ABOUT TIME - film

This film is by British writer/director Richard Curtis, the man behind Love Actually and the Bridget Jones flicks, so we're talking pretty high 'rom com' credibility there.

It involves time travel so you do need to get over the implausibility of it all early on to be able to just go with it and enjoy it. And I did enjoy this one to a degree but it doesn't live up to the standard of Love Actually, a film which has a lot going for it in the rom com stakes.

Despite not really loving it, I did get pretty weepy at a sad moment towards the end of the film which made me realise I was perhaps a bit more entrenched in the story than I'd been aware of.

I've not seen the leading man Domhnall Gleeson in anything before and he's really delightful. Hopefully we see a lot more of him. He's paired with Rachel McAdams who, as always, is also lovely to watch.

Let me put it this way, if you generally love a rom com and can suspend reality to enjoy one, you'll dig this but otherwise, perhaps wait for it on DVD.

For more on the plot, cast etc, read this review in Crikey which I think wraps it all up well & in particular captures my feelings about the MANY unanswered questions in this flick. Like I said, you've really got to be willing to just roll with this one!

Trailer here.

FRUITVALE STATION - film

This film is amazing.

It's a little tough going at times in the emotional sense - perhaps not one for when you're feeling a bit down in the dumps but otherwise, it's a highly recommend from me.

It's based on a true story & is winning awards and getting great reviews. I agree with this review from The Guardian which gave it 4 stars. Like all of the reviews and articles, it reveals the ending which I did not know when I saw this film - if you can go in blind, I'd recommend it but either way, it's a pretty compelling story.

Definitely recommend this one. Go & see it!

Trailer here.

PRISONERS - film

This movie is fantastic.

But sometimes the external factors in a cinema-going experience are so ridiculous that they detract from the movie in a way that leaves you just plain grumpy. I hope for your sake that the following things do not happen...

- Two old women sit behind you and talk constantly. The talking is particularly vigorous following a toilet break for one during which a great deal of important things happen in the story which her friend must then catch her up on upon her return which included a trip up the stairs.

- You move seats to get away from them.

- It doesn't help because the cinema is actually full of groups of people who feel the need to make observations and guesses about the more mysterious parts of the film. You know the types - the ones who say out loud "oh it was him!" out loud when everyone else can just THINK IT IN THEIR HEAD LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

- The cinema (hat tip to cinema 2, Hoyts Northland) is so unbelievably cold that you stare with envy at any warm clothes being worn on screen and unconsciously imagine being cloaked in them.

- An old man in the cinema on his own hollers "That was a terrible ending" at the end of the film. And I mean HOLLERS. In his defence, he did have a point. The ending was so blunt that I actually thought to myself 'oh that would just top this damn experience off for the equipment to break down right near the end of the film' but alas, that no, that was the actual end.

Whilst my own experience of this one was a bit annoying, don't let it stop you seeing the film. It is really well done and stars Hugh Jackman, whose performance is unlike anything I've seen him do before. Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano are also terrific in this children-gone-missing, 'whodunit' flick. That description doesn't do it justice, so read the link below if you are thinking about going to see it!

A proper (& glowing) review from Crikey including more on the plot here and the trailer here.

DIANA - film

Based on the terrible reviews this film about Princess Di has been getting (you can read about them here), I was expecting this to be a dud and sadly it was.

I refuse to believe Diana was that insipid and whilst there was good chemistry between her and the leading man (a post-Charles love who most probably haven't even heard of), it wasn't enough to carry this film and certainly not enough to make up for the lame repeated reference to her being "the most famous woman in the world"... we get it, ok?

Give this one a miss.

Trailer here if you can be bothered...

GRAVITY - film

I'd seen the trailers for this sci fi flick and filed it under 'not my kind of film'. But then as the release approached the reviews started rolling in and wow, they were full of very high praise... 96% on Metacritic and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes for a start but also 4.5 & 4 stars from Margaret and David respectively, 4 stars in The Age, 5 stars from the UK Telegraph and 5 stars from the New York Times.

So I was already swaying a little and then I got a free ticket. Sold!

Described on Wikipedia as a "3D science fiction thriller and space drama", I went off to this Alfonso Cuarón film with very, very high expectations that were ultimately unmet. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic, edge-of-your-seat stuff, but it wasn't knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark, best-film-I've-seen-in-ages stuff. 

