WEEKLY REVIEW ROUND UP 23rd June 2013

We have the best pick of films in a long time this week; especially welcome after last week’s poor group.  I couldn’t pick 'Movie of the Week' because they are all so good and so different.  There’s wonderful family films with Disney’s ‘Monsters University’ and ‘Despicable Me 2’—both equally good; then a great Blockbuster ‘World War Z’ and a beautiful independent film, ‘Still Mine’.  All films this week are worthy of your dollars.  You won’t be disappointed.

(They’re all top picks) My movie Pick of the week)

Still Mine ★★★★^½
Opens in Australia: 6^th June 2013
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

This doesn’t sound like an engrossing premise–a retired farmer building a house for his wife who suffers from dementia and comes up against bureaucracy.  Yawn right? 

But this is engrossing.  I kept thinking, whilst watching, why, why, do I love this so much. The answer is James Cromwell of ‘Babe’ fame.  He is mesmerising. They bandy the words ‘tour de force’ around so much in film promotions but, in this case, believe it.  Geneviève Bujold, playing his wife, is pretty remarkable too. 

I saw this on a screener (a DVD sent to reviewers when you can’t make the preview) and I wish I had seen it on the big screen-I think the full immersion of a darkened cinema would have had me sobbing. This is a special film. 

STUDIO BLURB

 In his first lead role after decades of playing supporting characters, James Cromwell gives a tour de force performance in STILL MINE, an exquisitely crafted and deeply affecting love story about a couple in their twilight years. Based on true events and laced with wry humor, STILL MINE tells the heartfelt tale of Craig Morrison (Academy Award (R) nominee Cromwell), who comes up against the system when he sets out to build a more suitable house for his ailing wife Irene (Academy Award (R)  nominee Geneviève Bujold).

Although Morrison uses the same methods his father, an accomplished shipbuilder, taught him, times have changed. He quickly gets blindsided by local building codes and bureaucratic officials. As Irene becomes increasingly ill - and amidst a series of stop-work orders - Craig races to finish the house. Hauled into court and facing jail, Craig takes a final stance against all odds in a truly inspirational story. (c) Samuel Goldwyn

World War Z ★★★★           

Opens in Australia: 20th June
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Woohoo this is a ride!  How can you go wrong? Brad Pitt. Zombies. And a good script.  Buy a big popcorn, spend the extra dosh on IMAX at Hoyts Cinemas in Australia, or whatever giant screen is nearest you, sit back and hang on.    Yippeeeee.  Our full review here with all the interesting behind the scenes facts: "Zombies Rule O.K.!”

STUDIO BLURB

  The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. (C) Paramount

  

Despicable Me 2  ★★★★
Opens in Australia: 20^th June
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

My family were not fans of the first Despicable Me so we weren’t skipping along to number two in anticipation.  Well what a surprise!  Great voice talent plus a solid script plus beautiful animation adds up to a film which the whole family will enjoy. Steve Carrell and Kristin Wig eat up the lead voice roles and the minions are simply hilarious.  There is a fantastic scene over the end credits well worth the extra entry price to see it in 3D.

The twelve-year-old harsh film critic and I have been officially converted to minion status. 

STUDIO BLURB

Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's worldwide blockbuster Despicable Me entertained audiences around the globe in 2010, grossing more than $540 million and becoming the 10th-biggest animated motion picture in U.S. history. In summer 2013, get ready for more Minion madness in Despicable Me 2. (c) Universal

  
Disney’s Monster’s University
★★★★

Opens in Australia: 20^th June, 2013
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

Disney Pixar’s Monsters Inc set a standard back in the early days of animation.  Our eldest watched it all through his babyhood and then childhood and we still all marvelled at the freshness and wit over twelve years later when we saw the re-release in cinemas of a 3D version. 

For the past year we’ve been taunted by trailers for the prequel 'Monsters University', so by the time we snuggled down into our seats we were ready for school with our pals, Sulley and Mike.  Pixar rarely misses with their animations and it was a wise move to bring these beloved characters back to the screen with a prequel, giving us insight into the friendship between the leads and the conflicts with characters like Randall.  Plenty of cameos abound from the original cast as their younger selves.

