Like every Tuesday, Nice Premium offers you a comprehensive guide to the must-see films of the week. Whether it’s auteur films, blockbusters, or simple comedies, there’s surely something here to entice each of you.
Because yes, there are some big-budget films worth watching. Take Christopher Nolan’s Batman series: Without putting these feature films among the masterpieces of the seventh art, they are well above the level Hollywood imposes on us. And this week, two big-budget films are set to conquer Nice’s cinemas.
Cloud Atlas by Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski.
It had been a while since the creators of Matrix had directed feature films. This time, there are no martial arts battles defying the laws of gravity, but a vision of life that spans centuries, starting from the premise: “everything is connected.” Tom Hanks takes the lead role. The film was released a few months ago across the Atlantic and received rave reviews from many critics. A daring and unique work, with a complex montage and breathtaking special effects.
Synopsis: “Through a story unfolding over five centuries in various timelines, individuals cross paths and find each other from one life to the next, being born and reborn successively… While their decisions impact their journey in the past, present, and distant future, a killer becomes a hero, and a single act of kindness sends ripples through time, sparking a revolution. Everything, absolutely everything, is connected.”
Oz the Great and Powerful by Sam Raimi.
The director of the first Spider-man trilogy returns, after a stint in horror cinema, to resurrect this decades-old hero. “Oz the Great and Powerful” is yet another adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s novel. However, it won’t be the story of the novel that takes center stage here, but the arrival of the wizard in the land of Oz. Thus, it’s a prequel to the original story. The main roles feature James Franco (who stars in several films this year, including Spring Breakers currently in theaters), Mila Kunis, and Rachel Weisz. Even if it remains a blockbuster, Sam Raimi is renowned for mastering the art of special effects. This should dazzle fans of the genre.
Synopsis: “When Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is whisked away by his hot air balloon from dusty Kansas to the dazzling Land of Oz, he sees it as his chance of a lifetime. Anything seems possible in this astonishing place of lush landscapes, surprising people, and peculiar creatures! Even fortune and fame! These seem all the more attainable as he can easily pass himself off as the great wizard everyone has been waiting for. Only three witches, Theodora, Evanora, and Glinda, genuinely doubt his abilities…”
The Italian Film Festival at Espace Magnan.
Until March 23, Espace Magnan is hosting the Italian Film Days. The selection of films in the running for the jury’s prize (the Garibaldi Prize) is of high quality. It’s a chance to discover feature films previously unseen in France. The program is available on the Espace Magnan website. At the opening ceremony, the film “La Pecora Nera” was the first to be screened. A real pleasant surprise that promises excellent moments of cinema for the rest of the festival.
