Tuesday 1 December 2015

December 2015

 Dear friends,

Below is a link to my latest movie releases newsletter, which focuses on the big mainstream films opening in the UK (but may also be of interest to people from other locations around the world). If you are going to the pictures in the next few weeks – Happy viewing!

Big Films Monthly – December 2015

New UK releases in December 2015 include (in alphabetical order):- By the Sea, Christmas with the Coopers, Daddy's Home, Grandma, In the Heart of the Sea, Krampus, Sisters, Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Night Before, and Victor Frankenstein.

In addition to these major movies, limited release films include:- Bajirao Mastani, Future Shock: The Story of 2000 AD, Hector, Ice and the Sky (La Glace et le ciel), Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, The Honourable Rebel, Sparks & Embers, and Sunset Song. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens © 2015 Walt Disney Pictures. (All Rights Reserved)

 


(For links to the trailers – see below)








Christmas with the Coopershttps://youtu.be/-TSX_0rwPNc













Future Shock: The Story of 2000 ADhttps://youtu.be/ifPt8JP9xbk








Ice and the Sky (La Glace et le ciel)https://youtu.be/ZpZYkNkkiTg



In the Heart of the Seahttps://youtu.be/b_n2CAhgPiA








Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addicthttps://youtu.be/V8yy8Opyjcs








Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Moviehttps://youtu.be/fVR4E6Q6u5g








Star Wars: The Force Awakenshttps://youtu.be/sGbxmsDFVnE








The Honourable Rebelhttps://youtu.be/inmwIvHjpkk








Victor Frankensteinhttps://youtu.be/cvESrJ5GdHc

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Sunday 1 November 2015

November 2015

 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 © 2015 Lionsgate Pictures. (All Rights Reserved)


Dear friends,

Below is a link to my latest movie releases newsletter, which focuses on the big mainstream films opening in the UK (but may also be of interest to people from other locations around the world). If you are going to the pictures in the next few weeks – Happy viewing!


Big Films Monthly – November 2015



New UK releases in November 2015 include (in alphabetical order):- Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Burnt, Carol, He Named Me Malala, Kill Your Friends, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Steve Jobs, The Dressmaker, The Good Dinosaur, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, and The Lady in the Van.

In addition to these major movies, limited release films include:- Fathers and Daughters, The Perfect Guy, The Runner, Shelter, and Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans.



(For links to the trailers – see below)


























Fathers and Daughtershttps://youtu.be/QMC7TzusghU



He Named Me Malalahttps://youtu.be/vE5gSHJkusU








Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypsehttps://youtu.be/ZOhSbNJ7MqI













Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Manshttps://youtu.be/A8T1D6Jqc3Y















The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2https://youtu.be/3zVaD7t39w8



The Lady in the Vanhttps://youtu.be/OA8tMziteZM










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Thursday 1 October 2015

October 2015

www.patreon.com
Dear friends,

Below is a link to my latest movie releases newsletter, which focuses on the big mainstream films opening in the UK (but may also be of interest to people from other locations around the world). If you are going to the pictures in the next few weeks – Happy viewing!

Big Films Monthly – October 2015




New UK releases in October 2015 include: Macbeth, The Intern, Suffragette, Crimson Peak, Sicario, Pan, The Last Witch Hunter, Hotel Transylvania 2, and Spectre. (For links to these trailers – see below)

























The Last Witch Hunter:-https://youtu.be/xsuG2JUgs_8

Hotel Transylvania 2:-https://youtu.be/I7NR9MLK5W4


 Spectre © 2015 Eon Productions, MGM, and Columbia Pictures (All Rights Reserved)
 


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Tuesday 1 September 2015

September 2015


Patreon Link


Dear friends,

Big Films Monthly 

Another month has started and with this comes a number of juicy movie releases.

 Big Films Monthly – September 2015



Please donate $1 or more on my Patreon page www.patreon.com/malvanlondon (if you'd like to). Your support will be greatly appreciated and (if I get enough patrons) I shall be able to resume the fuller version of the newsletter.

And if you are going to the pictures in the next few weeks – Happy viewing!

New UK releases in September 2015 include: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Ricki and the Flash, The Transporter: Refueled, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Everest, A Walk in the Woods, and The Martian.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials © 2015 20th Century Fox (All Rights Reserved)

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Saturday 1 August 2015

August 2015

www.patreon.com/malvanlondon

Dear friends,

Big Films Monthly - the future

Due to the enormous amount of time and effort it takes me to produce Big Films Monthly in its previous form – I can only continue if I am able to gather $200 in pledges each month on Patreon.
In the meantime, there will be a significantly “cut-down” version (starting with the August 2015 issue) which merely lists the major movie releases (i.e. without all of the extras).
Big Films Monthly – August 2015
Please donate $1 or more on my Patreon page www.patreon.com/malvanlondon (if you'd like to). Your support will be greatly appreciated and (if I get enough patrons) I shall be able to resume the fuller version of the newsletter.
And if you are going to the pictures in the next few weeks – Happy viewing!
New releases in August include Fantastic 4, Max, Absolutely Anything, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Pixels, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,Trainwreck, Sinister 2, and Strange Magic.

Fantastic 4 © 2015 20th Century Fox (All Rights Reserved)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. © 2015 Warner Bros. (All Rights Reserved)
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Wednesday 1 July 2015

July 2015


The Death of Movie Composer James Horner
Dear friends,
As I sit down to write this blog entry (23rd June 2015) I have just heard on a news bulletin of the tragic death of film composer James Horner. He was one of the “giants” of the film industry and his passing at the untimely age of 61 is not only a great loss for his friends and family; but will sadden movie fans across the globe. 

