Mini Reviews
The Karate Kid (out now) was better than I anticipated. A decent remake of the 1984 film which starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. This time it's Jaden Smith (Will's son) and Jackie Chan in the lead roles. It's too long at 140 minutes but it's nice to see a non-animated family film with a decent plot. They make the most of the Chinese locations too. Grade: B+.
Twilight: Eclipse (out Jul 1) is slightly better than the last film. There's not much to the story but it's still likeable. Is there more plot in the books? I sure hope so. There are also a few nice laughs and a decent climax. That said, I find the three leading characters pretty dull. Their romantic dialogue is bland and lacks passion. I much preferred Team Jasper, Team Alice and even Team Riley. Grade: B.
Food, Inc (out now) is a convincing documentary which looks at how major food producers in America have manipulated their products in pursuit of financial gain. I assure you that the meat we eat today is not the same as the meat we ate 50 years ago. This film left me both angry and depressed. Powerful stuff. Grade: A.
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+.
