With the Marvel Cinematic Universe now officially settling in to Phase 2 of its film franchises there has been a distinct trend of darker more intense storylines coming to the fore. The Avengers really set a huge bar for them to try to match and the expectations are high. With Captain America: The Winter Soldier they…
If you don’t end up walking out of this movie with a nostalgic tinge for your childhood or singing “Everything Is Awesome” or wanting to buy Lego then you must be a robot. This movie has been one of the hotly anticipated films of the year and with good reason. A combination of stop motion…
Nymphomaniac, stylised as NYMPH()MANIAC (yes, the use of brackets is what you think it signifies), is definitely an ambitious outing for Lars Von Trier, yet coming out of the cinema, I don’t know why I should have been feeling any sense of surprise regarding the film’s content matter or the way in which is was…
Concert movies are a rare breed. It goes without saying that if you’re not a fan of the music of that particular musician or band, then you’re probably not going to have a fun time. Road to Austin, however, is somewhat of an oddity – because even if you’re not familiar with any of the…
Half of a Yellow Sun should be a good film. A critically acclaimed novel, an emotionally charged historical period, an all star pedigree – on paper, you’d be forgiven for approaching the film with high expectations. Sadly, it’s an unfortunately undercooked melodrama that feels decidedly half baked. Set within 1960s Nigeria, headstrong twin sisters Olanna…
There’s been a lot of debate about this film, from many angles and many outlets and many voices. On the one hand it depicts an enormous natural disaster with large scale action sequences the likes of which we see in Hollywood blockbusters as a dime a dozen. On the other, it focuses on a very…
The reviews have been so particularly harsh for I, Frankenstein that you would expect to actually enjoy the film; having your standards dropped so low that surely semi-competent performances by Aaron Eckhart; and Bill Nighy could be enough to derive at least some satisfaction. Right? Wrong. The film is as unimpressive as you’ve probably already…
The musings of a self obsessed man-child might have been a more apt title for this film. Whilst on one-hand it could be held up and examined as a simple artful drama revolving around human behaviour spiralling out of control, it could just as easily be seen as a self indulgent, unsympathetic look at a…
Jump throws its hat into the ring alongside other intricately woven crime comedies such as Rock n Rolla and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, working with situational humour and solid investment in story set-up, to unravel a finale that falls into place almost seamlessly. Based on a stage play of the same title by…
The Time Being is one of those slow burning films that seems to take hold of one’s mind in a gentle unrealising way. The poignant undercurrent of the film would be nought, without the skilful persuasion of notable actors Frank Langella (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Robot & Frank, Superman Returns) and Wes Bentley (Lovelace,…
Scarecrow is another disenchanting cookie cutter, urban legend based horror TV movie, in a long list of similar movies under Director Sheldon Wilson’s belt. It’s not that the actors aren’t semi-decent, in fact there are some familiar names amongst the cast, Lacey Chabert from Party of Five anyone? Or that the special effects aren’t top…
Sometimes out of the horror of war there are unusual and intriguing stories to be told. One of these is that of The Monuments Men, a group of civilians tasked with rescuing stolen art masterpieces and culturally important work from the Nazis and returning them to their rightful owners. From the opening sequence we are…
“Sometimes silence is a scream.” Such is the conclusion the unnamed protagonist of The Missing Picture comes to, after pondering his father’s starvation-suicide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. The unusual style of this poetic documentary is anchored by the intricate clay figurines made for the film, representatives of the Old and New people…
When such a well-loved TV series like Veronica Mars is given a new lease on life, it’s that much more special and significant when it is made possible by the fans. The Kickstarter campaign which saw a $2 million goal attained in rapid time brought the Kristen Bell-led cast back to loving arms of the…
How much you will enjoy 300: Rise of an Empire really depends on how you felt about the first film. While the first 300 was mildly engaging with its plot, thoroughly entertaining with its action, and awesome with its effects, our second outing – complete with new director Noam Murro – is too excessive to…