OK, I'll stop hyphenating now.

In the interests of fairness I present the opinion of my viewing companion, Jo, for whom this film is very much 'my kind of film'...

“Wow, if you love space, technics and rollercoasters, you’ll love Gravity. I enjoyed it enormously. Apart from some technical errors (you figure it out) and lots of referencing of other sci-fi movies (you figure it out), Gravity is definitely worth a look, even a second look!” 

If you're going to see this film, do see it in 3D to do the amazing effects justice.

Trailer here.

RUSH - film

I'm going to level with you.

I saw this film because I had a Village Cinemas movie pass that was about to expire and it was the only thing on at the right time. I'd seen the previews and not taken an interest as it seemed to be about Formula 1 racing, in which I have nil interest. Talk about striking it lucky!

This film is fantastic! Sure, it's about Formula 1 in a sense but it's much more than that. I wasn't around to see the rivalry between Niki Lauda and James Hunt unfold in the late 1970s so I had no idea how the story ended which meant I was totally caught up in it, desperate to know how it all finished up.

This film is directed by Ron Howard and I just can't help but think, wow, that Richie Cunningham's gone a hell of a long way.

More info about the film in this review from The Vine which I reckon is right on the money...

Trailer here

LOVELACE - film

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. It's a biopic about 'Linda Lovelace', star of the infamous p*rn film 'Deep Throat'.

I didn't know any background to this one which can be a blessing and a curse. Amanda Seyfried plays Lovelace and she's fantastic but almost outshone by co-stars Peter Sarsgaard who does creepy scarily well and Sharon Stone who is literally almost unrecognizable.

The film seems to be pretty widely getting 3 star reviews which I tend to agree with - a good but not brilliant film.

Trailer here.

THANKS FOR SHARING - film

I enjoyed this one. It's not amazing but it's a nice enough way to pass a couple of hours!
A great cast including familiar faces Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as the singer Pink who is actually pretty good too.

There's a lot going on which results in some characters not being explored too deeply but there's some fun and some poignancy too so I can happily but not highly recommend this one.

Here's a review from Fairfax which also outlines the plot if you're after some more detail but to cut to the chase, this is a film about s-x addiction and it actually gave me some insight into something I'd never really thought about.

I did wince a little when I noticed that the 'hopeless guy' character had the same phone cover as me. IS THAT THE PHONE COVER OF HOPELESS PEOPLE?! 
He comes good though... phew.

Trailer here

THE TURNING - film

I saw this one at the Melbourne International Film Festival a few weeks back and excitement levels peaked early as Noni Hazelhurst joined the queue just behind me! This film is three hours long and was presented all in one hit at MIFF but I gather that in the general release it’s being shown in two parts with an interval. Phew, no restricting fluids for you! In a further break with tradition, this film includes a program with your (higher than usual) ticket price and if you’re anything like me, you will definitely need it. At my MIFF screening, in what can only be described as a major event fail, we were given the program AFTER the screening and with just a quick glance, the film suddenly made a lot more sense. I thought my lack of understanding was at least in part because I hadn’t read the book but speaking to my cousin’s wife recently I felt relieved – she’s read the book and said that was pretty confusing too! And she’s a very smart woman.

I’m confident that if I’d had the opportunity to read the program before the movie I’d have loved it a lot more but to be frank I spent too large a portion of the three hours trying to work out the connections between the characters in the 17 separate short films that make up this film overall. Yes, a highly unusual and ambitious format!

That said, some of the 17 segments are, in and of themselves, visually stunning to watch and include some amazing performances. For example you will see Rose Byrne like you never have before – she’s always excellent but this character is unlike anything I’ve seen her do before. It also features Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchett, Dan Wyllie (who I always love & this is no exception), Susie Porter & Robyn Nevin.

This one isn’t for everyone but if you’re a bit of a film buff, lover of cinematography or of great Australian actors and directors, then check it out. It is unlike any cinema experience I’ve ever had and really quite beautiful. But, you know, read the flippin’ program. 

Trailer here and a couple of reviews here and here.

STORIES WE TELL - film

To my mind, this film can be summarised in one word: boring. I literally fell asleep. And I wasn't that tired.

I feel compelled to present a defense of some sort though... I saw a 4.5 star review in The Age yesterday and the friend I saw it with also enjoyed it.

