Kath & Kimderella
What’s it about?
The foxy ladies of Fountain Gate are back to tackle the European hierarchies (and the big screen) in their epic adventure of Kath and Kimderella. Set in the gorgeous but bankrupt Papilloma, the girls embark on a journey to Italy after Kath (Jane Turner) wins a holiday for two.
What did we think?
Elodie Boal says: The movie gets off to a triumphant start, but what happens next is a big jumble of awkwardness. This really is a pointless plot with a storyline that didn’t go anywhere. Out of place and the Cinderella references added a whole lot of cheese. Recycling is good but not when it means rehashing and reusing a lot of old television material.
Even I, a true fan, got lost in all the montages, dance sequences and oodles of costume changes that gave Sex and the City a run for its money.
I must admit the guest appearances were entertaining and Frank Woodley’s scene on the castle balcony was incredible. Overall however, I left rather disappointed. Only diehard fans, should see it. Otherwise, wait for $1 Tuesdays.
The Expendables 2
In all honesty, you already know if you want to see this film no matter the reviews. Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger together, punching people in the face and shooting everything that moves is an action fantasy fan’s wet dream. As such a bad critical reception won’t dissuade attendance (not forgetting of course that the film boasts a tonne of other action stars doing shooty/explody things and yelling stuff).
Expendables 2 is not Oscar material, nor is it ever pretending to be; however the it is very self aware and plays that card fast and often (on some occasions a tad too hard). Norris despite his cultural cache is essentially irrelevant to anything going on in the film and his screen time fails to add to the film. Arnie and Willis share probably the easiest and most engaging action banter, whilst Lundgren continues to impress in the interesting (for an action film) role of Gunnar. Statham is perhaps a little lost amongst the pile of muscled torsos all vying for screen time, but whenever he’s kicking people in the face he’s doing it as hard as he can just for you. Jet Li is in the first five minutes… maybe. Van Damme feels a bit under written, but his show down with Stallone is really all you want to see and it’s pretty damn cool.
Ultimately E2 isn’t quite up to the consistency of the first outing, but it’s super fun nonetheless.
Moonrise Kingdom
What’s it about?
Two kids, driven by love, run away setting a curious chain of events into motion as a New England community rush to find them.
What did we think?
If Oscars were awarded to the best movie rather than the most popular then the next would go to Moonrise Kingdom. I’m still smiling.
Delightfully quirky, Moonrise Kingdom is a triumph. It’s curious, off-beat and has so many layers you may not fully appreciate it until much later as you relive the adventures mentally and realise the depth of the interactions.
I DARE you to not fall in love with this film.
Hope Springs
What’s it about?
After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.
What did we think?
Five-star acting in a good but not great movie that will soon be forgotten.
Despite having Steve Carrell in it Hope Springs isn’t a comedy. It’s more insightful chuckles than laugh-out-loud and , while it’s intelligent, this is probably the largest failing as it seems unsure of itself when it comes to the laughter.
Poor pacing doesn’t help but the incredible performances from Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee-Jones and Carrell are almost worth the admission tickets. Almost.
At the end of the day the storyline is largely forgettable and I really didn’t need to see Streep masturbating.
Total Recall
What’s it about?
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall – a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led – goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
What did we think?
Cindy says: Even though I am a child of the 80’s, I cannot ‘recall’ the original film. Probs lucky for me. This film is an action-packed thrill ride blockbuster, and really only deserves one viewing, otherwise the gig is definitely up.
Colin Farrell erases any memory of a hammy Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jessica Biel is beautiful. Full stop. Director Mr Wiseman creates a visually stunning world, and employs his visually stunning wife. Full stop.
If the idea of Blade Runner, The Bourne Identity and Robocop having a threesome is the kind of memory you desire, a trip to ‘Total Rekall’ should do the trick.
The Sapphires
What’s it about?
In the racist-fueled days of the late ‘60s, a quartet of young indigenous singers and their rambunctious Irish manager launch from the outback to Vietnam to entertain troups as Australia’s answer to The Supremes.
What did we think?
Stephen says: A feel-good Aussie musical with heart & soul. If the dialogue and plot were less clunky in places, it would easily be a 4-star movie. Knowing it’s based on a true story makes the humour, romance & tales of self-discovery more poignant, especially the fleeting references to racism, the stolen generation & the horrors of war the group experience in Vietnam.
Chris O’Dowd balances pathos & levity in his central role, while Deb Mailman confirms her national treasure status, and yes, Jessica Mauboy sings like an angel. It’s a toe-tapping good time.
What’s Popular
Wild
What is it about?
Damaged woman Cheryl (Reese Witherspoon), braves the long hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to reconcile her past, and change her future.
What do we think?
Alistair says: I left this movie wanting to start hiking immediately. It is based on the real life adventures of Cheryl Strayed, played convincingly by Witherspoon. It’s never boring watching Cheryl walk from southern California to the edge of Canada, across deserts and snowy mountains, transforming from determined novice to seasoned hiker. The scenery is often epic, and frequent encounters with the passers-by along the way range from the sinister to the sentimental. But the stand out is a roadside encounter with an expert on all things hobo. There’s also a kid who is so sickly sweet, you’ll want to throw away your birth control. Flashbacks slowly reveal the events that got her here, including the pivotal relationship with her mother and troubles with her ex-husband. It’s a road movie, except it’s about walking (so let’s call it a walk-movie). Go see it and then take a hike.