The Transitions Film Festival prides itself on screening a program of world-changing documentaries. This year is no different, and the festival included documentaries about important subjects; true stories from around the globe to challenge and inspire the viewer. One such documentary is Growing Cities. The hour-long film covers the topic of urban farming, following film makers Dan…
The Wind Rises (Kaze Tachinu) is the much heralded and final offering from legendary Japanese animated feature film director of Studio Ghibli fame – Hayao Miyazaki. In true Miyazaki style, it is loosely based on historical events steeped deeply in fantasy and adventure. Although this film is a highly fictionalised biography, it pays tribute to…
Good old Mick Taylor, every backpacker’s worst nightmare come to life, there’s nothing like a rifle wielding, redneck lunatic bearing down on you in nowhere Aussie bushland, to get the heart racing. But why was this particular homicidal maniac so appealing? Enough to rake in over $27 million in box office sales worldwide, with a…
Were you aware of the centuries old space dust you breathe in daily? Or the billions of micro-organisms thriving on your body right now? Mysteries of the Unseen World 3D brings these little known facts to life, uncovering an invisible world, too fast, too slow and too small for the human eye. A feat of…
When I think about movies like Non-Stop, I like to imagine a bunch of guys in suits sitting around a table, somewhere in a Hollywood boardroom, with an elaborate multiple choice flowchart spread across the table. It’s littered with options, and the guys around the table work their way across and choose from the options. “So……
The transitional space of the open road appears to be the setting most conducive to good storytelling for director, Alexander Payne. He gave us a disheveled Jack Nicholson on a mission to travel across the US to sabotage his daughter’s approaching wedding in About Schmidt (2002), a heartbroken Paul Giamatti taking a wine connoisseur’s tour…
Stylish and brutal, Lone Survivor refuses to hold your hand during its harrowing 121 minutes, while you gasp and squirm at the incredibly uncomfortable fate of four U.S Soldiers deployed in the lonely mountains of Afghanistan. Based on the true story of 2005’s failed Operation Red Wings, this film handles the unquestionable dangers of Navy…
If you’re making a film “based on a true story”, what responsibilities do you have to your true story? It’s a question that’s been raised several times over the past year – with several major details of The Butler proving to be fabricated, and the truths of 12 Years A Slave called into question, it bears discussion as to…
Every year, it seems there is a film that deals with more than its fair share of controversy, and Blue is the Warmest Colour was that film in 2013. A film that needs no introduction if you’ve heard any of the stories; since its Palme d’Or win back in May, it seems Blue has barely…
Date movies are a given every Valentine’s Day. Usually doomed romances or wildly unrealistic melodramas, they serve their purpose for that one day of the year and are more often than not instantly forgotten. Despite what its When Harry Met Sally inspired poster suggests, Are We Officially Dating? (aka. That Awkward Moment) is a welcome alternative to the normal Valentine’s…
Take two of Hollywood’s heavy-weight legendary actors, both who’ve previously starred in boxing related films, throw in as many nods as you can to the sport, as well as a good helping of comedy and a little drama and that pretty much is Grudge Match. Two aging boxers Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy…
Long weekends don’t usually end up changing your life. Henry is in that tricky period of being 13 years old and belies wisdom beyond his years in choosing to live with his single mother Adele who is coping with depression, played by a beautifully elegiac Kate Winslet. The story is set in 1987 and revolves…
“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin … People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart” With such beautiful and moving lines, gracefully unaltered from the original source material…
Take some of Hollywood’s greatest actors all in their twilight years and the storyline from The Hangover and you basically have Last Vegas, with a lot more tact and an evenly balanced dose of comedy and drama. A lot less risqué but I guess that’s what happens when you’re targeting the baby-boomer market. Meet our…
A free black man living in New York, Soloman Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) accepts a job working as a violinist with a circus, does a few gigs in different cities and ends up in Washington. His travel companions trick him, sell him in to slavery and, as the title suggests, the film tells the story of…
