Another busy weeks of cinema releases this week but despite the wide array of movie offerings, there’s clearly one fantastical, latex-clad, cross-over blockbuster which towers above all the others. I am of course referring, to Strippers Vs Werewolves.

Apparently there’s some small, niche movie about a bunch of crazy vigilantes who gang up to fight with one of their mentally disturbed brothers, but I doubt you’ve heard of it.

No, but seriously folks, stitch your sides back together and i’ll level with you, The Avengers Assemble is out this Friday and after the months of trailers, stills, clips and more trailers, the anticipation is as they say at fever pitch. I imagine many of us have tickets booked up for the opening weekend already and after near unanimously positive reviews in the press, expectations are sky high.

As one might expect, few studios have bothered putting out any major releases this week with the Marvel behemoth about to Hulk Smash its way to the top of the Box Office but there’ s still plenty out there to choose from. This includes, the Glenn Close starring drama Albert Nobbs, French thriller The Monk and the intriguing documentary Being Elmo : A Puppeteer’s Journey. Oh, and Strippers Vs Werewolves of course. Don’t forget Strippers vs Werewolves.

If you want to check to see if any of these films are playing near you, you can visit Find Any Film and they’ll be able to help

 

The Avengers Assemble *Pick of the Week*

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After all the build up and the months of hype, it’s finally here. The first of the summer’s mega-bucks Superhero blockbusters hits UK screens and by all accounts, it’s going to be a belter. The plot will see the world’s greatest superhero’s brought together by S.H.I.E.L.D. to defend Earth from an alien foe. Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Captain America, all thrust together and forced to work side by side to take on a supreme evil.

That’s all you really need to know. Judging by the umpteen trailers, it’s sure to be a feast for the eyes and the whole host of glowing reviews that have emerged this past week certainly add to the excitement.

David Sztypuljak says:

I have heard nothing bad said about the movie and I simply cannot wait to see it. Will it best the biggest grossing movie of the year so far? I have no doubt!

Paris Davis says:

I have heard great things from the people who have already seen the Avengers and many of them going to see it a second time! I’m very much looking forward to seeing it this weekend and I know there are very high expectations for its overall success. The marketing and press surrounding its release has been great and I can only hope it does live up to the buzz it has created!

You can read Ben Mortimer’s review here.

 

Albert Nobbs

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Whenever I hear the name of this film I can’t help but think of an old Morecambe and Wise sketch. “Did you know Albert Nobbs?” “He does? …..How sad.” Anyway, moving swiftly on, Albert Nobbs is the story of a woman in late 19th Century Dublin who poses as a man so she can continue as a butler at one of Dublin’s poshest hotels. Glenn Close stars in the title role and was even nominated for an Academy Award for her efforts. Reviews have been below average overall though with the general consensus seemingly being that despite Close’s standout performance, the film as a whole was severely lacking in plot.

You can read Anthony Charles’s review here.

Being Elmo : A Puppeteer’s Journey

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This documentary traces the life and career of one Kevin Clash, the man behind the much loved Sesame Street Puppet, Elmo. Despite his character’s legendary status among kids across the world, Kevin has, until now, kept almost complete anonymity. He always dreamed of becoming a puppeteer for Jim Henson’s workshop and this insightful picture gives a glimpse into how he got where he is today, how Elmo came to be so loved and offers plenty of behind the scenes footage and an impressive array of talking heads along the way. It won the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and has received some glowing reviews.

David Sztypuljak says:

Being Elmo played SXSW 2011 but i never actually got to see it. Again though, I’ve not heard a bad word said about it and it’s definitely one I’ll be adding to my LOVEFiLM list if i don’t get to see it theatrically.

 

Damsels in Distress

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A comedy courtesy of Whit Stillman, the writer/director behind Metropolis (1990). Damsels in Distress follows a group of College girls who seek to revolutionize life on campus by promoting healthy living, good hygiene and the use of musical dance numbers. ….Obviously. Whit’s very bourgeois style of comedy won’t be to everyone’s taste but if you are on his wavelength, this comedy of manners could be right up your street.

You can read our interview with Whit here and Adam’s review of the film here.

