Mini Reviews
My Sister's Keeper (out Jul 30) is heavy going. During the closing credits, the lady sitting next to me apologised for all her tears. Even my eyes were moist. It's the tale of a brave teenager battling cancer and the different ways in which her family tries to help. It's a little too manipulative at times but I liked the story and its characters. Sofia Vassilieva is remarkable. An Oscar nom? Grade: A-.
Red Cliff (out now) is a Chinese flick from director John Woo (Face/Off). Set in the year 208 A.D., a power hungry leader declares war on two southern kingdoms and sends in an army of 300,000 men to defeat them. The action scenes are overdone (special effects are obvious) but I liked the story and the creative ways in which each side tried to obtain the upper hand. Grade: B+.
Drag Me To Hell (out Jul 23) is the best horror film I've seen in some time. It's about a bank loan officer who is left with a nasty curse after rejecting a mortgage extension application by a hideous old woman. I've gotta try that with my own bank. Anyway, this film has moments to make you jump, squirm and laugh. Great entertainment. Grade: A-.
My Friends My Love (out now) is a strange French comedy (I think it was a comedy) about two divorced guys who move into together with their children. It's a quirky "odd couple" type storyline that has a few unexpected laughs but nothing too profound. Grade: B.
The Escapist (out now) tries to be stylish but it's not as good as I'd hoped. Starring the underrated Brian Cox, it's just a ho-hum prison break movie that is a little too hard to believe. Grade: B-.
Lucky Country (out now) is a heavy Australian drama set in the year 1902. A 12 year old boy is watching his family fall apart. His mother died a month ago, his father is struggling to make ends meet, and his older sister is looking to leave home. The arrival of three strangers to their remote home will change everything. It's pretty grim but the story is strong and the cinematography is excellent. Grade: B+.
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince (out now) is disappointing. The two and a half hours flew fairly quickly but there's a noticeable lack of action, a lack of suspense. Some sub-plots are woefully underdeveloped and too much emphasis is placed on the romantic elements of JK Rowling's novel. The worst in the series to date. Why are they letting David Yates direct the last two films??? Grade: B-.
Winged Creatures (out now) is about the different ways in which we deal with grief. A man walks into a diner and kills two people. Those who witnessed the atrocity struggle to make sense of it all. This ensemble piece of Australian director Rowan Woods (The Boys) stars Guy Pearce, Forrest Whitaker and Kate Beckinsale. Not brilliant but it held my attention. Grade: B+.
The Burning Season (out now) is a great documentary which looks at the burning of forests in Indonesia and what one Australian is doing to try to stop it. It was an eye-opener for me in terms how difficult it is to reach a universal consensus on fighting global warming and also on what is involved in a carbon emissions trading scheme. Grade: A-.
The Merchant Of Venice (out now) wasn't Shakespeare's best play and this isn't his best adaptation. The film was made in 2004 and is only now getting an Australian release. Why? Grade: B-.
Public Enemies (out Jul 30) is a terrific new film from Michael Mann. Set in the 1930s, it focuses not just on John Dillinger's famous bank robberies but also on the methods used by the police to hunt him and his cronies down. There are some great shoot-outs (with archaic rifles) and strong performances, particularly from Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. Johnny Depp was not quite as good. Grade: A-.
