Mini Review - Caught Stealing
Caught Stealing (out Aug 28) is the latest from director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream) and is an entertaining tale involving gangsters and drug dealers. I like a protagonist with vulnerability and Oscar nominee Austin Butler is terrific in the lead role. You have a clear sense of the physical and emotional pain his likeable character endures. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Honey Don't!
Honey Don't! (out Aug 28) in from Oscar-winner Ethan Coen and taps into my own warped sense of humour. Instead of building to a finale where all subplots are wrapped up, it's a film to be enjoyed for the dark humour and conversations along the way. The performances are distinctive - headlined by Margaret Qualley as a private detective looking into the strange death of a new client. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Ne Zha II
Ne Zha II (out Aug 28) is a very good Chinese animated feature (dubbed into English) about young heroes trying to save the world. There's a bit too much going on at times (lots of subplots) but I applaud the animation, the sound, the music. This is top shelf quality. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - The Ballad of Wallis Island
The Ballad of Wallis Island (out Aug 28) is a quirky comedy set on a remote island about a wealthy man who helps reunite a music duo he's long admired. The odd premise kind of works... but I'm not convinced there's enough narrative to make the idea last for 100 minutes. Grade: B.
Mini Review - The Thread
The Thread (out Aug 28) is a French drama centred on a defence attorney representing a man charged with his wife's murder. It brings back memories of the brilliant Anatomy of a Fall (in that's French and it's a courtroom based whodunit) but the characters aren't as interesting. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island (out Aug 21) is an Aussie film about a snobby young actress who returns to South Australia after a stint in Hollywood and must deal with family woes. Some subplots lack credibility (especially the U.S. scenes) but when it focuses on the interactions with her dad and sister, it's a moderately interesting drama. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Relay
Relay (out Aug 21) keeps you thinking and keeps you on your toes. It's an excellent spy thriller with a heightened focus on "method". Instead of using the two hours to create backstories regarding families and love interests, it gets into the nitty-gritty of “spy work” and the creative ways they avoid detection. It's fun, slick entertainment with a great lead performance from Riz Ahmed. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - The Naked Gun
The Naked Gun (out Aug 21) is a hit-and-miss revamp of the spoof comedy trilogy made famous by Leslie Nielsen between 1988 and 1994. A few jokes are overdone/predictable but there's also some great gags you won't see coming. Star Liam Neeson can't quite match the late Nielsen but he gives it a good crack. Grade: B.