Off the screen magazine october 2013

Your one resource for what’s happening at the South African Box Office.

October 2013

www.offthescreenmagazine.com

Scary as They Come Lili Taylor talks to us about her latest horror outing, the true life demon film, The Conjuring

Something About Mahala We talk to South African comedian Thopelo Mokoena about his first starring role in the heartfelt comedy, Nothing for Mahala

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Content s Cover Story:

16 Scary as they Come We talk to the star of a horror fest based on a true story, Lili Taylor starring in The Conjuring

Features:

10 Good Golly, Miss Molly South African screen icon Lizz Meiring talks to us about her bringing a small screen character to the big screen in Molly and Wors

22 Bak in London

Bakgat star Ivan Botha tells us about reprising the role for the third time in the final instalment of the trilogy, Bakgat 3

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Cover Story: Lili Taylor talks to us about the true life horror spectacular, The Conjuring

26 Something about Mahala

We talk to comedian Thopelo Mokoena About his starring role in the new heartfelt comedy, Nothing for Mahala

Reviews: Film Released September 13th 32 The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Released September 20th 33 The Smurfs 2 34 The Conjuring 35 Midnight’s Children 36 The Paperboy 37 Red 2

Released September 27th 38 Behind the Candelabra 39 Red Tails 40 One Direction: The Movie 41 Thanks for Sharing 42 Runner, Runner 43 Metallica: Through the Never 44 Molly and Wors Released October 4th 45 Nothing for Mahala 46 The Call 47 R.I.P.D 48 Rush 49 Arbitrage

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Editor Jon Broeke jon.broeke@gmail.com

Deputy Editor Annette Bayne annette.bayne@gmail.com

Releasing October 11th 50 This is the End 51 Redemption 52 Musiek vir die Agtergrond 53 Purge 54 Prisoners 55 Rust and Bone DVD

58 Sword of War The Return of Joe Rich Rites of Passage Overnight

Photo Credits Nu Metro, Ster Kinekor, Getty Images, UPI.com, Google Images, imdb.com

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offthescreenmagazine@ gmail.com

Or www.offthescreenmagazine. com

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Editors Letter

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Happy October, and that means Halloween is around the corner. To mark the occasion we talked to the star of the big horror release this month, The Conjuring, Lili Taylor. We also have interviews with Afrikaans screen legend, Lizz Meiring, from the new Afrikaans comedy, Molly and Wors, Thapelo Mokoena from the comedy, Nothing for Mahala, and Ivan Botha who reprises his role of Wimpie in the third Bakgat film, Bakgat 3.

We hope you enjoy the issue and all the reviews and don’t forget to grab our next issue available the first week of November.

Best Wishes Jon Broeke Editor

Published by www.issuu.com

Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ offthescreenmagazine

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Good Golly, Miss Molly Coming to the big screen this month is the feature length version of the hit Afrikaans comedy, Molly and Wors. We sat down with the female lead, and Afrikaans icon Lizz Meiring, to talk about the film and her co-star, another Afrikaans icon Willie Esterhuizen.

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his month sees the popular Afrikaans sitcom show, Molly and Wors, coming to the big screen. Written and directed by legendary Afrikaans filmmaker Willie Esterhuizen, Molly and Wors tells the story of Wors, played by Esterhuizen himself, a regular Afrikaans man married to Molly, played by another legend in Afrikaans cinema Lizz Meiring, as they live and love in modern South Africa. We sat caught up with Meiring to chat to her about the film, and the first thing we wanted to know was how similar to Molly is she really?

Especially since she’s been playing the character for years now.

“I'm not like Molly at all,” she tells us.

“I'm not married, not a mom, no kids. I'm not nearly as bossy, neurotic, or strict. I hate cooking and housework, and my personal style in terms of clothes, hair etc. is totally different. My job as an actor implies interpreting different characters, vastly different from who and what I am, and what my beliefs, values and priorities are. That's what makes it fun!”

Esterhuizen has been working in the film industry for many years, coming up with such popular shows as Orkney, Snork Nie and Vetkoekpaleis. We asked Meiring what the

man is like to work with, as an actor and a director.

“His brother Pieter directed this movie, and the series, since Willie was also acting in it,” she tells us. “I adore working with both of them. [They are an] extraordinarily intelligent, professional, talented, fun, compassionate, visionary and creative team.

Working with them, is as good as it gets in our industry - and that is very, very good.”

The film sees Wors winning an award which includes a trip for him and Molly to Holland, but an event at the airport ends in him ending up in Amsterdam and her ending up in prison for drug smuggling. I asked Meiring how upset she was when she learned that Esterhuizen was goping to Holland and she wasn’t going.

“I've worked in Holland a number of times,” she says.

“As an actor, with Pieter-Dirk Uys, and with my own productions as writer, director and producer. So it was no big deal.”

Holland wasn’t the only big location that was visited in the film, Molly and Wors end up on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner at the end of the Off The Screen Magazine

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“The Queen Mary is magnificent. Huge and beautifully preserved, and all Art Deco. It was a great experience.” movie. I asked Meiring where they actually were for the scenes.

“We filmed on the infamous, luxury liner, now a floating hotel ‘The Queen Mary’ in Long beach, California,” she says. “This massive, beautiful ship was built in 1936 by the Cunard/White Star line, who owned The Titanic. The Queen Mary is magnificent. Huge and beautifully preserved, and all Art Deco. It was a great experience.”

What wasn’t a great experience was shooting in prison, were Molly finds herself after being mistaken for a drug smuggler. We asked her about her experience shooting inside the big house.

“The prison scenes were shot in midwinter last year,” she says. “It was freezing,” Molly is barefoot and wearing short sleeves

for the entire time. “The location was the infamous Brixton Murder and Robbery police station. Eish! Though the police personnel were very kind, it is a filthy, dirty, run-down place, dark, damp, depressing. I never want to land up in police cells. Our Government really needs to upgrade these police stations. Even the staff hardly has a working tap or toilet. It is so shabby and tired and in desperate need of renovation.”

If you want to see Meiring behind bars, and Esterhuizen wandering around Amsterdam, go and check out Molly and Wors on the big screen right now.

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Scary as they come

In the new horror film, The Conjuring, Lili Taylor battles the forces of evil to save her family. We chatted to Taylor about the evil, the genre and her upcoming projects that are introducing her to a whole new market.

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orror movies are normally not Box Office hits. Normally they are seen by those horror fans that there are out there and then they move off to be DVD releases to be seen by everyone else that has a feel for the genre, but this is not the case this month with the release of The Conjuring. The horror made R778 000 in its opening weekend on September 20th, and has made even more since.

The film tells the true accounts of the possession of a woman and her family and the demon hunters that set out to help them. The Perron family thinks that they’re moving to a safer place when they move out into the woods, but no sooner have they moved in that strange things begin to happen and their children, played by Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Joey King, Mackenzie Foy and Kyla Deaver, begin to get scared to be in their own house.

Their mother, played by someone that knows the genre well Lili Taylor, goes to America’s most renowned demonologists and hunters the

Ed and Loraine Warren to try and help before they all meet grisly fates.

We sat down with Taylor to ask her a couple questions about the film, especially the fact that she is playing a real person in some insane circumstances. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who play the Warren’s, visited with the still alive Lorraine Warren, but Taylor didn’t meet with her character.

