(Photo: Le Havre)
This weekend it seems you have a real choice in what to see at the theaters…well, wait…that may depend on where you live. Opening in theaters today is the thriller, Retreat starring Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy. Joining it is the “illegal immigrant” dramedy Le Havre. Rounding out the screen fest is the action-adventure, The Three Musketeers (haven’t this story been covered a billion and one times? Talk about good ‘ole faithful!) When Hollywood has no balls depend on them to reach back and grab someone elses. If you missed our previous coverage of Retreat and Le Havre, follow the not-so-happy trail below…
Opening this weekend, Thandie Newton’s new thriller, Retreat tells the story of…
Kate and Martin escape from personal tragedy to an Island Retreat. Cut off from the outside world, their attempts to recover are shattered when a Man is washed ashore, with news of airborne killer disease that is sweeping through Europe.
Synopsis via IMDB
On a side-note, in February of last year, Tambay did a scathing commentary on the instinction of black couples in film, he used (at the time) the announcement of Thandie’s casting in the film, Retreat. So here’s my question to you, does it matter that Thandie’s husband (Cillian Murphy) is white in the film and if so, will that stop you from going to see it? Check out the article, HERE and let’s us know what you think!
Back to the film…Rotten Tomatoes gives it an audience approval rating of 41% (I guess Retreat is an apt title for the film) but then again, critics more than double that percentage, with a round up of 86% saying it’s worth the price of admission. Go figure! I guess it’s up for YOU to decide! Check out the trailer below via YouTube
Up next is the dramedy, Le Havre which tells the story of…
“An elderly working-class couple living in the famous Norman port city find themselves harbouring a young African illegal immigrant from the authorities as he tries to make his way to England. The local police inspector suspects that they are protecting illegals, and a cat-and-mouse game ensues.”
Recently S&A’s Andre Seewood covered the film, HERE
Audience and critics seem eye-to-eye on it being a solid film, with a Rotten Tomatoes critic rating of 100% and an audience approval rating of 74%. So there you go, folks…oh wait, there’s one more film I forgot to mention…
The Three Musketeers.
Do I really have to say more? This story has been remade, made over, reinvented, chopped and screwed a million times over. Give it a rest already but I guess it’s always a winner at the box office so the powers that be will keep churning ’em out for every generation. The film stars Christopher Waltz, Orlando Bloom and Milla Jovovich…aww, who gives a care…do you? Are you going to sit through another reinvention of Alexandre Dumas’ beloved tale? (in discussions about TTM I rarely, if ever, hear mention that the writer of this classic is of African descent…maybe if that point was at least brought up in some eloquent fashion I wouldn’t mind every ten years getting a visual take on this great story. Oh well! *shakes head*)
You know the tale, so I’m sure a synopsis is not warranted but…
Rotten Tomatoes gives it an overall approval rating of “Meh” with general audiences giving it the edge (56% liked it) over critics that barely registered it as watchable (23%). Aww naw say it ain’t true don’t do Alexandre like that! C’mon if they’re going to make a movie based on his great story, at least do it some justice. I’ll guess we’ll have to see it for ourselves ’cause whoever said critics knew it all, surely not I.
Until next week!
