Six movies released on 1 March nationwide in South Africa. From singing sensation Beyonce’s intimate portrayal of her life, to the “muscles of Brussels’ and Arnold Schwarzenegger terminating the bad guys in 6 Bullets and The Last Stand to awe-inspiring, gravity-defying circus moves in 3D, to the much anticipated contemporary romantic comedy Fanie Fourie’s Lobola as well as a family’s courage to find their loved ones after a devastating natural disaster in The Impossible, it is time to smell the popcorn!
6 Bullets
After Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude van Damme), a veteran mercenary has to retire from combat he suddenly becomes the last hope for a desperate father. Andrew Fayden (Joe Flanigan) is a mixed martial arts practitioner who isn’t able to navigate the streets of a foreign city to find his kidnapped daughter. However, together the warriors will stop at nothing to destroy a network of criminals that prey upon the innocent.
With Charlotte Beaumont, Steve Nicolson, Uriel Emil Pollack and Anna-Louise Plowman.
Directed by Ernie Barbarash.
Written by Chad and Evan Law.
Produced by MPCA and Rodin Entertainment.
Beyonce: Life is but a Dream
Beyonce: Life is but a Dream, a documentary that aired recently on HBO in the US, garnered the largest audience the channel has ever had. According to Nielsen, 1.8 million viewers tuned in for the first airing on 16 February 2013. The documentary opens with a live rendition of Crazy in Love, the song that kicked off Beyonce’s solo career. Footage spans from the star’s childhood to her newfound motherhood.
Only showing from 1 to 7 March 2013.
With Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z, Solange Knowles, Tina Knowles and Kelly Rowland.
Directed by Ed Burke, Beyonce Knowles and Ilan Y. Benatar.
Written by Ilan Y. Benatar and Ed Burke.
Produced by ICM Partners and Parkwood Entertainment.
Distributed by Nu Metro.
Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (3D)
Filmmakers James Cameron and Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Narnia) take audiences on a new 3D adventure with Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away. A young, separated couple journey through the astonishing and dreamlike worlds of Cirque du Soleil to find each other, as audiences experience immersive 3D technology that allow them to be “part’ of the performers’ experience.
Starring Dallas Barnett, John Clarke, Lutz Halbhubner, Erica Linz and Igor Zaripov.
Written and directed by Andrew Adamson.
Produced by Reel FX Creative Studios, Strange Weather Films and Cirque du Soleil Burlesco.
Distributed by UIP.
Fanie Fourie’s Lobola
What happens when an Afrikaans guy and a Zulu girl fall in love and have to navigate their way through the complicated process of lobola? This weekend South African audiences are in for a treat with Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, a contemporary romantic comedy about love and tradition in a rapidly evolving society. The film tackles cross-cultural relationships with humour and honesty. The movie won Best Audience Award at the recent Jozi Film Festival.
Starring Eduan van Jaarsveldt, Zethu Dlomo, Chris Chameleon, Connie Chiume, Lilian Dube, Motlatsi Mafatshe, Yule Masiteng, Richard van der Westhuizen and Marga van Rooy.
Directed by Henk Pretorius.
Written by Janine Eser and Henk Pretorius, from the novel by Nape a Motana.
Produced by Out of Africa Entertainment.
Distributed by Indigenous Film.
The Impossible
Critics say “with an astonishing real-life story at its centre, this movie is never less than compelling’. Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in a tropical paradise. However, on the morning of 26 December, a tsunami hits and the family members are separated. The movie features powerful performances and according to international reviews, the directing is superb.
Starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Marta Etura, Tom Holland, Samuel Josling and Oaklee Pendergast.
Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona.
Written by Sergio G. Sanchez and Maria Belon.
Produced by Apaches Entertainment, Telecinco Cinema, Mediaset Espana, Canal+ Espana, Generalitat Valenciana, IVAC, ICAA and La Trini.
Distributed by Nu Metro.
The Last Stand
According to critics, The Last Stand provides perfectly undemanding entertainment for Schwarzenegger fans. Sheriff Ray Owens leaves his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation and moves to a sleepy border town called Sommerton Junction where little crime takes place. However, Owens’ peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez, the most notorious drug kingpin in the western hemisphere makes a deadly escape from an FBI prisoner convoy.
With Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Richard Dillard, Luiz Guzman, Sonny Landham, Titos Menchaca, Eduardo Noriega and Peter Stormare.
Directed by Jee-woon Kim.
Written by Andrew Knauer, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and George Nolfi.
Produced by Di Bonaventura Films.
Distributed by Nu Metro.
