My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)
Genre: Comedy
Certification: PG
Duration: 94 minutes
Directed by: Kirk Jones
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine, Andrea Martin, Gia Carides, Mark Margolis, John Stamos, Louis Mandylor
KRS Releasing Ltd

Nia Vardalos and John Corbett are back on film together 14 years after the successful My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

The 2002 movie, which followed young Greek woman Toula (Vardalos) as she tried to get her family to accept her non-Greek love interest Ian (John Corbett), proved a big hit, grossing around $368 million worldwide.

The sequel finds Toula and Ian struggling with parenting and marriage. Not only has their relationship lost some of its spark, but they are also dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter who clashes with Greek traditions. On top of that, Toula must contend with ageing parents and the endless needs of cousins and friends.

When a shocking family secret comes to light, the entire Portokalos clan makes plans to come together for an even bigger wedding than before.

Since the success of the original film, Vardalos, who was nominated for an Oscar for her script, has been repeatedly asked about a sequel from fans as well as the producers, husband and wife team actor Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

In 2014, she finally announced to her Twitter fans that she was working on the film’s sequel, saying she felt ready for the project after becoming a mother.Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee, Waking Ned Devine) took on directing duties while Wilson and Playtone partners Hanks and Gary Goetzman produced the film. Universal Pictures distributed the film worldwide.

Paul Brooks and Steven Shareshian return to executive produce alongside Vardalos and Scott Niemeyer.

The film did not receive such great comments with critics mostly saying that it’s more of the same of the original film.

Geoff Berkshire of Variety wrote: “This sequel is every bit as sitcom-ish and saccharine as its predecessor, but considerably less distinctive.”

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone was less sympathetic, saying “This sequel to the popular 2002 rom-com is a big, fat waste of time.”

And the critics consensus on My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 reads: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is as sweet and harmless as the original, but its collection of sitcom gags and stereotypes never coalesces into anything resembling a story with a purpose.”

However, fans of the first film will still probably flock to the cinema. In its first 10 days of release, it generated $36.5 million in box office receipts.

Ratings
IMDB: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 25%
Empire Magazine: N/A

Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Genre: Comedy, mystery
Certification: 12A
Duration: 106 minutes
Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen
Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Channing Tatum, Jonas Hill
KRS Releasing Ltd

Four-time Oscar-winning filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men, True Grit, Fargo) write and direct Hail, Caesar!, an all-star comedy set during the latter years of Hollywood's Golden Age, when the film industry was going through a transitional time.

The studio system was breaking down, and a Supreme Court ruling had forced studios to divest their movie theatres. Television, then still in its early years, threatened to pull away audiences.

The Cold War and the Red Scare (the promotion of the fear of communism) were both underway. Hollywood thus responded by creating escapist fare: westerns, highly-choreographed dance and aquatic spectacles, and Roman epics with massive casts.

The film sees Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) busy at work trying to solve all the problems of the actors and film-makers at Capitol Pictures. His latest assignments involve a disgruntled director, a singing cowboy, a beautiful swimmer and a handsome dancer.

As if all this was not enough, he faces his biggest challenge when Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) gets kidnapped while in costume for the swords-and-sandals epic Hail, Caesar! If the studio does not pay $100,000, it's the end of the line for the film star.

The picture received positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised its casting and its detailed portrayal of the period. It also did well at the box office, grossing $60 million worldwide from a $22 million budget, since its release in February.

Mark Kenode of The Guardian wrote: “The Coen brothers conjure up nostalgic joy from this hilarious knockabout homage to the golden age of film.”

And Justin Chang of Variety said: “An inside-showbiz lark that regards the 1950s studio system with the utmost scepticism even as it becomes an expression of movie love at its purest.”

The soundtrack is by Carter Burwell, who has scored 15 of the Coen brothers’ movies. It also includes an original song performed by actor Channing Tatum.

Ratings
IMDB: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Empire Magazine: 4 stars

The Other Side Of The Door (2016)
Genre: Horror
Certification: 15
Duration: 96 minutes
Directed by: Johannes Roberts
Starring: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Sofia Rosinsky, Javier Botet
KRS Releasing Ltd

The British-Indian supernatural horror film is about a family who lives an idyllic existence abroad until a tragic accident takes the life of their young son.

The inconsolable mother (Sarah Wanye Callies of Prison Break fame) learns of an ancient ritual that could bring him back.

So she travels to an ancient temple, where a door serves as a mysterious portal between two worlds. But when she disobeys a sacred warning to never open that door, she upsets the balance between life and death.

Critics gave mixed reviews, with some saying the film adds nothing new to the genre, while others calling it a clever effort.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, in fact, wrote: “This supernatural tale about a grieving mother mixes high-tension moments with patient characterisation to form a clever, capable chiller.”

Kim Newman of Empire Magazine also had positive comments: “A solid haunting-possession movie with good character work and unusual local colour, this works in a few surprises, sufficient scares and a nicely barbed punchline.”

Ratings
IMDB: 5.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 43%
Empire Magazine: 3 stars