Pete’s Dragon (2016)
Genre: Fantasy
Certification: U
Duration: 103 minutes
Directed by: David Lowery
Starring: Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Marcus Henderson
KRS Releasing Ltd

The Walt Disney Picture fantasy adventure is a remake of the 1977 live action/animated musical film of the same name. It tells the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who happens to be a dragon.

Robert Redford stars as wood carver Mr Meacham who has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest.

To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tell tales... until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley), a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott.

From Pete’s descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.

The film received generally positive reviews, with critics agreeing that it offers strong family entertainment.

Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: “One of the year's most delightful moviegoing surprises, a quality family film that rewards young people’s imaginations and reminds us of a time when the term ‘Disney movie’ meant something.”

Olly Richards of Empire Magazine wrote: “A cute but not cutesy boy-and-his-dog story, with the dog played by a very big green dragon. Strong performances and direction make the most of a lightweight tale.”

The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Pete's Dragon continues Disney’s current live-action winning streak with an update that gives the original a visual overhaul without overwhelming its sweet, soulful charm.”

Despite these reviews, the $65 million budget film did not do so well on its opening at the N. American box office, with an intake of $21.6 million.

Still, Disney believes it could ultimately make a profit when its foreign grosses are factored into the picture.

Ratings
IMDB: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Empire Magazine: 3 stars

Nine Lives (2016)
Genre: Fantasy
Certification: PG
Duration: 87 minutes
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell, Cheryl Hines, Malina Weissman, Christopher Walken, Jay Patterson
KRS Releasing Ltd

The English-language French comedy film, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Addams Family, Men in Black, Get Shorty) is basically about a man who turns into a cat.

Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a billionaire whose workaholic lifestyle takes him away from his loving wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) and adorable daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman).

Needing a present for Rebecca’s 11th birthday, Brand buys a seemingly harmless cat from a mysterious pet store.  Suddenly, a bizarre turn of events traps Tom inside the animal’s body. The owner of the shop tells him that he has one week to reconnect with his family or live out the rest of his days as a cute and furry feline.

The film was panned by critics, with Nigel Smith of The Guardian newspaper calling it “the most spectacularly inept studio offering of the year”.

The film, which cost over $30 million to make, made a mere $6.5 million on its opening weekend.

Spacey barely promoted the film, which was the brainchild of former EuropaCorp CEO Christophe Lambert, who originally envisioned the project as a comedy for adults before repositioning it as a family film.

Ousted from the company last February, Lambert died of lung cancer in May at 51 years of age.

Ratings
IMDB: 3.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 8%
Empire Magazine: N/A

The Carer (2016)
Genre: Drama
Certification: 15
Duration: 89 minutes
Directed by: János Edelényi
Starring: Coco König, Brian Cox, Anna Chancellor, Emilia Fox, Roger Moore, Richard Ridings, Karl Johnson
Eden Leisure Group

This UK-Hungary co-production, directed by Hungarian director János Edelényi, revolves around an ailing theatrical legend called Sir Michael Gifford (Brian Cox),  who is diagnosed with a rare form of Parkinson’s disease.

Out of sheer necessity, his daughter Sophia (Emilia Fox) reluctantly brings in a candidate to interview for the job. Into this fraught household comes Dorottya (Coco König), an aspiring Hungarian actress herself in need of a day job, and who secretly hopes that this opportunity to care for Sir Michael will propel her own career on stage. What blossoms between these two kindred spirits is a funny and heart-warming tale on the acceptance of one’s own mortality.

The protagonists have received praise for their strong performances, especially Cox. Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “The film mainly rests on Cox’s shoulders, and he has one of his best roles as the maddeningly self-absorbed but shrewdly observant actor.”

The film was also praised for  its punchy and funny dialogue.

Ratings
IMDB: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
Empire Magazine: N/A

Wiener-Dog (2016)
Genre: Comedy
Certification: N/A
Duration: 88 minutes
Directed by: Todd Solondz
Starring: Greta Gerwig, Keaton Nigel Cooke, Tracy Letts, Julie Delpy, Danny DeVito, Kieran Culkin
Eden Leisure Group

The film serves as a spin-off from director Todd Solondz’s 1995 film Welcome to the Dollhouse, which also features the character of Dawn Wiener, played in this film by Greta Gerwig.

The plot sees a dachshund being taken in by a veterinary technician named Dawn Wiener (Greta Gerwig), who soon sets off on a road trip. Along the way, the  dog also encounters a young boy, a film professor and a troubled grandmother and granddaughter.

The film, which had its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, has received mixed reviews, with some praising the ensemble cast and others its canine star. But others uttered less positive remarks.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called the film a “deadpan black comedy” and Anthony Oliver Scott of The New York Times wrote that although most of the film is pretty funny,  “much of the rest is not only sour, which is only to be expected, but also tired, which is disappointing”.

Ratings
IMDB: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Empire Magazine: 3 stars