Cinemas are about to get even busier, and we love to see it. With people continuing to pack screenings of The Odyssey, there’s a new blockbuster contender for movie lovers’ attention as of this week. And the keyword is, “THWIP!”
We recommend that you watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day sooner rather than later (it’s actually been in local cinemas since 29 July), because the Internet is about to be FULL of spoilers for this fourth entry in the Tom Holland-headed Spider-Man film franchise. Without giving too much away, Brand New Day is set four years after the events of No Way Home, with Peter Parker fighting crime full-time in a world that doesn’t remember him. That even includes closest allies MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). As a powerful new villain emerges (one that only Peter can sense), our hero faces an additional challenge: his abilities are mutating beyond his control. Also with Jon Bernthal as the Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk.
Two South African movies, with serious film festival pedigree, are premiering this week. The first is coming-of-age comedy drama Black Burns Fast, which comes with healthy servings of queerness and quirkiness. Seventeen-year-old scholarship student Luthando (Esihle Ndleleni) is on track for a normal academic year at the prestigious all-girls boarding school she attends… until charismatic Ayanda (Muadi Ilunga) arrives. Against a conservative backdrop, and fearing rejection by her mother and schoolmates, Luthando must juggle multiple identities as she comes to terms with her emerging sexuality. Sandulela Asanda writes and directs.
The second homegrown movie to hit local cinemas – although it has a very limited arthouse release – is period horror western The Trek. Starvation, suspicion and madness plague a group of 1846 settlers (the Uys family and their British benefactor) as they journey across the Kalahari under the eyes of desert spirits. With Meekaaeel Adam directing, recognisable faces in the cast include Maurice Carpede and Rob van Vuuren. Inspired by Khoen folklore, post-colonial themed The Trek has been shortlisted for various film festival accolades, and has notably won for its cinematography.
Hollywood loves shooty, ensemble-driven crime actioners, and The Get Out – based on the novel Strip by Thomas Perry – definitely falls into that category. Russell Crowe heads up the cast as an Albanian night club owner who has plans underway to leave the business, retire, and ride off into the sunset with his girlfriend (Teresa Palmer). But when he’s robbed by masked gunmen, he’s forced to once more play dirty as he’s squeezed by cartel bosses and a young upstart eager to purchase the club. Also with the likes of Luke Evans, Danny Zovatto, Nina Dobrev and Aaron Paul.