Mini Reviews
Chronicle (out now) is shot "home movie" style and is a cool, creative story about three guys who encounter something alien and then develop superpowers. How should they use them? There are a few gaps in the story but it's still entertaining. Also enjoyed the relaxed dialogue. A shame it hasn't been getting more publicity. Grade: B+.
Martha Marcy May Marlene (out Feb 2) is an affecting character study. It's about a vulnerable young woman (Elizabeth Olsen) who has spent two years inside a cult and is struggling to rebuild her life. Told using a fragmented narrative, writer-director Sean Durkin isn’t offering any easy answers… and nor should he be. Grade: B+.
The Artist (out Feb 2) is so nearly a perfect film. Doesn't get much more original and creative. A silent film set in the 1920s about silent filmmaking and the transition to "talkies". The film gets a little too bogged down with drama in the later stages but the comedic elements more than compensate. Grade: A-.
J. Edgar (out now) covers a lot of ground. It provides an interesting look into the history of the FBI, it examines the fine line between heroes and villains, and it explores the deep insecurities of the title character. Leonardo DiCaprio is terrific and I tip my hat to the talented make-up artists who allow this story to be told over more than half a century. Grade: A-.
Underworld: Awakening (out now) is not good. More time is spent watching these vampires and werewolves blow their brains out than telling an actual story. Have the writers run out of ideas? Or are they going to keep torturing us with more uneventful sequels? Grade: C.
Weekend (out Jan 26) is a warm, engaging story about two gay guys who meet in a nightclub and then spend the weekend together. Both are excited but neither wants to dive in too deep, too quickly. It's just these two characters for most of the film but they'll keep your attention. Writer-director Andrew Haigh does a great job capturing the emotions associated with a new relationship. Grade: A-.
A Few Best Men (out Jan 26) is a crude, crass, offensive comedy. It won't be for everyone but I loved it! We’ve seen plenty of movies where weddings go wrong but I don’t think too many have been this crazy and this outlandish. It's from the writer of Death At A Funeral, the director of Priscilla and stars a bunch of great stand up comedians. Olivia Newton-John is marvellous in a very different role for her. Grade: A-.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (out now) is a harmless, moderately fun adventure. Josh Hutcherson returns from the original and goes in search of an island that many believe don't exist. My problem with the film is that it all seems too easy. The characters have an instant explanation for everything and it lacks tension. Grade: B-.
The Darkest Hour (out now) is as bad as it looks. An awful sci-fi drama about a group of twenty-somethings trying to escape an alien invasion in Moscow. I liked the design of the aliens but that's my only positive. The story has too many inconsistencies, stuff isn't properly explained and the dialogue is stiff. Grade: C.
Young Adult (out Jan 19) is very good. It's not often the lead character in a comedy is so unlikeable but Charlize Theron is terrific as a 30s something woman who tries to break up a marriage to rekindle the romance with her high school sweetheart. The plot developments in the final third are worth the wait. Grade: A-.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (out Jan 19) is an intelligent, realistic spy thriller featuring a wonderfully subdued performance from Gary Oldman. He shows us that the life of a spy can be a gloomy, lonely existence (the reverse of a James Bond type movie). Based on the novel by John le Carré, this film is not to be missed. Grade: A-.
