Mini Review - Verity
Verity (out Oct 1) is an underwhelming thriller. When an acclaimed author (Anne Hathaway) becomes paralysed after a car accident, a ghostwriter (Dakota Johnson) is brought in to continue her works. The first two acts are annoyingly slow. Drama finally arrives in the last 30 minutes, but the lack of credibility and general trashiness only add to the film's problems. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Digger
Digger (out Oct 1) isn’t perfect but it’s still one of this year’s “nuttiest” films. It’s a film with something to say about the environment, wealth, politics, power, art, humour, and parody. I’m also a fan of the general insanity, often illogical, that infuses each scene. Tom Cruise plays an insanely wealthy businessman whose negligence kick stars an environmental disaster. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - The Great Arch
The Great Arch (out Oct 1) is a great view. It delves into an interesting true story, but its larger impact is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between art and politics. Drawing from a recent novel, The Great Arch takes us back to 1982 when French President François Mitterrand launched a design contest to construct an iconic building in Paris’s business district. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Charlie Harper
Charlie Harper (out Sep 24) weaves back-and-forth in time and tells the story of a rocky relationship between two people. The fluid performances of stars Nick Robinson and Emilia Jones make this work. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (out Sep 17) continues the stellar run of this fun franchise. I'll say it before and I'll say it again - it's really cool having a stop-motion animated film that is easy to understand... yet doesn't feature a single word of dialogue. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - The Last Whale Singer
The Last Whale Singer (out Sep 24) is an animated adventure about an orphaned whale trying to save the oceans of the world with his soon-to-be-discovered singing voice. It's easy-to-follow but the simple storyline needed more oomph. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Heart of the Beast
Heart of the Beast (out Sep 24) is pitched as a tribute to military working dogs. A retired special Forces officer (Brad Pitt) and his loyal dog find must try to navigate their way out of the Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash. I wanted more action but I liked the characters and visuals. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Forgotten Island
Forgotten Island (out Sep 17) creatively blends different styles of animation and is an action-packed story about friendship and memories. It'll be too heavy/confusing for younger kids but it'll work perfectly for the teen and adult crowd. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Super Troopers 3
Super Troopers 3 (out Aug 6) is a disappointing instalment to the film series which began in 2001. If you like repetitive, low-brow toilet humour, maybe you’ll get some laughs from it. Grade: C.