Angelina Jolie proves she can look more frightening than her blood vial-sporting days, and Disney shifts focus from the oppressed to the oppressor in Maleficent. In this dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty, the iniquitous witch Maleficent – who casts a spell of eternal slumber on Princess Aurora (Dakota Fanning) – and her wicked beginnings, come to the fore. The film also features some of the youngest members of the Jolie-Pitt clan – Vivienne plays a young Aurora (she was the only child unaffected by Jolie’s eerie cackles), while Pax and Zahara have smaller cameos.
Boy meets girl, girl is afraid of inadvertently hurting the boy and keeps him at arm’s length, making him even more determined in his pursuit. Perfect rom-com setting, right? Except they meet at a cancer support group, the girl is suffering from terminal cancer and an oxygen cylinder plays third wheel to the unfortunate lovers, played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort (who incidentally played siblings in the sci-fi flick Divergent). Based on John Green’s novel of the same name, The Fault in Our Stars promises a heady mix of romance and tragedy (“I can’t tell you how grateful I am for a little infinity”). Let the waterworks begin.
Drama: The Rover
In the bleak remains of a post-apocalyptic world, a weary middle-aged man, Eric (Guy Pearce) is robbed of his car (one of his few remaining possessions) and his dormant fighting spirit is awakened. As the criminals speed away, they leave behind an injured accomplice, Reynolds (Robert Pattinson), and Eric coerces the slow-witted hillbilly into helping him find the absconding culprits, one of whom is Reynolds’ brother. David Michôd’s sophomore feature (he previously directed the critically acclaimed Animal Kingdom) is a road movie that’s more grim than violent, with arresting visuals and a haunting soundtrack.
Action: X-Men: Days of Future Past
After six X-Men movies, what more can the franchise offer? A mix of everything you’ve seen so far, of course. X-Men: Days of Future Past brings together the series' largest ensemble cast (Evan Peters as Quicksilver stands out despite his brief appearance), and essentially tells you two stories: the ceaseless mutant slaughter brought on by the inexorable Sentinels in present day and Wolverine’s attempt to prevent their creation by time travelling to the ’70s, where he tries to bring together young Professor X and Magneto (returning cast from X-Men First Class). The movie promises to be a meaty treat for fans, but if this is your introduction to the X-Men saga, don’t head to the theatre without a quick Wikipedia lesson.
Animation: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Residents on the island of Berk witness happier days as dragons and Vikings develop a more compatible relationship, and even invent a new sport together – dragon racing. Hiccup, now five years older with a growing curiosity, is eager to escape the pressures of succeeding his father as the island’s chief, and is often en route to discovering new lands with his dragon Toothless. On one of their trips, the duo chance upon a secret ice cave, a sinister villain, and Hiccup’s long-lost mother, Valka. With breathtaking sequences, an element of mystery and well-placed comic relief, this is one sequel that’s unlikely to disappoint.
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