Mini Reviews
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-.
Hugo (out Jan 12) is a fantasy that's tough to buy into at times (introduction could have been better) but it culminates with a wonderful feel-good ending. It's pretty to watch and sweet to listen to. The story is set in 1930s Paris and follows a young orphan who lives at a train station and goes in search of adventure. Grade: B+.
The Muppets (out Jan 12) is a wonderfully entertaining movie and it's great to see these loveable characters back on the big screen again. With plenty of laughs for both adults and kids, the Muppets come together for the first time in years to help reignite public interest and to save their theme park. The cameos are terrific. Grade: A-.
The Secret World Of Arrietty (out Jan 12) is a Japanese animated film (dubbed in English) based on Mary Norton's novel The Borrowers. A family of tiny people who live under the floorboards of a remote house find their future threatened. More could have been made of the concept and the old woman is a little too strange but this is still a sweet, likeable family film with a few nice quirks. Grade: B+.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (out Jan 12) is a great film in its own right. The story is interesting and the performances are strong. Rooney Mara is terrific! You can also see the stylish fingerprints of director David Fincher. All of that said, the film will feel a little too familiar to those who saw the Swedish original 2 years ago. Not sure if this remake was necessary. Grade: A-.
The Descendants (out Jan 12) is a thing of beauty. Director Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election) again proves his wizardry of mixing both comedy and drama to maximum effect. This is a touching story of a work-a-holic father who reconnects with his two daughters after their mother is badly injured in a boating accident. Grade: A.
