13 Monday May 2013
Director: Paul Greengrass
Stars: Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Max Martini
Plot: The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Release Dates: 11th October (USA, UK)
11 Saturday May 2013
Director: J.J. Abrams
Stars: Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana
Plot: When a seemingly unstoppable force strikes from within Starfleet, it is left to Captain Kirk and the fleet of the Enterprise to thwart it.
J.J. Abrams is the new self-appointed master of the universe. Not only is he at the helm of the Star Trek reboot franchise, but he is also going to be orchestrating the next big delve into the world of Star Wars, that of Episode VII which is currently in pre-production and slated for release in 2015. While Wars boasted big-budget CGI, huge explosions and panoramic set-pieces, Trek is more commonly associated with lo-fi effects, tight polo necks (the red ones mean you’re destined to be a short-lived extra) and polystyrene boulders that inhabit every conveniently oxygen-rich planet explored. Having re-invented Star Trek in 2009 with Star Wars special effects, Abrams cranks everything up another notch and sends the young crew of the Enterprise on their first proper mission – but does he manage to retain the heart and soul of the original TV series?
The USS Enterprise is sent on a mission to Planet Nibiru, where a volcano threatens to erupt, killing the primitive inhabitants. Mr. Spock’s (Zachary Quinto), life is placed in grave danger whilst initiating the device that will neutralise the lava and make the volcano safe – Captain Kirk (Pine) breaks protocol and is forced reveal the ship to the bemused onlookers whilst rescuing Spock. Back on Earth, Kirk is reprimanded and demoted to First Officer for his actions, with Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) assuming control of the Enterprise. Meanwhile, a Starfleet agent named John Harrison (Cumberbatch) successfully hatches a plan to bomb a secretive installation in London. When a meeting of high-ranking officers including Kirk and Pike is convened, Harrison attacks the office via a gunship, causing heavy casualties before escaping.
Fleet Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) then authorises Kirk to hunt Harrison and eliminate any future threat. However, they learn that their target has fled to the home of the Klingons, Kronos. As relations with the Klingons are at an all-time low and war is imminent, the Enterprise is equipped with 72 long-range photon torpedoes which are to be aimed at Harrison’s location and fired. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg) is convinced that the torpedoes are dangerous and resigns from his post as engineer with Chekov being appointed as his replacement. Marcus’ scientist daughter Carol (Alice Eve) comes aboard with a false identity. Upon their arrival at Kronos, Kirk, Spock and Uhura (Saldana) are trapped by Klingon ships and forced down. On the point of surrender, the trio are saved by a mysterious figure who fires on the group of Klingons, killing them. It is revealed to be Harrison himself, who has quite a story to tell in exchange for a deal which may have dire consequences for everyone at Starfleet.
The first film in the current Star Trek franchise reboot took us back to the origins of how the crew of the Enterprise came together, which made for a very interesting plot which we could all follow, even if being a Trekkie was an alien concept. Into Darkness launches us into their very first adventure, which turns out to be a straightforward battle between good and evil. While this has annoyed certain film critics for its simplicity (let’s not forget that Trek is aimed at a wide, global audience and not just the Ukrainian art house intelligentsia), it is to the benefit of the franchise that everything is finally up and running with a simple storyline, whilst concentrating on the spectacle of CGI instead of the intricacies of Starfleet politics. This is, after all, aimed at both young and old; fans of the TV series and a new generation who are ready to embrace Kirk and Co. Therefore the big major plus point is the special effects. A great deal of time (and money) has been invested into taking our breath away and in the main, it succeeds. Seldom have we seen a science-fiction film come alive on the screen in such a way – yes it is very loud and fast-paced throughout, but Abrams has succeeded in making it tremendous fun.
Chris Pine could very easily have parodied William Shatner’s famous staccato-style speech pattern and mannerisms to a diluted extent, but he never feels the temptation to do so – his Captain Kirk is ripe for the 21st Century (in terms of reality, at least). Zachary Quinto, who out of make-up looks about as far removed from Mr. Spock as is possible to get, is once again on form as he helps to develop the bromance between himself and Kirk (watch out for a rather tender moment betwixt a glass screen, which mirrors Spock’s death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), despite his stiff and starchy, by-the-book demeanour. Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison is suitably menacing, even if he doesn’t hit the heights of Hannibal Lecter in his single-glazed prison cell, Cumberbatch proves to be an effective villain and avoids stumbling over into pantomime territory. The supporting cast is very proficient, except for Simon Pegg, whose camp Scotty has a few good one-liners but irritates more than entertains and Anton Yelchin’s Pavel Chekov, whose pseudo-Russian accent sounds like a cassette tape being played backwards whilst being doused in vodka. J.J. Abrams’ direction is top-class and his use of lens flare in almost every scene harks back to the sci-fi films of the 1960s and 70s – a very deliberate and fantastic idea, even if it takes a little getting used to.
Star Trek Into Darkness is a terrifically entertaining sequel that might not have the same level of characterisation as the 2009 original, but makes up for this in its grand design. Star Trek and Star Wars might become particularly intertwined over the next few years due to the presence of Abrams on both projects, but if Darkness is anything to go by, then we’re not going to be short of blockbuster entertainment over the next few years.
Rating: 
09 Thursday May 2013
Director: Gavin Hood
Stars: Harrison Ford, Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield
Plot: 70 years after a horrific alien war, an unusually gifted child is sent to an advanced military school in space to prepare for a future invasion.
Release Dates: 25th October (UK), 1st November (USA)
03 Friday May 2013
Director: Alan Taylor
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins
Plot: When Jane Foster is targeted by the denizens of the dark world of Svartalfheim, Thor sets out on a quest to protect her at all costs.