“They had more of a responsibility,” she says. “First of all, Lorraine is still alive. Their stories are well-known. There’s a fan base. I think that they needed to have some more background. For my character, her story isn’t that well known. I don’t have the same kind of responsibility. I didn’t need to know the facts. The writers had presented me with the research that they had done and that’s what I was dealing with. It’s easier because you have more freedom. Sometimes actors can be trapped with the mask that’s put on them and it’s just not transmitting the same way.”

There is amazing cast in this film, among them Farmiga, Wilson and Ron Livingston, who plays Taylor’s husband. We asked Taylor what it was like working with actors of such caliber.

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________________________________________________________________________________________________ “I felt that we all had the same work ethic,” she says. “But I do think that being around somebody who is really good at what they do, it’s just going to set neurons firing.

You’d be a fool to not look around and learn.

Vera [Farmiga] is not fussy at all. She’s a worker among workers. She doesn’t go back to her trailer a lot. She’s taking it all in. We are likeminded in that way.

Whereas Patrick likes to take a moment in the corner to find what he needs. All these things were re-affirming strategies.”

The kids play a big part in the film. We asked if she comforted them during the more scary moments during filming.

“I realized that I didn’t have to do that,” she tells us. “On that first day, when they threw us all together to have lunch, I realized that there’s a flow and ease, plus they’re all smart. What the nice thing was that the oldest daughter, played by Shanley Caswell, was doing all of that, and it was better for her because kids are always going to listen to an 18year-old more than a 46-year-old. I was just giving them a lot of room.”

It was good that the kids had Caswell, because there are some seriously terrifying

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scenes in the film. We asked if Taylor realized that the scenes would be as scary when they were shooting them.

“It’s not the CGI stuff,” she says. “It’s when it’s the CGI stuff that it gets technical. We shot things old school. When my match blows out at the top of the staircase, someone’s on the other side with a hose trying to blow it out,” she laughs. “But you’re doing it practically, which is why low-fi is so much better because the actors are actually more in it. When you’re looking at a red dot on a green screen, it’s just not the same.”

A horror wouldn’t be a horror without a good scream or two, and there is a rumor that Taylor learnt how to scream for the film.

We just had to ask her about it.

“You go on Youtube and type in, ‘How do you scream,’” she tells us. “And you have all these Growlers videos, which teach you how to use your lower register to scream properly. A lot of these videos bring you to this woman who has DVDs about how to warm up, so I used her videos to warm up. I just made sure that I had 15 minutes for my warm-up to make sure I was there. It was tiring, because it takes so much stamina. It was like having to train. Theatre can

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be like that. You just have to be in good shape for it.”

Screaming wasn’t a prerequisite for Taylor’s earlier roles, mostly indie dramas like Mystic Pizza, Say Anything… and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Cycle, but with the new films and series she’s doing at the moment the screaming might come in handy.

“Interesting things are happening.,” she says about her career at the moment. “Netflix is doing programming, so I just did a show with Netflix because partially I wanted to venture into this new area. It kind of felt like the Robert Evans experience of the ‘70s, like The Kid Stays In The Picture, which is what the ‘90s felt like independent-wise. ‘No contempt prior to investigation’ is a principle that I like to live by and it’s gotten stronger for me in the past 10 years. I try to apply it all the time. If I hadn’t

The upcoming film The Conjuring reveals a terrifying true story from the case files of real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. In that infamous case, the Warrens confronted a dark presence in a house filled with a variety of spirits, some benign, others possibly demonic.

What would you do if you woke up and saw a glowing or transparent something at the foot of your bed? Like most flesh and blood citizens of the material plane, you’d probably completely lose it. Scream. Run. Become paralyzed with fear.

But encountering a ghost doesn’t always have to be a frightening experience.

CONSIDER THE SITUATION - All hauntings are different. Some spirits disappear as quickly as they materialize. We can barely register their existence, let alone communicate with them. But if an apparition lingers, or returns for a repeat visit, we can try to make the most of the encounter. The key is to remain calm. After all, most spirits are completely harmless.

TRUST YOUR GUT - If you feel an oppressive, evil presence, don’t attempt communication. Get away as fast as you can.

BREAKING THE ICE - Let’s face it: chatting with disembodied entities can feel incredibly awkward. And there’s no handbook of otherworldly etiquette. But Ed Warren, the late demonologist and pioneer of the paranormal, offered the following advice.

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applied it to this, or Hemlock Grove [Taylor’s Netflix series] or this JJ Abrams pilot Human that’s sci-fi, here are three genres that I haven’t worked that much in, but I’m finding this interesting thing of pushing up against something.”

With these new genre productions coming out soon Taylor is about to be introduced to a whole new audience, but she’s taking it in her stride.

“I haven’t gotten it yet,” she says of the popularity some of the genre actors experience.

“Because none of these projects have come out. It’s abstract to me, but I got a little bit from The Haunting. I always know when someone recognizes me from that film. You know they didn’t go to the Angelika,” an indie art house cinema. “But, look, if it happens, I welcome it because the more success you got, the more opportunity you have. It’s just the way it works.

Wasn’t like that in the ‘90s cause it didn’t matter, but now it does, so bring it on!”

Well, with performances in the other projects like the one she provides in The Conjuring she’s well on her way to the popularity of other big stars. The Conjuring is playing in cinemas right now.

According to Warren, (a devout Catholic), if you see a ghost, first make the sign of the cross. Then ask, “In the name of God, is there anything I can help you with?” Since God references are anathema for demonic entities, this opener may banish any negative spirits.

GHOST-DEPENDENT NO MORE - If the dead do ask for your help, remember to establish healthy boundaries. You might be happy to deliver a message to a loved one, for example, but if a spirit is seeking to avenge its own death, politely and firmly decline.

GUESTS THAT REFUSE TO LEAVE - Rather not chat with a glowing apparition seated on the edge of your bed? Resent the intrusion of a noisy poltergeist? Simply ask the ghost to leave. Most spirits will take the hint and dissolve immediately. However, other entities are harder to evict. Too attached or too afraid to move on, they need extra encouragement. Say something like, “Go toward the light. I’ve heard it’s amazing over there,” or try to put a positive spin on death: “Remember: today’s the first day of the rest of your afterlife!”

CONSULT AN EXPERT - If you feel threatened, contact your local clergy or paranormal investigator for some expert advice.

The Conjuring will be released worldwide beginning July 19, 2013, from Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Bak in London Ivan Botha is back on the big screen this month in the third instalment of the Bakgat trilogy, Bakgat 3. We chatted to him about getting back on the rugby field, and doing it in London

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his month the third part of the Bakgat trilogy hits our screens as Bakgat 3 releases. This time Wimpie and Katrien are leaving sunny South Africa for British shores as Wimpie is offered a job playing for a English rugby team. Add to that the fact the Katrien is trying to organise their wedding as well, especially overseas, and you have a recipe for chaos. We managed to get some questions answered by Ivan Botha, who is back playing Wimpie for the third time and asked him to layout the film for us.

“Wimpie and Katrien arrive in London expecting the grass to be greener on the other side,” he tells us. “They soon learn that there isn’t any grass in England. The English don’t want him part of their rugby team and insult his future wife, which drives Wimpie to extremes. Wimpie then enters his own rugby South African rugby team into the league to prove the 'pommies' a point and show Katrien that he can take care of her. This responsibility to win the tournament starts to consume Wimpie, while he should be helping Katrien plan their wedding, and he puts the

team before his wedding and bride to be. At the same time Wimpie's ego causes him to become jealous of a friendship Katrien is developing with her male flatmate. Wimpie needs to become a man in Bakgat 3 and make the ultimate choice between the love of his life and rugby.”

