New Releases (24/01/13)

New in cinemas this week: Quentin Tarantino's new film, Django Unchained, a screen recreation of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, The Impossible and a road comedy starring Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand, The Guilt Trip.

Django Unchained - Set in the South two years before the Civil War, Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago. Django and Schultz's search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of "Candyland," an infamous plantation. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson), Candie's trusted house slave.

The Impossible - A husband and wife, Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their three young sons (Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pedergast), have decided to spend Christmas at a beachside resort in Thailand. On Boxing Day they are spending the day at the pool. All of sudden, a faint roar can be heard out at sea, birds can be seen flying in the opposite direction and the ground trembles, signifying the arrival of the Tsunami. The pool dwellers have no time to escape as the wave completely destroys the buildings along the coast and hurtles inland, sweeping up Marie and Lucas (Holland). They reunite after being thrown about for a while in the fierce rapids, and the locals assist in escorting a seriously injured Maria to a nearby hospital. This is unbeknownst to Henry and the two younger sons, who have not given up hope but have been since searching in vain.

The Guilt Trip - Andy (Rogen) invents a new organic cleaning product and he plans a sales trip across America, with a pit stop to visit his widowed mother Joyce (Streisand). Andy can’t resist inviting Joyce on the trip as a means to reunite her with her former love. Let the nagging ensue.

Weekly Recommendation: Django Unchained is essential viewing. It is gleefully funny, brutal, bloody and confronting and features phenomenal performances from Foxx, Waltz, DiCaprio and Jackson. The Impossible, a towering technical feat, and also well performed, is worth your time too.