Trance
What’s it about?
An art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.
What did we think?
Anthony says: With a quality cast and an overly complicated plot, Trance tries hard to be seen as a clever, classy movie but a few things work against it. Firstly, they explain everything eventually in a way bordering on monosyllabic and secondly, none of the characters are actually likeable so you’re not sure who to cheer for. They all could have died and I wouldn’t have cared. In no way hypnotising – you’ll just end up feeling sleepy.
Liz says: Awesome stuff happened. Then less awesome stuff happened. Then some confusing and silly stuff happened. Then we saw Rosario Dawson’s vagina and it all went downhill from there.
Jack the Giant Slayer
What’s it about?
The fairy-tale adventure of a gullible farm boy thrust literally and horticulturally into circumstances where he must prove his worth or perish.
What did we think?
Dan says: Bryan Singer takes the quirky elements of a children’s fable and grittily reboots it. No longer restricted to water-colour illustrations, the giants and the bean stalk become monstrous entities. The action and violence is larger than life and occasionally pushes against the PG rating potentially upsetting some parents and few children. (They love it.)
Surprisingly satisfying for anyone who has ever enjoyed the age old tale and/or delighted in Ewan McGregor at his hammiest.
A Good Day To Die Hard
What’s it about?
John McClane (Bruce Willis) travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces.
What did we think?
Anthony says: The opening seconds lift our spirits and hopes with a haunting bass version of Ode To Joy but then the black screen gives way to vision and it’s mostly downhill from there (impressive car chase aside).
Jack McClane is the Jar Jar of the Die Hard universe. He’s irritating, unnecessary and a walking cliche. Completely ignoring the complexities of the previous Die Hard movies, this time around the producers decided to keep the action and explosions but mix them with poor dialogue, bad editing and a simply ridiculous story.
I’m gutted.
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
What’s it about?
A jaded, once-successful Vegas magician and his sidekick (Steve Buscemi and Steve Carell) – former token schoolyard victims who used to believe in the magic of, well, magic – must change tack when an obnoxious street magician threatens their cheesy, tanned brand of trickery.
What did we think?
Alex says: Is THAT your card, sir? In what could have easily been a parody worse than the kitschy, dated magic scene it’s sending up, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone delivers handsome LOLs as well as an arbitrary saccharine tale of caring about what’s important – or something – which fortunately doesn’t get in the way of the humour too much.
Under the sharp direction of Don Scardino (30 Rock), the leading Steves, Carell and Buscemi, are stellar as the bickering, washed-up illusionists but Jim Carrey very nearly steals the show as the alternative – and, of course, entirely evil (hey, we came for laughs, not character depth!) – new face of extreme magic. No new heights of comedy but it does little wrong.
Goddess
What’s it about?
Elspeth Dickens (Laura Michelle Kelly), a former small-time singer, has put her dreams on hold to raise twin toddlers while her often-absent but idealistic husband (Ronan Keating) works weeks away at a time. She sets up a webcam to keep in touch with him but ends up becoming an inadvertent internet sensation. Suddenly marketing gurus and a shot at the big time beckon luring her away from her family.
What did we think?
Anthony says: Eccentric and whimsical, this film will intensely appeal to its key demographic. The question is will it rate with people who aren’t stay-at-home mothers? While there is still some appeal for females in general, the recurring themes and morals are predominantly about juggling love of kids and hubby with dreams. Which is a bit of a shame because this over-the-top semi-musical is actually fun but just has too many parenting in-jokes.
Oz the Great and Powerful
What’s it about?
A tornado hurls a small-time huckster magician, Oscar (James Franco), into a Wonderland-esque land overseen by three witchy sisters (Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz). And where there be witches, there be wickedness. Which witch is which? (Spoiler: green face, hooked schnoz, much cackling.) Oscar, mistaken for a powerful wizard and rightful ruler, befriends a few locals and tries to keep the joint safe. Just in case a scarecrow, tin man, lion and Judy Garland turn up, in a far superior film, made 70 years beforehand.
What did we think?
Ben says: Well, we’re off to see the wizardry, the wonderful visual-effects wizardry of Oz. And we get it – in a Skittles explosion of rainbow-hued CG. We also get a gorgeous, crippled china doll who steals the film and cured this reviewer of his lifelong detestation for porcelain dolls. But Oz’s other fantastical curiosities pale next to the 1939 original: winged monkeys are replaced with winged baboons; Munchkins are now the ethnically inclusive Midget Union of North America; and instead of an engaging, rogueish wizard, we get James Franco, as James Franco. In top hat.
What’s Popular
Wild Tales
What’s it about?
In this Oscar-nominated anthology of six darkly funny short stories, ordinary people carry out violent acts of revenge.
What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: Szifrón has created a compelling feature-length experience out of very different and surprising short films. Each one steadily increases in length and scale, but is also completely self-contained, so the whole film flies by but you’ll be picking your favourites as you leave the theatre. It’s a fun, classy and bloody affair that you should go into knowing as little about as possible.
Mad Max Fury Road
What’s it about?
Max escapes a post-apocalyptic cult and ends up unlikely allies with a group of fellow escapees. Explosions and car chases ensue.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Gloriously insane or insanely glorious? To be honest it’s both. I am gobsmacked. In a quite simplistic plot, Miller has taken some huge risks but they have all paid off. Females who are strong characters in their own right. Over-the-top interpretations of religion and in-movie soundtrack guitars and drums. Very little dialogue. Any and all of these could have gone wrong but it’s all part of an escalation of action and adrenalin that leaves you breathless. It’s brutal, unrelenting and so much fun. Are there some problems? Yes. Do I care? No.
