Mini Reviews
Daybreakers (out Feb 4) is a new vampire flick shot here in Brisbane which stars Ethan Hawke, Claudia Karvan and Willem Dafoe. With few humans remaining, can the Blood Bank develop a substitute to satisfy the vampires' thirst before its too late? It's an ideal movie… for those who didn’t like Twilight. There’s no lovey-dovey romance here. It puts the “bite” back in vampire flicks! Grade: B+.
Invictus (out now) is the story of Nelson Mandela's quest to unite South Africa by winning in the 1995 World Cup. Like most sporting movies, this film has moments of inspiration. Cheering for the underdog is always something I love. That said, this is not a good movie. The dialogue is cheesy and there are a number of supporting characters and sub-plots that serve no purpose. A big let down. Grade: C+.
The Road (out Jan 28) is a bleak film set in a post-apocalyptic world where few humans remain. A father and his young son are trekking across the country in seach of food and a reason to live. It's a very well made film with some particular tense moments. Sadly, the ending is a disappointment and I'm not sure what message to take away from it. Grade: B+.
In The Loop (out Jan 21) is a satire about an English politician who foolishly makes a comment that war is "unforeseeable". It sets in motion a series of events that may lead to an invasion of the Middle East. The film goes overboard with its insulting one-liners and there isn't a single likeable character but it does raise some interesting questions about "behind the scenes" politics. Grade: B+.
The Vintner's Luck (out now) is the strange tale a man who is visited by an angel and then inspired to make great wine. There were glimpses of something interesting but I couldn't get caught up in the film's "spiritual" elements. A tough two hours. Grade: C+.
Tooth Fairy (out now) is about a hockey player past his prime who is transformed into the tooth fairy to teach him a thing or two about believing in things. It has a sweet molar... I mean... moral, but a few too many cavities for my liking (trust me, there are worse jokes). Grade: C+.
Nine (out Jan 21) is a musical based on 8½, Italian director Federico Fellini's highly acclaimed film from 1963. It's been amazingly directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and has a wonderful cast (with Marion Cotillard the stand out). Sadly, I didn't find the songs particularly memorable. I didn't feel the rush to stand up and sing (like in my other favourite musicals). Good but not great. Grade: B+.
Bran Nue Dae (out Jan 14) is an Australian musical about an Aboriginal teenager who runs away from his boarding school in Perth and goes on an adventurous road trip back to his home in Broome. It's good natured but I struggled to get past the lack of plot and mediocre direction. Grade: B-.
It's Complicated (out now) is a chick flick. Maybe that's why I didn't like it. Hard to believe that in a comedy starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, that's it John Krasinski who gets the most laughs. He's good but the screenplay is not. Most of the characters are overly dramatic and it felt like there was much padding. Some scenes were very strange indeed. Grade: C+.
Up In The Air (out Jan 14) is the story of a man (Clooney) who spends almost every day of his life travelling across the country. He's on a quest to chalk up 10 million frequent flyer miles. But what life does he have outside of work? The arrival of two very different women will leave him with this question. Both funny and moving, this is one of the year's best. Plenty to think about. Grade: A.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (out now) is based on the Roald Dahl novel. It's the story of a devious fox who starts stealing food from the nearby farmers. The lives of his family and friends and soon in danger when the farmers seek revenge. Can Mr Fox outsmart them all? The characters are cute, the dialogue is witty and the storyline is fun. Another feather in the cap of director Wes Anderson. Grade: A-.
