{"id":7728,"date":"2010-02-12T16:22:32","date_gmt":"2010-02-12T16:22:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/?p=7728"},"modified":"2010-02-12T16:23:19","modified_gmt":"2010-02-12T16:23:19","slug":"uk-cinema-releases-friday-12th-february-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/2010\/02\/12\/uk-cinema-releases-friday-12th-february-2010\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Cinema Releases: Friday 12th February 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

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NATIONAL RELEASES<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wolfman<\/a><\/strong> (Universal): A remake of the 1941 classic horror film of the same name, starring Benicio del Toro<\/a> as an actor who returns to his English ancestral home owned by his father (Anthony Hopkins<\/a>), only to come under the curse of a werewolf.<\/p>\n

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Directed by Joe Johnston<\/a>, it co-stars Emily Blunt<\/a>,\u00a0Hugo Weaving<\/a> and has seemingly had its own curse: original director Mark Romanek<\/a> left over creative differences; the script bears all the hallmarks of being rewritten extensively and the release has been put back a couple of times.<\/p>\n

After the fiasco of Van Helsing<\/a>, the 2004 release which made a mockery of the classic Universal horror characters<\/a>, one might have hoped that the studio would get it right this time. Despite the excellent cast and impressive make-up effects by Rick Baker<\/a> (famous for American Werewolf in London<\/a>), the narrative is rushed and it feels like a classic case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.<\/p>\n

The English locations are shot with a dull, misty gloom; the gore looks like it has been inserted in at later edit to appeal to teenage horror fanboys; too many comic Northern accents and an unforgivable finale where you cannot distinguish between two key characters.<\/p>\n

The presence of ace editors Mark Goldblatt<\/a> and Walter Murch<\/a> would suggest that they were hired to re-edit the film into something coherent and respectable, but is a project with deep underlying script and directorial problems.<\/p>\n

Universal have spent a fair amount marketing this, so they can expect decent business this weekend in the US and UK, but once word of mouth spreads and people read the mixed reviews<\/a>, it will die a swift death. [Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide \/ 15]<\/p>\n

Valentine’s Day<\/a><\/strong> (Warner Bros.): A patchwork romantic comedy about intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles who break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine’s Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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An all star ensemble cast includes\u00a0Julia Roberts<\/a>,\u00a0Bradley Cooper<\/a>,\u00a0Ashton Kutcher<\/a>,\u00a0Jessica Alba<\/a>,\u00a0Jennifer Garner<\/a>,\u00a0Patrick Dempsey<\/a>,\u00a0Shirley MacLaine<\/a>,\u00a0Taylor Lautner<\/a>,\u00a0Taylor Swift<\/a>,\u00a0Jessica Biel<\/a>,\u00a0Jamie Foxx<\/a>,\u00a0Anne Hathaway<\/a> and\u00a0Topher Grace<\/a>. Clearly aimed at less-than-discerning female audiences, it basically looks like this year’s He’s Just Not That Into You<\/a>. Poor reviews<\/a> will not stop the target audience from rushing to this like\u00a0crack-heads<\/a> sprinting to their dealers.\u00a0[Nationwide \/ 12A]<\/p>\n

Ponyo<\/a><\/strong> (Optimum Releasing): The latest animated film from\u00a0Studio Ghibli<\/a>, written and directed by\u00a0Hayao Miyazaki<\/a> is a tale of a goldfish named Ponyo who befriends a five-year-old human boy and wants to become a human girl.<\/p>\n

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A huge hit in Japan, it has garnered awards and critical acclaim<\/a> and should do reasonable business before discovering a wider audience on DVD and Blu-ray.[Vue West End & Nationwide \/ U]<\/p>\n

A Single Man<\/a><\/strong> (Icon): An adaptation of the\u00a0novel<\/a> by\u00a0Christopher Isherwood<\/a>, which explores a day in the life\u00a0of an English college professor\u00a0(Colin Firth<\/a>) in\u00a0Southern California<\/a> in\u00a01962<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The directorial debut of fashion designer\u00a0Tom Ford<\/a> is a tasteful and well acted affair with a nuanced and moving central performance by Firth and some fine supporting turns from\u00a0Julianne Moore<\/a>,\u00a0Nicholas Hoult<\/a> and\u00a0Matthew Goode<\/a>. The production design and period detail are first rate and it depicts the ideas of the book with considerable skill and grace.<\/p>\n

There are some drawbacks: a significant plot change is misguided and some of the visuals are a little too mannered, but generally it is a classy affair and finally allows Firth to show audiences what he can do in a lead role. Icon will expect decent arthouse business on the back of critical acclaim and Firth’s Oscar and BAFTA nomination. [Curzons Mayfair, Soho & Nationwide\ttrailer \/ 12A]<\/p>\n

Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief<\/a><\/strong> (20th Century Fox):\u00a0Chris Columbus<\/a> directs this\u00a0adaptation\u00a0of\u00a0the first novel in the\u00a0Percy Jackson & The Olympians<\/a> <\/em>series by\u00a0Rick Riordan<\/a>,\u00a0which stars\u00a0Logan Lerman<\/a> in the title role\u00a0alongside\u00a0Brandon T. Jackson<\/a>,\u00a0Rosario Dawson<\/a>,\u00a0Steve Coogan<\/a>,\u00a0Uma Thurman<\/a>,\u00a0Catherine Keener<\/a>,\u00a0Sean Bean<\/a> and\u00a0Pierce Brosnan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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This looks like a shameless Harry Potter clone (Columbus directed the first two Potter films) but it may get family audiences interested, despite the average reviews<\/a>.\u00a0[Vue West End & Nationwide \/ PG]<\/p>\n

Battle For Terra<\/a><\/strong> (The Works): This 2007 film (yes, three<\/em> years old) originally called\u00a0Terra, is a 2007 CGI animated film redone in 3D about a peaceful alien planet facing destruction from colonization by the displaced remainder of the human race.<\/p>\n

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Directed by\u00a0Aristomenis Tsirbas<\/a>,\u00a0it features the voices of\u00a0Brian Cox<\/a>,\u00a0Luke Wilson<\/a>,\u00a0Amanda Peet<\/a>,\u00a0Dennis Quaid<\/a> and\u00a0Justin Long<\/a>.\u00a0[Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide \/ PG]<\/p>\n

ALSO OUT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Food, Inc<\/a><\/strong> (Dogwoof): A documentary\u00a0directed by\u00a0Robert Kenner<\/a> about the\u00a0agricultural food production in the US, which explores how meat and vegetables produced by this system are less-than-healthy and environmentally-harmful.<\/p>\n

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Narrated by\u00a0Michael Pollan<\/a> and\u00a0Eric Schlosser<\/a>, it has garnered decent reviews<\/a> and could make an\u00a0art-house\u00a0impact although it might depend heavily on word of mouth.\u00a0[Curzon Soho, Odeon Panton St., Ritzy & Nationwide \/ PG]<\/p>\n

My Name Is Khan<\/a><\/strong> (20th Century Fox): A\u00a0Bollywood<\/a> film directed by\u00a0Karan Johar<\/a>, with starring\u00a0Shahrukh Khan<\/a> and\u00a0Kajol<\/a> about a Muslim with Asberger’s Syndrome who emigrates to the United States.\u00a0[Cineworld Shaftesbury Ave & Nationwide\t\/ 12A]<\/p>\n

Takeshis’<\/a><\/strong> (Artificial Eye): A\u00a02005 (yes, that’s five<\/em> years old!) Japanese film\u00a0directed, written, edited by, and starring\u00a0Takeshi Kitano<\/a> in a self-reflexive\u00a0film about himself.\u00a0[Curzon Renoir \/ 15]<\/p>\n

Winter In Wartime<\/a><\/strong> (Kaleidoscope Entertainment): An adaptation of the novel by\u00a0Jan Terlouw<\/a> about a boy who tries to help the resistance during\u00a0World War II<\/a> by helping an English pilot stay out of German hands.\u00a0[Key Cities \/ 12A]<\/p>\n

Anonyma: A Woman In Berlin<\/a><\/strong> (Metrodome Distribution): A drama about a woman who tries to survive the invasion of Berlin by the Soviet troops during the last days of World War II.\u00a0[ICA Cinema]<\/p>\n

Beyond The Pole<\/a><\/strong> (Shooting Pictures): A documentary film crew follows the first carbon neutral, organic, vegetarian expedition ever to attempt the North Pole.\u00a0[ICA Cinema \/ Key Cities from March)<\/p>\n

Letter From An Unknown Woman<\/a><\/strong> (bfi Distribution): A reissue of the 1948\u00a0Max Oph\u00fcls<\/a> film about based on the\u00a0novella<\/a> by\u00a0Stefan Zweig<\/a>, starring\u00a0Joan Fontaine<\/a>,\u00a0Louis Jourdan<\/a>,\u00a0Mady Christians<\/a> and\u00a0Marcel Journet<\/a>. [BFI Southbank, Everyman Hampstead & Key Cities]<\/p>\n

Pretty Woman<\/a><\/strong> (Park Circus): A reissue for Garry Marshall’s 1990 romantic comedy about an LA hooker (Julia Roberts<\/a>) who falls for a millionaire businessman (Richard Gere<\/a>). [Cineworld Haymarket & Nationwide \/ 15]<\/p>\n

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>\u00a0DVD and Blu-ray Picks for Monday 8th February including Adventureland, Mystic River and Paper Heart<\/a>
>\u00a0Get local cinema showtimes for your area via Google Movies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Including The Wolfman, Valentines Day, Ponyo, A Single Man and Food Inc<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1299,1300,1298,1296,535,1297],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7728"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7728"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7728\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7728"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7728"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}