Mini Reviews
A Separation (out Mar 1) won the Oscar for best foreign language film and now I know why. An outsider could see these characters as deeply flawed. That’s not the reality however. Writer-director Asghar Farhadi slips us into their shoes and we appreciate each of their perspectives. Life is rarely clear-cut and you can’t always rely on a textbook when faced when a tough ethical dilemma. Do see this movie. Grade: A.
Carnage (out Mar 1) is easy to describe. It is set entirely within an apartment building and the whole movie is spent watching four characters engage in a heated debate. Perhaps this story works better on stage… but I honestly don’t know what all the fuss is about. The story and dialogue felt so horribly contrived. That said, I did enjoy the humorous insults (particularly those from Christoph Waltz). Grade: B-.
Like Crazy (out Mar 1) is a nice, sweet, simple romantic drama about long distance relationships. It won the audience award at Sundance and the performance of Felicity Jones highlights her natural ability. I can't wait to see her in more roles. Grade: B+.
Late Bloomers (out now) is about two boring people who live a boring life. For that reason, this is a boring film. Both of these characters are in their 60s the story revolves around their relationship breakdown and their struggle to deal with "old age". Grade: C+.
Gone (out now) is a limp thriller about a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) who believes her sister has been kidnapped by a serial killer. No one believes her (including the cops) because of her recent stint in a mental asylum. I went along with this story and its dumb characters for a while... but the pathetic ending left me running for the exit. Grade: C.
Contraband (out Feb 23) is a pretty average action-thriller. I’m a fan of Mark Wahlberg and I think he’s put together a solid resume (mixing many genres) but this should have been better. It meanders along with poor developed characters and culminates with a weak finale that tries too hard to please. Grade: C+.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (out Feb 23) is a peculiar film. It's about a 9 y/o boy who, following the death of his father in the 9/11 disaster, roams New York City and tries to find the lock that fits a mysterious key. I loved newcomer Thomas Horn (despite was others say) and his awkward nature. The plot is a little hit-and-miss however. Some parts drew me in whilst other, not-so-believable parts, pushed me away. Grade: B+.
Killer Elite (out Feb 23) centres on a retired mercenaries who is roped into performing one last job - killing three former SAS agents under instruction from a wealthy Oman sheikh. This is trying to be an intelligent action film (it’s based on a true story) but it fails due to poor character development (hard to keep up at times) a few too many gaps in the story. Grade: C+.
One For The Money (out now) is a dreadful action-comedy-whatever starring Katherine Heigl as an unemployed woman who takes a job as a bounty hunter and goes after an ex-cop who skipped bail... and who just so happens to be her first boyfriend. The script is all over the place and I almost fell asleep due to the lack of laughs. Grade: C-.
The Grey (out now) is a decent action-thriller about 7 guys who survive a plane crash in remote Alaska and have to find their way back to civilisation. The freezing conditions will test their fortitude... but their real worry will be a pack of vicious wolves looking for their next meal. The back story seems unnecessary but the action scenes have been nicely shot and choreographed. Grade: B+.
This Means War (out now) is terrible. Two CIA agents fall in love with the same girl and use any means necessary to win her affections. Ok, I realise rom-coms aren't my favourite genre but this story is dumb and the characters are morons. Grade: C-.
