick tagline and we promise you’ll end up crying in the cinemas if you relate!
DEVIL’S DUE
Dir: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett (2014). USA. Zach Hilford, Allison Miller, Colin Walker, Sam Anderson. MTRCB R-13.
Hot tip: Do you like shaky camera shots and creepy CCTV camera footages? You’ll probably find Devil’s Due stimulating. The directors of the film said they were pinning it as a “creepy love story” but who are we kidding here? It’s almost the same as Paranormal Activity.
Based (very loosely) on: Another not-so-found-footage-film-but-still-very-much-like-it called Chronicle. It’s not the story though, just the film elements.
Synopsis: Weeks after coming home from their honeymoon in Dominican Republic, newlyweds Zach and Samantha (Zach Gilford and Allison Miller) get an early pregnancy surprise. A few days into the pregnancy, Zach notices something strange about his wife and the baby which leads to an antichrist cult they bumped into in Dominican Republic.
Why see it: You’ve got to see the plot twist and the weird antichrist cult symbols scattered all over the film. We think the best part is the ending and the credits. It would leave you sleepless and cautious of all taxicab drivers!
