Finally! The day we have all been waiting for. Marvel’s biggest, best, most highly anticipated movie has hit the cinemas. Can you tell I’m just maybe a little bit excited for this weekend?
You’ve watched the trailers, you’ve read the reviews, you’ve lapped up every piece of news that we’ve so diligently covered. But juuuust in case you’ve been away for the past few months and missed the feverish hype:
Adventurer Peter Quill (a.k.a “Star Lord”) finds himself the object of a bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with four disparate misfits – the deadly and enigmatic Gamora the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer, Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon and Groot, a tree-like humanoid. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.
With a perfect score from Kervyn and 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, Guardians of the Galaxy is looking to set a new standard by being the most important movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, and by possibly being the most entertaining movie of 2014. And a friendly reminder, keeping with Marvel’s trends it’s likely that there will be two post-credits scenes, so stick around!
Releasing on Cinema Nouveau this week is Zach Braff’s Kickstarter-funded comedy drama Wish I Was Here. Written, directed and starring Braff as a middle-aged dad and struggling actor who is forced to re-examine his views on life, career and family when he reaches a major crossroads.
With an average score of not-so-fresh 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, Wish I Was Here apparently doesn’t quite hit the same highs as Braff’s breakout hit Garden State.
Coming late to South African cinemas, and on a limited release, is 2012’s Mr. Pip, a drama starring Hugh Laurie as an enigmatic teacher, Mr. Watts. As a war rages on in the province of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, a young girl becomes transfixed by the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village.
Based on the Lloyd James novel of the same name, Mr. Pip has divided critics, but most have praised Laurie’s performance as moving, inspirational and heart-felt.
Last Updated: August 1, 2014
