For up to date local cinema links and day-by-day listings of what’s showing on local screens every week visit the Virtual-Lancaster Cinema Page. Read on for the weekly round-up, and reviews.
There are eight new releases making to the local screens this period. There is animation with Batman: The Killing Joke (15); drama with Embrace the Serpent (12A) and Remainder (15); plus action/adventure in Jason Bourne (12A). In addition we have the moving documentary Notes on Blindness (U); science fiction action with Star Trek Beyond (12A); family fantasy in The BFG and comedy in Elvis and Nixon (15).
Films that have been dropped include Bad Neighbours 2; Independence Day: Resurgence and Zootropolis. In addition the comedy Central Intelligence and the family adventure The Jungle Book are approaching the end of their screening. However we do see the return of the drama Money Monster and the animation The Angry Birds Movie.
Films coming soon include Finding Dory, to be screened at the end of the month, whereas Suicide Squad and David Brent: Life on the Road are due to be released in August.
The big draw this period is going to be Star Trek Beyond. However other dramas include the conjuring adventure Now You See me 2; jungle action with The Legend of Tarzan and horror with The Conjuring 2.
Family entertainment is well represented with the animations Angry Birds: The Movie; Ice Age: Collision Course and The Secret life of Pets. In addition we have The BFG and The Jungle Book.
For adult comedy, there is Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie; Central Intelligence; Elvis and Nixon and GhostBusters.
High culture this period is provided with Andre Rieu’s 2016 Maastricht Concert and Almeida Live: Richard III. In addition there is a chance to see the Gene Kelly classic Singin’ in the Rain
Finally, to prepare for the new Star Wars, the Vue are offering a Star Trek Triple Bill of Star Trek (2009); Star Trek Into Darkness and an early screening of Star Trek Beyond on 21st July.
Reviews
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Director: Mandie Fletcher
Certificate: 15
Cast includes: Jennifer Saunders Joanna Lumley, Julis Sawalha, June Whitfield, Jane Horrocks
It was 1992 when Absolutely Fabulous first appeared on the TV and
twenty four years later Patsie and Eddy finally make it to the big
screen. The couple are blamed for a major incident involving Kate Moss
at a fashionable launch party. To escape the paparazzi and poor
publicity, they flee, penniless, to the French Riviera, where they
concoct a plan to regain their fortune. The film retains the cast of
the TV series and a number of major celebrities also make cameo
appearances. This is a hilarious film, that maintains the character of
the original TV series. Excellent entertainment.
Central Intelligence
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes: Dwayne Johnson, Kelvin Hart
Robbie Wierdicht (Johnson) was bullied at high school. On leaving, he
changed his name to Bob Stone, developed an impressive physique and
became a CIA operative. Calvin Joyner (Hart) was his friend at high
school and had a career in accounting. At the time of their high school
reunion, Bob starts to work with Calvin to stop the illegal sale of
satellite codes by a mystery agent Black Badger. Calvin however is
approached by the CIA and told that Bob is actually delusional. Yet
Calvin continues to help his friend and the two of them face fights, gun
battles and car crashes to track Black Badger. The movie is a fast
paced buddy action comedy. Johnson and Hart work well together and the
fast talking dialogue from Hart goes a long way to carrying the film.
Expect some slapstick and a great deal of humour.
Ghostbusters
Director: Paul Feig
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Neil Casey
It has been thirty-five years since the original Ghostbusters movie.
Now, finally there is a remake where women take the leading parts. Erin
Gilbert (Wiig) and Abby Yates (McCarthy) are co-authors of a book which
postulated that ghosts are real. When supernatural forces invade
Manhattan, Gilbert and Yates team up with a nuclear engineer Jillian
Holtzmann (McKinnon) and subway worker Patty Tolan (Jones) to combat the
malicious demon Rowan (Casey) and a legion of ghouls. The movie pretty
much follows the plot of the original, but the actors provide great and
extremely funny performances. A terrific movie full of good hearted
fun.
Ice Age: Collision Course
Director: Mike Thurmeier and Galen T Chu
Cast includes: Simon Pegg, Roy Romano, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Hohn Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Chris Wedge
A computer animation family adventure film. This is the fifth
instalment in the Ice Age series and the sequel to Continental Drift.
Scratt (Wedge), the sabre toothed squirrel, activates an alien UFO in
his continued pursuit of the acorn. The craft propels Scratt into outer
space and thence causes a planetary collision resulting in the creation
of meteors that threaten to engulf the earth. Manny (Romero) the Wooly
Mammoth, Sid (Leguizamo) the sloth and Diego (Leary) the sabre toothed
tiger hatch a plan with the weasel Buck (Pegg) to save the earth. The
plot is quite unbelievable, but the resulting mayhem is as entertaining
as ever. New characters are introduced as the movie unfolds and the
film a worthy addition to the franchise. Whats not to like?
The Conjuring 2
Director: James Wan
Certificate: 15
Cast includes: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’ Connor, Madison Wolfe
A sequel to the 2013 film ‘The Conjuring’. Lorraine (Farmiga) and Ed
(Wilson) Warren are psychic investigators. The hear of a haunting and
travel to the UK to help Peggy Hodgson (O’Connor), a single mother of
four, who is plagued by poltergeist activity in her London council
house. However things get worse when Peggy’s youngest daughter Janet
(Wolfe) shows signs of daemon possession. The psychic investigators
come to find themselves in peril. A superior horror movie which
provides plenty of frights and has been well received.
The Jungle Book
Director: Jon Favreau
Certificate: PG
Cast includes: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba
Based on Rudyard Kipling’s works, this is a reworking of a the
well known classic using live action and CGI. Mowgli (Sethi) is an
orphaned boy raised by a wolf and thence by Bagheera (Kingsley) a black
panther. Mowgli alienates the Bengal tiger Shere Khan (Elba) and so
must make his way to humankind for safety, meeting the well known
characters Baloo and Kaa on the way. Subsequently he returns to the
jungle to face Shere Khan. The movie is a good example a remake that
improves on the original. An excellent movie that will entertain all
ages.
The Legend of Tarzan
Director: David Yates
Certificate: 12A
Cast includes: Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, Djimon Hounsou, Samuel L. Jackson
The film is set about a decade after Tarzan left the jungle and became
John Clayton III or Lord Greystoke to live in the UK with his wife Jane
(Robbie). Meanwhile the African Congo has been divided between Belgium
and the UK, and the Belgian government has sent an emissary Captain
Leon Rom (Waltz) to develop the mineral wealth of the land. Rom makes a
pact with Mbonga (Hounsou) a chief and Tarzan’s old enemy to give him
Tarzan in exchange for diamonds. Rom captures Jane and uses her to lure
Tarzan to him During the film we have flashbacks of Tarzan’s origins
to help set the plot and the film benefits from splendid scenery, lavish
special effects and grand fight sequences. However, despite solid
performances from the actors, the movie has not managed to inspire the
critics. An enjoyable, but ultimately average adventure film.
The Secret Life of Pets
Director: Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney
Certificate: U
Cast Includes: Louis C.K., Ellie Kemper, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart
A family animation film that follows the lives of pets living in a
Manhattan apartment building during the time their owners leave them
alone. Max (Louis) is a rather spoilt terrier who starts to find himself
neglected when his owner Katie (Kemper) brings home Duke (Stonestreet),
a mongrel, from a dog pound. However the two dogs must put their
rivalry behind them when they are captured by Snowball (Hart) a rabbit
and an army of abandoned pets who are trying to get back at all happily
owned pets and their owners. This is a delightful and energetic
animation movie that is inoffensive and fun for all, young and old.