The Sessions
What’s it about?
Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes, Deadwood) is a poet and journalist with a sweet, vibrant mind but a polio-ridden tomb of a body. After taking an assignment to write an article about sex and the disabled, he enlists the services of a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt) to help him shed his V-plates, seeking counsel from a priest with glorious hair (William H. Macy) along the way.
What did we think?
Mitch says: This is a beautifully made, thoughtfully told remarkable movie that teeters between being hilarious and unbelievably heart-wrenching. Hawkes is astonishing, effortlessly moving the audience while actually moving, like, two muscles the entire time. Hunt gives a physically and emotionally powerful performance – although her Massachusetts accent is a little wonky. Meanwhile, the always wonderful Macy is at risk of being upstaged by his hair. Fans of Deadwood will enjoy the mini-reunion among the expanded cast. A glorious piece of filmmaking.
Bachelorette
What’s it about?
Three skinny cows, resentful that their fat friend is getting married before them, make fun of her behind her back and then have to fix it when stuff goes predictably pear shaped.
What did we think?
Liz says: Apart from a few (very few) amusing one liners, this film totally squanders its usually hilarious cast (Lizzie Caplan, Isla Fisher and Adam Scott, I am looking at YOU). The leads are so unlikeable and mean-spirited that I didn’t give a damn what happened to any of them. This film should have been called Bitchelorette.
Intouchables
What’s it about?
After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the the wrong side of town (who only turned up to the interview to get a signature to get his benefits) to be his caretaker.
What did we think?
Lisa Campbell says: A touching yet simple story of friendship and differences. The movie was full of laughs and surprisingly mostly at the expense of Philippe’s disability. Terrific casting for a warm and engaging film of how the relationship between two completely different people develops. I truly loved it and recommend it to everyone. One not to miss.
Argo
What’s it about?
Proof that truth is stranger than fiction, Argo is a dramatisation of the rescue of the “Canadian Six” from Iran during the revolutionary uprising of 1979. With radical alternatives to save the group dismissed, the best worst idea is employed: pretend the fugitives are shooting a science fiction movie.
What did we think?
Stephen says: This fast-paced thriller puts you, then keeps you, on the edge of your seat – a high accomplishment as we know how it ends. Affleck cleverly doesn’t identify a specific villain, instead focussing on the retributive predisposition of a people finally freed from their tyrannical ruler, only to inflict their own brand of terror. When faced with a nation of hatred, it makes the planning and execution of this escape even more nail biting. Some are upset the film wavers from the true story, but don’t worry about that. A highly enjoyable film that dramatises an already astonishing story.
Frankenweenie
What’s it about?
A heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. His dead dog.
What did we think?
Liz says: A return to the terrifically twisted kookiness of vintage Tim Burton. Based on a live-action short from 1984, this delightfully dark flick pays homage to classic schlock horror movies using Burton’s iconic stop-motion animation and eerily cute designs. Not sure the 3D added much and the ending didn’t quite ring true but it’s an enjoyable ride fans will welcome. Restricting the film to black and white lends a macabre, attractively moldy atmosphere that almost erases some of Burton’s overly colourful missteps into the mainstream during the past few years. The Halloween partner to Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, it’s sure to gently thrill the youngster in those old enough to remember comic-book ads for Sea Monkeys.
Savages
What’s it about?
A couple of Californian drug dealers and their shared girlfriend face a hostile takeover of their Laguna Beach drug business by a brutal Mexican cartel.
What did we think?
Lisa says: With an interesting-in-theory plotline and strong performances from supporting players, Savages could have been much better.
Instead, the film suffered from shallow performances from the three leads, an over-reliance on cringe-worthy narration, and a serious lack of decisive direction to the point where two alternate endings were included (and neither of them was much good).
Only bother if you’re in the mood to watch pretty people doing violent things.
What’s Popular
Tinkerbell and the Neverbeast
What’s it about?
When the scout fairies grow fearful that the mysterious NeverBeast will destroy Pixie Hollow, friendly Fawn must convince Tinker Bell and the rest of the locals that the creature is in fact a gentle giant.
What did we think?
Despite the title this movie centres around Fawn the animal fairy and it’s a welcome change of focus for a franchise that can do both light and heavy in it’s increasingly growing canon. It may lack the clever Peter Pan referencing that The Pirate Fairy had but instead provides a heartfelt tale about not judging a book by its cover. At a short 67 minutes there’s no concern over wandering attention and Executive Producer John Lasseter’s influence shines through as you’d expect. What you wouldn’t anticipate however is the bittersweet and almost too honest ending which might leave parents answering a few tough questions. But don’t deny your kids an enjoyable, emotional film that they will want to rewatch.
Top Five
What’s it about?
Celebrity comedian Andre Allen (Chris Rock) yearns to be taken more seriously. With a new film to promote, he spends a day with reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) – and the interview quickly gets personal.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: Written and directed by Rock, Top Five feels very autobiographical. The film is very funny, and somehow even its most wildly anecdotal scenes manage to stay just on the side of believability. Things get quite Woody-Allenish-in-a-good-way as Rock wanders the streets of New York cracking wry jokes and having feelings – and after watching, you’ll feel like you’ve just spent a weekend there yourself. A string of excellent cameos adds to the appeal. See it.
That Sugar Film
What’s it about?
Actor Damon Gameau goes all Super Size Me and eats the equivalent of 40 teaspoons of sugar a day in a doco that warns of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption.
What did we think?
Despite the fact it looks like he stole Morgan Spurlock’s idea and ran with it, this still has a lot of good things to say. The major difference between the two docos is that Gameau chooses to eat his sugar through a variety of foods most of us would consider healthy. Innovative in it’s storytelling methods, this flick will make you not only rethink that chocolate bar, but that low-fat yoghurt too.
Focus
What’s it about?
Elite con-man Nicky (Will Smith) agrees to tutor Jess (Margot Robbie) on the ways of deception and money-making, beginning an affair in New York that brings them hurtling back together years later in Argentina.
What did we think?
Dominic says: Smith and Robbie are exactly the charismatic couple you want, and it’s easy to watch them pull off big steals together in grand locales such as Buenos Aires and the American Super Bowl. It’s less easy to remember the plot, not because it’s too complicated but because the constant lies and illusions fail to distract from the fact that they’re playing uninteresting characters. It’s sort of funny, sort of pretty, but in the end sort of not very good.
Editor's Choice
Tinkerbell and the Neverbeast
What’s it about?
When the scout fairies grow fearful that the mysterious NeverBeast will destroy Pixie Hollow, friendly Fawn must convince Tinker Bell and the rest of the locals that the creature is in fact a gentle giant.
What did we think?
Despite the title this movie centres around Fawn the animal fairy and it’s a welcome change of focus for a franchise that can do both light and heavy in it’s increasingly growing canon. It may lack the clever Peter Pan referencing that The Pirate Fairy had but instead provides a heartfelt tale about not judging a book by its cover. At a short 67 minutes there’s no concern over wandering attention and Executive Producer John Lasseter’s influence shines through as you’d expect. What you wouldn’t anticipate however is the bittersweet and almost too honest ending which might leave parents answering a few tough questions. But don’t deny your kids an enjoyable, emotional film that they will want to rewatch.
Top Five
What’s it about?
Celebrity comedian Andre Allen (Chris Rock) yearns to be taken more seriously. With a new film to promote, he spends a day with reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) – and the interview quickly gets personal.
What did we think?
Amy Currie says: Written and directed by Rock, Top Five feels very autobiographical. The film is very funny, and somehow even its most wildly anecdotal scenes manage to stay just on the side of believability. Things get quite Woody-Allenish-in-a-good-way as Rock wanders the streets of New York cracking wry jokes and having feelings – and after watching, you’ll feel like you’ve just spent a weekend there yourself. A string of excellent cameos adds to the appeal. See it.
That Sugar Film
What’s it about?
Actor Damon Gameau goes all Super Size Me and eats the equivalent of 40 teaspoons of sugar a day in a doco that warns of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption.
What did we think?
Despite the fact it looks like he stole Morgan Spurlock’s idea and ran with it, this still has a lot of good things to say. The major difference between the two docos is that Gameau chooses to eat his sugar through a variety of foods most of us would consider healthy. Innovative in it’s storytelling methods, this flick will make you not only rethink that chocolate bar, but that low-fat yoghurt too.
Focus
What’s it about?
Elite con-man Nicky (Will Smith) agrees to tutor Jess (Margot Robbie) on the ways of deception and money-making, beginning an affair in New York that brings them hurtling back together years later in Argentina.
What did we think?
Dominic says: Smith and Robbie are exactly the charismatic couple you want, and it’s easy to watch them pull off big steals together in grand locales such as Buenos Aires and the American Super Bowl. It’s less easy to remember the plot, not because it’s too complicated but because the constant lies and illusions fail to distract from the fact that they’re playing uninteresting characters. It’s sort of funny, sort of pretty, but in the end sort of not very good.