It’s charming, witty and full of heart.  And that’s Disney’s Pixar studios for you.  No need for them to go back to school.  My suggestion is to enrol your whole family in Monster University at your nearest cinema. 

Oh and the short, which always precedes a Pixar animation, ‘The Blue Umbrella’ is charming and clever.  Read our full review here: “Excelling in A-Grade Entertainment”

STUDIO BLURB

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn't always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn't stand each other. "Monsters University" unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends. -- (C) Walt Disney

World War Z ★★★★

Zombies Rule Okay!

Opens in Australia: 20th June
Other Countries: Release Information

          Zombies are the new black. You know they’ve entered popular culture when a respected actor like Brad Pitt stars in and produces a Zombie film via his ‘Plan B’ production company. “Five years ago, I knew nothing about zombies,” says Pitt. “Now, I consider myself an expert.”

Once residing in the B-grade domain, where no mainstream author or filmmaker would dare to go less they lose their take-me-seriously badge, Zombies have become a big draw in entertainment. This year alone, we have Warm Bodies (a zombie love story), The World’s End’ (a comedy coming soon), the third season of the very gory ‘The Walking Dead’ (the highest rated show on cable television), and now the thriller drama ‘World War Z’.

           The film began as a post-apocalyptic horror novel by Max Brooks entitled ‘World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War’ using a multi-person, testimonial style. Director, Marc Forster comments, “The novel’s approach did not lend itself to a motion picture screenplay. We did try to follow the narrative of the book but found, having gone through the process, the dramatic tension was significantly diminished, at least in cinematic terms.”

       And there is tension aplenty, along with zombies who don’t shuffle aimlessly; these guys run faster than a cheetah. In fact the quip, “You don’t have to outrun a lion to survive, just the other guy” played through my mind as each victim was pursued.

           From almost the opening scenes in Philadelphia, we are hurled into the action with Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), an ex-UN worker who in his past worked in volatile, dangerous political situations. He’s since given up the peril to be with his family, Karin (Mireille Enos) and their two daughters.

          When a rapidly spreading, zombie virus takes over the world, Gerry is the guy called to escort an expert scientist into zombie territory to track down ‘Patient Zero’. First though the UN must rescue him and his family from the infected city of Philadelphia; no mean feat when there are thousands of zombies everywhere zombifying healthy people in seconds with one bite.

       Gerry must then leave his family behind at the UN Headquarters, now a ship off the coast of the US, and travel around the world following clues in the hope of finding an antidote. 

          There are certainly some edge of the seat, gut-churning moments as Gerry and his military escort experience some back-against-the-wall moments.

        The action is extreme and realistic and, surprisingly, was filmed in Glasgow which doubled for Philadelphia—the cities share similar architecture, some of which was augmented during post-production. Veteran second unit director Simon Crane who orchestrated much of the ‘World War Z’ mayhem, shares, “We crashed over 150 different cars. We crashed the garbage truck and slammed Brad’s Volvo into an ambulance and various other things. It was big scale. At least 80% of the vehicles were written off. We shut down blocks and blocks of Glasgow for controlled car crashes outside the main buildings.”

         The other stars of the film, the zombies, were as real-life as the un-dead get. Creating crowd scenes which included zombies called for its own logistical feat, says producer Ian Bryce, “If you have 500 extras that need to look a certain way, that’s an awful lot of people required to get them ready. We were shooting one day with the full extra count and I remember coming on to the set and you literally couldn’t move because of the size of the crew that was there to get everyone ready. And then a couple hours later we sent the zombies away for a little break as we were going to do something else just with Brad and a few other people and it was like the set became barren. It was hilarious.”

         ‘World War Z’ is not just a film for the zombie or horror fans, its solid script and performances will please most thriller and action fans. Brad Pitt, despite his huge star-persona, rarely appears in blockbuster films, tending to prefer dramatic indie roles worthy of his acting talents. Thanks to his solid portrayal of an ordinary man with, literally, the world on his shoulders ‘World War Z’ is lifted a notch above the average.

       It’s Brad Pitt versus the zombies and the winner this time is the cinema-goer.

