Big Films Monthly - Mal's Movie Releases Magazine

Hi Everyone,

As I write, top of the UK Box Office is The Jungle Book – a Disney adventure for all the family; which does justice to (and perhaps even eclipses) it's classic 1967 predecessor.

Groundbreaking visual effects are accompanied by great story-telling, an engaging central performance from newcomer Neel Sethi (as Mowgli), and brilliant voice-work from the likes of Bill Murray, Lupita Nyong'o, Idris Elba, and Sir Ben Kingsley. In short, it's a thrilling adventure and really good fun. My “film of the year” so far.

To change the subject for a moment, I have a friend who often arrives to things late, and he is eager to try and get on top of the problem. So, this got me thinking, and I came up with a dozen suggestions for him to get his teeth into – and (hopefully) start getting on top of the problem. I thought I would publish them here, in case they are of interest to anyone else.

12 Tips to Tackle Lateness

Maybe you or a friend (or family member) have a problem with lateness; regularly failing to arrive at an appointment or event on time. Well, perhaps the following twelve tips will help.

Here are six ideas that can really make a difference:-

1) Aim to be Early

Don't plan to get to an appointment a little late or even on time. Aim to get there at least 10-15 minutes early. Say, for example, you are expected at a meeting at 2pm; aim to arrive at the venue at 1.45pm or even 1.30pm. (Take a book or magazine to read in the event that you arrive with plenty of time to spare.)

2) Honour your First Commitment

If you have arranged to do something and/or be somewhere – don't give in to or be swayed by more recent things that come up (apart from serious emergencies). And if possible, do not entertain the friend or relative who unexpectedly turns up on your doorstep. Politely bid them adieu, and text them later to arrange a different day. Even if a more enjoyable opportunity arises, try to honour the previous commitment if you can. (In the long run, this will lead to your being thought of as a more reliable person).

3) Allow More Journey Time

If you are in the habit of miscalculating – and not allowing enough journey time; you may like to try the following. Estimate the time it will take you to reach your destination, double it, then add another ten minutes on top. This total gives you a lot more travelling time. To put it in a nutshell; leave home much earlier!

4) Reduce Your Responsibilities

Important (especially as we get older) is slowing down a little and reducing our work-load. Are you trying to cram in too many activities? Don't agree to take so much on. Learn to say “No” to other people; if that's what you feel you need to do. Reduce your commitments overall, and allow yourself a little more quality “Me” time.

5) Don't Take Too Much Time Getting Ready

If you tend to shilly-shally as you are preparing to leave your home, practice getting into a more efficient and faster routine. Turn off computers in plenty of time and don't take too long in the bathroom. In short, don't be late exiting your front door.

6) Improve Your Time-Keeping

Some people who are habitually late misjudge and underestimate the passage of time. You may like to test yourself and practice seeing if you can judge correctly when a minute or two has elapsed. Do an activity (such as reading the newspaper) for what you think is five minutes. Then stop reading and look at your watch. Did you guess right? Here's one article that discusses our perception of time passing and refers to similar experiments :- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/psychology-lateness_n_4229057.html

If arriving late is driving you crazy, you may find that - by employing these six tips - you are quite simply never late again!

Here are six additional tips you also might like to try:-

Pretend the appointment you have to go to starts earlier then it really does. If your appointment is 11.15am, you can pretend to yourself that it's at 11am.
Consider adding a “buffer” event. For example, when I travel by public transport to visit the dentist - I actually make for a café near the surgery for a leisurely cuppa first. If my dental appointment is at 2pm, I plan my journey to arrive at the café at 1pm. If my train is cancelled and I have to wait for the next; thus arriving in the area at 1.30pm or 1.45pm – no harm done. Adding a “buffer” gives you more leeway.
And speaking of trains, if you are making a railway journey; why not consult a railway timetable or journey planner in advance; and decide to take the train before the one you were going to get?
If your journey involves taking a bus; there are mobile apps, such as On the Buses for Android and BusMate for Apple devices, that can help you stay on top of things by furnishing you with up-to-date arrival times.
When meeting a friend somewhere or arranging getting a lift; agree a meeting time a little earlier than you might have done. Don't cut things too fine.
Plan out the events of the day so that you are in control of them; and they are not in control of you! Take heart! You can do it! Good luck!

____________

It's a great month for new blockbusters - as there are at least four spectacular movies all (no-doubt) hoping to supplant films like The Jungle Book and Captain America: Civil War

in the box-office top ten. First of all we have X-Men: Apocalypse – which opens May 18^th –

and seeks to introduce us to a bunch of young actors new to the franchise (as well as showcasing established players such as James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and Michael Fassbender). Then, on May 27^th we have a sequel to Tim Burton's 2010 hit Alice in Wonderland (starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, and others).

Just a few days later, on May 30^th, there are two very different fantasy adventures being released. The first is the latest foray into the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and is called Out of the Shadows. The second is the start of another would-be franchise (if the movie does well) – Warcraft: The Beginning. Warcraft is directed by David Bowie's son Duncan Jones; whose previous films as director include Moon and Source Code. These were very good movies – so perhaps Warcraft will have some substance to it; rather than just being (as is sometimes the case) a rather tedious action flick. We'll have to wait and see.

The major films opening here in the UK in May 2016 are: A Hologram for the King, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Angry Birds, Bad Neighbours 2 (aka Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), Everybody Wants Some!!, Florence Foster Jenkins, Green Room, I Saw the Light, Love & Friendship, Money Monster, Our Kind of Traitor, Robinson Crusoe (aka The Wild Life), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Thomas & Friends: The Great Race, Top Cat Begins, Warcraft: The Beginning, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and X-Men: Apocalypse.

More limited or “Key Cities” releases include: Bobby, Departure, Heart of a Dog, Journey to the Shore, Kill Command, Mon Roi, Mustang, The Call-up, These Final Hours, The Seventh Fire, and Truman.

And there are a number of other limited releases that have been given a small feature of their own my May 2016 newsletter. These are: A Beautiful Planet, Cabin Fever, Knight of Cups, Miniscule: Valley of the Lost Ants, Sing Street, The Darkness, The Daughter, The Price of Desire, The Silent Storm, and The Trust.

Note: The Free State of Jones - mentioned in the May 2016 ODEON magazine as being released on May 27^th – has been delayed to 9^th September 2016.

Here is a link to my latest newsletter (which is a download of about 16MB):-

Click here for the May 2016 newsletter

If you're intending to catch any of the new releases at the cinema this May, I hope you have a great time. If you're going back to see The Jungle Book for a third time (like me) I equally hope you have a great time. Happy viewing!

(Here are the trailers for most of the above mentioned films:-

A Hologram for the King

Alice Through the Looking-Glass

Angry Birds

A Beautiful Planet

Bad Neighbours 2

Bobby

Cabin Fever

Departure

Everybody Wants Some!!

Florence Foster Jenkins

Green Room

Heart of a Dog

I saw the Light

Journey to the Shore

Kill Command

Knight of Cups

Love and Friendship

Miniscule

Mon Roi

Money Monster

Mustang

Our Kind of Traitor

Robinson Crusoe

Sing Street

The Call-Up

The Darkness

The Daughter

The Price of Desire

The Seventh Fire

The Silent Storm

The Trust

These Final Hours

Thomas & Friends

Top Cat Begins

Truman

The Trust

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

X-Men: Apocalypse