Monthly Reel for April 2016

Sir Lawrence Olivier in Hamlet.
Sir Lawrence Olivier in Hamlet.

To be or not to be [a sequel]? That is the question.

by Michelle Keenan –

This month we give you a sequel, a pseudo, sequel, part one of a two-part finale in a trilogy, and the start of a new chapter for a DC Comics superhero franchise. I review 10 Cloverfield Lane and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Meanwhile the good professor Kaufmann braved a crowd of Milennials and Generation Z’s to review Allegiant and didn’t quite leap over buildings in a single bound to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Chip also reviews Zootopia, Disney Animation’s latest sure-fire hit – which means the cash cow will be wrung for all its worth and Zootopia 2 will no doubt soon be in the works. Last but not least I also review Hello, My Name is Doris, a great little vehicle for Sally Field and, mercifully, an unlikely option for franchise.

April marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death and the 452nd anniversary of the great bard’s birth. Shakespeare’s contribution to the written word remains as vital today as it was centuries ago. His stories have been told on film many, many times reaching back to as early as 1899. Professor Kaufmann pays tribute with a special feature, Shakespeare on Film and with a month-long celebration of Shakespeare with the Hendersonville Film Society Sunday screenings.

The Asheville Film Society (AFS) is on hiatus this month, pending the outcome of a change in ownership of the Carolina Cinemas.

Newly released and coming soon to a theatre near you are: Eye In The Sky, a contemporary war-room drama featuring Helen Mirren and the late great Alan Rickman in one of his last roles; I Saw The Light a biopic about Hank Williams, starring Tom Hiddleston that’s receiving good early notices; Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a successful investment banker who struggles after the death of his wife; and lastly a live-action version of the Disney’s The Junglebook. We’ll tell you what we think about it next month.

Until then, enjoy the show.