Monster’s University ★★★★

Excelling in A-Grade Entertainment 

Opens in Australia: 20th June

Other Countries: Release Information

Disney Pixar’s 'Monsters Inc' set the standard back in the early days of animation.  Our eldest watched it all through his baby and childhood and so did we, over and over. When we saw the re-release this year of a 3D version of the twelve-year-old film we still marveled at the freshness and wit.

Over the past year Disney has taunted us with trailers for the prequel ‘Monsters University’ (MU), so by the time we snuggled down into our seats we were absolutely ready to attend school with our pals, Sulley (John  Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal).  
Robert L. Baird who wrote the screenplay for 'MU' and the original, along with ‘Cars’ and ‘Tangled’ has the real ability to infuse true life into his characters.  He writes a script with depth and heart. Add to this the voice talent of John Goodman and Billy Crystal and magic happens making you totally forget you are watching animated characters. 

Pixar rarely misses with their animations and it was a wise move bringing these beloved characters back to the screen with a prequel, allowing us insight into the friendship between the leads and the conflict with rival scarer Randall (Steve Buscemi). 

It’s not many films where we enjoy clichéd characters but they work here played for laughs; the retrenched salesman returning to University as a mature age student; the pudgy kid nobody wants on their team; the stern Dean Hardscrabble (Helen Mirren) who takes no prisoners; the sport’s jocks who rule the campus; and the nerd kids.

We attend Monster’s University with Mike before he and Sulley became best friends; in fact, when they don’t even like each other.  Mike is the not-so-scary wannabe desperate for a career in the craft of scaring children, whose captured screams power the city of Monstropolis.  He spends all his spare time studying.  Sulley, son of a great scarer, doesn’t bother to study believing his fantastic roar and pedigree guarantees him an automatic pass.

After a mishap, which finds them both expelled, the pair is forced to team up, not just with each other, but the misfit O.K. (Oozma Kappa) fraternity to compete in the annual Scare Games which involve a series of inventive tests.  If they win, the entire team will gain admission into the Scarer programme. 

There are sub-plots galore and the Monster world is expanded imaginatively. Watch for fabulous cameos of Monster Inc. characters.

Since the original ‘Monster’s Inc’, animation fans expectations have grown and been dashed many a time.  Pixar led in the beginning and with the delivery of 'MU' they are still winning.   Perhaps we need a Pixar University for other studios to study the art of making films with heart.

Weekly Review Round Up 15th June 2013

It’s not been a great week in film releases, when I am tossing up between a so-so drama and “Fast & Furious 6” as my movie pick of the week.  “Mud” held promise but lost its way. Fast & Furious 6 for me is the equivalent of junk food you don’t need. Then we are left with an un-funny comedy and the worst sci-fi flick I’ve seen this year, possibly in the last five years.  Here’s to a better week next week.

 (My movie Pick of the week)

Mud ★★★^½
Opens in Australia: 13^th June 2013
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

It has a positive review rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 99% and fellow Perth reviewers loved it.   As much as I loved Director Jeff Nichols' previous 2011 film, “Take Shelter”, his latest film “Mud” felt, well…muddied. There were so many threads to this that the main story felt lost in the middle. 

It’s very Mark Twain and many have called it a southern fairy-tale but I like my fairies less dirty.  I also question some of the plot leaps Nichols makes, especially at the end. In fact, I couldn’t get passed the whole premise of Mud living on an island in the middle of a town in the Mississippi, lighting fires and scrambling around there and nobody but two teenagers find him despite the police and a gang looking for him. 

My interesting observation is that Reece Witherspoon as the rough-around-the-edges love of Mud’s life looks very much like the Reece Witherspoon of the real-life arrest video, “Do you know who I am?”  She’s not my favourite actress and Michael Shannon who gave one of the most powerful performances I’ve ever seen in “Take Shelter” is barely used.  So that I found annoying.  But I am the odd reviewer out here, so perhaps see for yourself and let me know what you think.

STUDIO BLURB

Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes fantastic scenarios-he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper, who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn't long until Mud's visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow. (c) Roadside Attractions

FAST AND FURIOUS 6

(Fans of franchise) ★★★★ (All others) ★★^½

Opens in Australia: 6^th June 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

OUR THOUGHTS

It’s breaking box office records in Australia but I am not the demographic for this movie so my opinion would not be useful, I am afraid.  It’s the only one I have seen of the Fast & Furious franchise and I am not into cars and overly muscled men. See the problem here?  So here are the opinions of the target audience moments after the film.  Hear these comments in excited voices with big grins on faces.

