Welcome to the Film Pie! Brisbane based film critic Matt Toomey has reviewed thousands of movies since 1996. See what's out now, or browse the review archive.

Mini Reviews

Mini Review - Valentino: The Last Emperor

Valentino: The Last Emperor (out now) is a touching documentary about the iconic fashion designer and the lead up to his 45th anniversary show. You'll chuckle at his prima-donna antics but I loved him for his passion, his desire to create art in an increasingly commercial world. One of the best docos of the year. Grade: A-.

Mini Review - Looking For Eric

Looking For Eric (out Sep 24) is from acclaimed English director Ken Loach and is the story postman who is guided by legendary soccer player Eric Cantona in an effort to get his life back on the rails.  It's a crowd pleaser which I found a little odd at times.  Not sure how I feel about it.  Grade: B.

Mini Review - Anvil: The Story Of Anvil

Anvil: The Story Of Anvil (out now) is a doco about a band who were on the verge of greatness in the early 1980s but faded away into obscurity. It's not as good as my all time favourite music documentary (DiG!) but it covers interesting territory. Grade: B+.

Mini Review - Sorority Row

Sorority Row (out now) makes me wish I had the time, money and energy to write a screenplay. I know I could make a more original horror film than this. Grade: C.

Mini Review - Imagine That

Imagine That (out Sep 17) is a family comedy about a stock market guru (Eddie Murphy) who is obsessed with his job and his neglecting his young daughter. That is until... he realises his daughter has a magic blanket which provides insightful stock tips. It's poorly written. Younger audiences will probably look past the film's overall stupidity but I couldn't do the same. Grade: C+.

Mini Review - 500 Days Of Summer

500 Days Of Summer (out Sep 17) is an excellent romantic comedy which flips the genre on its head. The boy (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is the emotional character who believes in love at first sight. The girl (Zooey Deschanel) is the care-free character with a fear of commitment. Told creatively through flashbacks, this is the best film I've seen in a few months. Love the soundtrack too. Grade: A.

Mini Review - Push

Push (out Sep 10) is like watching a sequel... without having seen the first film. I had trouble understanding the background to the story and the characters. A secret government agency was performing medical experiments on certain individuals. The test subjects now have mind-controlling powers and are trying to shut down the whole operation. The more you think about it, the more holes you'll find. Grade: C+.

Mini Review - Funny People

Funny People (out Sep 10) is the new film from Judd Apatow, director of Knocked Up and The Forty-Year-Old Virgin. It's about a famous comedic movie star (Adam Sandler) who finds out that he's dying and decides to return to stand up comedy. Apatow is trying something darker here but at 146 minutes, a lot of scenes felt unnecessary. Mildly funny with good performances. Grade: B.

Mini Review - The Girlfriend Experience

The Girlfriend Experience (out now) is a curious little (just 75 mins) film about a call-girl living in Manhattan.  Shot like a documentary, you see the people she has to deal with and you look at the relationship she shares with her boyfriend.  It doesn't dig very deep but it's nice to see director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) returning to his "edgier" style of filmmaking.  Grade: B+.

Mini Review - Up

Up (out now) is the new Disney Pixar animated film. It's the story of a elderly, widowed man who rediscovers his passion for life by going on an epic adventure with an 8-year-old boy scout. It's beautifully made, looks great in 3-D, and has some touching moments (such as the opening montage). Accessible to people of any age. Grade: A-.

Mini Review - Aliens In The Attic

Aliens In The Attic (out now) is an uninspired family flick about a group of kids who have to stop an alien species from taking over the planet. I don't think it'll feature on too many top 10 lists this year. Grade: C+.
  1. Mini Review - Blessed
  2. Mini Review - Three Blind Mice
  3. Mini Review - The Young Victoria
  4. Mini Review - Fighting