YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK'S NEW CINEMA RELEASES

Sorry for the delay in getting this update to you this week… it’s been hectic.

TOP PICK

THE MEASURE OF A MAN (La loi du marché) is the story of an unemployed factory worker trying to make ends meet in working-class France. It doesn’t sound much, but according to Variety’s Scott Foundas, ‘Brize [director and co-writer] … makes compelling drama out of the most ordinary of circumstances, and draws a lead performance from frequent collaborator Vincent Lindon that is a veritable master class in understated humanism.’ People ***1/2 ◉ Critics ***1/2

OTHERS TO SEE

One for the family, BFG is a fantasy adventure about a girl named Sophie who encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kindhearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children. The director is Steven Spielberg — and we know he can make a good movie! indieWIRE’s Eric Kohn describes it as ‘An eager crowdpleaser from one of the world's greatest crowdpleasers, it gets the job done and nothing more. It’s available in 3D and it should be good in that medium.  Suitable for ages 7+. People ***1/2 ◉ Critics ***

MAYBE/MAYBE NOT

The Italian/French movie, THE WAIT (L'attesa) is about a mother who unexpectedly meets her son's fiancée at a villa in Sicily and gets to know her as she waits for her son to arrive. This one has mixed reviews from the critics. The Film Stage says that, ‘In the end, like a breath of stylized, impassioned hot air, L'attesa evokes feelings associated with bereavement effectively but has nothing substantial to add to the whole psychology of loss.’ The general public are a bit more positive about it: People *** ◉ Critics **1/2

Dwayne Johnson (San Andreas) and Kevin Hart (Get Hard) are back with CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE. After he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman says that ‘It delivers - on some basic, giddy, turn-off-your-frontal-lobes level. It's an action-comedy utensil, like “Rush Hour” crossed with an old Arnold Schwarzenegger shoot-'em-up, with a few goofy added sprinkles of “Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.”’ Keep your expectations low if you decide to see this one! People ***1/2 ◉ Critics **1/2

Do you remember the cute film, Belle & Sebastion? The sequel is here in BELLE & SEBASTIAN: THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES (Belle et Sébastien, l'aventure continue). It’s September, 1945. Sebastian impatiently waits for the return of his friend Angelina, whom he has not seen for two years. When the plane carrying the young woman to her small village in the Alps is reported to have crashed in the mountains, Sebastian is convinced that Angelina is still alive. Along with his faithful dog Belle, Sebastian embarks on the most dangerous adventure of his life. I thought the first movie was ok. This looks like it might be much the same. People ***

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.