Mini Reviews
Greenberg (out Jul 22) stars Ben Stiller but it's more a drama than a comedy. About a neurotic guy from New York who is house sitting for his brother in Los Angeles. He befriends his brother's personal assistant and an unusual relationship then develops. These are interesting characters and they have many strange habits. Unfortunately, I didn't find the ending I was hoping for. Grade: B+.
The Runaways (out now) is average at best. It's the story of the all-girl rock band who found fame in the 1970s. I think I was supposed to feel empathy for these exploited teenagers but that wasn't the reality. I saw it as just another rock band movie with the usual highs and lows. Kristen Stewart was my pick of the cast. Good to see her in something other than Twilight. Grade: B-.
Creation (out Jul 15) looks at the difficulties that Charles Darwin faced before publishing "On The Origin Of Species" in 1859. Paul Bettany does a great job illustrating his character's demons that drove him to the point of insanity. I'm not convinced there's enough material here for a full movie but it's an interesting character study nevertheless. Grade: B.
Predators (out now) sees a group of strangers stuck in an forest being hunted by unknown creatures. How did they get there? How will they escape? Is this an episode of Lost? I don't mind the premise but I grew tired as the film wore on. Not as much suspense as I was hoping for. Grade: B-.
Knight And Day (out Jul 15) is a zany action comedy about a regular gal (Cameron Diaz) who finds herself helping a CIA agent (Tom Cruise) on the run. It's your standard over the top action film. I don't think this is as funny as it could have been. Maybe it was the script? Maybe it was Tom Cruise? All I know is that it doesn't all fit together. Grade: C+.
The Waiting City (out Jul 15) stars Joel Edgerton and Rhada Mitchell and is about an Aussie couple who travel to India to adopt a baby. Forced to wait a few days, cracks start appearing in their relationship and harsh truths are told. I felt the story was a bit up and down (the Isabel Lucas subplot felt pointless) but it warms to an emotional finale. Grade: B.
The Hedgehog (out now) is a slightly offbeat French drama about a 54 y/o janitor who becomes quite close with a new resident in her apartment building. I liked their story but I was not as interested in the 10 y/o neighbour who video tapes everything and contemplates suicide. I had my doubts in the early stages but the film develops into a touching tale. Grade: B.
The Karate Kid (out now) was better than I anticipated. A decent remake of the 1984 film which starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. This time it's Jaden Smith (Will's son) and Jackie Chan in the lead roles. It's too long at 140 minutes but it's nice to see a non-animated family film with a decent plot. They make the most of the Chinese locations too. Grade: B+.
Twilight: Eclipse (out Jul 1) is slightly better than the last film. There's not much to the story but it's still likeable. Is there more plot in the books? I sure hope so. There are also a few nice laughs and a decent climax. That said, I find the three leading characters pretty dull. Their romantic dialogue is bland and lacks passion. I much preferred Team Jasper, Team Alice and even Team Riley. Grade: B.
Food, Inc (out now) is a convincing documentary which looks at how major food producers in America have manipulated their products in pursuit of financial gain. I assure you that the meat we eat today is not the same as the meat we ate 50 years ago. This film left me both angry and depressed. Powerful stuff. Grade: A.
Marmaduke (out now) is based on the newspaper comic (yes, Hollywood has run out of ideas) and is centres on a loveable Great Dane who moves with his family from Kansas to California. New city, new adventures. We've seen these talking animal flicks many times before. This one offers nothing new. Grade: C+.
