Welcome to The Jungle... Book Trailer

The first of two incoming adaptations of The Jungle Book is on its way in 2016 and Disney have just released the first trailer. The trailer follows hot on the heels of director Jon Favreau’s seconds long tease of the trailer on Instagram yesterday.

Favreau’s Disney funded adaptation is going to beat Andy Serkis’ own adaptation, titled Jungle Book: Origins to screens by over a year. However, the pedigree of talent involved in each means that they may yet both be worth a look.

The trailer for Favreau’s version shows jungle-boy Mowgli skipping along tree branches, facing up to his rather large snake mentor Kaa, and running for his life from villainous tiger Shere Khan. There’s even time for a quick float down the river on the belly of Baloo as the bear whistles the Bare Necessities. 

Favreau directed the first two Iron Man films as well as modern Christmas classic Elf. Unknown actor Neel Sethi will make his feature debut as Mowgli and will be the only actor appearing on screen in live action. The locations and all other characters have been created using CGI and the voice cast includes Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Bill Murray as Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera and Christopher Walken as King Louie.

With that cast, you’d think Serkis’ own version wouldn’t stand a chance but don’t worry too much for him. Serkis has Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Benedict Cumberbatch all on board for his version.

Watch the trailer for Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book here:

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Review

How can a movie do a whole life justice? It can't. But Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom certainly tries and like a greatest hits CD, will have you smiling at the bits you know and maybe discovering a few more bits you didn't. Distilling the great man's life down into just over two hours is ambitious but also fails to fully capture the majesty of the man.

The book the film is based on is huge and so it should be, covering an incredible life from being a boy in a small African village to becoming the first African president of South Africa by way of 27 years imprisonment for resisting apartheid.

Mandela is perfectly timed to come out this January. While a London premiere was being held as Mandela died, its release in the New Year will give people a chance to truly celebrate the real life legend before getting stuck into Idris Elba's impersonation in Justin Chadwick's well meaning film. The death of Mandela adds to the poignancy of the film and it will no doubt get a boost at the box office and maybe even in awards season after its larger than life subject has passed away at the impressive age of 95.

 Starting with Mandela's days as a lawyer on the side of justice and equality and then moving on to his overtly political struggle as part of the ANC before his imprisonment, Long Walk to Freedom has a huge amount to pack in. It dawdles a little too much over his love life with his first wife and then with Winnie but it is important to see the family man (warts and all) behind the icon. Too much of his early action is skipped over and the film races towards the imprisonment at a momentous pace. Perhaps the balance of love, marriage and political action could have been evened out here before sticking Mandela in a cell and getting to the parts everybody knows. There are plenty of neat touches; the real photos of the Sharpeville massacre that invade the screen, the Malickian moments of Mandela in his village with young love but plenty more come and go too quickly. 

How can you show 27 years imprisonment in a film without it becoming boring? Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom flies high here, cutting back and forth between Nelson and Winnie, illuminating his wife's struggle as much as his own. Naomie Harris is electric as Winnie, giving her heart, soul and passion and making her actions completely identifiable. Elba plays the mellowing prisoner with dignity and poise befitting his subject. Again Mandela's continuing struggle to get more rights in prison is curtailed and cut down to a single win over his captors, The make up and hair might age a bit too rapidly but Elba nails the performance of a man moving into his 70s.

Real footage continues to play a part as the film goes on and it is hard not to hope for more. The protests for Mandela's freedom including the Wembley Stadium concert for Mandela's 70th birthday all highlight the growing anti-apartheid movement and the real footage reminds of the very recent history that makes Mandela's story pack such a punch.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will make you angry, make you cry and even occasionally make you laugh. It is admirable in its attempt to offer a depiction of a legend but no film can come close to the impact that Mandela really had in the world. Until somebody makes a 10 part documentary that can really dissect and exolore Mandela's life, this film will enlighten those who know little of the man, remind others of his greatness and bring audiences together in their grief, their hope and their joy at having lived through the age of such an inspiring legend.

More reviews from I Love That Film:

Captain Phillips Review

Saving Mr. Banks

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Don Jon

Machete Kills, The Conspiracy, Snitch and more

Ender's Game

Sunshine on Leith

How I Live Now

Filth

The Call

Upcoming screenings: Mandela, Last Vegas, Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I've got three preview screenings lined up over the next couple of weeks. The first is Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the second is Last Vegas and the third is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

The first on Monday is Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. I literally found out I had a ticket to this advance screening moments before I found out that the real life legend had just died. It is going to make the screening a very bittersweet experience. I grew up with my older sisters around me wearing 'Free Nelson Mandela' badges and always hearing about the good he had done  in the world. I'm sure Idris Elba will do a fantastic job in the central role and as I have not read the book, I am very excited to learn more about the man's life. I can guarantee that, particularly in light of this week's events, it is going to get emotional. Let's hope the film can do the man justice. Here is the trailer:



Next up is Last Vegas starring Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro and um Kevin Kline... something tells me Jack Nicholson was busy? Four old buddies, friends since they were kids get together for one last hurrah in Vegas to celebrate the impending marriage of Douglas' character to a girl half his age. Looks like it could be quite funny. Douglas and De Niro are at each others' throats and Freeman's character just looks like he should be repeating the old mantra 'I'm too old for this shit'. Here is the trailer:



The final film I'm seeing next week is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, directed by and starring Ben Stiller. Comparisons to things like Forrest Gump have been thrown around and it certinaly looks epic in scope. Mitty is a day dreaming office worker who sets off on the adventure of a lifetime (or is he just daydreaming?) and looks like he will likely fall in love along the way with Kristen Wiig. I'm definitely intrigued about this one. Looks like it could be a great heart warmer hopefull for the festive period. Here is the trailer:



What do you think? Want to see any of these?