Mini Reviews
Sleeping Beauty (out Jun 23) is about a young uni student named Lucy who accepts a high-paying job with a secretive escort agency that specialises in fulfilling people’s fetishes and fantasies. It's beautifully shot but I'm not sure what the film is trying to say. I don't know who to recommend it to either. As a critic, consider me both deflated and defeated. Grade: C.
Kung Fu Panda 2 (out Jun 23) saw our beloved panda go on a journey to find inner peace. I wasn't as lucky. The animation is top-notch and there are a few laughs but this isn't as interesting or as heartfelt as the original. The villain (a goofy peacock) is boring and the storyline was average at best. Grade: B-.
Little White Lies (out Jun 16) is a French film about a group of friends who go on a two week holiday together. I didn't buy everything that the movie was selling but it definitely left me thinking afterwards. It makes some pointed comments about how self-centred we can be sometimes. Grade: B+.
Bridesmaids (out Jun 16) is too long for a comedy but it's definitely worth a look. Most will love it for its "laugh out loud moments" but I was more impressed with how it captured the reality of two childhood friends slowly drifting apart. Kristen Wiig delivers a standout performance. Grade: A-.
Oranges & Sunshine (out Jun 9) is the true story of the secret deportation of 130,000 foster children from the UK to Australia in the early-to-mid 20th Century. Director Jim Loach does a beautiful job capturing the heart and soul of its characters. Emily Watson is outstanding. A moving, emotional tale. Grade: A-.
Here I Am (out now) is about an Aboriginal woman released from a 2-year stint in jail who tries to reconnect with her daughter and get her life back on track. It's a worthy story but the poor performances are too much of a distraction. It makes it very hard to engage with the characters. Grade: B-.
Super 8 (out Jun 9) is awesome! It reminded me of films I loved growing up such as The Goonies and ET. How refreshing it is to see a Hollywood blockbuster focusing more on its characters and plot as opposed to action sequences and visual effects. The child actors are all brilliant and director JJ Abrams again proves his talent as both a director and storyteller. Grade: A.
Julia's Eyes (out Jun 2) is a Spanish thriller/horror about a woman with failing eyesight who is investigating the death of her twin sister. Parts of this story are too hard to go along with but director Guillem Morales uses a few cool tricks to keep you on your toes. Grade: B.
X-Men: First Class (out Jun 2) is cheesy, fun, action packed entertainment. It reiterates many of the themes from the earlier flicks and there is seldom a dull moment. As one who isn't familiar with the comics, I do think they tried to squeeze too much into this film. Some storylines are rushed and a few characters don't get the screen time they deserve. Grade: B+.
Soul Surfer (out now) is the true story of a teenager who loses her arm in a shark attack but goes on to be surfing champion. It may sound inspiring but this film is awful. The editing (particularly the surfing scenes) is messy, the dialogue is excruciatingly cheesy and the story is all over the place. One of the year's worst. Grade: C-.
Get Low (out now) is set in the 1930s and is about a grizzly old hermit who decides to throw a "funeral party" before he dies. I loved the cast but I found myself wanting more from this film (particularly at the end). Grade: B-.