Trailer here.

BLUE JASMINE - film

This Woody Allen film starring Cate Blanchett has definitely earned the hype it's getting. (It's getting hype, trust me! For example, this review in Crikey...)

Blanchett plays a socialite who's fallen on bad times and ends up living with her sister on 'the wrong side of town' while she gets back on her feet. She is fantastic, probably the best I've ever seen her.

Towards the end of the film it feels like it's heading in a certain tie-it-all-up-neatly-in-a-bow direction but then bam! Things take a different turn and the ending is strangely satisfying.

Loved this one. Go see it.

Trailer here.

JOBS - film

This biopic about the man behind the Apple computers empire, Steve Jobs, is disappointing.
Though interesting to know the story behind said empire, there's too many problems with this one. Ashton Kutcher plays Jobs and whilst I have a new appreciation for his beautiful face, the performance is ho hum. In dramatic moments you don't buy the shouty, angry dialogue and the moments where he's trying to emulate the real Jobs' unique walk made me giggle. It just came across as silly.
By the end of the film I think we're supposed to see him as more human and feel some sympathy for him but I just spent the entire film thinking 'this guy was a massive jerk'. 

Crikey's film reviewer Luke Buckmaster & I are on the same page about this one. Read his take-down of the film here.

And The Age's critic gave it one lonely star which I think is a tad harsh, maybe 1.5 or 2 for me. So, you know, still crap.

Definitely not worth getting yourself to the cinema for in my view.

Trailer here.

THE ROCKET - film

This Lao/Australian film is just superb. I absolutely loved it.

Some of you may know that I have a personal connection to Laos which I guess did heighten the warmth I felt towards this film (the fact I was drinking a Beerlao as I watched probably also helped) but even those with no interest in or knowledge of the country will enjoy this.

It's won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival which speaks volumes.
The film is about a young Lao boy Ahlo whose family believe he is cursed and his quest to break free from that. The kid who plays Ahlo, Sitthiphon Disamoe (a former 'street kid' I gather), is really delightful and his young female sidekick is also really great. The growth of their relationship on the screen feels really authentic, it's lovely to watch.

This really great article in The Guardian will give you some background on the film if you want to read more, including the insights of the Australian writer & director Kim Mordaunt. Mordaunt was also featured on At the Movies from ABC TV which you can see here.

Go and see this one, it's fantastic! Trailer here.

WE'RE THE MILLERS - film

Sorry I'm a bit slow out of the blocks with 'We're the Millers'. If you haven't seen it already, don't bother.
This one is just ok. A handful of laugh out loud moments but by and large pretty ordinary. Even Jason Sudeikis who I rather like couldn't save this one. Jennifer Aniston is also in it and frankly all I thought of her in this was, she must be short on cash to have said yes to it.

Trailer here.

FRANCES HA - film

I have seen loads of four star reviews for this one which is usually a good sign. 
(eg this in The Age and this from David & Margaret on At the Movies on ABC TV)

But this isn't a four star film for me. 
It's fine. It's charming enough. 
But frankly, it didn't delight me. It was just a bit *meh*. Viewing companion agreed.

Can't say I'd encourage you to rush out and watch it. Maybe on DVD some time if the opportunity arises.

Trailer here  or the reviews about if you want a look at what it's about.

NOW YOU SEE ME - film

I wasn't sure I would, but I actually quite liked this. It's a film about four magicians (or maybe 'illusionist' is the correct term?!) who get caught up in a series of heists that become larger and more complex each time. It opens with an impressive magic trick that reminded me that magic really can be pretty cool. And there's a tricky ol' conclusion to the story which made me want to watch it all over again, armed with this fresh knowledge! That said, it's not the kind of film I'd pay to see twice but would happily watch it on DVD.

One of the four magicians is played by Jesse Eisenberg who you might remember from the film 'The Social Network'. He's fantastic in this, I'm now a big fan. It also stars Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher and Michael Caine - an impressive line up.

Get along to this one if you have the luxury of being able to see a few films but if it's a rarity, perhaps wait for the DVD.

Official trailer here.

THE WAY, WAY BACK - film

This movie is such a delight. It’s a ‘coming of age’ kind of story about a young guy Duncan whose mum Pam (played by Toni Collette) has hooked up with a bit of a douche bag, Trent (played by Steve Carrell… I know, he’s never the bad guy!) and he’s struggling with the new family dynamic.

