Spring has sprung and so have a heap of new films into NZ cinemas this month. Check out what’s on offer…
David Brent: Life on the Road
3,2,1 and cringe. You must have seen some of the original UK and in many people’s opinion best version of The Office created by and starring Ricky Gervais? If not then some of the in-jokes in this one might pass you by but David Brent: Life on the Road is train wreck comedy at it’s best, that you can’t pry your eyes away from and ultimately come away feeling happier about your own lot in life when you see what hapless David gets himself into again and again.
Released: September 1st
Nerve
A film that millennials may find easier on the uptake than the older crowd, Nerve is undeniably an innovative idea and earnestly creates an action flick with consequences that is more believable than your large Bourne-styled espionage story line. Emma Roberts and Dave Franco star as average kids on the cusp of college that fall into a dangerous, high- stakes live streaming game with often fatal results. You’ll look at your phone and favourite internet personalities a little differently after this one.
Released: September 1st
Richie McCaw: Chasing Great
For all those Rugby heads out there this feature length look into the life of one of New Zealand’s most celebrated All Blacks and rugby players Richie McCaw, serves as a great document of his impact on the game and indeed our culture as the rugged iconic kid-from-the-South made good character.
Released: September 1st
Sully
Premium biopic cinema is delivered in the form of Tom Hank’s piloted drama – Sully. Detailing the incredible events of Captain “Sully” Sullenberger’s water landing of a commercial airliner filled with 155 passengers and crew onto the Hudson River in the centre of New York City’s CBD in 2009. It’s exciting, it’s moving plus with it being directed and produced by Clint Eastwood it has that classic quality of iconic films. Showing the real life for a hero that’s being scrutinized behind the scenes while being lauded as a hero publicly for his actions; gripping stuff.
Released: September 8th
Sausage Party
Oh Em Gee. Seth Rogen strikes again starring, writing and producing this outrageous and most definitely for adults only animated comedy about a group of Supermarket inhabitants in search of truth. Yes that’s right, Supermarket inhabitants. Seth Rogen stars as an exuberant sausage named Frank, Kristen Wiig is an a-typical annoying girlfriend Brenda, Salma Hayek is the saucy taco ally Teresa plus Michael Cera is the little sausage that could Barry. It’s completely off-the-wall but manages to successfully discuss some major concepts like religion, U.S. gun laws, LGBTQ rights and the Israel/Palestine conflict. No, really.
Released: September 8th
Pete’s Dragon
For all the nay-saying on Hollywood remakes, sometimes they are produced so beautifully that they really are something special. Case in point for the new Pete’s Dragon starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban and the master Robert Redford. Stunningly shot in New Zealand it feels like ‘our film’ moreover it’s exciting and moving enough to hold an adult’s attention but remains uncluttered for kids to really enjoy the fantasy element. Keep an eye on younger or sensitive kids with some of the scenes, but on the whole an excellent family film to see this coming school holidays
Released: September 15th
The Secret Life of Pets
Speaking of school holidays there’s definitely a few films that will get those younger film buffs wriggling in their seats these school holidays. The Secret Life of Pets has been intriguing people for a couple of months with their teaser trailers in cinemas and online and we finally get an inside view into what our darling fur babies get up to when we’re out and about. It’s particularly cool to hear cynical comedian Louis C.K. voicing cute little dog and hero, Max.
Released: September 15th
Storks
More animated kids fare arrives in the form of Storks. Generally a U.S. based fertility fairy-tale, the idea of storks delivering babies to families has been changed up to show storks moving with the times becoming a UPS style package delivery service instead. Stacked with big name vocal talent like Jennifer Aniston, Andy Samberg, Ty Burrell and Kelsey Grammer to name but a few, this bright and clean animation style will be a nice time out during the school hols…maybe get ready for some interesting questions from your youngsters post viewing though perhaps?
Released: September 22nd
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Tim Burton emerges from the shadows to adapt for film the Ransom Riggs novel Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Although I’m yet to read the novel, cinematically it looks as though it plays like a Hogwarts meets Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters adventure, which I’m definitely not adverse to! With Tim Burton providing the visuals it’s bound to be spooky and atmospheric.
Released: September 29th
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Bridget Jones is back and this time she’s tackling impending motherhood head on. Definitely one for the gals to get together and head along too (perhaps with a few cheeky wines thrown in), this looks like the more civilised British anecdote to the brash ‘Moms wanna party too’ vibe of last month’s hit Bad Moms.
Released: September 22nd
Captain Fantastic
A delightful independent film success with serious general cinema crossover potential; Captain Fantastic stars the always solid performer Viggo Mortensen as a father who wants to live with and raise his children in the way he sees fit despite detraction from his local community for his alternative teaching methods and off-the-grid lifestyle. Sure to be a quirky, feel-good think piece film.
Released: September 22nd
The Magnificent Seven
One of the most traditional and best loved genres, the Western doesn’t get all that much play cinematically nowadays (see Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight pronto if you haven’t already!). When once, film producers used to ensure at least two or three Westerns would be produced a year. The Magnificent Seven from 1960 was originally based on the legendary film Seven Samurai by famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, so the new reboot has a storied history behind it to back up. Refreshingly though this 2016 version is crammed with strong character actors like Denzel Washington; Vincent D’Onofrio, Ethan Hawke or Chris Pratt to name only a mere few. Bang, bang shoot ‘em up yeehaa this is going to be a goodie.
Released: September 29th
Blair Witch
Not a remake or a reboot this snazzy found footage horror movie is a straight up follow on se-squeal of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project, so we can effectively all just erase that abomination Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 from our collective memory’s. Updated and with some additional horror trope scares, this is a good, solid, scary flick for spring.
Released: September 15th.
What movies are you excited to see this month?
