The Showreel | 5 [ Ft. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and much more]
Our weekly look at the latest news and trailers from the world of film, featuring Kim Jong-Un, some lightsabers, a Minion sequel and five ways to procrastinate in front of your TV this week. It’s The Showreel.
Film News
June 24th Will Be Our Independence Day 2 Day
The Independence Day sequel ID Forever, Part 1 has officially been greenlit for production by Fox for 2016 and in a surprising move it wont be released on July 4th but instead on June 24th (which is in fact the national day of Quebec… plot twist???) So far no actors have been attached to the project but rumours have it that Will Smith will not be reprising his role as Capt. Hiller, however Jeff Goldblum (yes!!) and Bill Pullman (meh) are being linked to the film. Judging by it’s title we’re not going to have to wait 20 years for another sequel, with the birth of a franchise being suggested. The first film is absolute gold and pretty much encapsulates everything a summer blockbuster should be, so no pressure then!
Kim Jong-Un Loves Annie… Hacks Sony’s Servers to Get a Preview
I have to admit I made the first part of that headline up. Everyone knows Kim Jong-Un’s favourite film is Mamma Mia. But either way he is not impressed with the upcoming release of The Interview, which features Seth Rogen and James Franco attempting to assassinate him. In fact North Korean ambassador Ja Song Nam labelled the comedy’s release an “act of war” and in retaliation North Korea have supposedly hacked Sony (the production company and distributor of The Interview) and released a number of their films online before some have even hit cinemas. The films include Fury, Annie, Still Alice, Mr. Turner and To Write Love on Her Arms. But in a new twist the FBI have released a warning that these hacked files include dangerous malware viruses used to hack personal data from your computer. Sneaky Kim Jong-Un… very sneaky.
Galway Becomes a UNESCO City of Film
Not only the best place in Ireland for the “craic”, now Galway has been designated an official UNESCO City of Film in recognition of its contribution to cinema and media production. Galway was among 63 cities long-listed for the award by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the win reflects Galway’s long standing devotion to the creative arts. Michael D. Higgins (who loves a bit of Galway) said yesterday, “Galway is such a vibrant city whose people support a wide range of cultural activities and they fully deserve this UNESCO award. This permanent award will undoubtedly raise Galway’s worldwide profile as a significant player in the creative sector.” I’d like to think my three years in film school in Galway had something to do with this… anyone?… no? Ok.
Trailer Watch
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) Dir. J.J. Abrams
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The internet actually lost its shit last Thursday when the first teaser trailer for the new J.J. Abrams helmed Star Wars film was released. But hold your wee in cause it’s literally gonna be 12 months before this is actually in the cinema. So deep breaths. It’s hard though considering how dang cool the trailer looks what with the Millennium Falcon, and the Tie Fighters and the super-cool lightsaber. Abrams did a fantastic job with the Star Trek reboot so I hold out more promise for these than the lacklustre prequels released 16 years ago. I do hope that he keeps the lens flare down a bit but, no doubt, it is in better hands than George Lucas. Anywho, I’m just gonna watch the trailer again… oh yeah!
Paddy O’Leary looked at a few more trailers spiking his punch this week…
Minions (2015) Dir. Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
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Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.
Those adorable yellow creatures from Despicable Me have their own movie. Director of Despicable Me, Coffin, teams up with ex-Pixar animator and co-director of The Lorax, Balda, to bring us an origin story of these mysterious minions. Obviously tailored towards a younger audience than myself I am still looking forward to this. Despicable Me was very enjoyable, as was its sequel. Even with a voice-over cast including Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keating and Steve Coogan, it will be the incomprehensible, perplexing jibber-jabber of the minions that will be replicated by kids next summer when it hits the cinemas.
Project Almanac (2015) Dir Dean Israelite
[youtu[youtube id=”8Yih-CxTWsw” align=”center” autoplay=”no” maxwidth=”550"]p>A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.
Hitting our cinemas early next year is a coming-of-age-time-travel movie like never before. Well, to be honest, it will probably include everything that’s been done before. But that is not very surprising, not all time-travel films can be Primer. At least from the trailer alone the films gives a good indicator that some new talent is emerging as this is the debut for both director Israelite and writers Jason Pagan and Andrew Stark. The second trailer, that is also released, delves a little more into the problems that arise when you mess around with time and does make the film look a little more interesting. It will always have to deal with comparisons to The Butterfly Effect and Groundhog Day etc. but hopefully it will give us something a little different.
So What Films Are On TV This Week:
Taken (2007) – More 4 – Tuesday 2nd 9.00pm
“A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris.”
It’s so simple and has been done many times before, but Taken took its singular idea of revenge by kicking ass and actually re-invented it somehow. Liam Neeson gratefully accepted his own renaissance and has since become an action hero in his own way.
Hot Shots (1991) – Film Four – Wednesday 3rd 7.20pm
“Parody of “Top Gun” in which a talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.”
Jim Abrahams, director of Airplane and creator of Police Squad! (of which the Naked Gun films are based), brings us on a rollercoaster ride of spoof legend. Well before he had tiger blood flowing through his veins Charlie Sheen was a bona fide actor; Platoon and Wall Street to name a few gems. Shortly after this he took himself somewhat less seriously and joined the lampoon of Hot Shots with the late, and great, Lloyd Bridges. Absolute nonsense and thoroughly enjoyable, you can turn that brain off after a hard day’s work.
Das Boot (1981) – Film Four – Thursday 4th 11.05pm
“The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror.”
Without doubt the greatest submarine film ever made. And probably one of the greatest war films of all time. Das Boot may be four hours long so I would recommend hitting the aul record button, but the sheer panic and claustrophobia is exhilarating as the film builds and builds until either the submarine or the man breaks. Sublime stuff.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – Film Four – Friday 5th 10.40pm
“A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving with an obnoxious slob of a shower curtain ring salesman as his only companion.”
John Hughes’ perfect comedy, featuring Steve Martin as a disgruntled and menaced traveller struggling to make it home for Thanksgiving only to get stuck with the harmless but nausiating fellow traveller John Candy. The performances are fantastic and the jokes are perfectly formed. Also, it features one of my favourite film scenes ever… watch it here!
Battleship (2012) – Channel 4 – Saturday 6th 8.00pm
“A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.”
Directed by Peter Berg (A Michael Bay of sorts? Wow… that’s harsh… sorry Mr. Berg), this film is tripe. But it’s that kinda good tripe that is so brainless and visually palatable that it can occupy a few hours without really doing you any harm. But be careful… Rihanna is in this. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
