Illinois Entertainer April 2017 | Page 14

COLLOSAL APRIL

Jason Sudeikis and Anne Hathaway in Collosal

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pril offers a slate of varied releases to tide us over until we begin gearing up for summer . There ’ s a little bit of everything , including some unique stories with twists , as well as an old favorite that may shock and surprise you . Here are a few highlights of what you ’ ll see in cinemas this month .
The Assignment
Director : Walter Hill April 7 • Rated R
It ’ s a blast from the past with legendary director Walter Hill ( The Warriors , The Long Riders , 48 Hours , The Driver , Red Heat ) giving the revenge film a modern neo-noir B-movie twist
By Lori Vernon
in this thriller with music by none other than Giorgio Moroder ( Academy Award winner for Midnight Express , Flashdance and Top Gun – not to mention the whole disco thing ). Developed from a script originally penned by Hill ’ s The Assignment co-writer Denis Hamil in 1978 , the film tells the story of hitman Frank Kitchen ( Michelle Rodriguez ), who is given a lethal assignment . But after being double-crossed , Frank discovers he ’ s not “ the man ” he thought he was — he ’ s been surgically altered to have the body of a woman . Seeking vengeance , Frank heads for a showdown with the person who transformed him A brilliant surgeon ( Sigourney Weaver ) with a chilling agenda of her own and a link to Frank ’ s past . Also starring Tony
Shaloub , Anthony LaPaglia , Caitlin Gerard , Terry Chen and Paul Lazenby .
Collosal
Director : Nacho Vigalondo April 7 • Rated R
This action / sci-fi / comedy tells the tales of Gloria ( Anne Hathaway ), an unemployed , hard-partying girl who is kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend and is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown . After another night of heavy drinking , Gloria wakes to news reports of a giant killer kaiju destroying Seoul , South Korea and she gradually begins to realize that she and her nervous breakdown are somehow connected to this weird phenomenon . As her life spins further out of control , Gloria must discover why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world . The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival , where the filmmaker told Entertainment Weekly that the project is a " monster movie that collides with a small indie drama .” The film is more metaphorical dark humor than monster movie , but with a great supporting cast that includes Jason Sudeikis , Dan Stevens , Tim Blake Nelson and Austin Stowell .
The Fate of The Furious
Director : F . Gary Gray April 7 • Rated PG-13
With Dom ( Vin Diesel ) and Letty ( Michelle Rodriguez ) off on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia retired , the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life . But when a mysterious woman ( Charlize Theron ) seduces Dom back into the world of crime he can ’ t seem to escape and he betrays those closest to him , the team will face trials that will test them as never before . The huge cast also features Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson , Jason Statham ,
Kurt Russell , Tyrese Gibson , Helen Mirren , Scott Eastwood , Elsa Pataky and Chris Bridges .
Free Fire
Director : Ben Wheatley April 21 • Not Rated
Set in a colorful yet gritty 1970 ’ s Boston , Free Fire opens with Justine ( Brie Larson ), a mysterious American businesswoman and her wisecracking associate Ord ( Armie Hammer ) arranging a black-market weapons deal in a deserted warehouse between IRA arms buyer Chris ( Cillian Murphy ) and shifty South African gun runner Vernon ( Sharlto Copley ). What starts as a polite if uneasy exchange soon goes south when tensions escalate and shots are fired , quickly leading to a full-on Battle Royale where it ’ s every man - and woman - for themselves . This action / comedy / drama won the Midnight Madness People ’ s Choice Award at last year ' s Toronto Film Festival .
The Circle
Director : James Ponsoldt April 28 • Rated PG-13 When Mae ( Emma Watson ) is hired to work for the world ’ s largest and most powerful tech & social media company , she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime . As she rises through the ranks she is encouraged by the company ’ s founder , Eamon Bailey ( Tom Hanks ), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy , ethics and ultimately her personal freedom . Her participation in the experiment , and every decision she makes , becomes perilous and begins to affect the lives and future of her friends , family and that of humanity . The movie also features the late Bill Paxton , John Boyega , Karen Gillan , Ellar Coltrane , Glenne Headly and Patton Oswalt .
14 illinoisentertainer . com april 2017