Weekend cinema preview

It may be christmas eve, but let it not be said that I am remiss in my commitment to my blogging commitments!

Mum & Dad
Starring: Perry Benson, Dido Miles, Olga Fedori, Ainsley Howard, Toby Alexander
Director: Steven Sheil
A Polish immigrant is imprisoned by a couple murderous couple in their surburban home near Heathrow Airport. Good trailer makes me think this might be an interesting, claustrophobic horror. Early reviews suggest it's an economic, effective and darkly comic chiller.
IMDb rating: 5.7 (caution: small sample)
My prediction: 4/5



Yes Man
Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Terence Stamp, Molly Sims
Director: Peyton Reed
A guy enlists in a self-help programme which encourages him to say 'Yes' to everything. Appears to be something of a return to form for Jim Carrey, back in comedy mode. Funny trailer, but if you don't already like Carrey it you certainly won't like this.
IMDb rating: 7.3
My prediction: 4/5



Far North
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Michelle Krusiec, Sean Bean
Director: Asif Kapadia
An outcast and her adopted daughter struggle to survive in the Arctic tundra and find their lives turned upside down upon the arrival of a soldier. Not high on IMDb, but it looks intriguing from the trailer and reviews would seem to suggest it's a minimalist work, with tension building throughout to an impressive climax.
IMDb rating: 6.3
My prediction: 3/5



Bedtime Stories
Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Lucy Lawless, Courteney Cox, Jonathan Pryce, Carmen Electra
Director: Adam Shankman
A handyman's life changes when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true. Reasonable-looking family film, judging by the trailer, though the kids themselves might be annoying. Really no idea if it's any good or not, but I like the cast.
IMDb rating: n/a
My prediction: 3/5



Gardens In Autumn
Starring: Severin Blanchet, Michel Piccoli, Lily Lavina
Director: Otar Iosseliani
A french government minister loses his job and learns to live a simpler life. A light, amusing trailer for this comedy that doesn't appear to be doing very well on IMDb. I'll be slightly more generous.
IMDb rating: 5.9
My prediction: 3/5



Australia
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Bryan Brown
Director: Baz Luhrmann
An aristcratic Englishwoman (Kidman, no less) inherits a ranch in pre-WW2 Australia and hires a stock-man (Jackman) to drive 2,000 cattle to Darwin, where the experience the bombing of the town by the Japanese. Or something like that. Critically mauled, but apparently well-received by audiences when you consider that IMDb rating. The film is apparently very Austrlian cliche-heavy, which really puts me off because I find all that stuff intensely irritating. The trailer is dismal.
IMDb rating: 7.3
My prediction: 2/5



Ghajini
Starring: Aamir Khan, Asin, Jiah Khan, Mohit Ahlawat
Director: A.R. Murigadoss
As is typical with Bollywood releases, it's hard to find out much about them in advance, but apparently this is inspired by Christopher Nolan's Memento. Trailer doesn't give much away as to whether or not it's any good, but I've never really been a fan of Bollywood.
IMDb rating: n/a
My prediction: 2/5