Mini Reviews
Mad Bastards (out now) is an Australian film about an Aboriginal guy who, looking for a fresh start, leaves his home in Perth and travels north to reconnect with his teenage son. The story could have flowed a little better but there's a "realness" about this situation and its characters. Grade: B+.
Water For Elephants (out May 12) is set in 1931 and revolves around a young vet student (Pattinson) who joins a struggling circus and falls in love with its star attraction (Witherspoon). This film is comforting, easy to watch. The character development is a touch underdone (needed to know more about these people) and the ending is rushed but it's still decent. Grade: B+.
Hoodwinked Too (out now) is awful. Not funny and the storyline is weak. What went wrong? The original film was so great. Grade: C.
Insidious (out May 12) centres on a young family who find their house haunted by paranormal beings. There are a few "jump out of your seat" moments but the film is a little too slow and obvious in places (particularly in the middle). Not sure if the comedic elements work either. That said, I loved the use of music and the cinematography. Grade: B.
Babies (out May 5) is a narration-free documentary which looks at the first year in the life of four babies who have been raised in different countries around the world. This film will leave some going "awwww" and it will leave others going "zzzzz". It all depends on how much you love watching babies and the cute stuff they get up to. Grade: B-.
Source Code (out May 5) is a tricky one. I found the concept intriguing and yet it's still so hard to go along with at times. To even try to explain the plot would take more characters than this mini-review would allow. At a nicely paced 93 minutes, it's worth a look. Grade: B.
Something Borrowed (out May 5) is great every time John Krasinski appears on screen. Sadly, the rest of this romantic comedy disappointing. I hated Kate Hudson's character. Did they have to make her so annoying? This premise would have been much more interesting if these people weren't so "black and white". Grade: C+.
Mrs Carey's Concert (out May 5) is an Australian documentary about a passionate music teacher and her efforts to get her students ready for a concert at the Sydney Opera House. A few moments are overdramatised (like when Mrs Carey loses her folder) but the film makes the most of its 90 minutes and it finishes on a moving note. Grade: B+.
Fast Five (out now) has a predictable, seen-it-before storyline but the fantastic action sequences make it worth your while. It's fun. Make sure you stay through the end credits too. It seems this series isn't quite over yet. Grade: B+.
Arthur (out Apr 21) was nice. It's got a few good laughs mixed with a dash of sentimentality. Russell Brand was surprisingly likeable in his role as a spoilt billionaire. Helen Mirren (as expected) and Greta Gerwig also charming. This was better than I expected it would be. Grade: B+.
Thor (out Apr 21) seems to be winning over most critics so far but I wasn't as impressed. The special effects are dazzling and the performances solid but I found the story cold and lacking in emotion. It felt like so many of the other "safe" comic books films we've seen of late. I wanted something more. Grade: C+.
