Fresh from a long weekend with a dual Bank Holiday and an abundance of chocolate this week has a British comedy, another Pixar on the big screen and yet another horror film.
I don't know why but we had the same problem at this time last year with a succession of horror films in April. One is fine but to be weekly releases does seem to be strange scheduling considering its not October and the traditional scary season.
New Releases
The First Omen
Recent offerings imaginary and Immaculate have failed to inspire however better things are expected of a franchise prequel and The First Omen.
This film takes us back to the conception and birth of Damien, the antichrist. Due on the 6th hour on the 6th day of the 6th month the child will carry the mark of the Beast like its mother and bring about the end of days. We follow an American venturing to Rome and commence her servitude to the church.
However it soon transpires this house of God is anything but holy as mysterious suicides and terrifying occurrences has the new comer fearing for her safety. She soon discovers a hugely horrifying conspiracy involving the priests and high standing officials as they set about bringing the ultimate evil into the world.
The film stars Nell Tiger Free and Sonia Braga also featuring Bill Nighy in unfamiliar territory!
Seize Them
A British comedy adventure with some of the biggest stars on the big and small screen assembled for this project.
This is a comedy road movie set in the dark ages. The egotistical and clueless Queen Dagan is toppled from her throne. She’ll need help to survive as a fugitive and win back her kingdom. With her fall from grace landing her sometimes quite literally in the muck she has to rely on the support of the common folk and esteemed peasants to reclaim her crown.
Starring Aimee Lou Wood, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Hynes, Lolly Adefope, James Acaster and Nick Frost.
Luca The third and final Pixar big screen release following on from Turning Red and Soul.
I've not seen this one but am assured it is very popular. Luca is enjoying a summer on the Italian riviera with his new friend Alberto.
The youngster is enjoying gelato and scooter rides but Luca is holding a secret that he is a creature from the ocean who has the ability of taking on human form. But will his secret hold and when the truth comes out will his new friends treat him the same?
Event Cinema
Nye is a live broadcast from the National Theatre on April 23.
From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the NHS, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence on our country without ever being Prime Minister.
Confronted with death, Nye’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill in an epic Welsh fantasia.
Michael Sheen is Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state. It’s written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris.
This Week’s Quiz
Welsh Actors, I recently did a quiz on Irish stars for St Patrick's Day and I just missed out on St David's day so to combine with latest British comedy Seize Them and upcoming National Theatre ‘Nye’, I will pay tribute to the stars from Cymru.
Question 1
Which Welsh actor played Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy?
Question 2
Michael Sheen played which iconic football manager in the 2009 film The Damned United?
Question 3
One of the nation's finest Catherine Zeta Jones won an Academy Award and Bafta for Supporting Actress in which film?
Question 4
Who played Bond villain Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies?
Question 5
Glynis Johns starred in which Disney classic?
A) Bedknobs and Broomsticks
B) Mary Poppins
C) Pete's Dragon
Question 6
Two Welsh stars appear in Middle Earth adaptations. Who played Gimli the Dwarf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and who was Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit films?
Question 7
Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page appears in the 2020 film Dream Horse, who headed up the cast as Jan Vokes and Howard Davies and a bonus point for naming the Gavin and Stacey co-star that played Gerwyn?
Question 8
Richard Burton starred in the epic Cleopatra in 1963 but who co-starred as the titular character and Julius Caesar?
Question 9
Dame Sian Phillips has a distinguished career and best known for TV classic I, Claudius. She starred in 1969 classic Goodbye Mr. Chips but who played Arthur Chipping and his love interest Katherine Bridges?
Question 10
Finishing with surely the finest of them all Sir Anthony Hopkins. Since 1982 Hopkins has had six Oscar nominations including two wins, can you name these films?
Answers
Answer 1 - Christian Bale was Batman in Nolan's trio.
Answer 2 - Michael Sheen portrayed Brian Clough's short tenure at Leeds.
Answer 3 - Zeta Jones helped the musical Chicago clean up at the Awards in 2003.
Answer 4 - Jonathan Pryce whose megalomaniac media mogul was a villain ahead of his time.
Answer 5 - B) Mary Poppins with Glynis playing matriarch Mrs Banks.
Answer 6 - John Rhys Davies was Gimli and he also voiced Treebeard in the Lord of the Rings and Luke Evans was Lake Town rebel Bard in the second and third Hobbit films.
Answer 7 - Toni Collette played Jan Vokes and Damien Lewis was Howard in the horse racing comedy and Steffan 'Dave Coaches' Rhodri was Gerwyn.
Answer 8 - Elizabeth Taylor was Cleopatra and Rex Harrison played Julius Caesar. Burton and Taylor had a tempestuous relationship marrying twice and divorcing twice.
Answer 9 - Peter O'Toole was Mr Chipping and Petula Clark was Katherine Bridges.
Answer 10 - Hopkins won the Best Actor Oscar in 1992 for Silence of the Lambs, followed by four nominations in 1994 for The Remains of the Day, 1996 for Nixon and Amistad in 1998. Then a twenty year jump and a nomination for The Two Popes in 2020 and winning his second Academy Award in 2021 for The Father.