THE BIG SCREEN
Almost a decade after the release of The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor, director Alex Kurtzman attempts to reboot the horror franchise with this action-packed thriller set in the present day, which positions Tom Cruise at the centre of the special effects-laden destruction. He plays tomb raider Nick Morton, who travels to Egypt with plucky archaeologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) to retrieve an ancient artefact. In the process, Nick accidentally unearths the resting place of Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), who was buried alive hundreds of years ago after she murdered King Menehptre (Selva Rasalingam) in order to seize the throne. Director Roger Michell revives Daphne du Maurier’s gloriously ambiguous thriller, abetted by a powerhouse performance from Rachel Weisz as the titular (anti)heroine, who may have murdered her trusting husband with handmade herbal teas. Orphan Philip (Sam Claflin) is promoted to master of a sprawling Cornish estate when his older cousin Ambrose falls gravely ill and is sent to the sunnier climes of Florence to recuperate. Out of the blue, Philip receives a troubling letter from Ambrose, which reveals that he has married a woman called Rachel (Weisz), who has become his “torment”. Norman Oppenheimer (Richard Gere), the eager-to-please New York consultant at the centre of Joseph Cedar’s fascinating character study, is a social limpet, who claims to know most of the movers and shakers in the city’s Jewish and business communities. He orchestrates a chance encounter with middle-ranking Israeli politician Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi). A rash decision to buy his target a pair of designer shoes reaps rewards three years later when Micha is elected prime minister of Israel. Cedar’s film reminds us that there is a little Norman in us all. Adapted from William P Young’s 2007 novel, The Shack chronicles one grief-stricken father’s spiritual journey, which culminates in a miraculous encounter with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mackenzie Phillips (Sam Worthington) has an awkward relationship with God but still attends church with his wife Nan (Radha Mitchell) and cherubic children, Kate (Megan Charpentier), Josh (Gage Munroe) and Missy (Amelie Eve). When tragedy strikes during a summer expedition to Wallowa State Lake Park, Mac is consumed by guilt. He refuses to articulate his pain, shutting out Nan as well as the children.