JURASSIC WORLD AND THE OTHER MOVIES OUT THIS FORTNIGHT
It's summer time and if you're not in the park, there's plenty to see at the cinema
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Jurassic World
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio
It’s been 14 years since the last instalment of Jurassic Park (the pacey, witty and underrated Part III), so expectation is sky high for our return to one of the seminal franchises of our time. But the new filmmakers have been clever by both throwing back to the original and moving it forward. Pratt plays a dino-wrangler who has a rapport with raptors, forced to deal with a disaster when the now-working park creates a hybrid species that escapes and threatens the island. The actor is a more action-friendly hero than the cerebral Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, whilst Howard plays the “suit”. And the kids too have more oomph than the rather weedy youngsters from the first one. Ultimately though, it’s about the dinosaurs. The first movie broke new ground in CGI and this looks spectacular. The wait has been worth it.
Spy
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Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Jude Law
You probably wouldn’t have thought funnywoman McCarthy and the Stath would be natural movie bedfellows, but the latter in particular is a riot in this espionage comedy. McCarthy is an office-based analyst who’s always wanted to get into the field and finally gets the chance, despite the protestations of a legendary agent played by the British star. As always with her movies, some of the jokes rely too much on the actress’s appearance, but the gags in general hit the mark and you’ll see a new side to the previously rather po-faced action hero.
Insidious: Chapter 3
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Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Leigh Whannell, Lin Shaye
The horror series continues its inexorable progress, though this third entry is actually a prequel which pre-dates the first movie. It focuses on Elise (Shaye) as she begins to use her gift on a teenage girl, while her cohorts Specs (Whannell, who also writes and directs) and Tucker (Angus Sampson) also make an appearance. You know what you are going to get with this kind of thing and Whannell, despite being only 38, is a now a horror veteran who knows what he’s doing. Expect this franchise to run and run…
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
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Starring: Sybil Danning, Lucinda Dickey, Robert Forster
One for the film nerds this, a delve into the bad movie archive and titles like Superman IV: The Quest For Peace and Invasion USA, as Aussie director Mark Hartley investigates the oeuvre of infamous indie film company Cannon. The talking heads are a stellar line-up of B and C movie talent, as well as many behind-the-scenes names who witnessed first-hand some true moviemaking abominations. It could have done with a bit more context and analysis, but there’s still lots to enjoy.
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