Screams, Suspense, Smiles – This issue we delve into the dark and suspenseful, bloody horrors, nail biting thrillers, classic action with laugh out loud comedy. Sebastian Briguglio brings the best on the big screen with a flick for everyone to enjoy.
Doctor Sleep
Where the dickens did this film come from? Almost 40 years after the Stanley Kubrick classic The Shining, we have Doctor Sleep, the follow up film adaptation of the novel by Stephen King. Telling the tale of a now adult Danny (or Dan) Torrance (now played by Ewan McGregor) meets a young girl who is able to use the shining. However, this girl has caught more than just Dans attention as a cult known by the monicker of The True Knot have also caught wind of her powers and want to feed off it as a sinister way of extending their own lives.
Now Dan must take on the role of both mentor and protector, teaching this young girl how to harness her shine all while keeping her alive.
READ MORE MOVIE RELATED ARTICLES: Julianne Moore – she has the future in mind!
The story first catches us up with what Dan Torrance has been up to since his harrowing journey in the Overlook Hotel years ago. He has fallen into similar patterns that his father did before him – violence, anger, and alcoholism – this role really has given McGregor something with depth to dive into and he does so with moxie.
Why see it?
The shine (or shining) has always been one of the more interesting elements from Stephen King’s work and having a whole film dedicated to exploring that is so intriguing on it’s own. Pair that with the talents of Ewan McGregor’s acting and you definitely have a winning combination.
When: November 7, 2019
Jumanji: The Next Level
In this highly anticipated sequel to the 2017 reboot of Jumanji, all of your favourites are back. With a stellar cast including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and with the introduction to the series of Danny Glover and Danny DeVito – this film is aiming for one thing, to bring the laughs and it brings them in spades. Having been such a long stint between major film roles, DeVito is here and he is ready to absolutely own this role. For those who have been keeping up with him in hit show ‘Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ you’d be no stranger to this.
The same group of teens from the past film are inadvertently transported back to the world of Jumanji – this time with the addition of Glover an DeVito. This film is an absolutely great film to take the grandchildren to for a good few hours off. They will fall in love with the jungle visuals and the use of exotic animals and you will have such a great time watching how this varied cast bounces off each other.
Why see it?
Jumanji: The Next Level does exactly what it says on the bottle. It’s here as a child friendly alternative to the Fast and Furious films, offering fun action but framed in a palatable way to young children. A great watch for the whole family.
When: December 26, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Brought to us by visionary horror director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Pacific Rim, Hell Boy and Mimic) this is a movie that will pull its punches. Telling us a series of scary stories tied together by a flowing narrative, this is the feature film version of sitting around the campfire and trying to scare your friends.
The big horror film people have been talking about this year has been It Chapter 2, hot off the heels of the 2017 film featuring the terrifying Pennywise the Dancing Clown (played by Bill Skarsgard)- and while that film boasts a mature rating, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is by far the most frightening of the two – and that comes down to a beautiful combination of Guillermos unique visual stylings and the sublime cast of child actors who really carried their weight and were able to truly sell the horror at play here.
Why see it?
If you are after a bit of fun and some great scares then look no further than this film. I was absolutely blown away by the quality of work with this one and cannot wait for it to come out on Blu-Ray so I can own it and watch it again any time I want.
When: September 26, 2019
Gemini Man
This is a bit of a funny one – if I were to explain the plot of this film I honestly believe three quarters of you would assume I was reading out the plot to an eighties era Arnold Schwarzenegger action film, but I’m not – the following film stars Will Smith, and, well, Will Smith and is coming out in 2019.
Will Smith plays Henry Brogan, and aged hitman whose career is starting to come to an end until he crosses paths with a mystery assailant who seems bent on cutting his life short. The chase between the two commences until it is revealed to Brogan that the man hunting him down, is a younger version of himself.
This movie is pure, unapologetic, eighties action movie schlock, and I love it. I have not had this much fun in an action film in years. I tend to avoid these kinds of films, but I’ll admit I got suckered in. With director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain and Taking Woodstock) I just could not help myself.
Why see it?
Sometimes you just need to watch something fun and forget about the world and this is the perfect film for that. Will Smith is fantastic as always and with the added bonus of Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Clive Owen, this film also brings the acting chops.
When: October 10, 2019
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brings this latest trilogy of Star Wars films to a close. With Director J.J Abrams on record stating that this will be the final film in the Skywalker series, and with Mark Hamill reprising his role as Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher posthumous appearance as Leia Organa, this is set to be the perfect goodbye for all of our beloved characters.
Telling the final chapter in the story of Rey and her quest to find her parents, we are presented with a series of new villains as well as villains of the past.
For the most part, the production of this film has been kept very secret, which is the well established modus operandi of Abrams when he is at the helm of a film. This film is absolutely riddled with surprises and callbacks to films we’ve all come to love over the last forty-two years.
Why see it?
When the Force Awakens came out the audience was in awe with what they were shown, and the Rise of Skywalker is bringing back all of the players that were involved in that film. Most notably of all is the return of Abrams at the helm, who between Star Wars, Super 8 and the Mission Impossible franchise has a proven track record when it comes to doing right by the properties of the past.
When: December 19, 2019
Add Comment