This week, the superhero film The Marvels with Brie Larson, the hit Finnish tragicomedy Fallen Leaves, and several other new releases will be released. In addition, the New German Cinema festival will start, featuring new films by Christian Petzold and Wim Wenders. Meanwhile, a new movie from cult director David Fincher, The Killer, starring Michael Fassbender, will be released online on Netflix. Read more about all the movie releases of the week in our review.
The Marvels
USA, 2023, Adventure/Fantasy/Action
The plot of the new movie from the fifth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe centers on three superheroes already known to the audience: Carol Danvers (first introduced in the 2019 film Captain Marvel), M.E.C. Agent Monica Rambo (first introduced in the 2021 WandaVision series) and Kamala Khan (first introduced in the 2022 Ms. Marvel series). It was in the post-credits scene of Ms. Marvel, the characters began to share their powers uncontrollably. It turned out that the warrior from the alien race of Kree Dar-Benn, who is likely to be the main antagonist in the movie, was behind it.
To defeat the enemy, three very different superheroes must work as a team and help each other master new powers. To do this, they embark on an exciting journey through the multiverse.
The film stars three actresses who have portrayed these characters in previous Marvel projects – Brie Larson, Teyonah Perris and Iman Vellani. Zavie Ashton (Velvet Buzzsaw, Nocturnal Animals) made her debut in the movie universe as a new antagonist.
In addition, the film will feature Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum of Solace, WandaVision), as well as the deadly flack Goose disguised as a red cat (Captain Marvel). Also, a number of actors who played Kamala Khan’s relatives in the TV series “Ms. Marvel” will reprise their roles.
The film is directed by Nia Dacosta, who previously directed the thriller Little Woods and the horror film Candyman.
PS: Don’t forget to wait for the scene after the credits.
Read more: Review of the movie The Marvels.
Fallen Leaves
Finland, Germany, 2023, Comedy/Drama
“Fallen Leaves” (Original title: Kuolleet lehdet) is the 20th film by the renowned Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, who has won multiple awards at festivals in Cannes, Berlin and San Sebastian. Among his most famous works are the crime drama Crime and Punishment, the comedy drama The Bohemian Life, the comedy drama The Man Without a Past and the tragicomedy The Other Side of Hope.
The film tells the story of a man and a woman who live a lonely life, not very successfully searching for love. However, their fates are changed by a chance meeting in a karaoke bar. And although a spark is sparked between them, numerous obstacles appear on the way to happiness – from lost phone numbers to wrong addresses, alcoholism and an adorable stray dog.
Ukraine is repeatedly mentioned in the film: in between their love affairs, the characters periodically turn on the radio and hear news about the Russian-Ukrainian war. The director of the film said this: “I couldn’t make a movie during the war without commenting on it, so I comment on it from the radio. It’s a love story because I couldn’t do anything else, because this bloody war needs love stories now.”
The film had its world premiere in the main competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. “Fallen Leaves was also named the best film of 2023 by the International Film Press Association (FIPRESCI). Finland has also nominated the film for an Oscar in the Best International Film category.
Currently, the film has a score of 7.6 out of 10 on IMDb, while on Rotten Tomatoes it has a 98% approval rating from critics with a “Certified Fresh” label. At the same time, on Metacritic, moviegoers gave it 79 points out of 100, which corresponds to the characterization “generally positive reviews.”
Read more: a review of the movie Fallen Leaves.
Sound of Freedom
USA, 2023, Drama/Action
This hard-hitting action movie based on true events tells the story of Tim Ballard, a former special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who quit his job to dedicate his life to rescuing children from sexual slavery.
The film stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, The Thin Red Line) in the title role. The film also stars Mira Sorvino (After franchise).
The film was directed by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Monteverde, whose debut film Bella won the Audience Award at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival.
The film caused a loud response in the West. The movie was released in July 2023 and quickly became a hit. Grossing almost 250 million at the box office on a budget of 14.5 million, it became one of the most successful independent films in history. This was largely due to the urgency of the problem of sexual exploitation of migrants in the United States and the prevalence of various conspiracy theories about the involvement of the powers that be in human trafficking, with which some reviewers tried to link the film. And Ballard himself is quite a media personality, surrounded by many rumors and scandals.
At the same time, Sound of Freedom has received mixed reviews. For example, the film currently has a score of 7.7 out of 10 on IMDb, while on Rotten Tomatoes it has 58% approval from critics against 99% from viewers. At the same time, on Metacritic, movie reviewers gave it 36 points out of 100 (“generally negative reviews”), and the general audience gave it 7.9 points out of 10 (“generally positive reviews”). On the one hand, critics emphasized the importance of highlighting this topic, but on the other hand, they had questions about the implementation: from criticism of fetishizing the torture of child victims to accusations of distortion of facts and historical accuracy.