 

The blended family head to a seaside town for a summer holiday and the film starts with the car journey in which Trent asks Duncan to rate himself out of ten. The excruciating exchange really sets the tone beautifully but it’s interesting to note that this is based on the real life experience of one of the creators of the film! If you want that full story and a great background to the film and it’s makers who also wrote the screen play of The Descendants, read here. (Fans of the TV show Community, note that this is Jim Rash!)

 

Duncan finds his way to the local water park on one of his many solo excursions to escape the family holiday and that’s where the fun begins. Sam Rockwell plays the owner of the park Owen and his character is just so fantastic to watch, so quirky and full of good humour. Other staff at the park make great bit players including Maya Rudolph who you may know from Bridesmaids and Jim Rash mentioned earlier.

 

Allison Janney is also in this one as the always-tipsy neighbour at the beach house and her interactions with her own kids including a son with a literally not metaphorically wandering eye are pretty hilarious.

 

Go see this one, I really, really enjoyed it. You’ll walk out happy!

 

Preview screenings 26-28 July then opens Thursday 1 August.

 

Trailer here.

 

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA - film

Loved this film. Absolutely loved it.

It's all about Liberace, played by Michael Douglas (if you're too young to know who he is, have a quick squiz at his Wiki but the short version is that he was the campest of camp entertainers in America in the 1950s-70s) and his relationship with a guy called Scott Thorson, played by Matt Damon.

Michael Douglas is amazing in this. Absolutely amazing. Certainly the best I've ever seen him personally. And Matt Damon is pretty great too.

Scott grew up in a foster home and met Liberace as an adult and this film tracks that relationship which is fascinating. Sometimes the relationship of lovers, but more father/son at other times, the movie reveals the complexity of it and the demons of each of the men but in a way that's very easy to watch.

Special mention to Rob Lowe who plays the plastic surgeon employed by Liberace to make Scott look more like him. He is spectacular.

I completely agree with what Judith & Jason had to say about it on ABC TV's The Movie Show. You can see that here.

It opens on Thursday 25 July. Watch the trailer here.

THIS IS THE END - film

All I knew about this one before I saw it was what I saw on ABC TV's 'At the movies'. Given one star and two stars by stand-in presenters Judith Lucy and Jason Di Rosso, it was not looking good.

So I was pleasantly surprised that at first, this film presented a lot to laugh at and enjoy. It stars a bunch of Hollywood types playing versions of themselves and until the major plot line starts to unfold, I was actually enjoying it. Early scenes involving Michael Cera are actually really funny - the highlight of the film in fact.

But then bang, a stupid disaster struck and the story followed how the group (James Franco, Seth Rogan, Emma Watson, Jonah Hill etc) dealt with the fall out. I won't bore you with the details because they are dull, stupid and not funny.

And just when you think the film can't get worse, it does. And then worse again. And then worse again. In that sense at least, it's quite a triumph.

Definitely give it a miss.

Trailer here. But don't bother.

DESPICABLE ME 2 - film

So last night I went to a 4.45pm session of Despicable Me 2.

If you don’t know me, you won’t realise what a dilemma this created. I’m a bit of a politics and media nerd and the Gillard/Rudd spill was unfolding just as the lights went down and the movie started.

There wasn’t heaps of people in the cinema so I jumped up at sat in the back row in the far corner, the furthest I could be from anyone else in the cinema. I turned the brightness on my iPhone down to the lowest possible setting and figured I could keep an eye on how the spill was unfolding on Twitter by checking my phone under my coat.

So what did I think of the movie?

Nothing on account of the fact I barely watched it.

I pretty much just looked at Twitter the whole time to see the turmoil unfolding in Canberra.

I kept an eye on the other people in the cinema to make sure the light from my phone wasn’t disturbing anyone. I’m an ardent believer that if you can’t not look at your phone for two hours while you watch a movie YOU’RE A SELF-ABSORBED IDIOT.

Guilty, your honour.

With hindsight I should have just got up and left but if we all started living Kevin-Rudd-carpe-diem style the world would be a crazy place & Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales would be exhausted.

For what it’s worth, as I left the cinema with the other patrons, adults and kids, they seemed to have enjoyed it.

Trailer here.