Jann Mardenborough loved the auto racing simulation Gran Turismo, and was picked to compete on GT Academy, a British reality show where video game players competed to get a shot at driving in a real Formula One race. He went on to a successful career driving for Nissan. In Gran Turismo, his story has been dramatized by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, starring Midsommar’s Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough and Stranger Things‘ David Harbour as his trainer. Expect inspirational speeches about cars that go vroom.
Blue Beetle, the latest superhero story from DC, stars Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, a Hispanic college student who is unexpectedly gifted with superpowers by an alien robot scarab. As he tries to come to terms with his new identity and new responsibilities, he has help from his large extended family, including comedian George Lopez as his uncle.
While Barbie and Oppenheimer dominated the headlines this summer, Talk To Me, the debut horror film from Aussie YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou has become a sleeper hit. 17-year-old Mia (Sophie Wilde) tries to use a mummified severed hand to contact the spirit of her dead brother, and gets a lot more than she bargained for.
In Golda, Helen Mirren stars as Golda Meir, the prime minister who led Israel to victory during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Speaking of biopics, here’s one about baseballer Ricky Hill, who overcame a physical handicap to … play baseball.
What would late summer be without Liam Neeson receiving a mysterious phone call which thrusts him, an everyman, into an unfamiliar world of violence and danger? Just so happens, he possesses certain skills. This time, they got a little Speed in the mix to liven things up a little.
Remember when Jurassic Park movies were good? If so or if not, the still unconquered original Jurassic Park is getting a 30th anniversary run in theaters starting Friday.
Thursday, August 31, the Crosstown Arts Film Series presents The Elephant 6 Recording Co. The music documentary traces the Ruston, Louisiana collective which produced indie wonders like Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, and Of Montreal.