Release Dates: 30th October (UK), 8th November (USA)
25 Thursday Apr 2013
Director: Roland Emmerich
Stars: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Plot: While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders.
Release Dates: 28th June (USA), 6th September (UK)
21 Sunday Apr 2013
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Daniel Brühl, Chris Hemsworth, Olivia Wilde
Plot: A biography of Formula 1 champion driver Niki Lauda and the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life. Mere weeks after the accident, he got behind the wheel to challenge his rival, James Hunt.
Release Dates: 13th September (UK), 20th September (USA)
19 Friday Apr 2013
Tags
2013, Francis Lawrence, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Director: Francis Lawrence
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Plot: As Katniss and Peeta embark on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts, Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games.
Release Dates: 22nd November (USA, UK)
17 Wednesday Apr 2013
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Stars: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko
Plot: A drone mechanic is tasked with a clean-up mission after a devastating war which leaves the Earth virtually uninhabitable. However, a strange turn of events forces him to question the real reason why he is there and his very existence.
Trailers for science-fiction films are traditionally unlike any other genre. The perceived spectacle is far more important at this point, whereas the finer details of the plot are secondary. However, more recently there has been a distinct lack of originality where such movies are concerned. Sure, the otherworldly landscapes and gadgets are essential, but in a time where cinematic CGI has reached a level of excellence never seen before, ironically the onus is on the need for good old-fashioned storytelling to back it all up. With the summer blockbuster season almost upon us once again, are we seeing the start of a new trend in convincing plots and characters?
In 2077, Jack Harper (Cruise) works mostly alone as a drone repairman on Earth, which was nearly destroyed by an alien invasion which resulted in the annihilation of the moon. From a base suspended above the remains of New York City called ‘Tower 49′, Jack and his romantic partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) work together to ensure that Earth’s resources are sent to a space station (Tet), which was humanity’s escape vessel. Through their mission controller Sally (Melissa Leo), Jack is guided to certain locations where drones need to be repaired. However, he has to deal with the attentions of ‘Scavs’, aliens who were left behind after the war. Jack and Victoria are promised that their mission will eventually end in a few weeks’ time and they can join the other survivors on Titan.
Jack keeps having recurring dreams about meeting a mysterious woman on the observatory level of the Empire State Building before the war, even though he and Victoria had their memories wiped five years earlier for the sake of security. Whilst out on patrol one day, Jack rescues Julia (Kurylenko) from a downed spacecraft, whom he recognises from his dreams, from Scavs who are revealed to actually be humans living underground. Their leader Malcolm Beech (Freeman) claims that the invasion was a lie and urges Jack to reprogram a drone and use it to attack the Tet. Jack refuses, but when Malcolm lets them both go, he tells him to investigate the ‘high radiation zone’ that Jack is not allowed to enter. Upon returning to the base, Jack learns that all is not what it seems and he will have to fight to survive.
The only people who will truly enjoy Oblivion are those who have never seen a single science-fiction film in their entire lives before. The first thing that strikes you about the decidedly bleak world into which we are plunged, is the familiarity of it all. Borrowing, er, stealing ideas directly from the Alien films, Moon, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Total Recall, Blade Runner, Wall-E, Mad Max and a finale which unashamedly lends itself heavily to Independence Day (though thankfully without a token cringeworthy speech from an American President), this is an Earth created by screenwriters who have no new ideas whatsoever and can only do but tick all the sci-fi boxes from the unwritten book of clichés. This is all a real shame because there is a great idea in here which could have been developed into a really engaging experience, combining themes of existence and reality in a dystopian setting to give us a highly thought-provoking film. The CGI is at times impressive (as all featured on the trailer), but these moments are few and far between – the characters themselves still need to deserve our empathy for their plight, but this is sadly not forthcoming.
Tom Cruise is undoubtedly a talented actor, but now and again he lapses into his comfort zone, that of not really bothering to act at all. If you swoon at the mere sight of little Tommy, then this will not bother you in the slightest, but his penchant for ‘being Tom Cruise’ (also see Jack Reacher) is once again evident here. He has a way of conjuring his narcissistic alter ego he most famously used in Top Gun and brings out arguably his most famous incarnation, fighter pilot Maverick, at hilariously random points in his career. Cruise isn’t so much as miscast; he is up to the task of playing Jack, but just fails to convince us that he isn’t on a film set running around in front of a green screen. Andrea Riseborough is suitably gorgeous and mysterious as Jack’s colleague Victoria, but the script doesn’t really allow much development in the way of finding out about her past and a methodical revealing of the reasons behind her and Jack’s mission. Instead we’re left with a stiff and starchy leading lady, with a personality as sterile as the decor of the base she operates from. Olga Kurylenko, whose career is just starting to come to fruition a few years after starring in Quantum of Solace, has a similar role to her Camille in the aforementioned James Bond instalment – she does just what is required.
Oblivion should be a fascinating watch, but the first hour is surprisingly slow, although there are a few scenes in the first half that punctuate the serenity and quicken the pulse slightly. Apart from a decent chase sequence and some nice views of a ruptured moon, there’s not a great deal to recommend here. This is yet another nail in the coffin of films that concentrate on ground-breaking plot development instead of diverting attention to what’s happening in the CGI sky above.
Rating: 
15 Monday Apr 2013
Tags
2013, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jeff Wadlow, Kick-Ass 2
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Plot: The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.
Release Dates: 19th July (UK), 16th August (USA)
13 Saturday Apr 2013
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Stars: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley
Plot: Set in the year 2159, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.
Release Dates: 9th August (USA), 20th September (UK)
