This month we have some gritty action movies and very poignant moving (almost classical) movies on offer at our Sussex Screens. By Bill Murray.
Although the very best place to watch movies is obviously on the beach in brackets yes we got permission and yes Brighton’s Big Screen is back from 12th June to 13th July this year! Showing big blockbuster movies along with all the sporting action from Wimbledon (We’re all behind you Andy) the World Cup in Brazil (Come on England!!!!) and the Formula 1 British Grand Prix (Go Lewis!!). Keep your eyes peeled for news and information on all Big Screen events at www.brigtonsbigscreen.co.uk
And so to March…
300: Rise of an Empire
A prequel rather than a sequel, exploring how Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) became the God-King of Persia. This means that none of the Spartan heroes from the first movie will reappear – a disappointment to fans of large men in small skirts!! Comic-book legend Frank Miller will return to pen the screenplay and you can expect another blood-spattered cartoon about ancient tough nuts knocking seven shades of shite out of each other, but hey, that’s Hollywood. I love the first film and It’s gritty realism of the animation combined with the clever effects with the actors makes this pure popcorn fodder!
An above-average 3/5 from me.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Writer-director Wes Anderson returns with another portrait of loveable oddballs in spectacular locations. With its sprawling cast and unique set design, ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ is a return to the quirky, ornate Anderson of ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ and ‘The Darjeeling Limited’.
Ralph Fiennes stars as M. Gustave, concierge of the titular hotel in the inter-war years. The film follows Gustave and his lobby-boy Zero (newcomer Tony Revolori) as they go on the run from the authorities following the death of a guest. The astonishing cast features a frankly dizzying array of famous faces, including Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Saiorse Ronan, Harvey Keitel, Jason Schwartzmann, Tilda Swinton, Jude Law, Owen Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Bob Balaban and of course the spectacularly named Bill Murray.
4/5 from me as I just love Wes Anderson
Grace of Monaco
You wait for ages for a tear-jerking biopic of a tragic princess, and then two come along at once. Princess of Monaco and ultimate Hitchcock blonde Grace Kelly is played here by fellow icy blonde Nicole Kidman. In this gorgeous telling of a fairy tale princess there are lots of expensive jewels, Riviera sunsets and dangerously winding roads. The film is directed by Olivier Dahan, whose ‘La Vie en Rose’ so poignantly portrayed another Gallic icon, Édith Piaf. But then again, not even Oliver Hirschbiegel’s experience with ‘Downfall’ couldn’t save the total nightmare that was ‘Diana’. But this movie has Nicole Kidman acting out of her skin as the feted princess who from humble beginnings became a world treasure!
This gets a tentative 3 out of 5 and is based solely on the incredible response that Kidman has had with her portrayal of this beautiful princess.