The third film in the series is set in London and part of it was actually shot in London. This was something Botha and the rest of the cast were really excited about.

“It has been one of the biggest highlights of my career,” he says. “It was an amazing experience and a huge blessing.

Shooting a scene with the Big Ben in the back ground is something you only see in movies, except this time I am in the movie. It also flamed a passion for travel within me.”

While the film was set in London and part of it was shot in London because of budgetary constraints a portion of it had to be shot here, pretending it was London. I asked Botha what sections were actually in

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“It was all shot there... hehe,” he jokes. “All the interior scenes were shot in South Africa and the exterior scenes except for the night rugby was shot in RSA.” Wimpie is a rugby star in the film, being offered a job with an English rugby team in the film, as well as starting his own team, but Botha is not a rugby player, he’s an actor. I asked Botha what experience he had playing rugby before he got the role of Wimpie in the first film.

“I did play rugby at school,” he tells me. “Both myself and my brother have a natural talent for sports. With that said, I am no Springbok rugby player, but I can kick well.

All the kicking to posts you see in the film is done by me.”

Botha also enjoyed getting back on the rugby field.

“It was [fun],” he says.

“But I did realise I am getting old.

Wished I warmed up better.”

The first two films in the series were directed by Henk Pretorius, but this time around Pretorius co-wrote the film but stepped down as director instead leaving the task to Stefan Nieuwoudt, a director whose debut, Superhelde, also starred Botha, and was written by him as well. I asked him what it was like working with the director again on the project.

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“Stefan is more than just my director,” Botha tells me. “He is a great friend and one of the most kind hearted humans I have ever met. He directed my first film I wrote Superhelde, so we have come a long way. I am very proud of what he has done and achieved with the film and feel he has taken it to the next level.”

Bakgat 3 opened nationwide on September 6th, but is still playing at a couple of theatres in the country. Go and see Botha back on the rugby field, this time in London, being directed by Nieuwoudt now.

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Something about Mahala

The comedy gem, Nothing for Mahala, hits the big screen this month. We chatted to star Thapelo Mokoena about his role in the film, acting with the iconic actors featured in the film and driving the beautiful car he gets to drive

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here’s a thread running through the youth in South Africa about money being the most important thing in their lives. The term, nothing for mahala, meaning nothing for nothing, has become synonymous with this concept. A new comedy opening this month uses this concept as the major plot point, and uses it as the very name, Nothing for Mahala.

The film tells the story of Axe, played by Thapelo Mokoena, a young man who lives his life by this credo, nothing is free, everything costs something, and everything you do should be to get something.

In his business life it’s working alright for him as he’s rising through the ranks, but in his personal life it’s not working so well. He’s taken a loan from a couple of loan sharks, who are now looking for payment, and was busted for driving under the influence after coming from a meeting that didn’t go very well. He’s sent to community service for punishment at Autumn Hills Retirement Home and begins to see, with

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the help of the residents there, that there may be more to life then fast cars and fancy suits. We caught up with Mokoena, via email, and asked him a couple questions about his role. The first of which was to tell us, in his words, about his character.

“Axe is a young man trying to become his own in a world with challenges,” he says. “As a young man in Johannesburg he is struggling to balance the relation with money. He is living above his means when we meet him and has a very humbling lesson as the movie progress. His arrogant view on life nearly misleads him, but you'll have to watch the movie to the rest of what happens.”

The film revolves around the old age home, which is populated by some of Aouth Africas iconic actors, including Felicia Mahambehlala, Annabel Linder, Dorothy Masuku, Dirk Vermeulen, Lillian Dube and Marius Weyers who plays Hendrik, a man who helps Axe see what he’s doing wrong by showing him what he himself did wrong a long time earlier. We asked Mokoena what it was like to work the older actors. If they passed any knowledge onto the younger actor, this being his first leading role.

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several others that tell stories that are meant inspire the country and the people in it.

One of the most fun parts of the film was the ride that Axe had, and the care that he put into it. It was a black Mercedes SLK and we asked him how much fun he had driving in this car, even if only for a while, and what kind of car he drives in real life.

“It was fun,” he says. “I am a fan of Merc. I drive a Jeep Wrangler. I am a farm boy and the 4X4 life is standard.”

If you want to see Mokoena driving in the Merc and learning the error of his ways then go and see Nothing for Mahala showing at all cinemas now.

“It was amazing,” he tells us. “An honour and a blessing in one. I have absolutely enjoyed every part of being in this film. The composure the veteran actors have is phenomenal and I didn't just learn, I was handed the power to lead an amazing cast and screenplay.”

The antagonist in the film is Axe’s boss, a property developer who decides to buy up the old age home and build an office block, much of which is actually Axe’s idea before he learns the error of his ways. His boss, Mike, is played with vicious joy by another great South African actor, Jamie Bartlett. We asked Mokoena what he’s like to work with.

“Jamie is such a special energy,” he says. “He is a true artist in every way shape or form. I am not surprised that he has become the influence he is in this industry. Loved working with him.”

The theme of image over substance is prevalent in the film, but also in the film industry as a whole. We asked Mokoena what he felt about this in the film industry.

“Well, film is about telling a story and the reason it's so important is that everyone has the freedom to tell their own story,” he says. “The beauty is that some companies choose to use their power of storytelling to change lives and Heartlines has done well once again to achieve this goal.

Heartlines is the multimedia NGO that produced and funded the film as well as

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Film Review: Released September 13

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The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones 7/10 Starring Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehan Directed by Harald Zwart

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lary’s (Lily Collins) life is coming off the rails. She’s drawing a strange hieroglyphic-like picture everywhere and seeing things she can’t explain, but when she sees Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower) kill a man at a nightclub things really get strange, especially since no one else can see him. Then her mother gets kidnapped and she has to turn to him for help. He leads her into an insane world of Shadowhunters, half human, half angels, who are protecting the world from evil. She discovers that her mother was a Shadowhunter herself, and that makes Clary one too, but more than that, her mother betrayed an evil Shadowhunter, Valentine (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). She stole a valuable cup, the mortal cup, the only thing that can create more Shadowhunters, one of the three Mortal Instruments. Now the people who work for Valentine want the cup back, but so the demons and vampires that roam the city, and Clary has to stop them.

Based on the series of five books by Cassandra Clare, this is planned to be the first in the series of books, but with the rather dismal results at the American Box Office, this may be the only part of the series we get to see. It’s not a bad film, the story is interesting. It would have to be to be a successful

series of novels. The CGI in the film is great, the demons are really creepy, the vampires don’t glow in the sunlight, the slink in the darkness, and the Institute, the Shadowhunters secret home, is very cool, inside and out. Even the acting, by some, is not bad. Bower is interesting as Jace, the troubled young hero, and Robert Sheehan is funny and heroic as Clary’s best friend, the one with an unrequited crush on the heroine.

This is supposed to create a love triangle between the three characters, but it’s more of a like triangle that doesn’t have the resonance of the Jacob/Bella/Edward triangle, which is what everyone wants. Then there’s Collins.

Yes, she is very pretty, and yes, this is a better performance than her other roles, but she still can’t act. I love her, but please give meaty roles to actual actors. Sorry Lily. If you loved Twilight, or Beautiful Creatures, you may get something out of this film, but just don’t expect too much.

