March Preview

March Preview

A return to the land of Oz, a tale of corruption in a "Broken City" and the return of Jim Carrey and Steve Carrell - here's a detailed run down of some of the biggest movies coming out this March.

Broken City

Director: Allen Hughes

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Release Date: March 1st

The pitch: A shamed ex-cop turned private eye (Wahlberg) becomes embroiled in a world of trouble after the city's mayor (Crowe) hires him to spy on his cheating wife (Zeta-Jones).

Why you should see it: The excellent Wahlberg and Crowe face off in the ultimate battle of wits in a city becoming more corrupt by the day, and with Saturday Night Live's Brian Tucker on scriptwriting duty, expect a sharp war of words aided by brilliant performances.

Stoker

Director: Park Chan-Wook

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Jacki Weaver, Matthew Goode, Mia Wasikowska

Release Date: March 1st

The pitch: The year's most disturbing psychological thriller sees India Stoker (Wasikowska) left fatherless when he is killed in a car accident. Forced to put her faith in her mother (Kidman), India is initially weirded out by the arrival of her uncle Charlie (Goode), however disturbance soon turns into fascination and dangerous obsession in this creepy drama.

Why you should see it: Stoker is an unsettling psychological study of a family under pressure, and a stellar cast along with a haunting screenplay by Wentworth Miller (star of Prison Break) should ensure that no creepy possibility is left unturned.

Oz: The Great And Powerful

Director: Sam Raimi

Cast: James Franco, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff

Release Date: March 8th

The pitch: This prequel to the Wizard Of Oz tells the story of small-time circus magician Oscar Diggs (Franco), his arrival in the mystical land of Oz and his quest to convince three witches (Weisz, Kunis and Williams) that he could in fact be the saviour of their world.

Why you should see it: Director Sam Raimi brings the land of Oz to vibrant life, and an all-star cast (which sadly does not include Robert Downey Jr. as planned) should ensure that fans both old and new to the story of the wicked witch of the East will be entertained.

Maniac 

Director: Franck Khalfoun

Cast: Elijah Wood, America Olivo

Release Date: March 15th

The pitch: Elijah Wood stars as a shy mannequin store owner who moonlights as a serial killer with a deranged obsession for scalps. When he meets a young artist, a psychologically complex tale of murder and gore ensues.

Why you should see it: You probably shouldn't if you're squeamish, as Maniac is shot almost entirely in first person POV meaning that we see every horrific kill that our "protagonist" commits in gory detail.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Director: Don Scardino

Cast: Steve Carrell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey

Release Date: March 15th

The pitch: Burt Wonderstone (Carrell) is not in the least incredible anymore - in fact, the magician is a has-been, shoved off the stage by a lack of credibility and competition in the shape of Steve Gray (Carrey). He's going to need to pull something much more exciting than a rabbit out of the hat to stay in business.

Why you should see it: The inspired rivalry of Steve Carrell versus Jim Carrey will surely have conjured up some fantastic improvised one-liners, along with solid support from Boardwalk Empire's Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde and Alan Arkin.

Jack The Giant Slayer

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Warwick Davis

Release Date: March 22nd

The pitch: Adapted from the classic Jack and the Beanstalk fairytale, Jack The Giant Slayer takes the story to an epic scale. Nicholas Hoult stars as the titular Jack, a common boy who volunteers to join the knights of the kingdom to save the princess from the giants who have stolen her. 

Why you should see it: This is probably more for kids, but British ex-Skins star Nicholas Hoult is proving to be quite the talent, with turns in the likes of X-Men: First Class and Warm Bodies proving that he's got some mad skills, it'll be fun to see him take the lead in his own action adventure. X-Men's Bryan Singer directs, while Ewan McGregor and Stanley Tucci make up some of the all-star supporting cast.

GI Joe: Retaliation

Director: Jon Chu

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki, Channing Tatum

Release Date: March 27th

The pitch: The world leaders are under the influence of a new power - Zartan, an extraterrestrial creature who has taken over the President's body. Convincing the military that each and every "G.I Joe" is a traitor, the President orders their destruction. With their numbers dwindled severely, the Joes hatch a plan with original GI Joe General Joseph Colton (Willis) to overthrow the deadly powers threatening the world.

Why you should see it: Okay, so the first one was a complete shambles but with the writers of Zombieland on screenplay duty and the likes of Bruce Willis and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson beefing up the cast, GI Joe Retaliation is a contender for one of the most action packed, explosive movies of the year.

Trance

Director: Danny Boyle

Cast: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson

Release Date: March 27th

The pitch: After an art-heist goes awry, a criminal gang goes to unusual lengths to discover the whereabouts of a lost painting - lengths that involve hiring a hypnotist to delve into the mind of the only person who truly knows where it is. 

Why you should see it: It's a Danny Boyle movie - so you can expect your mind to be blown by some fantastic ideas. Fans of Inception are sure to like the mind-intrusion aspects of the narrative, while a central performance from James McAvoy of Wanted fame will keep us tied into the complex, thrilling story.

Check back to Movies Under The Microscope over the rest of the month for reviews of all of these films as they are released. Stay chilled!