A quarter of 2016 has disappeared already and we have been treated to some terrific films in that time... it seems that there are even more on the horizon over the coming weeks.
Midnight Special
While April films are you looking forward to the most? Do you like drama? What about comic book movies? Or is sci-fi your thing? Luckily there is something for everyone this month and we take a look at some of the films that you cannot afford to miss.
- Eddie the Eagle - out now
Eddie the Eagle is already one of the most talked about April movies as it whipped up a storm when it played at a surprise screening at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
The movie marks the return of Dexter Fletcher to the director's chair for the third feature film of his career; it comes off the back of the success of Wild Bill and Sunshine on Leith in 2012 and 2013. Fletcher has proved already that he is a terrific filmmaker and I can't wait to him put his stamp on this iconic underdog story.
The film follows Eddie Edwards, who became the first British ski jumper at the 1988 Winter Olympics. While he may not have challenged for the medals, he charmed the world.
Taron Egerton takes on the central role as his star continues to rise. The movie kicks off a very busy year for him and is another major leading role. Egerton teams up with Hugh Jackman for the first time as the Oscar-nominated actor plays Eddie's trainer Bronson Peary.
The duo is joined on the cast list by Christopher Walked, Mark Benton, Keith Allen, Joe Hartley, Tim McInnerny, and Jim Broadbent.
Eddie the Eagle is one of the feel-good films of 2016 and is a movie that is packed with heart, charm and terrific central performances from Egerton and Jackman. Fletcher really has made a wonderful transition from actor to director and Eddie the Eagle is his best film yet.
- The Huntsman: Winter's War - released 4th April
Chris Hemsworth is one of the most in-demand actors around and he is set to return to the big screen this April with The Huntsman: Winter's War, which sees him reprise the title role.
We were introduced to the character of the Huntsman back in 2012 in Snow White and the Huntsman and this new film is set prior to its predecessor.
Hemsworth is not the only familiar face on the cast list as Charlize Theron is set to reprise her role as Ravenna. Jessica Chastain and Emily Blunt are the big new additions to the cast list as Sara and Freya. Nick Frost, Sheridan Smith, Rob Brydon, and Alexandra Roach are also on board.
Long before the evil Queen Ravenna (Theron) was thought vanquished by Snow White's blade, she watched silently as her sister, Freya (Blunt), suffered a heart-breaking betrayal and fled their kingdom. With Freya's ability to freeze any enemy, the young ice queen has spent decades in a remote wintry palace raising a legion of deadly huntsmen - including Eric (Hemsworth) and warrior Sara (Chastain) - only to find that her prized two defied her one demand: Forever harden your hearts to love.
When Freya learns of her sister's demise, she summons her remaining soldiers to bring the Magic Mirror home to the only sorceress left who can harness its power. But once she discovers Ravenna can be resurrected from its golden depths, the wicked sisters threaten this enchanted land with twice the darkest force it's ever seen. Now, their amassing army shall prove undefeatable... unless the banished huntsmen who broke their queen's cardinal rule can fight their way back to one another.
It is all change in the director's chair as Cedric Nicolas-Troyan makes his feature film directorial debut with the movie. It looks like it is going to be an action-packed ride.
- Midnight Special - released 8th April
If you are a big science fiction fan, then Midnight Special is one not to miss as it hits the big screen next week.
Midnight Special marks the return of Jeff Nichols to the director's chair for the fourth feature film of his career. He has already brought us Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, and Mud and it is great to see him back. As well as being in the director's chair, Nichols has also penned the film's screenplay.
The movie sees Michael Shannon reunite with Nichols for their third feature together - as he takes on the central role of Roy, a father who goes on the run with his young son.
Midnight Special boasts another impressive cast list as Shannon stars alongside Joel Egerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, and Sam Shepard.
Roy (Shannon) is a father desperate to protect his uniquely gifted, eight-year-old son in this genre-defying thriller, which proves once again that director Jeff Nichols is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time.
As father and son go on the run, an intense chase ensues as they are hunted down by a mysterious cult and a clandestine government agency - the outcome of which could bring about a world-changing event.
The movie has been winning over critics and audiences on the festival circuit - competing for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival - and is not to be missed if you are a fan of the genre.
- The Jungle Book - released 15th April
The Jungle Book is the latest Disney film to get the live-action makeover and it will follow in the footsteps - and hopefully the success - of Maleficent and Cinderella, which have both been critical and commercial hits in recent years.
The movie is based on the book by Rudyard Kipling and sees Jon Favreau back in the director's chair. This is the first blockbuster for Favreau since Iron Man 2 and his first feature film since Chef back in 2014.
The Jungle Book is one of the April movies that I really cannot wait to see and the trailers and clips that I have seen so far really do look amazing. This is the first of two Jungle Book movies we are going to be treated to in the next couple of years and I cannot wait to see what Favreau delivers.
The director has brought together an impressive voice cast as Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Ken Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, and Giancarlo Esposito will voice the characters of Shere Khan, Kaa, Baloo, King Louie, Bagheera, Raksha, and Akela.
Disney has really had a good run of success when it comes to their live action remakes of Disney classics and The Jungle Book is a film I have been looking forward to ever since I saw the first teaser trailer.
Favreau is one of the most exciting directors around and it is great to see him return to a blockbuster project.
The Jungle Book is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (Sethi), a man-cub who's been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat.
Urged to abandon the only home he's ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don't exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.
- Captain America: Civil War - released 29th April
Captain America: Civil War is the 2016 film that I am looking forward to the most... and there are just a handful of weeks to go until we see if the film lives up to all of the hype and anticipation.
Civil War will be the third stand-alone film for Captain America and the first since the Winter Solider back in 2014. It is the movie that will also kick off Phase 3 of Marvel films. Anthony and Joe Russo return to the director's chair for their second Captain America film and I cannot wait to see them develop the story and the characters further.
The movie is based on the iconic and much-loved civil war storyline from the comics and will see the Avengers divided as Captain America and Iron Man go head to head.
Chris Evans is back as Steve Rodgers while Robert Downey Jr steps into the Captain America franchise for the first time. Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Frank Grillo and Martin Freeman, with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl, complete an impressive line-up. We are also going to get our first glimpse of Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland as Black Panther and Spider-Man.
Captain America: Civil War finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team.
The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps - one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark's surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.
Civil War really could be one of the biggest Marvel films to date and the directors have already hinted at a 'controversial' end. The film will also continue to lay the foundations for Avengers: Infinity War. It is certainly going to be the most successful Captain America film to date. I really cannot wait to see it!!!
- Demolition - released 29th April
Jake Gyllenhaal is another of our favourites here at FemaleFirst and he is set to return to the big screen this April with his latest film Demolition.
This is the first feature for Gyllenhaal since Everest as he teams up with filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée for the first time. Vallée has brought us films such as Dallas Buyers Club and Wild in recent years and I am excited to see him back in the director's chair.
Demolition is a movie that has already been playing well on the festival circuit, with Gyllenhaal's central performance winning a lot of praise - I am looking forward to seeing him in action.
However, it is not all about Gyllenhaal as Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper are also on board. We are also going to be introduced to the acting talents of Judah Lewis, who plays Watts' young son in the film.
Davis (Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father in law Phil (Cooper) to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions.
Davis' letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Watts) and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.
Other movies not to miss include The Man Who Knew Infinity, Criminal, Eye in the Sky, and Bastille Day.
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