Mini Reviews
Dear John (out Mar 4) is spread across a number of years and is about a young soldier's (Channing Tatum) relationship with his autistic father (Richard Jenkins) and his first true love (Amanda Seyfried). Jenkins is amazing. His performance brought a tear to my eye. I was a little bored though by the war and "letter writing" sequences. From the same author of The Notebook and I can see the similarities. Grade: B.
Alice In Wonderland (out Mar 4) is like the first Narnia movie - except not as exciting and not as adventurous. It lacks passion and it feels like you're just going through the motions. 3D is under utilised too. Aussie Mia Wasikowska was the only strong point - she's nice in the leading role despite the script giving her nothing to work with. Director Tim Burton's best days are behind him. Grade: C+.
The Men Who Stare At Goats (out Mar 4) has some big name stars (Clooney, Bridges, McGregor, Spacey) and is about an experiment within the U.S. army where men were trained to use super powers to subdue the enemy. I would have rather watched actual men stare at actual goats for 90 minutes. This is just stupid. What was the point? I didn't get it. Grade: C.
A Single Man (out Feb 25) is about an English professor (Firth) who is struggling to overcome the sudden death of his long time partner (Goode). With less dialogue than you'd expect, director Tom Ford (a fashion designer by trade) lets his camera do the talking. I loved the facial close ups and creative mix of colours. A beautiful movie. Grade: A.
The Blind Side (out Feb 25) is based on a true story. A wealthy family takes in a homeless teenager and helps him with studies. When they realise his potential on the football field, doors start opening and a lucrative college scholarship beckons. Sandra Bullock has never been better. I also like the screenplay which doesn't get bogged down with drama. It's a happy, feel-good crowd pleaser. Grade: A-.
From Paris With Love (out now) features the unlikely combination of John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. They play two government agents who go on a killing spree across Paris (well, Travolta does all the killing) in an effort to destroy a terrorist cell. It tries to be a little different but in the end, it's just another forgettable action film. Grade: C+.
Girl Clock (out Feb 25) is a black comedy set in Brisbane about a middle aged woman who wants to get pregnant but can't find the right man. The clock is ticking. I had my doubts after the first 10 mins but it develops into something quite good - with a few unexpected laughs and plot twists. Made on a budget of next-to-nothing, here's your chance to support Brissy cinema. Grade: B+.
Shutter Island (out Feb 18) is a Martin Scorsese thriller about a U.S. marshal (DiCaprio) who goes to a secret mental institution for the criminally insane to investigate the disappearance of a patient. He knows that something isn't quite right. There's a plausible twist and decent performances but it's a touch long and not exactly "edge of your seat stuff". Grade: B+.
Crazy Heart (out Feb 18) is the story of an alcoholic country 'n' western singer (Jeff Bridges) trying to revive his sagging career. A young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) then enters his life, offering a chance at a fresh start. With a brilliant performance by Jeff Bridges, this is a beautifully told drama with a superb soundtrack. Will be one of the year's best. Grade: A.
A Prophet (out now) is largely set in a French prison and is about a young Arab man who becomes close with an ageing Mafia boss and uses it to his advantage. Very violent in places, it won the runner-up prize at Cannes and has been nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars. A little long and not quite as good as I hoped. Grade: B.
The Hurt Locker (out Feb 18) centres on an American solider who defuses bombs in Iraq. He's a "loose cannon" and his reckless disregard for protocols threatens both himself and his unit. This is a well made, well directed film with intense scenes. Despite all the award buzz, I don't think it's the best film of the year. I had small issues with the ending and the mindset of each solider. Grade: A-.
