Mini Reviews
Jucy (out Nov 3) is the tale of two twenty-something women living in Brisbane who are at a crossroads in their life. I saw this at BIFF a year ago and it's nice to see it getting a cinematic release. It has a great sense of humour (some jokes left me laughing out loud) and explores a number of issues which Gen Y folk will be able to relate. Grade: A-.
Anonymous (out Nov 3) puts forward a theory that Shakespeare was never a playwright. Rather, it was another man who penned the famous works in an attempt to undermine the Queen. I didn't like this. The story jumps back and forth in time and I struggled to keep up with each character and their motives. Grade: B-.
Our Idiot Brother (out Nov 3) features an odd assortment of characters that aren't all that funny. It's about a guy (Paul Rudd) who lives his life as somewhat of a "bum", much to the disappointment of his extended family. There are a few nice moments late in the film but it takes a long time to get going. I can understand why it's only getting a limited cinematic release. Grade: B-.
Autoluminescent (out now) is a documentary that traces the life of Australian rock artist Rowland Howard. He's an interesting subject matter but there seemed to be a few too many "talking heads" and not enough footage to make this truly compelling. Grade: B.
In Time (out Oct 27) is a standard action-thriller with some gaping plot holes. It's set in a bizarre parallel universe where time is money (and I'm not speaking metaphorically). The concept looked interesting on paper but I must report that the finished product is "a waste of your time". If you think that reference is lame, wait until you hear some of the others in the film. Grade: C.
Warrior (out Oct 27) is the story of two brothers who haven't spoken in years who enter a lucrative mixed martial arts competition with a "winner takes all" prize of $5 million. It's hard to believe at times but still likeable. Strong performances from Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte. Was hoping for a little more resolution with the father-son relationships at film's end. Grade: B.
Judy Moody & The Not Bummer Summer (out Oct 27) doesn't have anything for adults but this story of a young girl trying to brighten up her summer with a series of exciting activities should keep the kids amused. I'm not quite sure how the "points" system in the film works but I'll go along with it. Grade: B.
Drive (out Oct 27) is a crazy action-thriller (and I say that in a good way). It starts out fairly innocuously and then takes a few unexpected turns (some of them quite violent). The soundtrack is one of the year's best and Ryan Gosling is perfect in the leading role. A shame his relationship with Carey Mulligan is underdone. Grade: A-.
Contagion (out now) shows the world degenerating into a mass panic after a deadly flu epidemic breaks out. It's interesting but at the same time, we've seen this story before and I'm not sure this Steven Soderbergh drama offers much in the way of a fresh perspective. Its documentary-type style also creates an unnecessary distance between the audience and the characters. Still watchable. Grade: B.
Paranormal Activity 3 (out now) has some scary moments but it's still peddling the same old stuff. It's about time this series introduced a plot. There's a glimpse of it in the final stages but can they develop it in a fourth film if they're limited to hand held cameras? I don't know. Grade: B.
The Three Musketeers (out now) is really, really, really bad. No, really. Laughable dialogue. Awful special effects. Dreadful acting. Pathetic fight sequences. Ridiculous story. Grade: C-.
