Mini Reviews
Iron Man 2 (out Apr 29) is as good as the original. A well developed story which blurs the traditional line between good and evil. Who are the heroes and who are the villains? The finale is a little over the top (I guess it is an action film after all) but the performances are all good with Sam Rockwell my favourite as a suave weapons manufacturer. Make sure you stay for all of the end credits. Grade: B+.
The Concert (out Apr 29) is about a Russian cleaner who pretends to be a famous conductor and accepts an offer to perform at a famous theatre in Paris. He is doing this for reasons which become apparent as the film progresses. The story is hard to go along with at times but it finishes with a beautiful concert scene where a famous Tchaikovsky piece is played. Grade: B.
Accidents Happen (out now) is about a family which falls apart following a fatal car accident. Geena Davis (as the mother) and Aussie Harrison Gilbertson (as the teenage son) give strong performances. I loved the mother's metaphors. It was slow to start but it evolves into a nice, reflective movie with beautiful cinematography (which I'm always a sucker for). Grade: B+.
When In Rome (out Apr 22) is just not my thing. A rom-com about a young curator (Kristen Bell) who has a bunch of guys fall in love with her after she steals coins from a love fountain in Italy. Let's be honest. It's happened to all of us. Grade: C.
Hot Tub Time Machine (out Apr 22) is about four guys who travel back to the year 1986 and have a chance to restart their lives. I love the silly title but this film was a let down. There's lots of screaming and running around but not many laughs. 10 lame jokes for every good one. Grade: C+.
The Book Of Eli (out now) bugged me. It's set in a post apocalyptic world (ala The Road) and is about a guy (Denzel Washington) who has the last bible on Earth. There are some who are out to steal it from him. I'm sure there's a half-decent story here but I was too distracted by the plot holes. Some scenes were just too hard to believe. Not a fan. Grade: C+.
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (out now) is largley set in the year 1920 and focuses on the relationship between the French fashion designer and Russian composer. The film looks wonderful and the opening/closing credits are a perfect example. Sadly, I didn't feel any passion towards Coco and Igor. Don't know what they saw in each other. Igor was incredibly boring. Grade: B-.
Beneath Hill 60 (out Apr 15) is a true story set in World War I. Instead of fighting on the front line, a group of Australian soldiers are trying to infiltrate the enemy by tunnelling deep under ground. This film pays tribute to their bravery whilst telling a very interesting tale. Strong performances too. Grade: B+.
Date Night (out now) was weak. If you're going to make a film with no story, you need more laughs than this. It only provided a few chuckles. It stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a married couple who get caught up in a ridiculous caper involving two corrupt cops, a shirtless Mark Wahlberg and a flash drive. Nope. Grade: C+.
The Eclipse (out Apr 15) is an Irish film about a widowed man who has been hearing strange noises in his house at night. Ghosts? Or something else? He confides in notable horror author who is in town for a book festival. Does she have any answers? A cross between a romantic drama and a thriller. Not too bad. Grade: B.
The Last Song (out now) is a Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) adaptation. You know what that means? Tissues. Well, at least for some. It's about a rebellious 17 y/o girl (Miley Cyrus) being forced to live with her father over the summer. She meets a cute guy from a rich family and the two start going out. I wasn't too enthused by the story and the performances are average. Miley a better singer than actor. Grade: C+.