If all movies were like this I would never sleep again.
A Royal Night Out
What’s it about?
On VE night, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret actually managed to escape Buckingham Palace for a night of incognito celebration. A Royal Night Out tells how the evening might have unfolded.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: Too soon. No, really. I’m embarrassingly fond of the Queen, and I hope she lives forever. On the offchance that she doesn’t, though, they should remake this film in about 30 years. Perhaps then they could actually commit to a silly, caricatured romp instead of a confused series of mishaps surrounding a saintly, duty-bound Princess entirely devoid of character flaw. It’s certainly a fun premise, but the painfully respectful depiction of Her Maj just doesn’t gel with the otherwise broad-strokes approach. It’s ridiculously incongruous – Princess Margaret (Bel Powley, an absolute standout) is mistaken for a prostitute and bundled into a wheelbarrow, but when Elizabeth chastely kisses a new friend goodbye the camera discretely pans away as if director Julian Jarrold was afraid of being hung for treason. Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) does her best with what she’s given, but A Royal Night Out would have been miles better for a little affectionate teasing.
Pitch Perfect 2
What’s it about?
Our favourite plucky female a capella group is back! But are they looking to life after college or maintaining their now-established high standards? A suspension following a wardrobe malfunction may acca-lerate their fate…
What did we think?
Generally sequels develop the depth of characterisation but the follow-up to the delightful Pitch Perfect chooses to instead make the characters more two-dimensional. Oddly it works.What do we get? A dumbing down of Beca (the lovely Ana Kendrick) and Chloe (Brittany Snow). More Fat Amy and more Lilly (Hana Mae Lee’s kooky Korean). Political Incorrectness galore. More songs. A bigger (and better) riff-off. Over the top jokes that range from sly to outright sexist and racist. On paper it sounds a bad idea but in the cinema it was toe-tapping and almost non-stop LOLling. And I mean actually laughing out loud even as your mind is scolding you for laughing at the highly inappropriate one liners. With wonderful singing, genuine laughs and a savvy approach to directly appealing to its target demographic, PP2 will be met with acca-citement from the fanbase. As I left the preview screening dozens of teenage girls were already animatedely talking about plans to see it again when it is released later this week (May 7 in Australia).
Editor's Choice
Wild Tales
What’s it about?
In this Oscar-nominated anthology of six darkly funny short stories, ordinary people carry out violent acts of revenge.
What did we think?
Dominic Barlow says: Szifrón has created a compelling feature-length experience out of very different and surprising short films. Each one steadily increases in length and scale, but is also completely self-contained, so the whole film flies by but you’ll be picking your favourites as you leave the theatre. It’s a fun, classy and bloody affair that you should go into knowing as little about as possible.
Mad Max Fury Road
What’s it about?
Max escapes a post-apocalyptic cult and ends up unlikely allies with a group of fellow escapees. Explosions and car chases ensue.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Gloriously insane or insanely glorious? To be honest it’s both. I am gobsmacked. In a quite simplistic plot, Miller has taken some huge risks but they have all paid off. Females who are strong characters in their own right. Over-the-top interpretations of religion and in-movie soundtrack guitars and drums. Very little dialogue. Any and all of these could have gone wrong but it’s all part of an escalation of action and adrenalin that leaves you breathless. It’s brutal, unrelenting and so much fun. Are there some problems? Yes. Do I care? No.
If all movies were like this I would never sleep again.
A Royal Night Out
What’s it about?
On VE night, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret actually managed to escape Buckingham Palace for a night of incognito celebration. A Royal Night Out tells how the evening might have unfolded.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: Too soon. No, really. I’m embarrassingly fond of the Queen, and I hope she lives forever. On the offchance that she doesn’t, though, they should remake this film in about 30 years. Perhaps then they could actually commit to a silly, caricatured romp instead of a confused series of mishaps surrounding a saintly, duty-bound Princess entirely devoid of character flaw. It’s certainly a fun premise, but the painfully respectful depiction of Her Maj just doesn’t gel with the otherwise broad-strokes approach. It’s ridiculously incongruous – Princess Margaret (Bel Powley, an absolute standout) is mistaken for a prostitute and bundled into a wheelbarrow, but when Elizabeth chastely kisses a new friend goodbye the camera discretely pans away as if director Julian Jarrold was afraid of being hung for treason. Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) does her best with what she’s given, but A Royal Night Out would have been miles better for a little affectionate teasing.
Pitch Perfect 2
What’s it about?
Our favourite plucky female a capella group is back! But are they looking to life after college or maintaining their now-established high standards? A suspension following a wardrobe malfunction may acca-lerate their fate…
What did we think?
Generally sequels develop the depth of characterisation but the follow-up to the delightful Pitch Perfect chooses to instead make the characters more two-dimensional. Oddly it works.What do we get? A dumbing down of Beca (the lovely Ana Kendrick) and Chloe (Brittany Snow). More Fat Amy and more Lilly (Hana Mae Lee’s kooky Korean). Political Incorrectness galore. More songs. A bigger (and better) riff-off. Over the top jokes that range from sly to outright sexist and racist. On paper it sounds a bad idea but in the cinema it was toe-tapping and almost non-stop LOLling. And I mean actually laughing out loud even as your mind is scolding you for laughing at the highly inappropriate one liners. With wonderful singing, genuine laughs and a savvy approach to directly appealing to its target demographic, PP2 will be met with acca-citement from the fanbase. As I left the preview screening dozens of teenage girls were already animatedely talking about plans to see it again when it is released later this week (May 7 in Australia).