2013 Preview: September

The summer season may be coming to a close, but we’re only just two-thirds of the way through 2013 and now we’re heading into the ‘Oscar season’. Welcome back to Rhode Island Movie Corner’s year-long preview for the films that are set to come out during 2013. This is Part 9 and today we’re going to be looking at the films that will be hitting theaters during the month of September. This month, we have a few sequels, some original films, and even a re-release of a timeless classic.

SEPTEMBER 6- Only one release is set to open during the first weekend of the month

*Following 2000’s ‘Pitch Black’ and 2004’s ‘The Chronicles of Riddick’, Vin Diesel returns to the role of convict Richard B. Riddick for ‘Riddick’, the third entry in director David Twohy’s sci-fi series. In this film, Riddick finds himself abandoned on a desolate planet where he must fight for survival against the predators of the planet.

SEPTEMBER 13- This weekend will see the release of a horror sequel and the latest film from the director of ‘Leon: The Professional’ and ‘The Fifth Element’.

 

*When it was released in 2011, director James Wan’s ‘Insidious’ was a huge success at the box office, grossing nearly $100 million on only a $1.5 million budget. Fresh off of ‘The Conjuring’, James Wan returns along with writer Leigh Whannell and most of the main cast for ‘Insidious: Chapter 2’. After the events of the first movie, the Lambert family looks to find out the reason why they have been connected to the spirit world.

 

*While known for directing films like ‘Leon: The Professional’ and ‘The Fifth Element’, director Luc Besson has spent most of this last decade producing films like the ‘Taken’ and ‘Transporter’ series. His newest directorial effort, ‘The Family’ (aka ‘Malavita’ outside of the U.S.) will hit theaters this weekend. Robert De Niro stars as a mafia boss who is forced to relocate his family (his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his daughter (Dianna Agron), and his son (John D’Leo)), with the help of a CIA agent (Tommy Lee Jones), to France after snitching on the mob.

SEPTEMBER 20- One crime thriller and a special 3-D re-release this weekend.

 

*Back in March, Disney released ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’, a sort-of ‘prequel’ to the 1939 classic from MGM, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, based off of author L. Frank Baum’s famous book of the same name. The 1939 classic hits theaters once again in 3-D, celebrating the film’s 75^th anniversary (even though, technically speaking, that is supposed to be in 2014).

 

*An all-star cast headlines the crime thriller ‘Prisoners’. Hugh Jackman stars as a father who desperately searches for his daughter and her best friend after they are kidnapped on Thanksgiving. The film also stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Paul Dano, Viola Davis, and Melissa Leo.

SEPTEMBER 27- There’s a lot to talk about this week, with four new releases; this includes an IMAX exclusive and a film that expands to a nationwide release.

 

*After opening in LA and NY markets the previous week, Ron Howard’s ‘Rush’ will expand nationwide this weekend. The film focuses on the rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) during the 1976 Formula One season, a year where Lauda nearly lost his life in a crash at the German Grand Prix.

 

*After the original ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ became both a critical and commercial hit in 2009, ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2’ will hit theaters. While Phil Lord and Chris Miller are not directing the film, they are still involved with it, serving as executive producers while Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn take over directing duties. After stopping the disastrous food storm that forced them to leave the town of Swallow Falls, inventor Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) and his friends return to the town in order to clean up the food mess caused by his invention, the FLDSMDFR. However, when they return, Flint discovers that the machine is still operating and has now created food ‘animals’.

 

*Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his directorial debut with ‘Don Jon’, where he stars as a modern-day ‘Don Juan’ who is addicted to porn but soon looks to change his ways after meeting the ‘love of his life’ (Scarlett Johansson). Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, and Brie Larson co-star.

 

*The final film this month is an IMAX exclusive, ‘Metallica: Through the Never’ (it will be released in theaters everywhere the following week). Directed by Nimrod Antal (‘Predators’), the ‘concert’ film stars Dane Dehaan as a roadie for Metallica who is tasked with an urgent mission during one of the band’s shows but this soon turns into a surreal adventure.

