The Rest Of April's Theatrical Releases
The big movies out this month include The Water Diviner, While We're Young, Fast & Furious 7, Lost River, John Wick, Force Majeure, Cobain: Montage Of Heck, Woman In Gold, Good Kill, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, A Little Chaos, The Salvation, Glassland, Child 44, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, The Falling, A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence and Stonehearst Asylum. But here we review a selection of the other new releases. Remember to keep an eye out because we'll be adding more each week.
SOMETHING MUST BREAK
Swedish direct or Ester Martin Bergsmark paints a gritty picture of Stockholm in this arthouse tale of transgender man Sebastian (Saga Becker), who identifies as woman Ellie, and his/her turbulent love affair with the James Dean-esque Andreas (Iggy Malmborg), a straight man struggling with his attraction. Bergsmark explores identity, desire and love in melancholy and sometimes meandering fashion; the pace is boosted by the occasional directorial flourish, yet Ellie and Andreas never quite engage enough to warrant Bergsmarks lavish reverence. Director: Ester Martin Bergsmark Starring: Saga Becker, Iggy Maimborg, Shima Niavarani Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 Stephen Kelly
ALTMAN
Narrated by his widow Kat hryn, and illustrated with a wealth of archive/interview material, Ron Manns loving tribute to one of Hollywoods most uncompromising directors briskly spirits us across Robert Altmans 55-year career. Some will balk that this family-endorsed project plays it safe, instead of muck-raking through his personal life. But covering classics (Nashville, McCabe & Mrs. Miller), obscurities (Images, Health) and comebacks (The Player, Short Cuts), Mann still unearths revelations, not least Altmans later health problems. Add in poignant tidbits notably Popeyes Robin Williams, in his last recorded interview and theres enough here for fans and newbies alike. Director: Ron Mann Starring: James Caan, Keith Carradine, Elliott Gould, Philip Baker Hall, Sally Ketterman, Lyle Lovett, Julianne Moore, Michael Murphy. Lily Tomlin Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 James Mottram
THE DARK HORSE
Not to be confused with Welsh horse racing doc Dark Horse out later in April, James Napier Robertsons heavyweight New Zealand drama channels memories of Kiwi classic Once Were Warriors. Cliff Curtis stuns as Genesis Potini, a Maori bipolar sufferer/chess fanatic. Theres a Dead Poets Society quality here, as Genesis inspires local kids to take up his sport. But shot without sentiment, its really a warts-and-all portrait of Maori society, as Genesis struggles to protect his nephew (James Rolleston) from gang life. Full-blown, full-blooded and full-on. Director: James Napier Robertson Starring: Cliff Curtis, James Rolleston Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 James Mottram
BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT
Ridley Scotts elegiac epic (presented here in its 2007 Final Cut) shows no signs of accelerated decrepitude. Scotts 2019 LA glistens and the core query of Philip K. Dicks source novel remains resonant: what is it to be human? Fully realised in scale, detail (the eyes...) and subtext, it draws charge from the comparison/contrast between Harrison Fords noir-ish cop Deckard and Rutger Hauers laser-eyed Batty, the uber-replicant who wants more life. Batty has four years: Scotts classic still burns very, very brightly. Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 Kevin Harley
KIDNAPPING FREDDY HEINEKEN
In 1983, an amateur gangs ransoming of the eponymous beer magnate transfixed Europe. No such luck with Daniel Alfredsons mix of routine procedural and overwrought performances. Sticking rigidly to facts, he never refreshes the parts similar movies have already reached. Dramatic intrigue is stymied by the bland perps (Jim Sturgess and Sam Worthington, miscast as Dutch wide boys). Its so undemanding that Anthony Hopkins, as Freddy, settles back (in a nicer cell than Hannibals) for possibly his easiest career gig. Director: Daniel Alfredson Starring: Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Kwanten Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 Simon Kinnear
I USED TO LIVE HERE
Inspired by the article Breaking The Ripple Effects of Suicide, Frank Berrys low-fi film is set and shot in Tallaght, a working-class Dublin community that has seen so-called cluster suicides, where one death inspires another. The fictionalised story centres on 13-year-old Amy (Jordanne Jones) who toys with dark feelings after witnessing the wave of sympathy a classmate receives after taking his life. Eliciting strong performances, Berry directs a cast of largely non-pros with aplomb, even if the accents take some tuning in to. Thought-provoking grass-roots cinema. Director: Frank Berry Starring: Jordanne Jones, Dafhyd Flynn, James Kelly Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 James Mottram
HACKNEYS FINEST
The low-budget British gangster flick is not a genre with a high hit rate, but Hackneys Finest is not far off the target. The feature debut of director Chris Bouchard, its story of a small-time drug dealer (Nathanael Wiseman) caught up in a night of corrupt East London cops and Welsh-Jamaican Yardies is a persuasive balance of light-touch humour and quick-cut, hyperreal action even if it is lacking in anything exceptional. Still, the tone, relatively free from clichs, is refreshing, and the performances strong. Maybe not the finest, but perfectly fine. Director: Chris Bouchard Starring: Enoch Frost, Arin Alldridge, Neerja Naik, Malcolm Tomlinson, Sean Cronin, Katarina Gellin Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 Stephen Kelly
THE DECENT ONE
This intimate documentary portrait of Heinrich Himmler, one of the architects of the Final Solution, is drawn entirely from archival material, notably the subjects own cache of private letters, diaries and photos. Using off-screen actors to voice extracts from these sources, writer-director Vanessa Lapa juxtaposes Himmlers domestic and marital life in Bavaria with the consequences of his professional actions. Its a skilfully assembled film, yet inhabiting this mass-murderers hate-fuelled, demented world-view for 90 minutes is numbing for any viewer. Director: Vanessa Lapa Theatrical release: 3 April 2015 Tom Dawson
THE DUFF
Bianca (Mae Whitman) loves Vincent Price and Japanese movies with subtitles. Clearly, she has a future as a film critic. For now, though, shes the high-school DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend. Can the local jock teach her to pull, in exchange for homework notes? Will she win her man by giving herself a Shes All That-style makeover for the prom, while simultaneously offering confused messages about just being yourself? Could this ugly-duckling-romcom for the hashtag generation be any more clichd? Its not a total duffer but only the ever-excellent Whitman saves this from a D-grade. Director: Ari Sandel Starring: Mae Whitman, Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell Theatrical release: 6 April 2015 Ali Catterall
