It’s quite some week at South African cinemas. Apart for four new biggies profiled below, a couple of modern classics are back on the big screen for special anniversary re-releases at select Ster Kinekor theatres. These include pioneering South African anti-Apartheid drama Mapantsula, which turns 35; and Park Chan-wook’s transgressive masterpiece, Oldboy, remastered and restored after 20 years.
Meanwhile, Nu Metro is delivering a special experience for music lovers in the form of Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas. This two-night cinema event (on 19 and 21 August), shot live in Arlington, will see the metal legends play two two completely different setlists, with songs from across the group’s 40+ year career.
If you can’t make it to any of these special screenings, though, here are the week’s wide blockbuster releases.
The DC Cinematic Universe gets its first Latino superhero in the form of Blue Beetle. Recent college graduate Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is struggling to find his place in the world… until he accidentally comes into possession of ancient alien technology known as the Scarab. When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, Jaime gains incredible, if unpredictable, exoskeleton armour, pitting him against Susan Sarandon’s ambitious businesswoman.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a supernatural horror tale based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Set in the late 19th Century, strange events befall the crew of doomed merchant ship Demeter as it carries dozens of unmarked wooden crates from Carpathia to London. The film stars Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, and David Dastmalchian. This one should please fans of claustrophobic genre classics like The Thing.
Despite releasing under a cloud of controversy, Sound of Freedom is a surprise smash hit of the Northern Hemisphere summer. This action drama tells the true story of US government agent Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) who is forced to turn vigilante in order to rescue hundreds of children from sex traffickers. His dangerous mission takes him deep into the Columbian jungle, putting his life on line. Also with Mira Sorvino, and Bill Camp.
For fans of family-friendly anime, there’s Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Sky Utopia, the 42nd film in the long-running and very beloved franchise from Japan. During this installment, school boy Nobita and time-travelling robot cat Doraemon set out on an adventure to find a utopia in the sky, where everyone lives happily. Key to achieving this dream is Doraemon’s new airship gadget.