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The Journalix reviews the latest and greatest films to come to the cinema! This week’s releases including Greed starring Steve Coogan, the tale of the Military Wives starring Sharon Horgan and Kristen Scott Thomas and the much-anticipated Sonic with Jim Carrey playing his arch nemesis.
GREED
Greed tells the story of self-made British billionaire Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan), whose retail empire is in crisis. For 30 years he has ruled the world of retail fashion – bringing the high street to the catwalk and the catwalk to the high street – but after a damaging public inquiry, his image is tarnished. To save his reputation, he decides to bounce back with a highly publicised and extravagant party celebrating his 60th birthday on the Greek island of Mykonos. A satire on the grotesque inequality of wealth in the fashion industry, the film sees McCreadie’s rise and fall through the eyes of his biographer, Nick (David Mitchell).
This is a good film. And the cast is great. Steve Coogan is really funny; I laughed out loud a lot! Without fail every time Tim Key is on screen you’ll be laughing. It might have too many themes running through it? It is a comedy film but carries a really strong message which builds and builds until a big crescendo at the end. But I was satisfied with its conclusion, and I think you will be too.
Greed is showing now at HOME Manchester
I couldn’t give it any more because there is just a bit too much going on.
MILITARY WIVES
The inspirational story of friendship, love, and support on the home front. A group of women come together as their partners serve in Afghanistan. Together they form the very first military wives choir, helping each other through some of life’s most difficult moments and also becoming a media sensation and global movement in the process. Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) directs Oscar® Nominee and BAFTA® Winner Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour) and BAFTA® Nominee Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe) in this feel good crowd-pleaser.
This is very Calendar Girls-esque. Not quite as good but maybe thta’s due to the calibre of the cast in Calendar Girls. Horgan is really funny in it and Scott Thomas very believable as the stuffy straight-faced colonel’s wife. It’s a little cringey at times, but very emotional – I cried! But i left thinking that if you don’t want to attend a choir then you might not want to watch this film.
SONIC
After the fan reactions to the original trailer resulted in some serious post-production edits, it might be quite surprising to hear that this is very enjoyable!
As a big Jim Carrey fan, like going to see a family member’s village play performance, I worry. I worry with every new film that it could be the end of his funny streak. But it ain’t. He’s not going for big laughs here and it’s a videogame franchise film after all but he’s still got his funny bones in working order. Here, his acting talents satisfy the big baddie role rather well. And enough to still make Sonic the star, of course! It’s a nice take on a character which I felt always lacked real personality. He is a loveable, excitable-if-slightly-naive teen hedgehog here. Full of all his gaming tricks and with enough nods to the original games the film still stands up rather well on its own. There’s even a back story that makes sense. Kind of. And with an ending that suggests there will be plenty of more sequels to come they’ll be hard pushed to equal the quality of this excellent family movie.
If you liked our reviews for Military Wives, Sonic, Greed then here are more reviews you might like to read: