Hope Springs proves great for older film-goers
The King's Speech did British cinema a great favour, proving to multiplexes they don't have to target every new release at gimmick-loving 18 to 24-year-olds, writes the Star's film critic Carl Jones.
Give them the right kind of film, and the 40-plus brigade are just as likely to part with their hard earned cash.
Romantic comedy Hope Springs will certainly appeal to this flourishing, more mature demographic.
Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep play Arnold and Kay Soames, who celebrate their latest wedding anniversary by buying each other cable TV subscriptions.
Their children sense all is not well, but Arnold appears unconcerned, content to stick to the same routines and sleep in a separate room. Kay, however, is deeply unhappy, and uses her savings to buy counselling sessions with Dr Bernie Feld (Carell).
Arnold begrudgingly accompanies Kay, and after much prodding, reveals he has always dreamed about a threesome with their neighbour Carol (Rogers).
Hope Springs is smart, funny and sweet, underpinned by a surprisingly convincing screen chemistry between Streep and Jones, who bring gravitas and deep emotion to their roles despite, on paper, appearing a rather strange pairing.
Tears flow freely between uproarious set pieces and Carell provides strong support.
The script spares few blushes, including hilarious scenes of Streep honing her technique in private on a peeled banana, or attempting to perk up her husband with a spontaneous act in an empty cinema.
For something a little more family-friendly, animated tale ParaNorman 3D is a nicely crafted tale of a young misfit, blessed with the ability to see ghosts in a sleepy town.
Earthbound spirits appear to Norman (Smit-McPhee) in Sixth Sense-style, remaining invisible to his parents and his bitchy sister (Kendrick).
A surprise visit from deranged uncle Prenderghast (Goodman) casts a dark cloud when he tells Norman his supernatural abilities have been passed down from a dotty relative. Sure enough, the seven people who sent witch Aggie (Ferland) to her doom back in 1712 rise from the grave.
The sheriff struggles to maintain calm and Norman joins forces with a bunch of pals to break the witch's curse once and for all.
ParaNorman is aimed at family audiences, but parents and teenagers will laugh loudest at a colourful romp which pokes fun at the conventions of the horror genre.
Smit-McPhee tugs heartstrings as the loner who would give anything to lose his ability to communicate with the dead, while visuals burst with vibrant colour.
The youngest of children may be slightly unnerved by severed limbs that scuttle around of their own accord, but the violence and scares are cartoonish and gentle.
