New Releases 05/06/14)

In cinemas this week: Edge of Tomorrow, The Fault in Our Stars, Grace of Monaco, Rising From Ashes and Omar (exclusive to Nova, Melbourne).

Edge of Tomorrow - The epic action of "Edge of Tomorrow" unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop-forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again...and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy. ★★★★

Omar - A tense, gripping thriller about betrayal, suspected and real, in the Occupied Territories. Omar (Adam Bakri) is a Palestinian baker who routinely climbs over the separation wall to meet up with his girl Nadja (Leem Lubany). By night, he's either a freedom fighter or a terrorist-you decide-ready to risk his life to strike at the Israeli military with his childhood friends Tarek (Eyad Hourani) and Amjad (Samer Bisharat). Arrested after the killing of an Israeli soldier and tricked into an admission of guilt by association, he agrees to work as an informant. So begins a dangerous game-is he playing his Israeli handler (Waleed F. Zuaiter) or will he really betray his cause? And who can he trust on either side? Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now) has made a dynamic, action-packed drama about the insoluable moral dilemmas and tough choices facing those on the frontlines of a conflict that shows no sign of letting up. Palestinian freedom fighter/Israeli military collaborator faces moral dilemmas and finds personal life threatened via double deception. Very similar narrative to Isareli film, Bethlehem (just as good). Compelling thriller - pacing not great, but use of locations is terrific. ★★★1/2

The Fault in Our Stars - Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them - and us - on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. The Fault in Our Stars, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love. Review by Nicholas Brodie, Graffiti With Punctuation.

Grace of Monaco - Focused on the personal story of former Hollywood star Grace Kelly during a dispute between Monaco's Prince Rainier III, and France's Charles De Gaulle over tax laws in the early 1960s. Nicole Kidman stars as Grace Kelly with Tim Roth as Prince Rainier III. 

Rising From Ashes - A feature length documentary about two worlds colliding when cycling legend Jock Boyer moves to Rwanda, Africa to help a group of struggling genocide survivors pursue their dream of a national team. As they set out against impossible odds both Jock and the team find new purpose as they rise from the ashes of their past.

Weekly Recommendation: I was really surprised by Edge of Tomorrow. It is fantastic. Strikes a great balance of action spectacle and character-driven stakes with injections of effective humour. Intense, thoughtful...and fun.