It’s another Friday, and as we all breathe a sigh of relief as the weekend looms, take five minutes to check out the films opening in cinemas in the UK and the US today. As always, we’ve reviewed and rated them for you (where possible), and also posted links to our more detailed, full reviews.
Check back next week to see how all of these did at the box-office
Vacation (UK)
Rating: **
Synopsis: Remembering fond, childhood memories of his trip to Walley World, Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife (Christina Applegate) and two sons with a cross-country excursion to America’s favorite fun park. Following in his father’s (Chevy Chase) footsteps, Rusty and the gang pack up the car and hit the road for some much-needed family bonding. Soon, the promise of fun turns into one misadventure after another for the next generation of Griswolds and anyone who encounters them.
Our review: “Too glossy, more than a little silly and lacking anything special. Vacation? You may as well stay at home!” [Full review]
Pressure (UK)
Rating: **
Synopsis: A group of men are trapped in a small pod on the sea bed, after diving down to fix an oil pipeline and becoming separated from their ship.
Our review: “Frankly, halfway through the film, after laughing at what’s supposed to be utterly serious moments, you’d be just as content if none of them made it out alive by the end.” [Full review]
Paper Towns (UK)
Rating: ****
Synopsis: Young and shy Quentin (Nat Wolff) is in for the night of his life when Margo (Cara Delevingne), the most popular student in high school, recruits him to help her play mischievous pranks on the friends who betrayed her. The next day, however, the mysterious Margo is nowhere to be found. With help from a few buddies and some cryptic clues that she left behind, Quentin embarks on an obsessive mission to find the girl who stole his heart and made him feel truly alive.
Our review: “Memorable for excellent turns from all of its young cast and its wonderful message. Nat Wolff, and British model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne delight.” [Full review]
The Wolfpack (UK)
Rating: ****
Synopsis: Locked away from the outside world in a Manhattan apartment, the Angulo siblings satisfy their curiosity, imagination and need to explore by re-enacting their favorite movies.
Our review: “Never afraid to shy away from the dark truth behind this group’s claustrophobic lives, Moselle’s film turns out to be one of the year’s most absorbing, frank accounts of a remarkable, though sad existence in today’s modern world.” [Full review]
The Forgotten Kingdom (UK)
Rating: ****
Synopsis: A young man travels to his ancestral land to bury his estranged father. He is drawn to the mystical beauty and hardships of the land and people he had forgotten.
Our review: “Writer/ director Andrew Mudge’s story draws the viewer in from the opening scenes, and the filmmaker takes us on a journey that is memorable long after the credits roll.” [Full review]
Also released: American Ultra (US), Sinister 2 (US & UK), Hitman: Agent 47 (US), Escobar: Paradise Lost (UK), Gemma Bovery (UK)
