How is it still freezing cold out? I thought the groundhog said spring would be coming soon? Now that the award’s season is firmly in our rear view mirror we can start taking a look at new wide releases that didn’t premier at some obscure film festival in Europe. Unfortunately we are still in an awkward place for movies as the summer blockbuster season doesn’t start up until May, but there are still a few hidden gems coming out in March. Once again like my previous lists, these are films that I want to see and have not seen, which is why some higher profile Blu-Ray releases aren’t included as I may have already seen them!
New Theatrical Releases
Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Release Date: March 20th
Directed By: David Zellner (Kid-Thing, Goliath)
Starring: Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, Shirley Venard and David Zellner
IMDb Summary: A jaded Japanese woman discovers a hidden copy of Fargo (1996) on VHS, believing it to be a treasure map indicating the location of a large case of money.
Why I Am So Excited: I literally had never heard of this film until I was doing research for this list. With the recent resurgence to the Coen Brother classic film thanks to the TV show of the same name, it is ripe time for the film to be honoured in such a dark and inventive way. The trailer looks part drama, part comedy and all kinds of weird just the way Ethan and Joel make their own works. Plus it gives us another chance to see if Rinko Kikuchi was deserving of her Oscar nomination back in 2007 for Babel.
Watch the trailer HERE
While We’re Young
Release Date: March 27th
Directed By: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha)
Starring: Naomi Watts, Ben Stiller, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried and Adam Horovitz
IMDb Summary: A middle-aged couple’s career and marriage are overturned when a disarming young couple enters their lives.
Why I Am So Excited: Baumbach for year’s was the indie hipster king and now that he’s approaching 50 it is high time for him to reflect on what it means to not want to grow up. While he has had some big critical hits (The Squid and the Whale) and huge misses (Greenberg) he seems poised to have found a relevant subject matter and a great cast to back him up. Adult comedies are rare, and when they look to be in fine form like this one they should be supported so the only option to laugh isn’t stupid juvenile comedies.
Watch the trailer HERE
Get Hard
Release Date: March 27th
Directed By: Etan Cohen (feature directorial debut)
Starring: Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Alison Brie, T.I. and Matt Walsh
IMDb Summary: When millionaire James King is nailed for fraud and bound for San Quentin, he turns to Darnell Lewis to prep him to go behind bars.
Why I Am So Excited: Speaking of stupid juvenile comedies, I am a sucker for Will Farrell movies even though he hasn’t made a good live action comedy since 2010’s The Other Guys. Kevin Hart has yet to translate his very successful (and funny) stand up career into a half decent leading part yet. Here is hoping the two of them are a formidable duo. It will be interesting to see how the film does as director Cohen wrote great screenplays for Idiocracy and Tropic Thunder two biting social satires. Who am I kidding, I just want to see Farrell act black and get beat up.
Watch the trailer HERE
New On Blu-Ray
Song of the Sea
Release Date: March 17th
Directed By: Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells)
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan and David Rawle
IMDb Summary: Saoirse is a child who is the last of the Selkies, women in Irish and Scottish legends who transform from seals into people. She escapes from her grandmother’s home to journey to the sea and free fairy creatures trapped in the modern world.
Why I Am So Excited: This was the only Oscar nominated animated feature I did not get a chance to see (in fact one of only 5/60 nominated films I did not see), which automatically bumps this into my must see list. Director Moore was nominated for his last feature The Secret of Kells and it is always refreshing to see how animated stories are told outside of the Disney-Pixar-Dreamworks sausage machine. The playful animation mixed with Irish folklore and voice acting from the always-wonderful Brendan Gleeson sounds like a recipe for success.
Watch the trailer HERE
Top Five
Release Date: March 17th
Directed By: Chris Rock
Starring: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union and J.B. Smoove
IMDb Summary: A comedian tries to make it as a serious actor when his reality-TV star fiancée talks him into broadcasting their wedding on her TV show.
Why I Am So Excited: When this film came to theatres, frankly I wasn’t excited for it. The trailer seemed forced and the cameos seemed too stereotypical and bordering on near racism. After seeing the mostly positive reviews and re-watching the trailer a few more times I have decided to give this film another shot. Chris Rock’s humour comes from him being the straight man, something he doesn’t always do, but does really well when given the chance. The High Fidelity meets the celebrity obsessed culture we live in makes for an interesting film plot.
Watch the trailer HERE
