– APRIL –
The Other Woman
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kate Upton, Nicki Minaj
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Out: 25 April 2014

A New York career woman (Diaz) thinks she’s finally found The One in her new partner (Coster-Waldau). But when she drives up to his house dressed as a plumber to surprise him, the door is opened by his wife (Mann). The shocked wife keeps stopping by her office wanting to know what happened, and soon the pair realise they have a lot in common and become best friends. And when yet another affair is discovered (Upton), all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on the serial adulterer. From the director of ‘The Notebook’ and other romantic dramas, Cassavetes switches over to comedy effortlessly. Mann and Diaz have great chemistry and this is an energetic, entertaining film that gets solid laughs from an event of emotional anguish. Mann in particular has never been better. Nicki Minaj is a bit rubbish as Diaz’s P.A. but what did we expect. [Critics: 23%] [Public: 6.1] – Good

– MAY –
Walk Of Shame
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Gillian Jacobs, Ethan Suplee
Director: Steven Brill
Out: 2 May 2014

A reporter’s dream of becoming a news anchor is compromised after a one-night stand leaves her stranded in downtown L.A. without a phone, car, ID or money – and only 8 hours to make it to the most important job interview of her life… I can only presume the interview isn’t also in L.A. otherwise 8 hours would be plenty to get there after making a reverse payphone call, or walking there in a couple of hours. Question is, can Elizabeth Banks carry a comedy on her own? When the writer-director’s track record is ‘Little Nicky’, ‘Mr. Deeds’, ‘Without a Paddle’ and ‘Drillbit Taylor’, it’s a highly suspect prospect. [Critics: 13%] [Public: 6.0] – Ok

Neighbors
Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Dave Franco
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Out: 9 May 2014

A couple (Rogen, Byrne) with a newborn baby are settling into a new home, coming to terms with putting their youthful days to one side. Then a huge, rowdy fraternity moves in next door (led by Efron). Soon there’s a growing conflict between the two houses. Written by two of producer Judd Apatow’s former assistants (that’s how you get ahead people), this is directed by the helmer of ‘Get Him to the Greek’ and ‘The Five-Year Engagement’. This doesn’t quite for Zac Efron what ’21 Jump Street’ did for Channing Tatum, but he holds his own well. Rose Byrne can’t always keep up with Seth Rogen’s comic presence, sympathies don’t always lie where they should during the war, and the Rogen-Efron relationship sometimes deteriorates or improves far too suddenly, but these are minor gripes during what is definitely a fun time. [Critics: 73%] [Public: 6.4] – Good

Stage Fright
Starring: Allie MacDonald, Meat Loaf, Douglas Smith, Minnie Driver
Director: Jerome Sable
Out: 9 May 2014

Musical-comedy 80’s-style slasher. Think ‘Friday the 13th’ meets ‘Glee’. Starry-eyed teenager Camilla wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Broadway diva, but she’s stuck working in the kitchen of a snobby performing arts camp. Determined to change her destiny, she sneaks in to audition for the summer showcase and lands the lead role in the play, but just as rehearsals gets underway, the bodies start to drop. A masked killer who despises musical theater is on the prowl (complete with screaming heavy metal voice, and occasionally electric guitar)… There aren’t many who like both horror and musicals (outside of ‘Rocky Horror’) so the public reaction has been unfairly brutal to this. It’s actually pretty funny, with some memorable musical numbers (such as “I’m gay I’m gay, but not in that way”). If you love slasher films, comedy, and understand that after the opening sequence the killings will be tongue-in-cheek, you’ll have a great time. [Critics: 34%] [Public: 5.2] – Mixed Reaction

Chef
Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson
Director: Jon Favreau
Out: 9 May 2014

A successful L.A. chef (Favreau) who’s fighting with the restaurant’s owner (Dustin Hoffman) to shake up the menu gets savaged by an important food critic. When he mishandles the subsequent PR situation by using Twitter for the first time, and has a public meltdown in the restaurant when the critic returns, he realises it’s time to get back to his roots. He returns to Miami to fix up a simple food truck, reconnect with his son, his ex-wife (Vergara), and reclaim his creative promise. As director, Jon Favreau has made some great comedies (‘Elf’, ‘Made’), and while this is advertised as one, it’s really a charming drama with some humour. You won’t bust a gut but it will put a smile on your face. Its love of food is infectious. [Critics: 88%] [Public: 7.3] – Excellent

A Million Ways To Die In The West
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Out: 30 May 2014

In 1890, a cowardly sheep farmer (MacFarlane) with a modern day take on things loses his girlfriend (Seyfried) after withdrawing from a duel. He then meets a new lady (Theron) who teaches him to shoot and helps him discover his bravery and confidence, while they gradually fall in love. But the herder will have to fully realise that potential when the lady’s husband (Neeson), an infamous criminal, rides back into town in a bad mood. A dirty western written, starring and directed by ‘Family Guy’/’Ted’ creator, and Oscars host, Seth MacFarlane. The cast also includes Neil Patrick Harris as a moustachioed suitor who enjoys a song-and-dance and Sarah Silverman as a local prostitute who beds ten men “on a slow day”. But it’s MacFarlane’s decision to cast himself in the lead role, his first in a live-action movie, that makes or breaks it. Every scene or moment he’s not in is well played and frequently hilarious, but when he’s on screen it’s hit and miss. He’s just a little bit awkward and the romantic stuff with Theron, of which there is too much, is uncomfortable since the chemistry isn’t there, and he makes her awkward along with him. However overall he does just enough to scrape through, helped by his own, often excellent, comic writing and direction. [Critics: 33%] [Public: 6.2] – Ok

June 2014 >

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