Movie Releases - This week I recommend..

My main recommendation this week? See if you can guess...



Yep...none other than...



V for Vendetta (starring Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sinead Cusack) - Based on the acclaimed graphic novel "V For Vendetta" by Alan Moore ("The Watchmen," "From Hell") and illustrator David Lloyd, V for Vendetta is set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain. The film tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked vigilante (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V"! Someone who is charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, "V" ignites a revolution when he detonates two London landmarks.....and takes over the government-controlled airwaves, urging his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression! As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself -- and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plot to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption. As a Londoner I'm very much looking forward to this film. Bit of action and explosions...much missed recently.

For the arty/independent folk out there, the only film that stood out is..



Tsotsi - Winner of the 'Best Foreign Language Film of the Year' category at this year's Academy Awards..Tsotsi is set in a Johannesburg township of Soweto...where survival is the primary objective! The film traces six days in the life of a ruthless young gang leader who ends up caring for a baby accidentally kidnapped during a car-jacking. A gritty and moving portrait of an angry young man living in a state of extreme urban deprivation, and filled with the energy of "Kwaito music" - the modern beat of the ghetto that reflects his troubled state of mind. Compelled to confront his own brutal nature and face the consequences of his actions, Tsotsi puts a human face on both the victims and the perpetrators of violent crime and is ultimately a story of hope and a triumph of love over rage. So what does 'Tsotsi' mean? Well...bit of trivia for you! It literally means "thug" or "gangster" in the street language of South Africa's townships and ghettos...and "Kwaito" is South Africa's answer to American Hip Hop!

Bit of a difference between the two...but check them both out!