Mini Reviews
Synecdoche, New York (out now) is about a depressed theatre director (Philip Seymour Hoffman) trying to create a life defining play. Charlie Kaufman is my favourite screenwriter (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine) but this is a little too "out there" and confusing for my liking. Grade: B.
State Of Play (out May 28) is a twisting thriller about a journalist (Russell Crowe) trying to dig up dirt on a possible corporate conspiracy. The dialogue is sharp and it explores some topical issues regarding journalistic integrity. Where’s the line between being a journalist and being a cop? This is my kind of movie. Grade: A-.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past (out May 7) is a manipulative romantic comedy about a womanising guy who is visited by the ghost of his late uncle and is told to change his ways. Jennifer Garner is nice but that's about it. Can I ask - why is Matthew McConaughey's character portrayed so badly when the bridesmaids are just as slutty? Grade: C+.
My Year Without Sex (out May 28) is a new Australian film from Sarah Watt, the director of Look Both Ways (one of my top 10 films of 2005). It's about a family's ups and downs over the course of an eventful year. I think it's a great film filled with real characters and storylines. Grade: A-.
Tenderness (out now) stars Russell Crowe and Jon Foster and is one of the worst films of the year. It's about a semi-retired cop who is following an 18 year old boy who he thinks will kill someone. None of it really makes any sense and the characters are as boring as a phone book. Avoid!!! Grade: C.
Paris 36 (out now) is a touching flick set in 1930s Paris about a group of performers trying to keep their beloved theatre alive. There's music, murder and romance. Some nice moments and a fitting ending. Grade: A-.
The Baader Meinhof Complex (out May 7) is a two and a half hour German film which centres around a terrorist organisation reeking havoc in the 1960s and 70s. It's an interesting piece of history but I wasn't a fan of this movie. I had trouble discerning their motives and there were too many characters. Grade: B-.
Defiance (out now) is the true story of three brothers who helped save a small army of Jewish people during World War II by hiding in the Belarussian forests. I'm tiring of WWII flicks and this one is overdramatic in places but the story is compelling enough to warrant a look. Grade: B.
Star Trek (out May 7) is slow to start but I warmed to the new look and the new cast. Chris Pine makes a great Kirk. A few of the subplots were unnecessary but I liked some of the twists and my attention was held to the very end. I look forward to the next instalment of this reinvigorated series. Grade: B+.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (out Apr 29) is disappointing. Unlike the previous X-Men films, which I liked, this one doesn’t explore any interesting moral issues. It’s just Hugh Jackman running around and blowing stuff up like a cheap action hero. Oh, and we see him release and retract his claws about 400 times. That’s about it. Grade: C+.
Closed For Winter (out now) is a wearisome, overacted Australian drama starring Natalie Imbruglia and Daniel Frederiksen. It’s about a woman struggling to come to grips with the disappearance of her sister on a beach 20 years ago. I like to promoting Aussie product, especially in this economic climate, but this film just didn’t do it for me. Grade: C+.