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Film Review: Released September 20

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The Smurfs 2 (Not Rated) Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays and Hank Azaria Directed by Raja Gosnell

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n this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) creates a couple of mischievous, Smurfs-like creatures called the Naughties (Voiced by Christina Ricci and J.B Smoove) that he hopes will let him harness the all- powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette (voiced again by Katy Perry) knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been

winning the adoration of millions as the world's greatest scorcer. It's up to Papa Smurf (voiced by Jonathan Winters), Clumsy (voiced by Anton Yelchin), Grouchy (voiced by George Lopez) and Vanity (voiced

by John Oliver) to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace Winslow (Jayma Mays), and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties, Vexy and Hackus, or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?

Unfortunately we didn’t get to this film, but if it’s half as good as the original then it should be a fun ride. Go and see it at cinemas now and let us know what you thought.

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Film Review: Released September 20

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The Conjuring 9/10 Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Lily Taylor Directed by James Wan

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ased on one of the actual cases of Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), the forefront demonologists and paranormal investigators in the United States. When Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger Perron (Ron Livingston) move their five girls, Andrea (Shanley Caswell), Nancy (Hayley McFarland), Christine (Joey King), Cindy (Mackenzie Foy) and April (Kyla Deaver) out to the country they think they’re doing a good thing for their family, but no sooner do they arrive in their new home that they begin to think that they’re not there alone. They begin to hear strange things, the girls begin having experiences of the paranormal in the middle of the night, and Carolyn has strange bruises appearing on her body. They approach the Warren’s, the most

renowned demon hunters in America for help, but as soon as they come to the house they know they’re dealing with something worse than they have ever dealt with before. And so a battle of wills begins with the Perron’s and Warren’s on one side and the evil spirit of a witch who’s been killing people for hundreds of years on the other.

This is one of the scariest horror films I’ve seen in a god long while. The benchmark for a horror film, for me at least, is The Exorcist. It terrified me as a child and even watching it again as an adult I can see the nuances and subtlety in the film that makes it as scary as it is, and this film is Exorcist scary.

The story is frightening, but add to it that it is from true case records it makes it ten times more frightening. The performance by Farmiga, Wilson, Livingston and the kids is great, but Taylor steals the show with another foray into the horror genre, she thrilled me in The Haunting. The effects and make up are wonderful, really scary, especially the floating ghost. There are a bunch of cheap scares, coming out of the dark to make you jump in your seat, but they’re done so well that they’re not cheap at all. They really work. The whole film is a winner and if you’re a fan of the horror genre then this is one you should see.

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Film Review: Released September 20

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Midnight’s Children 6/10 Starring Satya Bhabha, Shahana Goswami and Rajat Kapoor Directed by Deepa Mehta

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ased on the book by Salman Rushdie, Midnight’s Children tells the tale of Saleem (Satya Bhabha), a boy born at the stroke of midnight the moment India gains independence for Britain and begins its turbulent adolescence. The boy discovers that he has powers, and that he’s not the only one, the other children, hundreds of them, all born around the stroke of midnight have extraordinary powers, but his, the ability to bring them all together in spirit form so they can communicate with each other, is the most valuable, bringing these incredible children together in a time when they all feel so alone.

Through their eyes we see the strife that threatens to tear India apart, and eventually does with the forming of Pakistan and the constant civil wars that plague the country for years, and as the children grow into adulthood they have to find their places, on one side or the other of the fight, and strive to survive and make a home and a life for themselves.

This is a very interesting film. I have be told that the book is wonderful, and I believe that Rushdie is a really good writer, though I’ve never read anything of his before myself, but the story just doesn’t translate well onto the big screen. As a study into the turbulent history of India it is a fascinating watch. We see the civil wars, the time of peace, and then plunged back into war until coming out the other side. We see brother turn on brother as the country tries to find its true identity after years of control by another country, namely England in this case.

If you are interested in historical bio-pics then you may get something out of that aspect of the film, but then they added the supernatural aspect of the children and their powers, and it completely lost me. I didn’t understand why they were there, at all. They didn’t forge together to save the world, a la Heroes, or even create a fighting force to save themselves, a la X-Men, they just seem to flit around in the chaos until they get arrested and thrown in jail, only to be released again with no real repercussions on them or their captures. It’s all a little odd, like a story on a story that was never quite thought out. Watch it if you like Rushdie, maybe you’ll see something that I missed.

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Film Review: Released September 20

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The Paperboy 2/10

Starring Zach Efron, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman Directed by Lee Daniels

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ard Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) returns to the small southern town where he was born, to investigate a story for the Miami newspaper he works for, along with his writing partner, Yardley Acheman (David Oyelowo). They enlist the help of Ward’s younger brother, Jack (Zack Efron) as a driver and set about looking into the death of the town sheriff. A man, Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack) has been arrested for the crime, but Ward believes that the man is, either not guilty, or his rights were so trodden on while he was being arrested that he should be given a new one. They talk to Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman) a woman with a weakness for men behind bars, who has been writing to many of them, including Van Wetter, and now believes that she’s in love with him and wants to marry him, and they set about looking into Van Wetter’s story and trying to discover if he is, in fact, innocent or not, but things quickly

take a turn and they can’t put the genie back in the bottle.

This sounds like a good, John Grisham-esque, film, at least that’s what I thought when I read the write up, but that is not what I got when I went to watch the film. The story is good, even the performances are good from some stellar actors, Efron’s younger brother is interesting, Kidman is good as a crazy sex-crazed trailer trash girl, McConaughey is good as a reporter with a dark secret, Oyelowo is good as his partner who shares the secret and loves his clothes a little too much, and Cusack is creepy as the swamp raised freak who they’re trying to save, but the problem isn’t the acting, the problem is the direction. Firstly, the film is shot in this bad 70’s porno style with out of focus shots and fuzz across the screen the entire time, and then the director seems to have forgotten that there is a story to tell and has, instead, decided to focus on specific scenes to shock to audience so much that they, I don’t know, either forget about the film or leave, I not sure what his intention was. The idea behind a film is to tell a story, be it good or bad, but that’s not what this director wanted to do. This is just bad film making.

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Film Review: Released September 20

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Red 2 8/10

Starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren Directed by Dean Parisot

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ur favourite retired CIA agent, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is back and this time the stakes are even higher.

When Frank and Marvin (John Malkovich) are put on a hit list and everyone, including Victoria (Helen Mirren) are trying to kill them, they need to band together to figure out who is behind it and why, dragging Sarah (Mary Louise Parker), who is more than keen considering things have been rather boring since their adventure in the first film, along.

The search leads them to a job they did involving smuggling a nuclear device into Russia during the Cold War, an insurance policy of sorts. So now they need to go back to Russia and find the device, putting them head first into a collision with an old flame of Frank’s, Katja (Catherine Zeta-Jones) a KGB agent, and an insane nuclear physicist who made most of the weapons they use, Bailey (Anthony Hopkins) as they discover there’s more to this weapon then they originally realised.

I was a he fan of the original film. It added action

with a large helping of comedy and it worked great. The sequel is no different. It’s funny, and smart and full of action. The fight sequences are even bigger this time around, especially between Willis and Byung-hun Lee, best known for his role as Storm Shadow in the GI Joe franchise, who plays a Korean agent that Frank betrayed back in the day and is now trying to kill him. With standout performances from Hopkins, Zeta-Jones and the original cast, all back for the sequel, this is one that you need to see, especially if you enjoyed the first.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Behind the Candelabra 8/10

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cott Thorson (Matt Damon) is a young man completely star struck when he meets Liberace (Michael Douglas) after one of his shows in Las Vegas. The older man is also interested in the young man and they start seeing each other. The relationship soon flourishes into something great, a true love between two people, but with Liberace’s lifestyle, the fact that no one in the world know that he’s gay and he tries very hard to make sure people don’t find out, the drugs that Scott is suddenly introduced too, and Liberace’s philandering, things are not easy,

Starring Michael Douglas, Matt Damon and Scott Bakula Directed by Steven Soderburgh but they stay together for many years, forming a real bond, as strong as any marriage, but the fickle Liberace eventually ruins it by looking for another hot boy, and this ruins Scott, but in the end also saves him.