Strippers Vs Werewolves

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Finally, the meeting of two movie titans. Long have we waited to see them clash. We have sat through Aliens Vs Predators, Dracula Vs Frankenstein, Kramer Vs Kramer and Titanic Vs Iceberg and now it’s the battle to end them all, Strippers Vs Werewolves. Did you watch Lesbian Vampire Killers and find it a touch too subtle? Then this my friend would appear to be the movie for you. I would give you a plot synopsis, but, let’s face it, there’s really no need.

David Sztypuljak says:

Strippers vs. Werewolves, I have actually seen already and I can guarantee if you like strippers and/or Werewolves, you’ll most likely like this movie! Odd that most of it was shot just down the road from me in Croydon just before the riots kicked off!

You can read Lisa Giles-Keddie’s review here.

 

The Monk

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A Gothic thriller starring Vincent Cassell you say? You have my attention. The story is adopted from Mathew Lewis’s  novel of the same name. Cassell stars as Capucino Ambrosio, a respected monk whose inspirational sermons draw crowds from miles around. He is renowned for his virtue and thought to be able to resist all temptation, that is until he meets Matilda. Matilda disguises herself as a Monk and seduces Ambrosio into transgressing. Then, as she winds the friar further round her finger, it emerges that Matilda may herself be in league with a higher power and unfortunately for Ambrosio, it’s the horned one himself. It looks as creepy and atmospheric as you’d imagine and probably isn’t one for a relaxing date night at the cinema.

Jon Lyus says:

I’ve seen The Monk which necessarily diluted some of Matthew Lewis’s themes but managed to create a very decent meditation on faith, responsibility and corruption of the human soul. Vincent Cassell does a great job as Ambrosio with the mix of vanity, temptation and the complexity of faith in the face of oncoming forces of darkness (both human and supernatural in origin). Domink Moll’s direction of his actors is superb.

You can watch an exclusive clip of The Monk here and Jamie’s review is here.

Outside Bet

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This is a British comedy starring Bob Hoskins and Jenny Agutter which is adapted from the The Mumper by Mark Baxter and Paolo Hewitt. Set against the turbulent back drop of Thatcher’s Britain in the 1980’s, a group of friends find themselves struggling financially after receiving a pitiful redundancy package when their employer goes bust. The group decide to pool their money into buying a racehorse and go after that one big win which will turn their lives around. The cast and premise is pretty intriguing, so this could be worth seeking out but, as always with this Round-up, I must be honest with you, early reviews have been far from positive.

Buck

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A documentary chronicling the life and times of renowned real-life horse handler Buck Buchanan. Buck teaches people to communicate and work with their horses through sensitive methods rather than by punishment. Major players such as Robert Redford are on hand to provide insight into Buck’s crucial contribution to the production of hit movie The Horse Whisperer. There’s also an insight into Buck’s tragic childhood at the hands of an abusive father and what he was forced to overcome to get to where he is today. By all accounts it’s a fascinating portrait of a remarkable man.

African Cats

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A feature length nature documentary that does exactly what it days on the tin. Africa Cats follows the plight of two families, one lion, one cheetah, as they strive to survive in the harsh surroundings of the African Savannah. The footage in the trailer looks mighty impressive and narration comes courtesy of one Samuel L. Jackson. Now in theory of course, this is a family-friendly movie, but do be warned, I read the synopsis and there is some fairly meaty (excuse the pun) issues in there. We’re talking ‘harsh realities of life in the wild’ type incidents here. Nevertheless, African Cats is definitely the best offering out there young kids at the moment, assuming they haven’t seen Pirates! already that is.

Paris Davis says:

Having seen African Cats last month I absolutely adored it! If you enjoy the likes of David Attenborough then you will love this too and it will be well worth a see!

You can read Will Jones’s review here.

The Assault

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Another French offering this week but one wildly differing from the Gothic chills of The Monk. The Assault is a tense action thriller based on the real life hijacking of Air France Flight 8969 by Algerian Islamic Fundamentalists and the SWAT team tasked with rescuing the passengers. It’s got a relatively low profile thus far so I can’t offer too much advice, but the trailer certainly has some promise for action fans.