SPRING FILM PREVIEW
Hugh Jackman in Logan
A
wards season is officially over. Finally! This one seemed inordinately long and as much as I appreciated the films, actors, directors and creative folks who were nominated – and ultimately honored – I’ m happy to be focusing on some new material. While many of the films coming out this spring won’ t come close to receiving any sort of awards recognition, it’ s OK to watch them simply for their entertainment value. Here are a few anticipated films out this month.
By Lori Vernon
Logan
Director: James Mangold March 3 • Rated R
After 17 years playing the iconic character, Hugh Jackman takes his self-proclaimed final turn as Logan aka Wolverine in Marvel Comic’ s Logan, based on the“ Old Man Logan” comic book storyline. Set in the near future, a weary Logan( Jackman), now a limo driver known as James Howlett( his birth name) cares for an aging and increasingly unstable Professor X( Patrick Stewart) in a Mexican hideout following the eradication of the X-Men. But Logan ' s attempts to hide from his past and his legacy are
thwarted when a young mutant girl named Laura( Dafne Keen) shows up, and Logan must protect her from the dark forces that want to exploit her. Also starring Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth Rodriquez.
Kong: Skull Island
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts March 10 • Rated PG-13
In 1971, a diverse team of explorers and soldiers discover a beautiful but treacherous uncharted island in the Pacific while searching for legendary mythical creatures. The inhabitants of Skull Island soon materialize- including the mighty Kong, king of the apes. The large cast includes Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, John C. Reilly, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins. This film serves as a precursor to 2014’ s Godzilla, part of Legendary’ s joint venture MonsterVerse series, which will also include the sequels Godzilla: King of the Monsters( 2019), and Godzilla Vs. Kong( 2020).
Beauty and The Beast
Director: Bill Condon March 17 • Rated PG
This live-action adaptation of Disney’ s classic 1991 animated musical stars Emma Watson as Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a misunderstood beast( Dan Stevens). Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’ s enchanted staff( including Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Luke Evans as Gaston, Kevin Klein as Maurice and Ian McKellen as Cogsworth). Belle learns to look beyond the Beast’ s frightening exterior to find the heart and soul of the misunderstood Prince within. The story has been updated for today’ s audience and features songs from the original movie( not the Broadway play) including several new songs written by Alan Mencken and Tim Rice. The stellar cast also includes Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ewan McGregor and Josh Gad.
Life
Director: Daniel Espinosa March 24 • Not Rated
Life, a Sci-fi thriller set on the International Space Station, tells the story of a team of scientists that makes one of the most important discoveries in history: evidence of extraterrestrial life on Mars. After successfully retrieving a space probe from Mars, the crew is tasked with studying the capsule’ s samples. As they begin to conduct their research, their methods backfire and end up having unintended consequences as the life form’ s rapid growth and unimaginable intelligence threatens not only the team on the Space Station, but possibly life on Earth. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds.
The Zookeeper ' s Wife
Director: Niki Caro March 31 • Rated PG-13
Set in 1939 Poland, this film tells the real-life story of working wife and mother Antonina Zabinski( Jessica Chastain) who lives with her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski( Johan Heldenbergh) as they oversee the thriving Warsaw Zoo. When the Nazis invade Poland, Jan and Antonina are forced to report to the Reich ' s newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck( Daniel Brühl). The Zabinskis begin to fight back on their own terms, covertly working with the Resistance to save the lives of Jews being sent to the Warsaw Ghetto, but at considerable risk to themselves and their children. Adapted from the book by Diane Ackerman, written from Antonina Zabinski’ s diaries.
14 illinoisentertainer. com march 2017