Films To Watch This April
Rampage
Billed as ‘Big Meets Bigger’, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays a primatologist who befriends a giant silverback gorilla.
After a genetic experiment goes wrong (good one, humanity), the gorilla goes ape. Not only that, several species of altered animals begin to run amok across America, and it’s up to the The Rock to restore order. Loosely based on the ’80s arcade game of the same name, if you’re into giant beasts and inner-city destruction, Rampage will make you go bananas (last gorilla joke, sorry).
This film is based on the video game of the same name, which debuted in 1986. In the game, players control a giant monster to destroy cities while evading the authorities. The movie adaptation of Rampage has been in development since 2011.
In cinemas April 12.
Avengers: Infinity War
Think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a similar vein to, say, Greek mythology. There’s a large buffet-style offering of complex characters, each with their own unique individual powers and flaws, and, of course, you have the never-ending battle between good, evil and where the line between the two becomes increasingly blurred. That ol’ chestnut, eh.
Avengers: Infinity War sees Thanos, a dark intergalactic warlord in hot pursuit of the Infinity Stones, a series of ancient artefacts that allow the user to bend time, space, energy, pretty much carte blanche to do evil bidding, villainous shenanigans and anything that makes things tremendously inconvenient for the human race.
A problem shared is a problem halved, and the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy and friends, to divide the problem into 23rds or 24ths (there are a lot of heroes in this movie both major and minor).
Using the term “ensemble cast” feels like a bit of an understatement here. Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Chadwick Boseman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Rudd… deep dive into the IMDB page and you’ll get a glimpse into the enormity of this movie. Remember the Battle of Helm’s Deep from the second Lord of the Rings movie? Imagine that, but with almost every Marvel hero and a (rumoured) US$1 billion budget sparing no expense.
In cinemas April 25.
Early Man
Straight from the creative mind of stop-motion master Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit), Early Man follows the exploits of Dug (Eddie Redmayne), a caveman from a tribe driven out from their homeland thanks to the advent of the Bronze Age. Tom Hiddleston stars as the voice of antagonist Lord Nooth, in a film set to bring laughter to both parents and kids alike.
In cinemas March 29.
Last Flag Flying
Set in 2003, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Carell star in this dramedy as three Vietnam vets who reunite after one of their sons dies during the Iraq War. Richard Linklater, the creative genius behind Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, directs the film and adapted the screenplay from Darryl Poncsan’s book of the same name.
In cinemas April 26.
And The Oscar Went To…
Dubbed as the ‘Super Bowl of fashion’ and the ‘night of the elite’, the Oscars is an event everyone knows about. Achievements are celebrated, tears are shed. It’s like a rom-com in itself, and all for a chance to stand there, in front of the world, holding that iconic statue. Public backlash, hash-tagged Twitter posts – it seems like there can’t be an Oscars without a bit of backlash. But I have to say, there’s no doubt, the Americans can put on a great party, am I right?
The stage was set at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the place humming with the usual excitement you’d expect at such an event. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the evening, alongside other great actors (like Lakeith Stanfield, star of the nominated Get Out, creeping up on different celebrities and shouting “GET OUT!” in their ears!) As the night progressed, crowd favourites claimed their prizes. Allison Janney won Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal as LaVona Golden in I, Tonya, Sam Rockwell won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Gary Oldman won Best Actor as his role as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.
Other highlights during the night showcased diversity, especially with the first transgender presenter in history (Daniella Vega from the Best Foreign Film-winning A Fantastic Woman) taking the stage. Musical acts like Mary J Blige, Sufjan Stevens and rapper, Common, performed on the night and wowed both fans and celebrities.
But the question on everyone’s lips was who would win top gong, Best Picture? Which director would walk away with that gold statue? The nominated films were Call Me By Your Name, The Shape of Water, Dunkirk, Darkest Hour, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Post, Phantom Thread, Lady Bird, and Get Out.
The Shape of Water came out on top and took the Oscar home for talented director, Guillermo del Toro.
