IS nothing sacred any more? Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter? In 3D, too. What’s next on the Hollywood conveyor belt? Would you believe, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. When a supernatural creature kills Lincoln’s mother, it fuels his passion to avenge her death. Statesman by day, hunter by night, the President sets out to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers.
Benjamin Walker is cast as Lincoln, and also in the cast are Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Rufus Sewell.
It is the brainchild of director Timur Bekmambetov, who gave us Wanted and Night Watch.
The five-year wait….
JASON Segal writes and stars alongside Emily Blunt in the briskly paced comedy The Five-Year Engagement, about a couple who can’t seem to get around to making it to the altar.
A few short years ago Segel shone like a beacon in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and he keeps the tempo going as San Francisco chef Tom Solomon, who is content enough to put his own career on hold in the hope of striking all the right chords with Violet (Blunt), determined to pursue graduate work in psychology.
In earning his crust by making sandwiches in a college deli, his sense of self-worth is eroding; meanwhile, Violet has it in her head that maybe she is being selfish for seeking her own professional fulfilment.
Their plans for marriage keep getting postponed, and Violet’s sister, Suzie Alison Brie) goes through marriage and babies. Everyone else is moving forward while Tom and Violet are stuck in the mud.. The Five-Year Engagement has its moments, but at 124 minutes is a trifle too long.
Shady goings-on in Vegas
THERE may not be too many bets on Stephen Frears latest movie Lay The Favourite, to make it big at the box office.
Starring Steve Bruce and Rebecca Hall, this tale of shady goings-on among gamblers in Las Vegas offers lukewarm entertainment.
Hall plays Beth Raymer, a private exotic dancer looking for a more honest sense of excitement in her life.
With the blessing of her father (Corbin Bernsen), she flees to Las Vegas, and eventually finds herself in the employ of Dink (Willis), a bookie who enjoys a good living and appreciates Beth’s enthusiasm.
Dink’s wife, Tulip (Zeta-Jones), is not too happy. He is torn between pleasing his wife and keeping around his latest good luck charm, while Beth is torn between a boss who wants her, but may not be able to keep her and the less scrupulous likes of Rosie (Vince Vaughn).
