releasing this week: Predators

So… I’m gonna keep this relatively short because I’m currently overseas on holiday. Lucky for me my two weeks holidays fall across weekends that don’t have many new films coming out. I guess most studios were expecting Shrek Forever After and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse to suck up most of the audience. They’re probably right.

Since there are only three films out this week I thought I’d just pick one to highlight… besides how much more do you really need to read about Twilight?

I’m sure none of ye are surprised to find out that the film I’m highlighting this week is Predators.

Now I have a confession to make. I’ve never seen any of the original Predator films. In fact the only Predator film I’ve ever seen was 2004’s AVP: Alien vs. Predator… While I wouldn’t say that was an awful, terrible film, I definitely would not say that it was any good at all. The best I can say about it was that it was pretty funny, very funny really… and it made me to shout at the screen alot. So… at least it ellicted a reaction.

Course, this might lead one to wonder why I’d highlight this new reboot / sequel / remake / re-imagining (what are they calling it these days?). Fact is that, it doesn’t really matter to me whether every incarnation of the Predator on film was as crap as AVP – I will always highlight a wide release with green glowing blood in it. How can I not?

The story behind this new film seems pretty simple, to quote the IMDb plot summary – “A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators.” – handy enough. Sometimes a simple plot can go a long way…

However, the real reason I want to highlight this film is the cast. Director Nimród Antal has had ample talent to work with. Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne are the top names however I’m particularly to see Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, who featured in one of my favourite mini-series of recent years The 4400. Also good to see Alice Braga from City of God, one of my top 3 films of the decade Looks a hell of a lot better than the calibre of cast you’d usually see in your average reboot / sequel / re-imagining / remake… who knows, this might even be a good film.

Also… for what it’s worth, I’ve heard the original Predator is very good. A classic, even. That said, I somehow I suspect I will not need to watch that one before I see this.

Other films releasing this week…

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – in case you hadn’t heard, there’s a new Twilight film out this week. This is the film that covers the third book in the series, the one in which… no, sorry, I have no idea what happens in Twilight. All I know is there’s vampires, werewolves and a pale looking emo type girl.

Which is not to say that I’ll never watch the films, I just don’t want to part with any cash for something I might hate. So I’m waiting to borrow it from some people. You know who you are! I expect to see at least the first film on my desk when I’m back from holidays!

Leaving (Partir) – French drama starring Kristen Scott Thomas.

Sometimes I think I should watch more European mainland cinema (for want of a better phrase). I’ve seen precious few French / Italian / Spanish / German &c. films and the ones I have seen are mainly horror films, with one or two documentaries thrown in.

I had a look at the synopsis and a few reviews of this film and it looks pretty interesting; briefly put, it’s about a woman who has an affair what consequences her actions bring upon her and those around her. Opinions seem to be split but I’ll fall on the side of positive since the criticisms I’ve read seem a little forced.

If you want to see this then (surprise! surprise!) the cinemas you can catch it in in Ireland are quite limited. This week they will be showing in Dublin only in The IFI, Temple Bar and Light House Cinema, Smithfield.

Predators and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse are currently playing in Irish cinemas as previews. Both these films and Leaving will be on general release in cinemas from Friday 9th July 2010.