Mini Reviews
Johnny English Reborn (out now) can't match the first two Austin Powers movies as a spy spoof but there were a surprising number of moments that left me chuckling. Rowan Atkinson does a good job portraying English as mistake-prone as opposed to be a complete moron. Grade: B.
Project Nim (out now) is a documentary that looked at interesting experiment that took place in the 1970s - could a chimpanzee be trained to live like a human? The whole "nurture v. nature" debate is explored with interest. Grade: B+.
The Smurfs (out now) wasn't good. I enjoyed how it mocks itself in places (e.g. why are all the characters named the way they are) but that's about the only positive I can come up with. Grade: C.
Footloose (out now) has an out-of-date storyline and is unlikely to satisfy dance lovers (I'm more a High School Musical fan myself) but it's harmless entertainment. Grade: B-.
The Cup (out now) revolves around the 2002 Melbourne Cup and how jockey Damien Oliver battled the death of his brother to win the race aboard Media Puzzle. The filmmakers have milked this story for all its worth but sadly, they've gone too far. It's like watching an afternoon soapie - you just get bogged down with caricatures and clichés. Grade: C+.
The Change Up (out now) is a film we've seen many times before - two guy wake up and find themselves in each other's body. Hilarity is supposed to ensue but there weren't nearly enough funny moments in this. Some parts (such as the crazy babies) were downright strange. Grade: B-.
Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (out now) is a documentary about a recently discovered cave system in France that contains drawings more than 30,000 years old. I didn't quite tap into Werner Herzog's deep, philosophical train of thought (evidenced from his narration and some of the odd interviews) but it's still interesting. Grade: B.
The Hunter is a compelling Australian drama about a guy in remote Tasmania in search of a Tasmanian Tiger. Not a lot of dialogue in places but the setting is beautiful and the story keeps building towards a moving climax. This film sucked me in quickly and Willem Dafoe is great (as always) in the leading role. Grade: A-.
Spy Kids: All The Time In The World (out now) must surely be the last film in this tired franchise. This convoluted plot (which will confuse most kids) is proof that they've completely run out of ideas. Grade: C.
Real Steel (out Oct 6) is set in the not-to-distant future and sees a father reconnect with his 11 y/o son thanks to a shared love for robot boxing. I didn't have many expectations going in... but this film was freaking cool! It has a spirit that is often lacking in CGI-laden action flicks. Hugh Jackman is terrific but the stand out is youngster Dakota Goyo. Audiences will love him! Grade: A-.
The Whistleblower (out now) is based on actual events and tells the story of a U.N. peace keeper who exposed a large human trafficking operation in Bosnia that involved many senior people. A few scenes felt Hollywood-ised but for the most part, this was a moving drama about an issue often kept out of the spotlight. Rachel Weisz strong in the leading role. Grade: B+.