Based on the autobiography written

by Scott Thorson, this is a true account of his relationship with the flamboyant and insanely paranoid piano star. From their meeting backstage at a concert to their eventual break up and the legal battle that ensued when Scott wanted what he felt was owed to him when, what he thought of as his marriage, ended. This is an interesting, insightful look into the life and relationships of the piano prodigy. The entire movie is beautiful, from the costumes, which look very authentic to the period, to the elaborate houses that Liberace owned, the hotel room she stayed in, the shows he put on and the incredibly gaudy jewellery that he wore, the makers of the film have been sure to be as true to the period and opulence as possible. The performances are also stellar, especially from Douglas and Damon. They don’t pull any punches, showing the way it really was, but in an honest and non-judgemental way. After a while you forget that it’s two men, which is still an issue for some, and look at them as just a loving married couple. Then the drugs and insanity ensues and you really get the feel of where each character is coming from and feel for them, on both sides. It is a beautiful film beautifully acted that makes no judgements about people, instead it shows you the way it was and lets you make of it what you will. I would recommend this film to anyone, and really hope that Douglas gets an Oscar nomination for his work, but be warned it isn’t for everyone, and they pull no punches where the homosexual angle is concerned, so if you are so narrow minded as to be bothered by it, then you should avoid seeing it.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Red Tails 7/10

Starring Terence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Gerald McRaney Directed by Anthony Hemingway

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t the height of the American involvement in World War II a group of coloured airmen joined the armed forces and was stationed in Tuskegee is Italy to be trained, but the whites in charge and the other officers in the military don’t believe they have what it takes to be pilots and soldiers, so they are relegated to attacking conveys in arrears where they shouldn’t be anyway. Leading the fight for these soldiers is Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terence Howard) trying to convince the commanding officers in Washington to give the Tuskegee Airmen a chance. They get their wish when an assignment comes up that is so dangerous that the RAF airmen turned it down. The assignment is to escort a fleet of bombers into Berlin to attack, keeping the Luftwaffe, of German air force, off the bombers long enough for them to drop their bombs. The Airmen jump at the chance to prove themselves, but all the while they need to

face prejudices, not just from the other soldiers, but from their very ranks, made up of a bunch of smart men eager to prove something, even at the detriment of the group.

This film is based on a true story and in the vein of Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, it is a very good film, but unfortunately, it does fall a little short of its compatriots. The entire film has a made-forTV feel about it. The CGI is not as well done as you would expect from a cinema release and the performances, even though they aren’t bad, and done by some great actors including Gooding Jr, and Howard, they just don’t have the emotional impact that you got from Saving Private Ryan. That being said, the dog fight sequences are pretty impressive, keeping you on the edge of your seat, and if you enjoy war films, or historical ones, you may get something out of this one.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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One Direction: The Movie (not rated)

Starring Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson Directed by Morgan Spurlock

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ne Direction: This Is Us is a captivating and intimate all-access look at life on the road for the global music phenomenon. Weaved with stunning live concert footage, this inspiring feature film tells the remarkable story of Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis' meteoric rise to fame, from their humble hometown beginnings and

competing on the X-Factor, to conquering the world and performing at London's famed O2 Arena. Hear it from the boys themselves and see through their own eyes what it's really like to be One Direction.

Unfortunately we missed this concert film. If you’re a fan of One Direction go and check it out, and enjoy the music.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Thanks for Sharing (not rated) Starring Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow Directed by Stuart Blumberg

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rom Academy Award nominated screenwriter and first-time director Stuart Blumberg comes a sharply comic and deeply moving look at a very different kind of modern family - the haphazard family forged by three men trying to navigate life, love and the emotional landmines of New York City while recovering from addiction.

Academy Award nominee Mark Ruffalo, Academy Award winner Tim Robbins and Broadway star Josh Gad anchor a stellar

ensemble cast in a story about the kind of friends who, no matter how wild their rises and falls, always put each other back together again.

The three men - including an overachieving environmental consultant (Ruffalo), a married father with long term success but daily challenges (Robbins) and a wise-cracking, out of control ER doc (Gad) - highlight the various stages in the process of conquering addiction and the community one needs to survive. On their own, they are each a smart, charming and completely broken, but together, they come to realize, they might have a real shot at happiness.

Unfortunately we missed this film. It marks the big screen debut of singing superstar Pink, so go and have a look at it and let us know what you thought.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Runner, Runner 7/10 Starring Justin Timberlake, Ben Affleck and Gemma Arterton Directed by Brad Furman

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itchie Furst (Justin Timberlake) had it all. He was well on his way to a lucrative job as a stock trader on Wall Street before the crash happened and he lost everything. Now he’s back at school trying to get a degree so he can get a new job, but the tuition is expensive. He tries working as an affiliate for an online gambling site, but when the school finds out they threaten to expel him if he doesn’t stop. In a last ditch effort he

gambles everything he has on the site to try and win enough for his tuition, only to lose everything, but not one to go out without a fight, especially when he discovers that he was cheated out his money, Richie gets on a plane and heads to Costa Rica to confront Ivan Block (Ben Affleck), the man who owns the site. Block rewards Richie by offering him a job, and so Richie’s back on top, but what is he willing to do to stay there, and what is he willing to turn a blind eye to too stay at the right hand of the man who can give him everything he wants?

This is very smart and quick moving story. It’s a bit hard to like any of the character, to be honest, because they all pretty bad guys. Even Richie, who doesn’t do anything wrong, at first anyway, but is so obsessed with money that he’s willing to do anything to get it, no matter how dirty that makes his hands. It’s a great performance by Timberlake, who has proved himself more than a pretty face and a good voice. He is a very good actor as well. Affleck is conniving and devious and delicious as a completely corrupt business man, again willing to do anything for the green, as is Gemma Arterton’s character, who jumps between beds the way a normal person jumps between jackets. It’s a fun, interesting film, especially for those that have gambled online before. An eye opener.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Mettalica: Through the Never (not rated)

Starring Dane DeHaan, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo Directed by Nimród Antal

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rip (Dane DeHaan), a young roadie, is sent on an urgent mission during Metallica’s roaring live set in front of a sold-out arena audience. As the band performs many of their most iconic songs for tens of thousands of devoted fans on a neverbefore-seen stage created exclusively for the film, Trip is dispatched outside the arena to meet a disabled delivery truck and recover a mysterious item being transported to the show. But the seemingly simple assignment turns into a surreal adventure when his car is hit by an out-of-control driver. Trip, dazed and bruised, climbs out of his van only to find

himself pitched into the middle of a tense standoff between angry protesters and charging riot police. In the ensuing mayhem, a vicious masked horseman sets his murderous eye on Trip while delivering indiscriminate deathblows to rioters and cops alike. Fleeing through the desolate, post-apocalyptic urban streetscape, Trip has only his wits to protect him as he attempts to deliver the band’s precious cargo and avoid becoming the horseman’s next victim.

