Bohemian Rhapsody Is the Pick of the Week

I don’t consider myself a huge Queen fan, but I dig a lot of their songs. They could write a big stadium anthem like few others. There is no denying that Freddie Mercury was incredibly charismatic and one intensely talented front man. Just watch that performance of them at Wembley Stadium and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Director Bryan Singer’s biopic of the band naturally focuses on Mercury and it’s garnered quite a bit of praise including Oscar noms for Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek. I wish I’d seen it in the theaters as no doubt those chest-thumping songs would play really well on the big screen but I’m excited to finally get to catch it on the smaller one. I’ll be sure to turn the volume way up. Read Darcy Staniforth’s review.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Horror Express: Hammer Studio-esque horror film about an alien attacking people on a Trans-Siberian train. Stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas. Read my review.

Berlin Alexanderplatz (Criterion Collection): Rainer Werner Fassbinder wrote and directed this drama about a childlike ex-con who attempts to become an “honest soul” amid the corrosive urban landscape of Weimar-era Germany.

Happy Prince: Rupert Everett wrote, directed, and stars in this Oscar Wilde biopic which depicts his last days. Also stars Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Colin Morgan, and Tom Wilkinson.

All That Heaven Allows (Criterion Collection): Douglas Sirk drama about an upper-class widow who falls in love with a younger man, much to the disapproval of her children and country-club peers.

Summer Lovers: After the huge success of The Blue Lagoon and Grease, director Randal Kleiser had carte-blanche to make pretty much what he wanted to. He choose to make this film about beautiful people on a beautiful island getting up to, well, nothing much. But they sure look good doing it. Read my full review.

At Eternity’s Gate: Willem Dafoe plays Vincent Van Gogh in this biopic of the artist during his time in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Directed by Julian Schnabel and also stars Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, and Mads Mikkelsen.

Audition: Arrow Video works their magic on Takashi Mike’s cult film that starts out as a family melodrama and takes a sharp turn about halfway through into something bizarre and violent. I’ll have a full review up soon.

The Front Runner: Jason Reitman directs Hugh Jackman as Senator Gary Hart and his 1988 run to be president. Also stars Vera Farmiga and J.K. Simmons.