Mini Reviews
The Rite (out Mar 10) is a snooze-fest about a doubting priest who heads off to "exorcism school" in Rome. Lo and behold, he sees crazy stuff and becomes a believer. We've seen this story too many times before. This offers nothing new. The characters are boring, the subplots go nowhere and there are no scary moments. Grade: C.
Rango (out Mar 10) is about an anxious chameleon who gets caught up in a crazy adventure. The film attempts to distinguish itself but providing material for both children and adults. Other critics have been positive but I didn't like it. The story isn't told clearly enough, there aren't enough laughs for kids, and the characters themselves are hard to love. Grade: C+.
The Adjustment Bureau (out Mar 3) is an interesting concept but I wasn't sold on the execution. You'll be curious to know how it ends but it just doesn't generate enough suspense. Instead of losing myself in the story (as some will), I kept focusing on the flaws within this strange world. Grade: B-.
Hall Pass (out Mar 3) is batshit crazy. It's just so random. It revolves around two guys given a week's leave by their wives so they can sleep with whoever they want. There are breasts, penises and feces. If you're looking for shock value, there are more than a few laughs. The problem is that the story doesn't hold up well and the characters are hard to like. Grade: B-.
Wasted On The Young (out Mar 3) is an Australian film revolving around a high school party that goes horribly wrong. A girl is raped and differing versions of events are being spread through text messaging and social network sites. I'm not convinced there's a clear message and the ending is a bit silly. I still liked it however. It's stylishly shot and a features a decent storyline. Grade: B+.
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (out Mar 3) is the third and final film in this enjoyable series. This time, Lisbeth finds herself caught up in a huge government conspiracy. They want her silenced at any cost. It takes a while to get going but I enjoyed this movie much more than the second instalment. Ends on a satisfying note. Grade: B+.
The Way Back (out now) is the true story about a group of guys who escaped from a Russian labour camp during WWII and walked 4,000 miles to freedom in India. The film has been beautifully shot but there's only so much walking and hiking you can watch without getting bored. It ends on an unnecessarily abrupt note too. Grade: B.
Conviction (out Feb 24) is about a woman who goes to law school so she can help get her innocent brother out of prison (who is serving a life sentence). This is a fascinating story told in a not-so-fascinating manner. It's terribly fragmented. You're better off skipping the film and instead, spend a half-hour reading about it on the internet. Grade: C+.
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (out now) is a film I was brave enough to see. It's utter trash and we've seen these types of stories done too many times before. There's nothing original about it. That said, I did chuckle a few times and it's not the worst film of the year so far (as some have proclaimed). Grade: C.
Unknown (out now) is about an American professor who wakes up from a coma in Berlin and finds out someone has stolen his identity. This film requires you to stretch your imagination a long, long, long, long, long way. Long. You'll go along with it for a while (it's hard not to like Liam Neeson) but the more you think, the bigger the holes appear to be. Grade: C+.
I Am Number Four (out Feb 24) is about a kid from another planet who is hiding on Earth to escape some nasty alien creatures. You can tell it's based on a book as big chunks appear to have been left out. So much is not explained and you're left with a hollow action film with laughable bad guys. Aussie Callan McAuliffe is the best thing in it. He gets some great lines. Grade: C+.