The Jungle Bunch 2: World Tour
France, 2023, Comedy/Adventure/Family/Animation
The Guardians are called upon to help once again when a mysterious supervillain decides to cover the jungle with a pink substance that explodes as soon as water touches it. The heroes have less than a month to save the jungle before the rainy season begins. The team of guards will have to travel around the world, from the North Pole to the Far East, crossing mountains, deserts, and oceans in search of an antidote far from their beloved jungle.
Currently The Jungle Bunch 2: World Tour (Original title: Les As de la Jungle 2) is rated 6 out of 10 on IMDb.
King
France, Belgium, 2022, Comedy/Adventure/Family
The film tells the story of a lion cub named King who escapes from his cage during transportation at the airport and takes refuge in the home of 12-year-old Ines and 15-year-old Alex. The brother and sister decide to return the lion cub to Africa and run away from home, thinking they are old enough for an incredible journey to the end of the world.
The film currently has a rating of 5.1 out of 10 on IMDb.
The Piper
USA, 2023, Horror
After the death of her mentor, the young composer is tasked with completing his concerto. But she soon realizes that performing this music has deadly consequences. And she has to find out about the eerie origin of the melody and the evil that has awakened.
This is one of the last films featuring British actor Julian Sands (Warlock, Arachnophobia, Leaving Las Vegas, Rose Red), who tragically died in January 2023 in the San Gabriel Mountains, where he went on a solo hike – his remains were found only six months later.
The movie currently has a rating of 5.6 out of 10 on IMDb.
The Killer
USA, 2023, Thriller/Action
The script of this neo-noir thriller by cult director David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network, Gone Girl) is based on the French comic book of the same name by Alexis Noulant. The plot centers on an experienced killer named Christian, who is going through a psychological crisis and begins to feel remorse for his crimes.
Michael Fassbender (X-Men franchise, Inglourious Basterds, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) played the main role in the film.
The film also features Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Doctor Strange, Suspiria), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Moneyball, Monk), Charles Parnell (Top Gun: Maverick, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One) and others.
The film’s soundtrack was composed by Trent Reznor, the leader of the cult industrial band Nine Inch Nails, and his longtime creative partner Atticus Ross, who together have created music for a number of well-known films. In particular, they wrote the soundtracks for several of Fincher’s previous films, including The Social Network (for which they won an Oscar), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl, and Monk.
The world premiere of the film took place on September 3, 2023 at the 80th Venice Film Festival, and on October 27, it was released in limited theaters. Currently, the film has a score of 7.4 out of 10 on IMDb, while on Rotten Tomatoes it has a 90% approval rating from critics with a “Certified Fresh” mark. At the same time, on Metacritic, film reviewers gave it 76 points out of 100, and the general audience gave it 7.8 points out of 10, which in both cases corresponds to the characterization of “generally positive reviews.”
The film will be available for a wide audience on Netflix on November 10, 2023.
Review of the movie “The Killer” 2023
New German cinema 2023:
Afire
The event will be opened by the romantic comedy Afire (Original title: Roter Himmel) directed by Christian Petzold, known for Undine and Transit. At this year’s Berlinale, the film won the Silver Bear Grand Prix.
The story centers on a young writer who goes to live in a house by the sea to focus on his book. However, a charming neighbor (played by German star Paula Bier, who has already appeared in Petzold’s films Undine and Transit) and unexpected encounters distract him from his work. When a forest fire breaks out nearby, the protagonists find themselves trapped in the flames and begin to grow closer.
Perfect Days
“Perfect Days is a new work by the famous Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire), a three-time Oscar nominee, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes, the Golden Lion at Venice and the BAFTA award. This film will tell us about the everyday life and the beauty of life.
The main character is a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He is satisfied with a simple life: he follows a structured routine and devotes his free time to his passion – listening to rock music, reading books and growing trees. The lead actor, Koji Yakusho, was recognized as the best actor at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Teachers’ Lounge
One of the main German film events of the year was the drama The Teachers’ Lounge (Original title: Das Lehrerzimmer), which was nominated for the Oscar in the Best International Film category. Ilker Chatak’s film was screened at the Berlinale, where it won two awards, and later it received five German Film Awards.
The film tells the story of an idealistic teacher who tries to solve a case of theft at school. One dramatic event turns into a psychological war, and the woman finds herself caught between her ideals and the school system, where the consequences of her actions threaten to break her. Leonie Benesch, the star of the TV series Babylon Berlin and The Crown, portrays the main character.
The Universal Theory
The noir thriller The Universal Theory (Original title: Die Theorie von Allem) was selected from the official competition of the recent Venice Film Festival to be included in the event’s program. This is a film by Timm Kroeger with Hans Zischler, who once worked with Wim Wenders and Jean-Luc Godard.
The film is set in 1962 in a hotel in the Swiss Alps. Johannes is one of the scientists who came here for a conference to hear about a revolutionary new theory. However, the convention is shaken by a series of unpleasant events: the lecturer never shows up, one of the physicists is found dead, and a suspicious pianist from the hotel mysteriously disappears. The protagonist is drawn into this ominous and mysterious story.
