(Written for BritScene)
With not a lot of British-related news going on at the box office over the last couple of weeks, things are starting to heat up again with a couple of new releases this week. It’s actually quite a good week for a number of Brits including Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, David Tennant, and Irish comedy actor Chris O’Dowd, with a great selection of films for the next seven days, and we know that you will be happy to see a couple of these in particular on the big screen at last.
Firstly, Salmon Fishing In The Yemen is set to be released this week (9th March), starring British actors Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Based on Paul Torday’s acclaimed novel of the same, the film is directed by Oscar-nominee Lasse Hallström (Chocolat) with a screenplay written by Oscar-winner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire), and follows the attempts of a scientist who hopes to fulfill a sheikh’s dream by bringing the sport of fly-fishing to his homeland. The scientist, however, is told by Britain’s leading fisheries expert that they think the project is unachievable. That’s until the Prime Minister’s press secretary latches on to the idea for its potential as a ‘good will’ story at least. Now this unlikely team will be put to the test as they must embark on an upstream journey to prove the impossible, possible. Take a look at the trailer below, and see if Salmon Fishing In The Yemen is showing near you here.
With a limited release on the 9th this month is The Decoy Bride, which stars Brits David Tennant, Alice Eve, and Kelly Macdonald. This romantic comedy, written by comedian Sally Phillips and Neil Jaworski, sees Tennant play the role of a writer who is about to marry one of the most famous movie stars around, Lara Tyler (Eve). The world’s media descend on the remote Scottish island where they are supposed to be getting married, but to put the paparazzi off the scent a local girl (Macdonald) is hired as a ‘decoy bride’. Already available on video-on-demand, the film will be available to watch at the IFC Center in New York and Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica. Our review of the film should be up later this week, but until then you can see the film’s trailer here:
John Carter also stars a number of Brits including Mark Strong, Dominic West, Ciarán Hinds, James Purefoy, and Samantha Morton. Directed and written by Andrew Stanton, with co-writers Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon, the film follows a Civil War vet who is transplanted to Mars, where he discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior. Based on the heroic protagonist of Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ Barsoom series, you can also see this nationwide from Friday (9th March), and the trailer below:
Irish comedy actor Chris O’Dowd stars in the upcoming rom-com Friends With Kids, alongside many other great actors including Adam Scott, Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Edward Burns, and Maya Rudolph. Directed, written by and also starring Jennifer Westfeldt, the story centers on two best friends (Westfeldt and Scott) who decide to have a baby together without being in a relationship. The last two singles in their close-knot group of friends observe the effect that kids have had on their friends’ relationships as they decide to try to date other people. Released on Friday (9th March), the film premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. If you haven’t already, watch the trailer below as this looks like one of the best releases this week:
As for the box office this week, all that needs to be mentioned is Safe House which, starring British actor Brendan Gleeson in a supporting role alongside Hollywood stars Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds, was mentioned in our post a couple of weeks ago. After reaching number 2 in the box office in its first week, the film is still doing well and pulling in crowds at number 4 in its fourth week, grossing a total of $108.4M. The film follows the most dangerous renegade from the CIA (Washington), who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. Gleeson plays an agent back in the states tracking them, while wondering if they are working together.
This Means War starring British actor Tom Hardy is also one still attracting viewers. After a special showing on Valentine’s Day, the film was released worldwide three weeks ago now but it remains at number 8 in the box office after grossing $41.4M. Directed by McG, the film follows two top CIA operatives (Hardy and Chris Pine) who, after they discover they are dating the same woman (Reese Witherspoon), wage an epic battle against one another. Not the typical film for Hardy, but this looks like it could be quite fun to see:
