Mini Reviews
Lucky Country (out now) is a heavy Australian drama set in the year 1902. A 12 year old boy is watching his family fall apart. His mother died a month ago, his father is struggling to make ends meet, and his older sister is looking to leave home. The arrival of three strangers to their remote home will change everything. It's pretty grim but the story is strong and the cinematography is excellent. Grade: B+.
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince (out now) is disappointing. The two and a half hours flew fairly quickly but there's a noticeable lack of action, a lack of suspense. Some sub-plots are woefully underdeveloped and too much emphasis is placed on the romantic elements of JK Rowling's novel. The worst in the series to date. Why are they letting David Yates direct the last two films??? Grade: B-.
Winged Creatures (out now) is about the different ways in which we deal with grief. A man walks into a diner and kills two people. Those who witnessed the atrocity struggle to make sense of it all. This ensemble piece of Australian director Rowan Woods (The Boys) stars Guy Pearce, Forrest Whitaker and Kate Beckinsale. Not brilliant but it held my attention. Grade: B+.
The Burning Season (out now) is a great documentary which looks at the burning of forests in Indonesia and what one Australian is doing to try to stop it. It was an eye-opener for me in terms how difficult it is to reach a universal consensus on fighting global warming and also on what is involved in a carbon emissions trading scheme. Grade: A-.
The Merchant Of Venice (out now) wasn't Shakespeare's best play and this isn't his best adaptation. The film was made in 2004 and is only now getting an Australian release. Why? Grade: B-.
Public Enemies (out Jul 30) is a terrific new film from Michael Mann. Set in the 1930s, it focuses not just on John Dillinger's famous bank robberies but also on the methods used by the police to hunt him and his cronies down. There are some great shoot-outs (with archaic rifles) and strong performances, particularly from Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. Johnny Depp was not quite as good. Grade: A-.
My Life In Ruins (out Jul 16) did not appeal to me at all but it's a semi-decent feel good flick that will please many filmgoers. Its the story of an American tour guide (Nia Vardalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and her latest trip around Greece with a bunch of misfits. Yes, it's predictable but it is only meant to be fun. It brought back memories of my own Contiki Tour across Europe in 2004. Grade: B.
The Fox & The Child (out Jul 9) is a beautifully shot film from Luc Jacquet, director of March Of The Penguins. It's the tale of a 10 year old girl (the only human in the entire film) and her year-long friendship with a curious fox who lives in the woods beside her home. The story isn't too deep but it's nice to see a family orientated film that has some originality. Grade: B+.
Chéri (out Jul 23) is an unorthodox love story set in 1920s Paris about an ageing courtesan (Michelle Pfeiffer) who has a fulfilling relationship with the much younger son (Rupert Friend) of a close friend. Given their age difference, can it last? UK Director Stephen Frears does a great job keeping it light, fun to watch... which makes the final scene shockingly brilliant. Best ending of the year. Grade: A-.
Last Ride (out Jul 2) is a well-paced Australian drama. A rough looking guy (Hugo Weaving) and his 10-year-old son are on the run from the authorities in the remote outback. How did they end up here? The answers are slowly revealed. What "makes the film" is the exploration of the relationship between father and son. The film's website phrases it perfectly - it's both "beautiful and harsh." Grade: A-.
Bruno (out Jul 9) is what it is. Love it or hate it, the film will generate an emotional response from you. That's all that Sacha Baron Cohen wants. Some scenes left me crying with laughter. Other scenes left me shocked, offended and questioning Cohen's motives. Is there more to this film than pure shock value? I'm not sure. And I don't care what anyone says - the whole thing is staged. Grade: B+.
