THIS WEEK'S NEW CINEMA RELEASES

Ready to head off to the cinema for some new movies this week?

MY TOP PICK TO SEE

Top movie this week (which isn’t saying much!), is A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES starring the dependable Liam Neeson. Private investigator Matthew Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife. Total Film’s Matt Glasby say it’s Exciting, in places, though a stranger to subtlety, it ticks all the genre boxes, but there's something about its knowing noirisms that feels superficial rather than soaked-in. So it doesn’t look great but will probably be entertaining.

OTHERS TO SEE

The Chinese biography, drama, romance tells the life story of Xiao Hong, one of China's most famous essayists and novelists, who reflected the progressive thinking not frequently seen during the 1930s.

Another Australian action, crime, drama hits our screen. SON OF A GUN tells the story of 19 year old JR who is locked up for a minor crime, and quickly learns the harsh realities of prison life. Protection, if you can get it, is paramount. JR soon finds himself under the watchful eye of Australia's most notorious criminal, Brendan Lynch. But protection comes at a price. Lynch and his crew have plans for their young protegee. Upon release, JR must help secure Lynch's freedom, staging a daring prison break. As a reward, he's invited to join the crew as they plan a gold heist that promises to deliver millions. However, as things start to go wrong, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues. JR finds himself unsure of whom he can trust and on a collision course with his former mentor. Sounds good!

MAYBE/MAYBE NOT

The trailers for BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP looked quite intriguing. A woman wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. One day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her. The general public are rating it as average, but the critics are not quite that positive. According to The Guardian’s Henry Barnes, It aims for sexy and/or dangerous, but the tone is dry and the pace lags.

ONE TO AVOID

One definite movie to avoid this week is TAMMY starring Melissa McCarthy and Sarah Sarandon. After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother. General viewers and critics agree on this one - it's not good. USA Today’s Claudia Puig says it all: Where 1991's "Thelma & Louise" was funny and action-filled, Tammy's story is thin, cringe-inducing and, worst of all for a comedy, not funny. Jokes land with a thud and the pacing is leaden.mDon't bother!

That's it for this week. See you at the movies!

NB: synopses of movies are adapted from IMDB. Opinions are mine unless quoted from cited sources.