YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK'S NEW CINEMA RELEASES

Pretty average options available this week for movies. And the top pick is only on limited release!

TOP PICK

GREEN ROOM is a crime horror thriller that is getting mostly positive reviews from the critics. After witnessing a murder, a punk rock band is forced into a vicious fight for survival against a group of maniacal skinheads. For CineVue’s John Bleasdale, it’s ‘Scary and funny by turns, [and] has the potential to become a cult hit, with a genuine midnight movie appeal, and furthers the growing reputation of this young director. People ***1/2 ◉ Critics ****

MAYBE/MAYBE NOT

Tina Fey stars in WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT as a journalist who recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan. It’s billed as a comedy/war film but there is more war than comedy. So don’t expect to be laughing for two-and-a-half hours. There are mixed reviews from the critics but the general public seem to enjoying it. The A.V. Club’s Jesse Hassenger says, ‘A movie like this doesn't require 30 Rock's joke density or silly streak, but it's surprising that Fey and Carlock's satirical eyes aren't a little more alert.’ People ***1/2 ◉ Critics ***. I didn’t mind it. I’ll post my review shortly.

THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY is a documentary for all you fashion lovers out there. THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY follows the creation of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's most attended fashion exhibition in history, "China: Through The Looking Glass," an exploration of Chinese-inspired Western fashions by Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton. Screen International’s Wendy Ide says that, ‘From the earnest score to the breathless talking heads to the atmosphere of awestruck reverence, this is a film which takes itself every bit as seriously as its subjects.’ People **** ◉ Critics ***

REMEMBER is a movie with Holocaust themes. With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man (Christopher Plummer) with dementia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family. Variety’s Guy Lodge describes it as, ‘Crafted in utilitarian fashion by Egoyan, Remember does little to earn the poignancy of Plummer's stricken performance.’ People ***1/2 ◉ Critics **1/2

BASTILLE DAY sees Idris Elba popping up onscreen again in this action drama in which a young con artist and former CIA agent embark on an anti-terrorist mission in France. For The Hollywood Reporter’s Leslie Felperin, ‘It ends up playing like a shoddy blend of V for Vendetta and Mr. Robot but without the budget bandwidth or style of either.’ People *** ◉ Critics **1/2

You’ve been watching the trailers for THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE for months! It’s finally here! But, sadly, it isn’t great. Find out why the birds are so angry. When an island populated by happy, flightless birds is visited by mysterious green piggies, it's up to three unlikely outcasts - Red, Chuck and Bomb - to figure out what the pigs are up to. Hear what Time Out London’s Tom Huddleston, says before you spend your money: ‘If you loved the game, you might enjoy watching the script contort itself into ever more zany shapes to incorporate the necessary elements: giant slings, teetering towers, boomeranging toucans. But it's not enough to counteract the tiresome, sub-Lego Movie snarkiness of the script or the bright, busy and unengaging animation.’ People *** ◉ Critics **

Finally, THE BOY is one you can see at your own risk. The plot line sounds very weak. An American nanny is shocked that her new English family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. After she violates a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive. Hmmm… Variety’s Joe Leydon says that, ‘Despite the assiduous grinding of plot mechanics by William Brent Bell (“The Devil Inside”) and scripter Stacey Menear, the movie never fully distracts its audience from the inherent silliness of its premise...and, as a result, is more likely to elicit laughs and rude remarks rather than screams and rooting interest.’ People *** ◉ Critics **

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

NOTE Movie summaries are adaptations of movie summary on IMDB. Opinions are mine unless credited. People and critics scores are a rough idea of how movies are currently being rated on the “average”. These updates are written from an Australian perspective so openings of the movies in cinemas may vary in other parts of the world.