Twelve-year-old son:   “I loved it.  It had action from beginning to end and it was funny.  No slow bits like most action films.  And the music was fantastic. (I ended up having to buy some songs from the soundtrack for him)”

Hip, long-haired leather-jacketed guy, reviewer for a music and entertainment newspaper:  “Awesome.  Best of the entire series.  What a ride.”

Very cool girl in her twenties, works in publicity: “Loved it.  The music was fantastic.  I’m seeing it again in Hoyts’ Imax with the big screen and amazing sound.

Me:   I have a headache.  I need to go to bed. 

STUDIO BLURB

  Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of all-stars as the global blockbuster franchise built on speed races to its next continent in Fast & Furious 6. Reuniting for their most high-stakes adventure yet, fan favorites Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Elsa Pataky are joined by badass series newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano. Since Dom (Diesel) and Brian's (Walker) Rio heist toppled a kingpin's empire and left their crew with $100 million, our heroes have scattered across the globe. But their inability to return home and living forever on the lam have left their lives incomplete. Meanwhile, Hobbs (Johnson) has been tracking an organization of lethally skilled mercenary drivers across 12 countries, whose mastermind (Evans) is aided by a ruthless second-in-command revealed to be the love Dom thought was dead, Letty (Rodriguez). The only way to stop the criminal outfit is to outmatch them at street level, so Hobbs asks Dom to assemble his elite team in London. Payment? Full pardons for all of them so they can return home and make their families whole again. (c) Fox

The Internship ★★ ½     

Opens in Australia: 13^th June 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

 

OUR THOUGHTS

There is probably an interesting movie in here somewhere.  A peak into the corporate world of Google is quite a fascinating concept, just as “The Social Network” gave us a compelling insight into the mind of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook.  However, we probably would have been served better to watch a drama as opposed to a quasi-comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.  

It’s a by-the-numbers comedy without the comedy. You have the buddies trying to make good after losing their jobs, the girl who doesn’t like Owen Wilson but is won over by his dopey charm (it’s really getting old with Wilson—isn’t he sick of playing these roles?) and then you have the ending where it all works out and the underdogs prevail.  Hey, don’t yell “spoiler” at me.  You know what will happen the minute you buy your popcorn.  If you like un-funny comedies with middle-age guys with no charm then this one is for you.

STUDIO BLURB

  Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) are salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital world. Trying to prove they are not obsolete, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at Google, along with a battalion of brilliant college students. But, gaining entrance to this utopia is only half the battle. Now they must compete with a group of the nation's most elite, tech-savvy geniuses to prove that necessity really is the mother of re-invention. (c) Fox

AFTER EARTH ★

Opens in Australia: 13^th June 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

OUR THOUGHTS

INEPT adjective 1. without skill or aptitude for a particular task or assignment; maladroit:
       Inept is the first thought that entered my mind watching “After Earth” starring Will Smith & his acting challenged son Jaden.  M. Night Shyamalan (Sixth Sense) should never be allowed in a Director's chair again. Another reviewer friend commented he couldn’t believe adults made this movie.

How anyone outside High School (and I apologize to the bulk of High School students) could write a script like this and anyone with $140 million to rub together could actually spend money on making it is bewildering.  I could wax lyrical about the ridiculous plot-holes, the wooden acting and the bizarrely pathetic CGI but I will simply give you one of the lines spoken by Will Smith who has never been so bad in a role ever (saying a lot isn’t it?): “Both my legs are broken, one more badly than the other.”  How bad is that?  

What he is probably saying now to his son is: “One of our careers is broken, one more badly than the other.”  My thoughts are probably both equally.  Let us hope M. Night and the Smith Father-and-son team combined don’t get up and walk again too soon.

