COLLOSAL APRIL
Jason Sudeikis and Anne Hathaway in Collosal
A
pril offers a slate of varied releases to tide us over until we begin gearing up for summer. There’ s a little bit of everything, including some unique stories with twists, as well as an old favorite that may shock and surprise you. Here are a few highlights of what you’ ll see in cinemas this month.
The Assignment
Director: Walter Hill April 7 • Rated R
It’ s a blast from the past with legendary director Walter Hill( The Warriors, The Long Riders, 48 Hours, The Driver, Red Heat) giving the revenge film a modern neo-noir B-movie twist
By Lori Vernon
in this thriller with music by none other than Giorgio Moroder( Academy Award winner for Midnight Express, Flashdance and Top Gun – not to mention the whole disco thing). Developed from a script originally penned by Hill’ s The Assignment co-writer Denis Hamil in 1978, the film tells the story of hitman Frank Kitchen( Michelle Rodriguez), who is given a lethal assignment. But after being double-crossed, Frank discovers he’ s not“ the man” he thought he was— he’ s been surgically altered to have the body of a woman. Seeking vengeance, Frank heads for a showdown with the person who transformed him A brilliant surgeon( Sigourney Weaver) with a chilling agenda of her own and a link to Frank’ s past. Also starring Tony
Shaloub, Anthony LaPaglia, Caitlin Gerard, Terry Chen and Paul Lazenby.
Collosal
Director: Nacho Vigalondo April 7 • Rated R
This action / sci-fi / comedy tells the tales of Gloria( Anne Hathaway), an unemployed, hard-partying girl who is kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend and is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. After another night of heavy drinking, Gloria wakes to news reports of a giant killer kaiju destroying Seoul, South Korea and she gradually begins to realize that she and her nervous breakdown are somehow connected to this weird phenomenon. As her life spins further out of control, Gloria must discover why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, where the filmmaker told Entertainment Weekly that the project is a " monster movie that collides with a small indie drama.” The film is more metaphorical dark humor than monster movie, but with a great supporting cast that includes Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Tim Blake Nelson and Austin Stowell.
The Fate of The Furious
Director: F. Gary Gray April 7 • Rated PG-13
With Dom( Vin Diesel) and Letty( Michelle Rodriguez) off on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia retired, the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman( Charlize Theron) seduces Dom back into the world of crime he can’ t seem to escape and he betrays those closest to him, the team will face trials that will test them as never before. The huge cast also features Dwayne“ The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham,
Kurt Russell, Tyrese Gibson, Helen Mirren, Scott Eastwood, Elsa Pataky and Chris Bridges.
Free Fire
Director: Ben Wheatley April 21 • Not Rated
Set in a colorful yet gritty 1970’ s Boston, Free Fire opens with Justine( Brie Larson), a mysterious American businesswoman and her wisecracking associate Ord( Armie Hammer) arranging a black-market weapons deal in a deserted warehouse between IRA arms buyer Chris( Cillian Murphy) and shifty South African gun runner Vernon( Sharlto Copley). What starts as a polite if uneasy exchange soon goes south when tensions escalate and shots are fired, quickly leading to a full-on Battle Royale where it’ s every man- and woman- for themselves. This action / comedy / drama won the Midnight Madness People’ s Choice Award at last year ' s Toronto Film Festival.
The Circle
Director: James Ponsoldt April 28 • Rated PG-13 When Mae( Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’ s largest and most powerful tech & social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks she is encouraged by the company’ s founder, Eamon Bailey( Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes, becomes perilous and begins to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. The movie also features the late Bill Paxton, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Glenne Headly and Patton Oswalt.
14 illinoisentertainer. com april 2017