Mini Reviews
Mini Review - The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (out Aug 13) follows Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as they try to stop a nuclear weapon from falling into the wrong hands. Their banter is amusing in the early stages but there aren’t enough laughs to make these guys interesting enough for a two-hour feature. Stylishly shot but light in terms of story and originality. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Iris
Iris (out Aug 13) is a short, simple documentary that tells the story of 93-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel. Her misadventures get a little repetitive in the later stages but this is still a sweet, feel-good film filled with many memorable quotes. Her personality is as bold as her attire. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Last Cab To Darwin
Last Cab To Darwin (out Aug 6) follows a man (Michael Caton) travels from Broken Hill to Darwin after learning he has terminal cancer. The way it handles the euthanasia is clunky (evidenced by Jacki Weaver's character) but there are some great conversations between the characters that help compensate. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (out Aug 6) is even worse than the 2005 film of the same name (and that's hard to believe). It goes through a lengthy introduction and then offers little in the way of pay-off. The tone is also askew with the film neither funny or dramatic. I'm not sure what director Josh Trank was aiming for. Grade: C-.
Mini Review - Trainwreck
Trainwreck (out Aug 6) is the Amy Schumer show. There are times when she is funny, loveable and engaging. There are times when she is cruel, selfish and insecure. Not everything in the film works but for the most part, it's a fun, crude romantic comedy with an outrageous central character and plenty of great one-liners. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (out Jul 30) features a stale storyline but director Christopher McQuarrie keeps us interested thanks to some wonderfully choreographed action sequences. Swedish born Rebecca Ferguson is the pick of the cast as an individual who seems to be playing all sides. A shame the film's keynote villain is so bland. He’s just another well-funded lunatic with a bunch of dumb henchman. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Far From Men
Far From Men (out Jul 30) can be described as slow or patient (depending on your mood). Set in 1954 on the eve of the Algerian War, the film follows a withdrawn school teacher who is asked to transport a local man on trial for murder. A grim character study about difficult choices we sometimes must make. Grade: B.
Mini Review - The Gallows
The Gallows (out Jul 23) is another "found footage" horror flick that offers a few decent thrills but not much else. It's centered on a high school who is staging a play that many believe to be cursed. Grade: C.
Mini Review - 13 Minutes
13 Minutes (out Jul 23) tells the tale of a German man who tried to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1939. His plan was quite remarkable (even though it failed) but the film focuses more on his background and motivations. It's therefore not as exciting as you might think. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Self/Less
Self/Less (out Jul 23) is an unevenly paced sci-fi thriller about a dying man who is given a new body... but he finds out it's been used before. The characters act stupidly and the screenplay rushes too quickly between its twists and turns. Face/Off did it much better. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Mr Holmes
Mr Holmes (out Jul 23) isn’t really a whodunit tale (despite what the title may imply). It’s a sad, heart-warming drama about an old, prickly man in desperate need of a connection. Featuring a great performance from Ian McKellen, it culminates with a memorable punch line that has something to say about the value of fiction when compared to reality. Grade: A-.