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- Terrence Malick’s new film, the much-delayed The Tree of Life, has not only been given a release date of 27th May 2011 and a poster, but also a complex plot synopsis which shows that it is a tale of family tensions and conflict that are apparently representative of the cosmos. This may only be Malick’s fifth feature, but he directed Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, making it definitely one to get excited about.
- Leonardo DiCaprio is hoping to play the role of serial killer Dr HH Holmes in an adaptation of the non-fiction novel The Devil in the White City. While still in planning stages with no director as yet attached, this should be one to watch out for.
- Brad Pitt and Andrew Dominik are collaborating again after the critical if not commercial success of the excellent The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. They’re working together on Cogan’s Trade, a mafia film with a darkly comic tone.
- For the few people not tired of the endless retreads of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre there is good news with the announcement of Leatherface 3D, so we can enjoy everyone’s favourite chainsaw wielding psychopath in a new dimension. Other horror sequels revealed this week are Wolf Creek 2 and Silent Hill Revelations, a sequel to the much criticised 2006 video game adaptation.
On tonight, there is the excellent but often overlooked Day of the Dead at 12.55am on BBC2. Saturday sees Ridley Scott’s science fiction masterpiece Blade Runner on BBC Three at 11.45pm. Sticking with sci-fi, the ever-popular Back to the Future is on ITV2 at 5.45pm on Sunday. Film4 is showcasing some excellent films this week, notably Vincent Minnelli’s The Bad and the Beautiful at 11am on Monday, followed later that day by John Ford’s sublime Man who Shot Liberty Valance at 3.30pm.
- Another Year
The new film by the wonderful British filmmaker Mike Leigh follows the lives of aging couple Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen). Leigh’s films are almost always worth a look and this has received nearly universal praise, and is apparently wonderfully acted and deeply moving, making it by far the most exciting release of the week.
- Let Me In
Tomas Alfredson’s exquisite Let the Right One In is arguably one of the finest films of the last decade, and is already coming to be regarded as a horror classic, meaning a dumbed down English language remake of the Swedish vampire tale was inevitable. However, to the surprise of many, it has been met with generally positive reviews, perhaps because of director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) and star Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass). Maybe this could buck the trend of horror remakes and actually be a good film.
- Due Date
The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis and director Todd Philips reunite for a comedic road movie co-starring Robert Downey Jr. as a man trying to get home before the birth of his child. With two perfectly good leads and a proven comedic director it should work well but Due Date, although certainly not destroyed by critics, has received predominantly negative reviews.
- Jackass 3D
Ever watched Jackass and thought that is needs an extra dimension? Well, here’s your chance to find out what it’s like. More an extended episode than a film maybe, it has actually faired quite well with critics and, judging by the reaction in America, fans of the programme should be pleased as there appears to be plenty on offer. With the movie making more the £100 million in the United States alone, we may expect number four soon.
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