Old Timers
THE EXPENDABLES 3
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Wesley Snipes
Director: Patrick Hughes
So the increasingly haggard but irrepressible team of Expendables are back for another installment, bolstered by some new but not necessarily young blood. Stallone, who returns as leader Barney Ross, is forced to come face to face with the estranged team cofounder, Conrad Stonebanks, played by Mel Gibson. A battle of epic muscle-tensing ensues as Ross and his mercenary mates take on Stonebanks who has made it his quest to destroy the Expendables. Wanting to give the audience something they didn’t expect, the film’s writer Stallone recruited action veterans such as Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes in an explosive effort which will no doubt be accompanied by a suitably high body count.
Green Machine
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
Stars: Megan Fox, Alan Ritchson, William Fichtner, Will Arnett
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Hollywood loves a franchise and the lucrative potential of a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (TMNT) remake has not escaped their attention. In a plot that harks back to previous installments, Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have taken hold of New York City by penetrating every level of the society. Mentored by Master Splinter, the four outcast brothers with a penchant for pizza are tasked with setting things straight. Produced by Michael Bay, this CGI-infested flick is spiced up by a smoking hot Megan Fox who plays the TV reporter, April. However, the movie faces the formidable challenge of satisfying die-hard comic book fans who have already criticized the more “humanized” facial appearance of the mutant turtle bros.
Tomb Raider
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES
Stars: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, Ruth Wilson
Director: Scott Frank
Having become synonymous with such roles following 2008’s action smash “Taken,” Liam Neeson returns to the screen as former NYPD cop-turned-private investigator Matthew Scudder. Based on a novel by author Laurence Block who has publically praised the casting of a relentless Neeson, Scudder is hired by a drug dealer to track down his kidnapped wife who is believed dead. The film showcases a grittier side of Neeson who turns 62 this year but shows no signs of repressing his desire to kick ass and take names. While this isn’t the first time Matthew Scudder’s character has appeared on the silver screen, this effort from director Scott Frank is poised to be the best adaption yet.
Under Pressure
THE EQUALIZER
Stars: Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz, Martin Csokas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
In a role that reprises the solitary heroism he displayed in 2004 thriller “Man on Fire,” Denzel Washington’s character in upcoming film “The Equalizer” clearly gets a real kick out of fighting injustice with an iron fist. Starring alongside the young talent of Chloë Grace Moretz who famously played Hit Girl in the “Kick-Ass” film series Washington is reunited with “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua, a partnership that brings with it some serious expectation. The plot follows a man trying to adapt to a new and more sedate lifestyle. But when a young girl falls into the hands of a Russian mob, old habits die hard as he is forced to come out of retirement to dish out some old-school, against-the-odds style retribution.
Femme Fatale
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR
Stars: Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba
Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Taking its cues from the bold work of American graphic novelist Frank Miller, this eagerly awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed 2005 film primarily follows the second book of the series. Returning cast members such as Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba are joined by a bevy of worthy newcomers including the seductive Eva Green and powerful Josh Brolin. In a plot which ambitiously examines the relationship between good and evil, Brolin’s character becomes besotted with Ava Lord who is played by Eva Green. As he attempts to free her from her abusive husband and his hulking body guard, he discovers a sinister side to Ava that he never saw coming.
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