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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, say there is no shortage of fantasy in this week’s offerings at the Tralee Omniplex, appealing to all ages and genres…
The new release this week is The New Mutants, the thirteenth and final chapter in the 20th Century X-Men series of films.
This was originally scheduled for release in April 2018, so anticipation has been growing to perhaps unattainable levels.
The New Mutants.
Rahne (Maisie Williams), Illiyana (Anya Taylor-Joy), Sam (Charlie Heaton), Dani (Blu Hunt) and Bobby (Henry Zega) are all teenagers who have unique abilities. Unfortunately, these abilities have caused difficulties (and fatalities) at home.
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So when they find themselves imprisoned in a strange hospital, run by the enigmatic Dr Cecilia Rees (Alice Braga) and kept in by a force field, are they being punished, or are they on a specialised secret X-Men Training Program?
Written and Directed by Josh Boone, perhaps best known for ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, and with good performances by a mostly unknown cast, this film is on the darker, horror side of the comic book movie genre.
The X-Men characters now revert back to the Marvel Studios and it will be interesting to see how they are integrated into the MCU.
Also playing is 2012 comedy hit Ted, which has an interesting premise. Eight year old John Bennett makes a wish for his favourite teddy bear to come alive. Like the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for, because you might get it.
The now adult John, played by Mark Wahlberg, still has Ted as a crude pal in his somewhat immature and self indulgent lifestyle. In fact, it is hard to see who is the worst influence on the other.
However, after four years, John’s girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) is tired of the situation and John will have to make a choice between Ted and becoming an adult.
Seth MacFarlane is the writer, director and voice of Ted. Suffice to say that subtlety is not always the foremost consideration, but there are some very amusing situations and set pieces.
Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them (2016) is both a spin-off and prequel to the Harry Potter series. The Potter fans will recognise the title as the Hogwarts standard text book and this film is J.K. Rowling’s debut as screenwriter.
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, who is travelling to Arizona via New York. Unfortunately, a dangerous creature called a Niffier escapes from Newt’s magical suitcase and has to be caught before anyone notices – as if that would happen, or if it did would make for a very short film.
Tenet is still on show, and is one of those rare films that would benefit from a second viewing.
• Unfortunately, the sad news of Chadwick Boseman’s death came as a devastating shock. Although best known for ‘Black Panther’, and assorted Marvel films, his performances as James Brown in ‘Get On Up’ and as the first African American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in ‘Marshall’ are well worth catching.