Unfortunately we didn’t see this film, but the music is great and the story sounds interesting, so if you’re a Metallica fan go and check it out.

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Film Review: Released September 29

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Molly and Wors 5/10

Starring Willie Esterhuizen, Lizz Meiring and Gerhard Odendaal Directed by Willie & Pieter Esterhuizen

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yknet favourites Molly and Wors are on the silver screen for the first time in the big screen version of the hit TV show.

When Wors (Willie Esterhuizen) wins the Salesman of the Year award at work he and Molly (Lizz Meiring) are very excited, especially since the prize includes a trip to Holland to look at a new factory over there, but things go awry very quickly as soon as they arrive at the airport. Both afraid of flying they take sleeping pills, but the plane is delayed, causing Molly to fall asleep in the bathroom, at the exact same time that air hostess Bokkie (lelia Etsabeth) is trying to get rid of a handbag full of drugs that a dealer she knows is trying to get her to smuggle. Of course Molly is found with the drugs and the police arrest her and throw her in jail while Wors is in Amsterdam.

Now they need to prove her innocence, get Wors back from Amsterdam and save the house from their kids, Vaaitjie (Gerhard Odendaal) and Blapsie (Carien Botha), but when Wors decides to smoke a joint in Amsterdam things really get complicated.

This show has been a crowd favourite on Kyknet

for a while, so it doesn’t really matter what I say, since the fans of the show will go and watch the film, but there are a few issues with it. The plot is simplicity itself, but that’s not a bad thing. I enjoyed the comedy and the storyline, but it takes them thirty minutes just to get to the airport. This is too long and makes the first part of the film rather boring. Then there are technical mistakes, like when you are using a helicopter to shoot a scene, you can’t see the shadow of the helicopter on the road. That is not good. I will be honest, this is not my sense of humour. I loved Esterhuizen in Vetkoek Paleis and have enjoyed his other comedic writing, and I love Meiring in everything she does, but I just didn’t find this film particularly funny. If you liked the TV series then you’ll probably love the film, but if you don’t know the series, or you didn’t like it, you may want to skip this one for something else.

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Film Review: Released October 4

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Nothing for Mahala 8/10 Starring Thapelo Mokoena, Marius Weyers and Jamie Bartlett Directed by Rolie Nikiwe

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xe (Thapelo Mokoena) is an up and coming real estate broker, making big deals for his boss, Mike (Jamie Bartlett). He drives an expensive Merc and wears expensive suits and thinks money is the most important thing in the world, so much so that he’s taken out a loan from some rather unscrupulous people so he can show how well he’s doing, even when he’s really not. A spanner is thrown into the works of his life when he’s caught driving under the influence

and is sentenced to community service at Autumn Hills Retirement Home. At first he is not so thrilled about being relegated to the home, especially when he bumps heads with Reneilwe (Mmabatho Montsho), the manager at the home, and Hendrik (Marius Weyers) one of the more wilful retirees, he even sets into motion the sale of the home so he can make money off it, but as he gets to know the occupants, and Reneilwe better he begins to realise that all that glitters isn’t gold, and there are more important things than money after all.

This is one of the best South African films we’ve seen in a while. The story is sweet and well plotted and the performances, especially by Mokoena and Weyers are heartfelt, honest and completely natural, not like the forced acting we normally have to deal with. Bartlett is vicious and malevolent as a man who only thinks about the bottom line, while Shoki Mokgapa who plays Axe’s rival at work, Pule, is right up there with him. The elderly at the home, including Lillian Dube and June van Merch, are wonderful and Casper de Vries’ cameo as a hip hop gangster is really funny. This is good film making, South African or otherwise, and I suggest everyone goes and sees it. South African cinema needs to support and this film is worth supporting.

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Film Review: Released October 4

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The Call 8/10

Starring Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin and Evie Thompson Directed by Brad Anderson

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ordan Turner (Hale Berry) is a seasoned, veteran 911 operator, but when she makes a stupid mistake she ends up getting a teenage girl killed. Shaken by this she takes herself off the phones and instead decides to teach. This goes well until a day

when she’s with her trainees and a call comes in from Casey (Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl who has just been abducted from a shopping mall and is being held in the boot of a car.

The trainee operator who gets the call turns to Jordan for help, and without any other option, Jordan has to face her fear and take the call. This starts off a harrowing epic as Jordan tries to help Casey get help by showing people she’s trapped in the car and getting the police to her, but when Jordan realises that the person that’s taken Casey is the same person that killed the other girl, and then she loses contact with the girl, things get very real very fast.

This is a tight, compelling action thriller led by great performances by Breslin and Berry.

It’s clever and frightening and everything you would want from this type of film. It’s nice to see Berry getting back to her best after Dark Tide and Movie 43, both of which did not enthuse me. This time around she is believable and sympathetic and a good, strong female character that she really sinks her teeth into. Breslin’s really frightened teen is also great, showing fear and despair, mixed with resilience and defiance. She does a great job as well. Helped by a supporting cast made up of Morris Chestnut and Michael Eklund, to name a few, this is a must for fans of this type of film, like Speed. A good watch.

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Film Review: Released October 4

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R.I.P.D 8/10 Starring Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon and Jeff Bridges Directed by Robert Schwentke

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fter Nick (Ryan Reynolds) and his partner, Hayes (Kevin Bacon) find a load of gold at a drug dealers house and decide to keep it, he begins to have second thoughts. He tells Hayes that he’s going to turn the gold over and admit to what he did, but Hayes can’t let him do that, so instead he shoots and kills Nick. Nick then finds himself enlisted into the R.I.P.D, an army of dead cops that scour the world bringing dead people, called deado’s, back to the other side to stand trial. Nick joins the group, being partnered with an old cowboy Roy )Jeff Bridges), hoping to get back in touch with his wife, Julia (Stephanie Szostak), and get revenge on Hayes, but no sooner has he started working then things get really

complicated as the biggest threat to the R.I.P.D emerges, and it falls on Nick and Roy to save the world, and maybe get a little revenge at the same time.

A mixture of Hellboy and Men in Black, this is fun, escapist nonsense. Based on a series of comic books this film has a very comic feel, focusing heavily on the action and the comedy aspect, which Reynolds and Bridges both do very well. The angle of them looking like different people to alive people is a great twist that they make great use of. The action comes thick and fast, the effects are interesting and slightly disturbing at times, and the story is interesting, in a comic book sort of way. If you like comic films then you’ll get something out of this film. It is good fun.

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Film Review: Released October 4

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Arbitrage (not rated) Starring Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth Directed by Nicholas Jarecki

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rbitrage, the feature directorial debut of writer Nicholas Jarecki, is a taut and alluring suspense thriller about love, loyalty, and high finance. When we first meet New York hedge-fund magnate Robert Miller (Richard Gere) on the eve of his 60th birthday, he appears the very portrait of success in American business and family life. But behind the gilded walls of his mansion, Miller is in over his head, desperately trying to complete the sale of his trading empire to a major bank before the depths of his fraud are revealed.

Struggling to conceal his duplicity from loyal wife Ellen (Susan Sarandon) and brilliant daughter and heir-apparent Brooke (Brit Marling), Miller's also balancing an affair with French art-dealer Julie Côte (Laetitia Casta).

Just as he's about to unload his troubled empire, an unexpected bloody error forces him to juggle family, business, and crime with the aid of Jimmy Grant (Nate Parker), a face from Miller's past. One wrong turn ignites the suspicions of NYPD Detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth), who will stop at nothing in his pursuits. Running on borrowed time, Miller is forced to confront the limits of even his own moral duplicity. Will he make it out before the bubble bursts?

Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to see this film. Have a look and tell us what you think.

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Film Review: Released October 4

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Rush 9/10 Starring Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth and Olivia Wilde Directed by Ron Howard

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he story of one of the most riveting sports rivalries in history. When Nikki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) meet each other they don’t like each other from the word go, especially when they are racing against each other in formula 3 and, in Nikki’s eyes, James cheats him out of a win. James feels pretty good about it, actually mostly forgetting about Nikki entirely, until he discovers that the Austrian has managed to get himself put into formula 1, taking out a loan and buying his way in. Now James wants to move into the higher echelon as well, and when he gets his chance he takes full advantage, clashing heads with Nikki at every turn. It’s not until Nikki’s serous accident at the Japan Grand Prix in 1976 that they begin to see each other for what they really are, the driving force for the other man.

I’ve never really been a fan of the sport drama, because they’re normally too sentimental, but this film doesn’t do that, instead focusing on the reality of the lives of these two men then focusing on the sentimentality of their story. The story is compelling, and true to boot. Both men are driven and ambitious, but go about getting it in very different ways. James is free living and fun loving, having the best possible time in every moment, while Nikki is almost psychotically driven and ambitious. He’s not

friendly, insanely serious and egocentric to a fault. Both characters are perfectly cast.

Hemsworth really flexes his acting muscles, not that Thor is easy, but he is a jerk, annoying and completely sympathetic. Brühl embodies the seriousness of Nikki. He’s a prick who everyone hates, but respects, but deep down you can tell why he is the way he is and Brühl helps the character to connect with the audience and make him human. Another highlight of the film is the races. The cars are great, the cinematography of the races is really well done by director Howard and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle. If you like human dramas, or sport films and racing film, then this is a film that you will really enjoy.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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This is the End 5/10 Starring Seth Rogan, Jay Baruchel and James Franco Directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen

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hen Jay Baruchel (Jay Baruchel) comes to Los Angeles to visit his friend, Seth Rogan (Seth Rogan), he has plans of sitting in front of the TV playing video games and smoking weed all weekend, but Seth has other plans. He drags his friend to James Franco’s (James Franco) house for a party, which Jay is not thrilled about since he doesn’t particularly like anyone at the party, but to make matters worse while there the end of the world happens. Jay goes to get some cigarettes when he sees a blue light come down from the sky and suck people up into the heavens. Then a massive earthquake opens up a sinkhole right in front of the house killing a lot of people, including Rihanna (Rihanna). Jay, Seth, James, Craig Robinson (Craig Robinson) and Jonah Hill (Jonay Hill) are trapped in James’ house as demons walk the earth and Los Angeles is literally sucked into

Hell, but Jay would rather be outside in the darkness then stuck with the guys in the house.

This is a very interesting take on the end of the world type film. There are no heroes here. No one is trying to save the world, or even another person, they are all out for themselves, and no one else matters, which is probably the way it would be if the end of the world really did come. As you can tell from the write up the actors all play themselves in the film, although manically heightened versions of themselves. It’s funny, to a point, if you like the stoner humour that these actors are famous for, but it’s not really anything special, just more stoner, below the belt jokes in an interesting setting, and the religious groups are going to be up in arms when they see the way to get included in the Rapture, not something they’re going to be impressed by. The cameos are funny, including one by Emma Watson, which is the highlight of the film, and the effects are alright, especially the demons, if look past the male genitals that each one has dangling. It’s that kind of film.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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Musiek vir die Agtergrond 8/10 Starring John-Henry Opperman, Lizelle de Klerk and Brümilda van Rensburg Directed by Salmon de Jager

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aul (John-Henry Opperman) is a struggling musician trying to earn his spurs, so to speak. He’s being mentored

by Chris (Ian Roberts), a man who loves music, truly from the heart music, and owns a bar.

Paul plays at the bar once a week, while his girlfriend, Sera (Lizelle De Klerk) works there.

Things are good for the two until Paul is spotted busting at an arts festival by talent agent Lucy (Brümilda van Rensburg). She offers him a record deal, but the catch is that he has to do her songs and be her puppets basically. He passes on the deal but no sooner has he done that than he finds out that Sera is pregnant. Faced with the very real prospect of not being able to support his family because he’s still earning his spurs, Paul signs with Lucy, much to Chris’ horror, but he soon realises that just because you understand that you’re shaking hands with the devil, it doesn’t mean that you’re prepared for the consequences.

This is a film with a lot of heart. It’s sweet and smart and a really pleasant watch.

The music is also wonderful. The music, done

by Dawie de Jager, is rock and haunting and fabulous. Even the “bad” song that Paul is given to sing, Heito, Potato, is catchy, much to our horror. The performances by Opperman, De Klerk, Roberts, Terence Bridgett, who plays Lucy’s partner/assistant, and van Rensburg are all well directed and neatly executed. I will say that the film goes on a little long, its over two hours, and it’s somewhat unnecessary, it could have been half an hour shorter, but it’s such a beautiful film that I can forgive that.

Another example of what we can do in South African cinema.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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Redemption (not rated) Starring Jason Statham, Agata Buzek and Vicky McClure Directed by Steven Knight

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x-Special Forces soldier, Joey Jones (Jason Statham), who has found himself homeless on the streets after going on the run from a military court-martial. One night he breaks into an apartment in Covent Garden and finds that the luxury penthouse will be empty for three months. He finds a credit card, car keys and a full bank account for him to plunder but, instead, he decides to use the opportunity to get clean and get a job.

He gives up booze and drugs and finds work

as a dish washer in a Chinese restaurant. Soon he is promoted to porter and then unofficial bouncer. Such is his efficiency that he is spotted by a Chinese gangster boss who recruits him as a driver and enforcer. Joey rises through the ranks of the Chinese underworld in Soho. However, he doesn't forget his old friends on the streets. When he was homeless, he had a girlfriend called Isabel. Joey wants to rescue her and calls on the nun who runs the homeless shelter where he used to be fed and clothed. Her name is Sister Cristina (Agata Buzek) and, when Joey and Cristina's paths cross, sparks begin to fly.

Unfortunately we missed this film, but go and check out Statham’s high kicking action in this film at cinemas now.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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The Purge 8/10

Starring Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Max Burkholder Directed by James DeMonaco

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n the future America is almost perfect.

Unemployment is down to about 2% and the crime rate is almost non-existent. The citizens attribute this new world to The Purge.

One night a year for twelve hours all emergency services are suspended and all crime is legal. You can rape, pillage, plunder and even kill without fear of any kind of retribution. The concept is that the people can purge themselves of their natural violent urges on that night so they don’t give in to them over the other 364 days. In the middle of the latest purge James Sandin (Ethan Hawke), his wife, Mary (Lena Headey), his teenage daughter, Zoey (Adelaide Kane) and his young son, Charlie (Max Burkholder) are locked away behind their state of the art security system when a man (Edwin Hodge), beaten and bloody, the victim of the latest purge, comes

down the road looking for help and Charlie opens the house allowing the man inside. Soon his attackers arrive at the house and offer the family an ultimatum, turn him over or they’re coming in after him, and killing all of them along the way.

This is one of the most original thrillers I’ve seen in a long time. It’s clever, well-structured and very well directed.

It shines a light onto the human fact that if you give people permission to do something, some, even those that you never thought would, will do those things, but the question posed by this film is, even if you’re allowed to do something, does that mean you should?

