Limelight Cinemas is shifting gears as the school holidays come to an end, with a darker slate of new releases led by Verity, creature horror Beware Boiúna and the chaotic Tom Cruise comedy-drama Digger.
Speaking on the Limelight Cinemas Podcast, Lex said the latest releases were arriving alongside the cinema’s October Fright Nights program, an overnight Hunger Games marathon and a big-screen presentation of the NRL Grand Final.
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson lead Verity
One of the week’s biggest releases is Verity, another Colleen Hoover book-to-screen adaptation and one that Lex said takes audiences into considerably darker territory than some of the author’s previous adaptations.
The film stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.
Johnson plays a writer commissioned to complete the work of successful author Verity Crawford after a serious car accident leaves Crawford unable to finish her books.
The assignment takes Johnson’s character into Crawford’s home, where increasingly strange and unsettling events begin to unfold.
Lex had already seen the movie ahead of its public release and said fans of the original book should prepare themselves for an intense experience.
“I loved it,” she said.
“For those who are familiar with the book, don’t be alarmed. The opening scene in the book is, like, smack in your face, and you get a one-minute buffer in the movie where it kind of settles you in — and then it smacks you in the face.”
Hartnett plays Verity Crawford’s husband, adding another element to the increasingly twisted story.
Lex said she was particularly looking forward to seeing the film again on Limelight’s big screen.
Verity is also the focus of Limelight’s latest Girls Night Out, with the podcast recording indicating only a limited scattering of tickets remained across the XD and Gold cinemas.
October brings the scares
With family-focused school holiday programming winding down, Limelight is also turning towards horror as October begins.
The cinema is holding five Fright Nights throughout October, with the first tied to the release of creature feature Beware Boiúna.
Lex described the film as something akin to Anaconda transformed into a full horror movie.
The story follows a group of doctors exploring the Amazon rainforest whose presence disturbs the natural balance and awakens a dangerous local creature known as Boiúna, the Mother of the Waters.
The resulting survival story pits the group against a giant creature in the depths of the jungle as they desperately try to escape.
“It is very Anaconda meets horror film,” Lex said.
Tom Cruise like you’ve never seen him
For audiences who prefer their cinema chaotic rather than terrifying, Digger brings together a sizeable Hollywood cast led by Tom Cruise.
Lex described the film as difficult to contain within its official comedy-drama description, calling it considerably more chaotic than that label might suggest.
Alongside Cruise, the cast includes John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg and Sophie Wilde.
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, described as the most powerful man in the world and someone with an extremely high opinion of himself.
After a disaster he helped create threatens catastrophic consequences, Rockwell sets out to prove he can also be humanity’s saviour.
Lex said audiences might initially struggle to recognise Cruise in the role.
“It’s ridiculous, and it’s scary, it’s funny and it’s stupid,” she said.
“It’s a lot of fun to watch.”
The trailer shown during the podcast teased a huge industrial disaster, a resulting tsunami and Rockwell’s determination to “dig” humanity out of the crisis despite facing mounting criticism for his role in creating it.
Hunger Games fans invited to stay all night
Limelight is also bringing back one of its more unusual cinema experiences this weekend with a Hunger Games Overnight Marathon.
The event gives fans the opportunity to watch the Hunger Games films back-to-back throughout the night in the XD cinema.
Lex said overnight movie marathons had become increasingly uncommon, making them something Limelight was particularly proud to continue offering.
“We love hosting our overnight marathons because no one does them anymore,” she said.
“The crowd that we have coming along to our overnight marathons is so much fun.”
The marathon begins at 8.30pm Saturday, with audiences able to book XD recliners or daybeds — particularly useful for anyone needing a quick sleep between movies.
“Some people fall asleep,” Lex said.
“It’s always exciting to see the ones who make it through the night.”
For those who prefer vampires to Panem, Limelight has also scheduled a Twilight Overnight Marathon for November.
NRL Grand Final hits the big screen
Sport is also getting the cinema treatment this weekend, with Limelight screening the NRL Grand Final on the big screen.
The special screening is designed to give rugby league supporters who cannot attend the match an opportunity to experience the game with a cinema-sized picture and crowd atmosphere.
“If you can’t make it to the game, this is the next best place to see it,” Lex said.
With school holidays drawing to a close and October’s horror season beginning, Limelight’s program is moving from family entertainment into thrillers, horror, blockbuster comedy and special-event screenings.
Session times, tickets and details of upcoming events are available through limelightcinemas.com.au.
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