The cinema year 2024 starts with a handful of highlights that await you this week in the cinemas you trust and that provide you with exciting stories and impressive images. Below you’ll find the master director’s highly anticipated anime highlight of the year Hayao Miyazakithe one with “The boy and the heron” ein the cinemas in a new fairy tale from his anime company Ghibli.
Moreover, there is a no less long-awaited one Indie gem from the director of “Lost In Translation”. Sofia Coppolaof “Priscilla‘ staged the answer to Baz Lurhmann’s ‘Elvis’. and brings the little-told story of Priscilla Presley to the big screen – with “Saltburn” star Jacob Elordi in the role of the King of Rock’n’Roll.
In the tragicomedy ‘Next Goal Wins,’ MCU director Taika Waititi focuses on the American Samoan national soccer team on their way to the 2014 World Cup. And there are also two gripping thrillers in the cinema program…
“The Boy and the Heron”
When Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘As the Wind Rises’ was released in cinemas over a decade ago, the director announced he was ending his career. While the Japanese old master celebrates his 83rd birthday on January 5, we can now admire his latest film in cinemas, because with “The Boy and the Heron” Miyazaki once again returned from retirement and started producing an anime fairy tale again with his legendary Studio Ghibli.
In it, 12-year-old Mahito moves to the countryside with his father after the death of his mother and meets a mysterious heron who tells him that his mother is still alive… In our FILMSTARTS review, the film received a total of 4.5 out of 10. the 5 stars. Author Jochen Werner describes the film as another Miyazaki masterpiece, but one that always leaves you confused: “So you should not expect easy answers and solutions – because if you fully immerse yourself in your own rules and logic, a cosmos rich in ideas and emotions will be revealed to you.”
“Priscilla”
After Baz Luhrmann caused a sensation in 2022 with his brightly colored biopic ‘Elvis’ and directed Austin Butler in the role of the King of Rock’n’Roll, indie hero Sofia Coppola is now devoting herself to a little-told Elvis story. cosmos – namely that of his wife Priscilla Presley, who met the music legend when Priscilla was only 14 years old and Elvis was already 24. The lead role is played by newcomer Cailee Speany (“Mare Of Eastton”), who won Best Actress for her performance at the Venice Film Festival. Elvis, on the other hand, is played by ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Saltburn’ heartthrob Jacob Elordi.
However, Elvis fans better dress warmly here, Because after seeing ‘Priscilla’, the image of their idol could show some major cracks – as FILMSTARTS editor Björn Becher aptly writes in his review: ‘Elvis fans will hate this film.’ Based on the autobiography “Elvis and I”, published in 1985, it paints an in-depth picture of a marriage from Priscilla’s perspective in which Priscilla, after a first picture book romance, always feels lonely and abandoned by her husband.
Coppola stages this in the usual grandiose, glossy images that you won’t soon forget. There was a reason for this in our review 3.5 out of 5 stars. The author of these lines, on the other hand, even gives it 4 stars.
“Next goal wins”
After Taika Waiti shook up the MCU with “Thor 3: Day of Decision” and “Thor 4: Love And Thunder”, the New Zealand director is now returning to his roots and dedicating himself to it “Next goal wins” a relatively low-budget tragicomedy. In it he tells the story of the American Samoan football team, which went down in sporting history with a 0-31 defeat against Australia and also failed to score in the following matches.
However, with the help of American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), they should be able to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. First he has to completely overhaul the team structure… FILMSTARTS author Sidney Schering awarded the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and writes in his review: “Tired sports comedy? Nice genre satire? Honest anthem to the underdogs? Contrived, sarcastic self-commentary? This time Taika Waititi dribbled around too wildly and clumsily to land the next direct goal with ‘Next Goal Wins’.”
“Role play”
Anyone who likes action comedies in the vein of “True Lies” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis will enjoy this “Role play” could get value for their money. In it, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ star Kaley Cuoco plays contract killer Emma, who hides her murderous job from her good-natured husband David (David Oyelowo). The bomb finally explodes on their wedding day when they are suddenly approached by a mysterious man (Bill Nighy). While Emma disappears from the face of the earth, David suddenly finds himself at the police station…
Although the thriller can be streamed directly on Amazon Prime Video in the US, ‘Role Play’ is a regular on the big screen in this country. The film, shot at Studio Babelsberg, was directed by ‘Reacher’ and ‘Bodyguard’ director Thomas Vincent and has not yet received a review from us.
“In the Blind Spot”
Last but not least, we want to give you the thriller “In the blind spot” I would like to recommend it, which was shown at last year’s Berlinale in the Encounters category and is now finally in German cinemas. In it, a German film team led by the young Simone (Katja Bürkle) wants to film a documentary about ‘intangible monuments’ in Turkey and witnesses a mysterious ritual that the Kurdish woman Hatice (Tudan Ürper) repeatedly performs for her missing son. As the film crew watches, they find themselves in increasing danger…
The German-Kurdish director Ayşe Polat tells the story of mourning over open social wounds in three fascinating chapters. According to FILMSTARTS author Janick Nolting, she succeeds with “In the Dead Angle” “formally complex paranoia cinema that tackles the enlightenment potential, but also the violence of the medium, with its bitter consequences.” For this he forgave 4 out of 5 possible stars.