Mini Reviews
Soul Surfer (out now) is the true story of a teenager who loses her arm in a shark attack but goes on to be surfing champion. It may sound inspiring but this film is awful. The editing (particularly the surfing scenes) is messy, the dialogue is excruciatingly cheesy and the story is all over the place. One of the year's worst. Grade: C-.
Get Low (out now) is set in the 1930s and is about a grizzly old hermit who decides to throw a "funeral party" before he dies. I loved the cast but I found myself wanting more from this film (particularly at the end). Grade: B-.
Cane Toads: The Conquest (out Jun 2) is part documentary, part comedy. It's looks at how cane toads have overrun many parts of Australia and the many different thoughts that people have about them. I don't think this is interesting enough for the big screen but I admit to chuckling a few times. Grade: C+.
The Hangover: Part 2 (out May 26) is a carbon copy of the original. This makes it less surprising but still entertaining. There are enough laughs to keep most people happy. I'll say this though - if the producers want to continue the series, they will need to serve up something more original next time. Grade: B.
Oceans (out May 26) contains some of the most beautiful imagery ever seen in a big-screen documentary. It looks at the assortment of creatures that live under the sea and at 84 minutes, is a nice length. Unfortunately, the film contains unnecessary narration from Pierce Brosnan which distracts rather than informs. Grade: B+.
Angele & Tony (out now) is a French romance about two very unlikely people who end up falling in love. I enjoyed it for its quirkiness but they rush through certain parts and it makes it hard to believe the chemistry. Grade: B.
Burke & Hare (out now) is set in 19th Century England and is about two guys who make a living by selling dead bodies to a local medical school. How they acquire their "stock" is not exactly legal. This film tries to sneak into black comedy territory but the humour isn't witty enough and the script not interesting enough. Grade: C+.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (out May 19) isn't fun at all. The characters extricate themselves far too easily from difficult situations and there’s no sense of excitement. You’re just going through the motions, watching a mishmash of subplots involving mermaids, Spaniards and stolen ships. The finale is predictable to the point of being laughable. Grade: C+.
Snowtown (out May 19) is one of the most disturbing films that I've seen in a long time. At a preview screening, roughly 25 people walked out. The strong performances (all from unknown actors), the lack of music and the gritty cinematography make this feel all too real. You'll be talking about it long after you've left the theatre. Grade: A-.
Your Highness (out May 12) is a film set in ancient times with modern-day profanity and futuristic technology. There's also an alien paedophile. The film gets it laughs from being as vulgar as possible. That's about all there is to it. I laughed a few times but it gets tiring quickly and the thin premise doesn't help. Grade: C+.
The Round Up (out now) is about the capture and murder of more than 10,000 French Jews during WWII. Despite the serious material, I found this flat and unemotive. Maybe it's because I saw a much better film on this same subject late last year (Sarah's Key). Grade: C+.
