Mini Reviews
Not Suitable For Children (out Jul 12) is an Australian film about a guy (Ryan Kwanten) who desperately wants to father a child when he learns he has testicular cancer and will have his ball removed in a few weeks. I’m sure people will see this because of Kwanten but Sarah Snook steals the film as his flatmate. A shame that so much of this film is hard to believe. Grade: B-.
Hysteria (out Jul 12) is a safe comedy set in the late 19th Century and centres on the man responsible for creating the vibrator (yes, that's right). The writers have tried a little too hard to make this a "feel good" flick but the charm of Hugh Dancy and Maggie Gyllenhaal will win the hearts of many. Grade: B.
The Three Stooges (out now) isn't a total write-off (as the trailer might suggest) but it's not a film I'd be getting too excited about either. You'll laugh at this assortment of moronic characters (particularly Larry David dressed as a nun) but the repetitive jokes get tired quickly. Grade: C+.
Katy Perry: Part Of Me (out now) was enjoyable. She's a talented artist and it's great to follow her adventures around the world in this documentary. The film feels a little too "nice" at times and it skirts the reasons behind her failed marriage to Russell Brand but for the most part, this is entertaining and easy to watch. Grade: B.
Ted (out Jul 5) works as a low-brow comedy. It's from the mind of Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) and centres on a thirty-something guy and his foul-mouthed teddy bear. The overall story is weak but it's worth seeing for all the great one-liners and the way it mocks a few big-name celebrities. Grade: B+.
The Amazing Spider-Man (out Jul 2) left me with mixed feelings. Liked Andrew Garfield and his "ordinary guy" persona. Loved his interplay with the charming Emma Stone (who can do no wrong). On the flip side, the storyline is messy and there's a weak villain. Still not sure why series needed a reboot so soon... but still worth a look. Grade: B.
Polisse (out Jun 28) is a French drama shot like a documentary. It takes us inside the lives of a group of people who work for the Child Protection Unit within the Paris Police Department. It tries to cover a few too many stories but this is still an eye-opening subject matter filled with interesting characters. Grade: B+.
Where Do We Go Now? (out Jun 28) is a nice, albeit simplistic tale, of a group of women in Lebanon who come up with a cunning plan to stop the men in their community from fighting. It’s a crowd-pleaser (no question about that) and whilst I don’t agree with the decision, I can why it won the Audience Award at Toronto last year. Grade: B+.
Ice Age 4: Continental Drift (out Jun 25) is ho-hum stuff. The series is looking tired and they're low on ideas. In this instalment, our friendly animals find themselves on the open water and battling pirates. There are only a handful of decent laughs and the story isn't that flash. Grade: C+.
That's My Boy (out Jun 14) has been trashed by most critics but hey, I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoyed it. This new Adam Sandler comedy is so silly and offensive, that I laughed quite often. I'm not sure if this was WITH the film or AT the film but regardless, I had fun. Grade: B.
Snow White & The Huntsman (out Jun 21) is great! I love how they've turned the story into an epic adventure. This is significantly better than Mirror Mirror (released earlier in the year). The production values are superb and Charlize Theron's chilling performance as the evil Queen will be remembered. Grade: A-.
