Mini Reviews
Jane Eyre (out Aug 11) is a story that's been told many times before but I still loved this fresh adaptation. Aussie Mia Wasikowska (Alice In Wonderland) is amazing in the leading role. You will feel much empathy for her character and the way her closely-guarded heart has been tortured by a wealthy suitor. Grade: A-.
Senna (out Aug 11) is film you must see before finalising any "best of" lists for 2011. It's a well-crafted documentary that has the look and feel of a drama. It goes beyond what you might expect and provides an intimate account of Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna and his motivations to succeed. The never-before-seen footage is amazing. Grade: A.
Love Crime (out now) is a French film about the vicious power struggles between two women trying to get ahead in a major company. It starts slow, picks up in the middle stages but finishes poorly. A little too clever for its own good. The business scenes are laughably bad. Grade: B-.
The Beaver (out Aug 4) is about a man (Mel Gibson) battling depression who starts walking around with a hand puppet to help him communicate. I was disappointed by this film. It doesn't dig anywhere near enough into its complex characters and we're left with a shallow, over-simplified drama. Grade: C+.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (out Aug 4) is rubbish. They spend 90 minutes setting up the story and yet still do a bad job of it. Characters' motivations are never explained and certain storylines go nowhere. I tried to stay with it but the film completely lost me when they started using subtitles so we could understand the apes communicating. Bahahaha. Grade: C.
Red Dog (out Aug 4) is an Australian film that centres on a kelpie who roamed the rocky landscape of the Pilbara region during the 1970s. The comedic parts early in the film are a little cheesy but it builds into heartfelt drama that will tug at the heartstrings of many in the audience. Grade: B+.
Of Gods And Men (out now) is a well acted but slightly tedious drama about a group of monks who find their monastery threatened by terrorists. Will they flee or will they stay? Grade: B+.
Big Mamma's Boy (out now) has left me sad, flat, depressed. The worst film of the year so far. Even worse is the fact that it's Australian. A cheesy, cliched comedy about a 35 y/o Italian real estate agent trying to break free of his mother's shackles and win the heart of co-worker. Grade: C-.
Captain America (out now) is very good. It focuses on story rather than action and finds a nice balance between comedy and drama. Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving and Tommy Lee Jones are all terrific. Only downside is that some of the special effects (e.g. thin Chris Evans) weren't that convincing. Grade: A-.
5 Days Of War (out now) revolves around the Georgian-Russian conflict in 2008 and illustrates the lengths that journalists will go to in search of a story. This is a worthy tale but sadly, it's told in such an amateurish manner. The accents are awful, the dialogue is cliched and the special effects look dreadful. Grade: C.
The Conspirator (out Jul 28) tells the true story of Mary Surratt, a woman on trial for her involvement in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. There are some questionable casting choices but I'm a sucker for a good courtroom drama. It's topped off by a powerful finale that made an impact on many at the preview I attended. Grade: A-.
