Mini Reviews
Mini Review - Infinitely Polar Bear
Infinitely Polar Bear (out Mar 26) is the story of a man battling bipolar disorder while trying to win back his wife's affections and care for 2 young daughters. While it doesn't pack a strong emotional punch, it certainly highlights how tough life can be. Grade: B.
Mini Review - A Little Chaos
A Little Chaos (out Mar 26) is set in the year 1682 and is centred on a female gardener (Kate Winslet) commissioned to build a jaw-dropping display for King Louis XIV of France at his new palace in Versailles. It's a very "niche" storyline that left me feeling unsympathetic towards its characters. Nicely shot though. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Dior & I
Dior And I (out Mar 26) is a documentary that takes us inside the House Of Christian Dior as newly appointed designer Raf Simons pulls together his first haute couture collection. It's a film designed for fashion lovers and while I don't fit into that category, the passion that the workers have for their profession comes through strongly. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Cinderella
Cinderella (out Mar 26) is colourfully shot, has some great dialogue, and its themes come through loud and clear. Above all else, the best reason I can give to see this film is Cate Blanchett. She’s incredibly good as the evil stepmother. It's just a shame the premise is somewhat “out dated”. I'd have preferred the title character to have a little more spark. Grade: B+.
Mini Review - Get Hard
Get Hard (out Mar 26) is being deliberately controversial by making jokes about race, sexuality, domestic violence, and rape (there's plenty of those). I'm fully supportive of provocative comedy but it needs to be funny and it needs to have a point. Both of those qualities are missing here. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Leviathan
Leviathan (out Mar 26) is a Russian drama that earned a foreign language Oscar nomination. Director Andrey Zvyagintsev challenges the audience by not showing several key events. As a result, you need to focus not on what happens... but rather how characters react. The plot is forever shifting and this is a riveting, unsettling piece of cinema. Grade: A-.
Mini Review - Love Is Strange
Love Is Strange (out Mar 19) is a sweet, simple drama that revolves around two guys who have been in a relationship for 39 years. When the main breadwinner loses his job, their lives suddenly become problematic. This is a character-driven film and while feels drawn out through the middle stages, it finishes on a heartfelt note. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Insurgent
Insurgent (out Mar 19) comes with a moderately intriguing storyline but the character development is a few notches below what has been achieved by the similar Hunger Games franchise. It'll be interesting to see if this film can finish on a high with the last two films. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Big Eyes
Big Eyes (out Mar 19) chronicles the true story of a American woman who made beautiful paintings... only for her husband to take all the credit. Amy Adams is the standout with her shy, reserved performance. Christoph Waltz is too over the top. An interesting story but not quite enough material to last 100 minutes. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Home
Home (out Mar 19) is a Dreamworks Animation feature about a "friendly" alien race who take over Earth, and a young human girl in search of her lost mother. The introduction is rushed, the premise is thin, and the message is convoluted. Surprisingly disappointing. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby
The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby: Them (out Mar 12) is the story of a married couple who have grown distant after a tragic event. It deftly illustrates the mindset of someone battling depression (where thoughts don't always make sense). Grade: A-.