Hawke is great as a man facing an incredible dilemma, but just trying to protect his family, with Headey coming along for the ride, and ending out the film with a great scene around the dining room table. Special mention to Rhys Wakefield best known as Richard Roxburgh cave diving son in Sanctum, for his role as the very polite, though completely unstable psychopath who knocks on the Sandin’s door. He is thoroughly creepy and does a great job. If you’re a fan of the thriller genre this is one that you should watch.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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Prisoners 9/10 Starring Hugh Jackman, Terence Howard and Maria Bello Directed by Denis Villeneuve

It’s Thanksgiving and the Dover family, father, Keller (Hugh Jackman), mom, Grace (Maria Bello), teenage son, Ralph (Dylan Minnette) and six year old Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) are spending it with their friends down the road, the Birch’s, father, Franklin (Terence Howard), mom, Nancy (Viola Davis), teenage daughter, Eliza (Zoe Soul) and their six year old daughter, Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons). It’s a normal day until the unthinkable happens, Anna and Joy disappear. The resulting search is insane as the public, the police and the Birch’s and Dover’s all go in search of the missing children, but when the police find the RV that they think the children were taken in, and the driver of the RV, Alex Jones (Paul Dano) tries to run, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) thinks they have their man, but without any evidence they have to let him go.

This isn’t good enough though for Keller who takes matters into his own hands to try and

find his daughter. Now Keller and Loki are racing against time to find the children, and the clock is ticking.

This is a compelling and disturbing film. The kind of film that makes you feel uncomfortable at first, along the lines of The Lovely Bones, but then puts you on the edge of your seat. It asks the question, what would you do? And put in Keller’s shoes, I’m sure any one of us would follow in them. Jackman gives a stellar performance as a man willing to do anything to find his child. He’s supported by Gyllenhaal, as an obviously down trodden, but really good cop, trying to save the day when all the odds are against him, Bello as a mother quickly loosing hope, Howard as a best friend pulled into something he doesn’t feel comfortable with, and a star performance, again, by Melissa Leo. I won’t give it away, but she is very good. This is a great film which was made really well. It really does keep you on the edge of your seat for the full 153 minutes, that’s two hours and 43 minutes. I would recommend it to everyone.

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Film Review: Releasing October 11

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Rust and Bone 6/10 Starring Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts and Armand Verdure Directed by Jacques Audiard

Rust and Bone is the story of a man, Alain (Matthias Schoenaerts) who moves with his five year old son to live with his sister, Anna (Corinne Masiero). He gets odd jobs, including as a bouncer at a local nightclub, which is where he meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard).

She’s an orca trainer at the local seaworld, and after helping her, the two hit it off, but he leaves and they don’t see each other again.

She then has a terrible accident at work resulting in her losing both of her legs. She calls Alain up and the two begin a friendship that brings her back from the brink of losing herself to depression, but doesn’t do much for him as he gets into bare knuckle back yard boxing and continues to act like a bully to his son. Eventually the life he’s been living starts to catch up to him and he plans to leave, but Stephanie wants him to stay as she’s fallen for the guy. What will he do?

This film was nominated for two Golden Globes, and normally I agree with their thinking, but on this one I was kind of baffled. It’s not a great film. It doesn’t seem to go anywhere.

Neither of the characters grow very much, especially Alain, who is a prick at the beginning and a prick to almost the very end.

Only at the end credits do you see a little spark of humanity, but by then you don’t particularly care what happens to the guy. The entire movie is slow and plods along at a snail’s pace. You end up wishing it was at least thirty minutes shorter. And the entire thing is in French, which means you have to read it, to boot. I will say, however, that there are a few scenes that I loved. Stephanie standing in front of a pane of glass and the killer whale coming over to say hello was beautiful, but these scenes are too few and far between to make enough of an impact. Maybe French people are just weird, or maybe it’s just not a well-made film, but I found it boring and ostentatious. Not a film I’d care to see again.

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DVD Reviews

Sword of War 4/10

Rites of Passage 5/10

Starring Rutger Hauer, Raz Degan and F. Murray Abraham Directed by Renzo Martinelli

Starring Stephen Dorff, Christian Slater and Wes Bentley Directed by W. Peter Hill

As a young boy Alberto Da Guissano (Raz Degan) saved the German king, Frederico (Rutger Hauer) known as Barbarossa, from a wild boar. Years later the king wants to unite all of Italy in an empire to match Charlemagne’s, but Milan doesn’t want to yield to him. Da Guissano rallies together an army of 900 men to stand against the king and the two head for an epic stand-off where the man who once saved the other now plan sot destroy him.

This is bad straight to DVD film making. The film jumps so much, sometimes years at a time, that you have no idea who anyone as, much less care. The acting is shoddy, the action sequences aren’t great and it just doesn’t gel together nicely. If you like this type of film rather rent Kingdom of Heaven.

When Nathan (Ryan Donowho) invites his college professor (Stephen Dorff) and a couple of his friends to his old abandoned family rose ranch they all think they’re going to be in for a good time, but the residents of the ranch, Nathan’s brother, Benny (Wes Bantley) and Delgado (Christian Slater), a man who’s lost it since the death of his wife and son in a car accident, sending him over the edge to become a meth cooker, have other plans, especially when Delgado realises that Dani (Kate Maberly), the girl Nathan likes and Benni wants to kidnap and marry, is the girl who caused the accident that killed his family.

This could have been a good film, and there are moments that I enjoyed, but it’s a little too all over the place, and doesn’t have the focus that a thriller needs to really work. I liked Slater, playing a role I’ve never seen him play before, and Bentley, who is completely unhinged. A little more focus and it would have been good. A pity.

The Return of Joe Rich 4/10 Starring Armand Assante, Sam Witwer and Talia Shire Directed by Sam Auster

When Joe (Sam Witwer) falls on tough times due to the recession, he returns home to Chicago with a plan to get things back on track. The plan is for him and his best friend, Bernard (Joe Minoso) to join his Uncle Dom (Armand Assante) in the family business, namely the mob. Joe goes about trying to convince his uncle that he has what it takes to be a gangster, but his uncle doesn’t believe, especially when he gives Joe a job and he blows it, so he kicks him out, then Joe gets a better plan, to kidnap his uncle and take over for himself.

This film has a good storyline and could have been a good mob crime thriller, but a film school director too filled with selflove damaged it. Instead of telling a story the film is filled with these interview inserts that just break the narrative. Add to that the way it jumps around backwards and forwards through the timeline and it just doesn’t work.

It’s a pity because the acting is good and the story could have been interesting. A bit of a loss.

Overnight 5/10 Starring James D’Arcy, Rachel Blanchard and Anthony LaPaglia Directed by Valerie Breiman

A group of characters all come together on a red eye flight between Los Angeles and New York. Jenny (Rachel Blanchard) has just broken up with her boyfriend and Tom (James D’Arcy) is in between relationships when they meet at the airport. They hit it off immediately and when the opportunity arises Tom arranges for Jenny to sit with him in the plane and the relationship flourishes, before dipping into a jealous frenzy. This frenzy flows over to the other passengers including a rapper escorting a dog which is a present, and the pilot (Anthony LaPaglia) with serious anger issues.

This is a sweet, romantic comedy, but it’s not one of the best that I’ve ever seen.

The stories, though quite funny at times, don’t have a coherent thread that connects, instead being several different stories running side by side instead of together. Not a bad film for date night, but nothing special.

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