It is nearly the end of August and the end of summer is upon us, but good cinema is only just getting started.
With the summer blockbusters out of the way we can now focus on the autumn releases. Prepare for a wealth of hidden gems that you may have missed whilst attentions were on The Dark Knight Rises and other mega bucks movies.
Here are five upcoming releases I can't wait to watch...
The Revenant
Remember Shaun of the Dead? That buddy comedy about fighting zombies? Well, here's another buddy comedy with fighting zombies alright.
This time, the main protagonists are the undead but, unlike their cranium craving counterparts, they are articulate and out to fight crime. To avoid completely decomposing, they need to drink blood. And while this sounds like someone mixed genres at random to create a film Dr. Frankenstein would be proud of, I'm really looking forward to it, simply because I like zombies, buddy comedies and more zombies.
Premium Rush
The premise is simple: a bike messenger has to deliver a secret envelope in a short period of time through New York City. He is unaware of what the envelope contains until he realises that his life is in danger as others are desperate to get their hands on that packet.
Being a NYC bike messenger, he knows his way around the city and gets into some spectacular chase scenes. Premium Rush might sound like any other chase film, but there are three good reasons why you should watch it: Joseph, Gordon and Levitt.
Sleepwalk with Me
This film is about a stand-up comedian whose career is going nowhere with a girlfriend who he has a difficult relationship with. Now, this could be one of many true life stories out there and it isn’t surprising that this particular one is based on the real life of Matt Pandamiglio.
While he avoids facing important decisions in his life, he cannot escape them in his sleep. The big decisions manifest themselves in the form of sleepwalking. A very interesting story with hilarious moments.
Butter
The wife of a champion Iowa butter carver goes crazy when her husband decides to give up his title to pursue a career as a judge. Jennifer Garner plays Bob Pickler’s wife, who is practically the first lady of butter.
Unwilling to accept his resignation, she takes it on herself to win this year’s butter carving competition but finds herself competing against a talented young girl. The uptightness, absurdity and obscurity of this art form is what brings in the laughter.
Thunderstruck
Now, as a kid who grew up in the '90s, this film is definitely on my list of favourites for 2012. A real life sports star? Check. A loser teenager? Check. A switcheroo? Check. All the components are there to make this family film highly entertaining.
After 16-year-old Kevin manages to switch talents with basketball star, Kevin Durant, he becomes the star of his high school basketball team. Meanwhile, Durant struggles with his career. Everything is rather predictable but this is a comforting film with a familiar format.
With these titles coming soon to cinemas near you, it is time to get excited about autumn cinema and plenty of cosy date nights.