Mini Reviews
The Help (out Sep 1) is set in Mississippi in the early 1960s and looks at the way African American maids (aka "the help") were treated by their wealthy employers. The film glosses over a few details it's still an elegantly told drama. You'd be hard pressed to find another film this year with so many quality female performances. Grade: B+.
Horrible Bosses (out Aug 25) is about 3 guys who are frustrated at work and start putting together plans to kill their bosses. This plot is all over the place but it still works as a buddy comedy. Jennifer Aniston (in a surprisingly provocative role) and Charlie Day are the pick of the cast. Grade: B+.
Friends With Benefits (out Aug 18) is nothing new sadly. Two people who recently became friends decide to have a relationship based purely on sex. We all know where it's going. Mila Kunis is decent but I didn't think much of Justin Timberlake. The dialogue is also over-thought - it doesn't feel natural. Grade: B-.
Win Win (out Aug 18) is exactly that. It's about a struggling lawyer who welcomes a troubled teenager into his family for complex reasons. The ending is too forced and there are a few unnecessary characters but I still loved this film. The story is terrific and Paul Giamatti again proves there's no one better who can play an "ordinary guy". Grade: A-.
Green Lantern (out now) is yet another superhero film and is best described as a mixed bag. I was fine with Ryan Reynolds and didn't mind the overall premise. The execution of key scenes left a lot to be desired however. Grade: B-.
Cowboys & Aliens (out Aug 18) is mildly suspenseful in parts but if you're going to mix the western and sci-fi genres, you need to have a lot more fun with it! There are simply not enough good one-liners. The overall storyline also needed work. Grade: C+.
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.