 
Apparently, Horner (a keen flyer) was piloting his Tucano turbo-prop plane when it crashed somewhere in the Los Padres National forest in Southern California. Sylvia Patrycja, his assistant, wrote on Facebook: "We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent. He died doing what he loved."

And, although he will never compose another film score, what a legacy he has left us. James Horner's credits (to name just a few) include:-
Wolfen, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Cocoon, The Name of the Rose, Batteries Not Included, Willow, Field of Dreams, The Pelican Brief, Honey I shrunk the Kids, Glory, Aliens, Patriot Games, Braveheart, Casper, Apollo 13, Titanic, Iris, A Beautiful Mind, Troy, The Legend of Zorro, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Avatar.
Speaking of music, I enjoyed the soundtrack of Mad Max: Fury Road – which I saw at the weekend. A little too heavy-handed with the strings at times (perhaps) but overall a very effective, stirring, and varied score. Dutch composer Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL) has really made his mark with this one. Please do go see Mad Max: Fury Road if you haven't seen it yet and like action films done with aplomb. It's a crazy film in many respects but well worth a look. Highly recommended. Tom Hardy puts in a suitably taciturn performance as Mad Max – but it's Charlize Theron's Furiosa who steals the show. The more people who see this feature in theatres the more likely there'll be a sequel. Also still playing from previous months are movies such as Insidious: Chapter 3, Pitch Perfect 2, Spy, and The Longest Ride.
New releases in the UK in July include Magic Mike XXL, Terminator Genisys, Ted 2, Ant-Man, Inside Out, and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. As usual, you can learn about these films (and others) in the latest edition of my newsletter Big Films Monthly which outlines the latest cinema releases.

Big Films Monthly – July 2015


And if you manage to get to the pictures in the next few weeks – I hope you have a great time. Happy viewing!

Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road:-

 Mad Max: Fury Road © 2015 Warner Bros. (All Rights Reserved)

A scene from animated feature Inside Out:-

 Inside Out © 2015 Disney/Pixar (All Rights Reserved)
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Monday 1 June 2015

June 2015


10 Things Wrong with Avengers: Age of Ultron


Dear Friends,

I loved the first Marvel Avengers movie (released in the UK as Marvel: Avengers Assemble) and regard it as one of the greatest entertainment fests/treats of all time. An instant classic! Having just seen the sequel Avengers: Age of Ulton (in 2D) – I'm trying to like it; but am having a bit of trouble getting it beyond a rating of 7/10.

Don't get me wrong! It's a fun movie with characters we know and love and some excellent moments. If you're wavering – please do go and see it. But I do have to say that (in my humble opinion) the film has ten significant flaws which – at the end of the day – make it rather less than brilliant. Some have criticized it for having to “fit in” with the other Marvel movies too much; for example having Thor go off to do something that sets up Thor 3: Ragnarok. This harmonizing didn't bother me personally – but a number of other things did!


So here, in no particular order (and with minor spoilers) are my ten criticisms:-

1) The CGI in the opening action scene looked a bit ropey. (Perhaps it appears better in 3D.)

2) I didn't quite “buy” the relationship between Bruce and Natasha. It seemed to come out of the blue and was unconvincing.

3) Ultron's decision that the pursuit of peace meant he had to try to annihilate the Avengers and others on Earth – seemed quite arbitrary and rushed.

4) Why did the Avengers fly to a safe house? This seemed too passive to me. Why weren't they still out there trying to find Ultron? I think the script lost momentum at that point. 

5) Following the initial attack on Jarvis – the filmmakers could have made what happened to him a bit clearer. I understood what occured; but think it should have been explained a little more fully. 

6) Anthony Mackie was hardly used in the film and (although I realise this was for artistic reasons) Loki didn't even make the cut! 

7) There were too many jokes. Hardly a minute went by without some character or other chipping-in with something witty. Everybody was a “Tony Stark”. This reduced the impact of the best wisecracks in the picture. Hasn't Joss Whedon ever heard the phrase: “Less is more.”? 

8) The whole scene with Iron Man fighting the Hulk (though visually nice) was a pointless episode. It added an unnecessary few minutes to an already lengthy film. This aside seemed to me - just an excuse for another bit of action. The result? More loss of momentum. 

9) The movie lurched in tone from frenetic action (embellished with funny one-liners) to slow scenes of heartfelt pontificating on relationships. There were hardly any “normal” conversations about the mission. Thus, the film was unbalanced.

10) The plot just wasn't detailed enough. Ultron and his schemes weren't developed sufficiently. The movie lacked the substance of Iron Man, the intrigue of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the complexity of The Avengers. Overall, it could have been so much better!

But, even with the above imperfections, it's still an enjoyable film. It was great to see the team again and there was good banter between them. The action set-pieces (especially the finale) were really well crafted, there were some nice surprises along the way, and (when Scarlet Witch messed with the avengers' minds) there were some neat dream sequences – especially the one revealing a little of Black Widow's back story. By the way; when are we getting a Black Widow stand alone movie? Bring it on Marvel!!!

Changing the subject, this coming month's movie releases include Insidious Chapter 3, Spy, Jurassic World, Entourage, The Longest Ride, Mr. Holmes, Minions 3D, and a western called Slow West. Read a little about each of them in the latest edition of my movie newsletter – Big Films Monthly.  

Big Films Monthly – June 2015





Whatever you do, don't stay at home. Get out to the movies - and have a great night out. Happy viewing!

The guys from Entourage:-


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