The Book Thief
The story of a young foster girl in WW2 Germany who collects books while the Nazis are burning them. I can heartily recommend the novel; disappointingly, the critics don’t seem to be able to say the same about this film adaptation.
Non-Stop
Liam Neeson does the action thing again. This time he’s an Air Marshal in a thriller that sounds a bit like Speed. Except instead of on a bus, the action’s on an aeroplane. Upping the stakes in hijack films is one of the less frequently discussed consequences of 9/11.
Ride Along
In order to marry Ice Cube’s sister apparently you must “ride along” with him on a police patrol to prove your manliness and then get into lethal/comedic hijinks. Maybe your sister doesn’t need her brother’s permission to get married? Ever consider that, Ice Cube?
We Are What We Are
Exclusive from the Mild Concern Drafts folder: Tim has a review for this brewing. In further groundbreaking news, he informs me that it’s “a surprisingly good horror”. He’ll expand on this opinion with more words once he has an internet connection again. Maybe you should go watch it first then see if you agree with him.
Shaadi Ke Side Effects / The Side Effects of Marriage
A Bollywood film “about a young couple who experience many comic events after their marriage” – I assume after the husband has successfully survived the comic events on his ride along with Ice Cube.
Yurusarezaru mono / Unforgiven
Ken Watanabe stars in this Japanese remake of the Clint Eastwood classic, which people are describing in such glowing terms as “not as redundant as it sounds“.
Bramman
A Tamil film about two cinema-loving friends when long after their lives diverge, the less successful one searches out the more successful one for a favour. This is likely to be me and Tim in 20 years time – but who’ll be the one with all the success? (Tim, obviously.)
Om Shanti Oshana
According to the Wikipedia page, this is a romantic comedy that follows Pooja, “a naughty school girl who loves trends”, whose best friends are “Neethu, a flirt and Dona, a junk foodie.” I like how every character’s personality is conveniently summarised in one descriptive term. Other featured characters are “Rachel Aunty, a wine maker” and “Dr Prasad Varkey, her young and enthusiastic teacher”.
Funny Face
Re-release of the Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn musical, which I dimly remember as being pretty but ludicrous. Back in 1957, The Times reviewed it as “…a displeasing piece of work, pseudo-sophisticated, expensive and brash in approach, vulgar in taste and insensitive in outlook. This, in fact, is the American “musical” at its worst.”
Mild Concern 