NATIONAL RELEASES
Aliens In The Attic (20th Century Fox): A adventure family film set in Maine, about a group of kids must protect their vacation home from invading aliens. Starring Carter Jenkins, Ashley Tisdale, Robert Hoffman, Henri Young, Regan Young and Austin Butler, it was directed by John Schultz.
Timed for the summer holidays, Fox will be hoping tweens and younger cinema goers (plus their parents of course) will make this a bigger hit than it was in the US, where mixed reviews meant it never really took off. [Vue West End & Nationwide / PG / Previews from Wednesday 12th]
Bandslam (E1 Entertainment): An American musical-romantic comedy film that revolves around different teenagers, who all love music. Previously titled Will and Rock On, it was directed by Todd Graff and stars Gaelan Connell, Aly Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens (of HSM fame) and Lisa Kudrow.
Produced by Walden Media and Summit Entertainment, it is getting a simultaneous UK and US release and the soundtrack features the likes of David Bowie, Nick Drake and The Velvet Underground. It has generally earned positive reviews so far, so E1 films may have their fingers crossed on it doing respectable business. [Vue West End & Nationwide / PG / Previews from Wednesday 12th]
Imagine That (Paramount): A comedy-drama set in Denver about a workaholic father (Eddie Murphy) and his daughter (Yara Shahidi) whose imaginary world becomes the solution to her father’s success.
Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, it co-stars Thomas Haden Church, Martin Sheen and Ronny Cox (who last starred with Eddie Murphy in the Beverly Hills Cop films). It was a major commercial failure in the US and is arriving here on a distinct lack of buzz so Paramount probably won’t be expecting it to make huge waves here. [Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide / PG]
The Time Traveler’s Wife (Entertainment): An adaptation of the best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger, the story is about a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel when he is stressed, which obviously wreaks havoc with his relationship with an artist (Rachel McAdams).
Although it isn’t likely to get great reviews the combination of the book’s success and Entertainment’s usual bus poster strategy might see this ensnare the female audience for this weekend. [Vue West End & Nationwide / 12A]
A Perfect Getaway (Momentum Pictures): A thriller written and directed by David Twohy about a Hawaiian honeymoon which turns dangerous for two lovers (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) when they discover they are being stalked by a pair of killers (Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez).
It didn’t exactly set alight the US box office a week ago and, given the lack of buzz and star power, Momentum will be expecting only middling returns over here in a busy week. [C’Wlds Fulham Rd/Haymarket, Vues Finchley Rd/G’wich & N’wide / 15 / Previews from Wednesday 12th]
IN LIMITED RELEASE
Sin Nombre (Revolver Entertainment): An acclaimed drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga. The story explores a young Honduran woman (Paulina Gaitan) who wants to start a new life with her father and uncle in New Jersey and a Mexican gang member (Edgar Flores) and his desire to escape his violent past.
The executive producers were Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna and the film is set, and was shot in, Torreón and Coahuila, Mexico. It premiered at Sundance earlier this year where Cary Fukunaga won the Dramatic Directing Award and Adriano Goldman won the Excellence in Cinematography Award and when it opened in the US in March it garnered rave reviews. Revolver will be hoping the critical buzz translates into respectable art house box office. [Nationwide / 15]
Mid-August Lunch (Artificial Eye): An unlikely change of pace for the creative team behind Gomorrah, which is comedy about caring for the elderly. Written and directed by Gianni Di Gregorio, who also stars in the lead role as a dissolute bachelor whose sole occupation is caring for his widowed mother (Valeria De Franciscis).
Due to financial circumstances he has to look after two other octogenarians and it soon becomes a comic struggle he has to cope with. Positive reviews and good word of mouth could see this do decent art-house business, especially on DVD. [Curzons Mayfair, Renoir, Richmond Filmhouse & Key Cities / Artificial Eye]
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (bfi Distribution): A BFI re-issue for this 1967 musical directed by Jacques Demy, which stars Catherine Deneuve, her sister Françoise Dorléac (who was killed in a car accident shortly after filming), Jacques Perrin, Michel Piccoli, Danielle Darrieux, George Chakiris, Grover Dale and Gene Kelly. The choreography was by Norman Maen. [BFI Southbank & Key Cities / PG]
[ad]
> UK cinema releases for August 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including Two Lovers and Californication Season 2 (W/C Monday 10th August)