Oz The Great and Powerful (2013) review

We all know the classic that is 'The Wizard of Oz', the 1939 masterpiece starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, a young farm girl who is whisked away to the magical world of Oz by way of a tornado. There have actually been multiple adaptations of author L. Frank Baum's 'Wizard of Oz' series. In fact, there were 10 other adaptations that came out before the one we all know and love and there were many more after that. In 1985, Disney made a 'sequel', 'Return to Oz'. While the film was neither a critical or box office hit, it has since gotten a cult following due to its much darker tone. Now, Disney is back with another 'Oz' film, 'Oz: The Great and Powerful', a prequel focusing on the Wizard of Oz and directed by Sam Raimi. Does Raimi's take on the story succeed? Yes, it does. Not to sound cliché here, but 'Oz the Great and Powerful' is really a great movie, with terrific visuals, a superb cast, and a well-written story.

In Kansas, a magician in a traveling circus named Oscar Diggs (James Franco) dreams of becoming a great man like Thomas Edison or Harry Houdini, even though he's really nothing more than a womanizing con-man. One day, as Oscar escapes from an angry circus performer via hot air balloon, he is caught in a tornado and winds up in the magical land of Oz. There, he learns that the people of Oz have been waiting for a 'Great and Powerful' wizard who will save them from the evil of the Wicked Witch. Oscar takes up the job, despite the fact that he's not exactly the Wizard Oz has been waiting for, and soon gets caught up in a conflict amongst the three witches of the land; Glinda (Michelle Williams), Theodora (Mila Kunis), and Evanora (Rachel Weisz). Not only must Oscar prove to them that he truly is 'the Wizard', but he must also prove it to himself as well.

In terms of visuals, 'Oz The Great and Powerful' is one of the best looking films I've ever seen. Out of all of Disney's recent $200 million March releases, this is miles better above the rather dark and grim lands in 'Alice in Wonderland' and the bland Mars landscapes in 'John Carter'. This is also one of those rare instances where it is worth it to see the film in 3-D, as the world of Oz is a visual treat for the eyes. But visuals aren't everything; what about the story? Well, the writing is actually really solid, most notable in the portrayal of 'the Wizard'. He has a solid story arc, as he changes from the womanizing con-man, who's also kind of a jerk, that he was at the beginning of the film to the kind and noble 'Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz'. Even by prequel standards, Raimi doesn't go the cheap route and instead makes subtle nods to the original film which work out much better than some other prequels.

There's also not a single bad performance from anyone in this film. Even those who some were saying gave the movie a 'high-school' vibe, namely James Franco and Mila Kunis, did really good jobs. Admittedly, Kunis probably is the weakest link out of the whole cast, but that's more when her character Theodora transforms into a certain character (one that the internet already spoiled but I won't do the same here) but she still does a great job. Franco also does a great job as 'the Wizard' and does bring the right attitude for the role of Oscar. The two standouts here would have to be Rachel Weisz, who's clearly having a lot of fun in the role of bad girl Evanora, and Michelle Williams, who perfectly captures the sweet and kind personality of Glinda. Finally, we also have solid performances from two of the side characters; Zach Braff as Finley the flying monkey, who gets some of the best lines, and Joey King as the China Girl, who's just cute as a button.

So, in the end, is 'Oz the Great and Powerful' as great as the original 1939 film? Probably not, but do I even need to explain how much of a classic that film was because I'm pretty sure we all know that by now. For what it's worth, Sam Raimi delivers what is easily the best Oz film since that film. Even amidst the breathtaking visuals, the story is still solid, the cast is terrific, and Raimi doesn't cop out when it comes to the film being a 'prequel' to the original film. It's also one of those rare films where it is worth the extra money to see it in 3-D because Raimi utilizes it much greater than most films that are just converted to 3-D in post-production just because studios want to make more money. Critics have been rather split on this film, but as for me, this is the first film this year that I highly recommend because in all aspects, it is a well-made film.

 

Rating: 5/5!