Mini Reviews
Marmaduke (out now) is based on the newspaper comic (yes, Hollywood has run out of ideas) and is centres on a loveable Great Dane who moves with his family from Kansas to California. New city, new adventures. We've seen these talking animal flicks many times before. This one offers nothing new. Grade: C+.
Farewell (out Jun 30) is based on actual events and tells the story of a French engineer and a disenchanted Russian KGB officer who become spies for the US government. They smuggle top secret intel out of Russia which has the potential to end the Cold War. The scenes involving Ronald Regan are laughable but there's a heart to the story which comes through in the final half hour. Not bad. Grade: B+.
Grown Ups (out now) doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it an innocent family flick promoting good, wholesome values? Or is it a gross out buddy comedy filled with dirty insults? Whatever category it fits into, I know I didn't think much of it. Grade: C.
I Am Love (out now) is a beautiful drama focusing on a wealthy Italian family. This will polarise audiences. There were several walk-outs at my preview and some on the net have called it "pretentious" and "disappointing". I loved it however. The cinematography and film score are stunning. The characters will keep you guessing and I enjoyed the lack of dialogue. Grade: A.
Toy Story 3 (out Jun 24) sees our beloved toys fight to escape from a child centre centre filled with over-excited toddlers. With such a rich array of characters, there's seldom a dull moment. The new toys are great including a psychotic monkey and a metrosexual Ken doll. A fun adventure with a strong narrative, it will capture the attention of both kids and adults. Animation incredible as always. Grade: A-.
Mademoiselle Chambon (out now) is a French drama about a married man who falls in love with a teacher at his son's school. I felt a tinge of emotion at the end but the lead-up was a snooze-fest. I just can't get excited watching people (1) wash their father's feet, (2) reading a book, and (3) fixing a window. Grade: C+.
Lou (out now) is a small Australian film centring on an 11 y/o girl living with her unstable mother. Lou's grandfather moves in but his struggles with Alzheimer's Disease only further complicated her life. It's not a bad film but there's a distinct lack of action/drama. Grade: B-.
The A-Team (out now) has big guns... and heavy beatings.. and HUGE explosions. Wow! On a more serious note, I'm over this sort of stuff. Action fans will probably go for it but seeing someone dodge 10,000,000 bullets just doesn't excite me like it once did. Call me an old man. Grade: C+.
Mother & Child (out Jun 17) is worth a look. It's about a group of women and the relationships they share with their children (with adoption being a key theme). Yes, it's formulaic but the performances are great and the characters come with an edge. Annette Bening and Naomi Watts were my pick of the cast. Grade: A-.
Legion (out now) starts promisingly. A group of people stuck in a rundown diner in the Nevada desert find themselves under attack by a group of "possessed" humans. Unfortunately, the film stalls in the second act and limps home with a fairly ho-hum conclusion. Grade: B-.
Fish Tank (out now) is a gritty English drama about a troubled 15 y/o girl living with her mother in a low-class English neighbourhood. Shot using a documentary style format, it's quite confronting in places. This definitely isn't a feel good movie. I was hoping for more resolution with the ending but perhaps that's how life is. Great performance from star Katie Jarvis. Grade: B+.