STUDIO BLURB

  A crash landing leaves teenager Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his legendary father Cypher (Will Smith) stranded on Earth, 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape. With Cypher critically injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help, facing uncharted terrain, evolved animal species that now rule the planet, and an unstoppable alien creature that escaped during the crash. Father and son must learn to work together and trust one another if they want any chance of returning home. (c) Sony

WEEKLY REVIEW ROUND UP 1.6.2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

This week the film everyone’s talking about and I disagree with the critics, THE GREAT GATSBY, a revenge drama with ‘that girl’, DEAD MAN DOWN, and a sweet, charming French Film CAMILLE REWINDS.

 (My movie Pick of the week)

The Great Gatsby
★★★★

Opens in Australia: 30^th May
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

In the first five minutes I was in love with The Great Gatsby. The vibrancy of colour, the magnificent sets, the sumptuous feel, (just like the story) just drew me in.  

It’s taken a caning from the critics and I fail to see why. All I can think is the Americans don’t like other nationalities playing with their stuff, even though they’ve played with everyone else’s.  Surely Meryl Streep has played every major accent on screen, the most recently Great Britains Thatcher. So Aussies can do American classics surely?

Having read the book some thirty years ago I can’t verify how close to F. Scott Fitzerald’s great novel Luhrmann has stayed, although a fellow reviewer assures me it is pretty close.  Watching this really makes me want to revisit the novel and if the film does nothing else, it certainly has drawn some people back to the book.

Leonardo DiCaprio makes a marvellous Gatsby and Carey Mulligan shines as Daisy, the woman he could never forget. This is also most probably the best role Tobey Maguire has played as narrator and author Nick Carraway. Hollywood has obviously snaffled Australian Joel Edgerton, who holds his own as Tom Buchanan; no mean feat when you are sharing the screen with DiCaprio.  There is also a multitude of Aussies in the mix you can have fun spotting.

It is the most mainstream of Baz Luhrmann’s films—although you can tell it’s a Luhrmann from the opening scenes—and therefore very accessible for audiences.  The Great Gatsby is one of those films which suits Gold Class or La Premiere.  It’s luxury viewing all the way. 

STUDIO BLURB

"The Great Gatsby" follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles. -- (C) WB

Dead Man Down ★★★^½

Opens in Australia: 23rd May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

OUR THOUGHTS

By the end of this movie I still couldn’t tell you why it’s titled ‘Dead Man Down’.  Call me thick but the title probably doesn’t help promote what is a pretty good drama revgenge mystery.  Noomi Rapace (the original Girl With A Dragon Tattoo actress, Prometheus) is the real deal when it comes to mesmerising portrayals.  And the role of a surly, introvert with a hidden past is Colin Farrell all over.

Niels Arden Oplev who also directed the 'Swedish Girl With A Dragon Tattoo' and is currently directing Stephen King’s ‘Under The Dome’ TV series  has a good feel for this type of brooding revenge mystery.   The ending is a little bit out there but certainly a solid drama that whilst a little messy is still enjoyable.

STUDIO BLURB

  Niels Arden Oplev, the acclaimed director of the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, makes his American theatrical debut with the new action thriller, DEAD MAN DOWN. Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace star as two strangers who are irresistibly drawn to one another by their mutual desire for revenge. The film co-stars Academy Award (R) nominee Terrence Howard and Dominic Cooper, from a screenplay by J.H.Wyman (Fringe). (c) Film District

Camille Rewinds ★★★^½
Camille redouble (original title)
Opens in Australia: 2^nd May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

It’s bright and breezy and Peggy Sue Got Married (1984) but with the French propensity for theatrics and humour.  It’s not a classic but still a sweet tale of remembering new love and the promise it brings and asking how can we maintain and cherish that through life’s ups and downs.

STUDIO BLURB

Abandoned by her lifelong love for a younger woman on New Year's Eve, 40-year-old struggling actress Camille awakens in a hospital bed as a 16-year-old girl again, and vows to save herself from the heartache that awaits her in the future. Camille was just a teenager when she fell in love with Eric, and had a baby. Flash forward 25 years, and the man she thought she would grow old with is walking out of her life. When Camille gets the chance to do it all over again, she decides to avoid Eric, and change her future. But before long she's falling for Eric's boyish charm all over again, an unexpected development that puts a serious wrinkle in her brilliant plan. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi