PHILOMENA /  by Cut to the chase

Loved this film. One of my favourites for the year I reckon.

Based on a true story, it follows a woman's (Philmomena, played spectacularly by Judy Dench) quest to find the child that was taken from her when she gave birth out of wedlock in Ireland in the early 1950s.

'Taken' is perhaps not the right word - it's much more complex than that and this film explores it all with the help of a journalist who's been commissioned by a newspaper to publish her story, played by Steve Coogan.

I've never been much of a fan of Coogan but this has changed that. He's brilliant in it.

Some parts are heart-breaking but there's funny and poignant moments too. I, and everyone else in the cinema it seemed, laughed and cried.

Go and see this, it's fabulous!

Here's a four star review from the Sydney Morning Herald with some interesting details about the background to Philomena's story and the film itself. "It's an immensely moving film, because of her capacity for forgiveness" the critic says, of Philomena. And boy, he's right.

Trailer here.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY - film /  by Cut to the chase

I'd seen the previews for this film and quite liked the look of it. It's about a guy played by Ben Stiller (more dramatic than comedic) who's a bit of a day dreamer and in his day dreams he's a lot more interesting and heroic than he is in real life. This film follows the adventure he goes on to solve a problem at work (he manages the photographs at the fictional 'Life' magazine) that gets him out of that unadventurous rut. There's also a bit of a love interest story running through it featuring Kristen Wiig, who I love.

 I was a bit disappointed. It's not bad, but it's not fantastic. If you're lucky enough to get to the movies often perhaps you'd include it in your wish list but if not, I'd give it a miss.

To provide you with an alternative view, there's this four star review in the UK Mirror. Certainly more glowing than I'd give it.

 Get the downlow on the story line in the trailer here.



ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES - film /  by Cut to the chase

There's a hell of a lot of hype and expectation weighing on this film. The original Anchorman film is a modern, oft-quoted classic. I mean, you still hear people say "Milk was a bad choice" despite the film coming out almost 10 years ago. And with good reason! It's a hilarious film which I and so many others loved.

So, how does Anchorman 2 weigh up? Well, the news on this is good. But not great.

The film goes for two hours and for about the first half the laughs just come flying at you. Hilarious, fantastic laughs that are just as good as in the first film. I was thinking to myself 'the storyline's a bit lame but it was in the first one too really' so you just roll with it and enjoy the wise cracks. But then the storyline gets, well, just a bit too ridiculous and the laughs dry up a little. Not completely though, don't get me wrong. The poor guy sitting next to me could easily be telling his friends "well the lady sitting next to me with a loud and annoying laugh certainly enjoyed it!" and that would be true. There's some killer, hilarious lines & I think my favourite was when, in celebration of a victory, Ron Burgundy says "perms for everyone!"... That and a shout out to Olivia Newton John which I won't spoil, really made me cack myself!

It's not as good as the first one and the two mates who I saw it with agreed. That said, definitely plenty of laughs and still worth the ticket price to go & see it, particularly if you liked the first Anchorman film. 

I think this three star review in the Fairfax press is about right for me.

Trailer here.




AMERICAN HUSTLE - film /  by Cut to the chase

I nodded my head knowingly when reading this review of American Hustle, in particular the line "How to best describe the irrepressibly convoluted plot? That takes some doing (as well). Let's go with Argo meets GoodFellas meets The Sting, with all three getting on like a house on fire." ... True that it's a hard one to explain but there's no need to label it, all you need to know is that it's excellent and you should definitely go and see it!

Fantastic cast and Christian Bale in particular impressed me. He is brilliant in this and has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his trouble. It also stars Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner and Bradley Cooper who are all excellent also. There is one rather alarming scene where Cooper has his hair in teeny tight rollers, briefly making him less worthy of the 'hubba hubba' label I'd usually attach to him but hey, the man takes his craft seriously.

Only downer for me would be the length - at 129 minutes, it's longer than I usually like my flicks.

However, five stars from the New York Times, 4.5 stars from both Margaret and David (I love it when mum & dad see eye to eye!)and 4 stars from The Telegraph UK makes a compelling case. If you need more, it's from the same director behind Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, two great films. You know what to do, folks.

Trailer here.





ONE CHANCE - film /  by Cut to the chase

This one is based on the true story of Britain's Got Talent winner, Paul Potts.

If you haven't heard of him, watch this clip to get a sense of his story but to cut a long story short, we're talking about a really nervous guy with dodgy teeth and one hell of a singing voice. Truly, watch the clip! I remember having it emailed to me back in the day. Remember when we had to email stuff like that around instead of sharing it on Facebook or Twitter? Ah, the good ol' days.

Anyway, according to this article in The Telegraph (UK), they've certainly taken some creative licence with the story, for what it's worth. You know, Hollywood-ed it up a bit.

One of the big draw cards on this one for me was the lead actor - James Corden who plays Smithy in Gavin & Stacey, possibly my favourite comedy TV show ever. He's great in this but not amazing. It's a pretty Smithy-esque performance to be honest.

The film is a nice one, easy to watch. It covers Paul's life leading up to the BGT performance and that's about where it ends, it doesn't give you a sense of what his life became after he won the show. It did drag a bit, felt longer than it actually was. Good but not great. Maybe wait for it on DVD.

Trailer here.

As an aside, I would like to make the following observation about the rather spectacular behaviour of a fellow patron in the cinema. She hobbled in on crutches with her leg in one of those long moon boot kind of things that goes right up your leg. She sat quietly through the trailers and ads and then WHEN THE FILM STARTED, she proceeded to tear apart the 385 pieces of lycra holding the leg brace on. Well it felt like 385, who knows how many there actually was. And you know why it felt like so many more than there was? You know what would be more annoying than someone swiftly undoing lycra all the way down their leg? SOMEONE DOING IT SLOWLY BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT WILL BE QUIETER AND BETTER. LADY, IT WAS NOT QUIETER OR BETTER, IT WAS SPECTACULARLY ANNOYING & YOU SHOULD TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT YOURSELF.

ADORATION - film /  by Cut to the chase

I've seen the trailer for this film many times and each time made me more sure I wanted to see it.

The premise is intriguing - two Australian women, childhood friends played by Robin Wright and Naomi Watts, hook up with each other's buff teenage (late teens, at least!) son.

I did enjoy this, but just not quite as much as I hoped I would.

There's some lines in the script that are actually laughable (interesting take on that particular issue here) and the two sons are so laconic that they verge on comatose! It's particularly so with one of the sons, played by James Frecheville who you might recognise from Animal Kingdom.

I read one review that described Robin Wright's Australian accent as "perfect"... Sorry, what?! I'm afraid I don't agree and her frequent use of the word 'Harold' in reference to her husband (Ben Mendelsohn) is a regular reminder. It comes out as 'Hair-old' in that American way and despite the fact that she's an excellent actor and her performance in this is good, it kept me wondering why they didn't just cast another Aussie beside Naomi Watts.

All that said, in spite of a few 'cons' with this one, it still remains a really interesting premise and Watts' and Wright's performances are excellent. I'd probably put this in the 'see it on DVD' category, don't rush out to the cinema and pay a lobster to see it. Good but not amazing.

Trailer here.


ENOUGH SAID - film /  by Cut to the chase

I really enjoyed this one, would happily recommend it.

It's a rom-com starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus & James Gandolfini (in the last movie role filmed before he died) but not a super cheesy rom com, one with a bit of intellect.
Margaret & David gave it 4 and 3.5 stars respectively on 'At the movies' & I concur.

Oh and Toni Collette plays a supporting role with her Australian accent and no one felt the need to give some naff explanation for it... Yay!

Trailer here.



ABOUT TIME - film /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase


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.


BLUE JASMINE - film /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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 /  by Cut to the chase

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.