American Sniper
What’s it about?
Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in US history. American Sniper follows his four tours of duty while weaving in his personal struggles adjusting to home life.
What did we think?
Nick Bleeker says: Cooper carries this film. American Sniper might be better if it focused squarely and only on Kyle’s tours or his struggle adjusting to civilian life. The short gaps for his civilian life serve more as a means to an end rather than a significant shift of circumstance for his character, and in doing that the film sacrifices Kyle’s humanity. Director Clint Eastwood captures the tension of tours really nicely, though, and Cooper’s performance is excellent; it’s just a shame that the rest of the film doesn’t quite reach the same heights.
Paper Planes
What’s it about?
Dylan and his father are both stuck in a rut, searching for some sort of escape from their demons. When Dylan discovers a flair for paper plane construction he’s encouraged to participate in the national paper plane heats.
What we thought
Dan says: You’ve seen this film before with ice hockey (Mighty Ducks), lawn bowls (Crackerjack), golf (Tin Cup), karate (Karate Kid), the list goes on and on. I’m a sucker for this tale no matter how many times it’s told and so it was that I was disappointing to find myself checking my watch only thirty minutes in. The writing and the filmmaking is below par and feels like the very worst episodes of Secret Valley. The actors flail through the woeful dialogue as best they can but there’s little chance of saving it. Deborah Mailman and David Wenham are criminally underused.
You’ll find yourself rolling your eyes more than once and the worst part is that there’s some really nice moments hidden away here. Ed Oxbould and Sam Worthington do a beautiful job and a few more rewrites could have picked this up and out of the mud.
Appropriately, his film has wings, but no steering.
Unbroken
What’s it about?
Unbroken follows the life of Louis “Louie” Zamperini, from running at the 1936 Olympic games at Berlin to being interned at a Japanese prison camp during World War 2.
What did we think?
Unbroken opens strong with a thrilling dogfight. The speed of the plane, the sudden sprays of bullets and the massive drop to the ocean below are almost palpable. It’s a shame that the rest of the film doesn’t follow this lead. Hamstrung by an uninspired script (despite being co-written by the Coen Brothers) director Angelina Jolie focuses on Zamperini’s physical torment, namely his being punched in the head many, many times. It makes for a grueling film that fails to reward the viewer. Any attempt at exploring Zamperini’s internal life or the moral complexities of war are studiously avoided. The prison warden, for example, is an offensive cliché of the inscrutable and effeminate Asian man. Unbroken may be Jolie’s love song to Zamperini, who died this year, but in its reluctance to describe the mental and spiritual tolls of war, the film’s messages about self-belief and forgiveness lack impact.
Editor's Choice
Wild
What is it about?
Damaged woman Cheryl (Reese Witherspoon), braves the long hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to reconcile her past, and change her future.
What do we think?
Alistair says: I left this movie wanting to start hiking immediately. It is based on the real life adventures of Cheryl Strayed, played convincingly by Witherspoon. It’s never boring watching Cheryl walk from southern California to the edge of Canada, across deserts and snowy mountains, transforming from determined novice to seasoned hiker. The scenery is often epic, and frequent encounters with the passers-by along the way range from the sinister to the sentimental. But the stand out is a roadside encounter with an expert on all things hobo. There’s also a kid who is so sickly sweet, you’ll want to throw away your birth control. Flashbacks slowly reveal the events that got her here, including the pivotal relationship with her mother and troubles with her ex-husband. It’s a road movie, except it’s about walking (so let’s call it a walk-movie). Go see it and then take a hike.
American Sniper
What’s it about?
Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in US history. American Sniper follows his four tours of duty while weaving in his personal struggles adjusting to home life.
What did we think?
Nick Bleeker says: Cooper carries this film. American Sniper might be better if it focused squarely and only on Kyle’s tours or his struggle adjusting to civilian life. The short gaps for his civilian life serve more as a means to an end rather than a significant shift of circumstance for his character, and in doing that the film sacrifices Kyle’s humanity. Director Clint Eastwood captures the tension of tours really nicely, though, and Cooper’s performance is excellent; it’s just a shame that the rest of the film doesn’t quite reach the same heights.
Paper Planes
What’s it about?
Dylan and his father are both stuck in a rut, searching for some sort of escape from their demons. When Dylan discovers a flair for paper plane construction he’s encouraged to participate in the national paper plane heats.
What we thought
Dan says: You’ve seen this film before with ice hockey (Mighty Ducks), lawn bowls (Crackerjack), golf (Tin Cup), karate (Karate Kid), the list goes on and on. I’m a sucker for this tale no matter how many times it’s told and so it was that I was disappointing to find myself checking my watch only thirty minutes in. The writing and the filmmaking is below par and feels like the very worst episodes of Secret Valley. The actors flail through the woeful dialogue as best they can but there’s little chance of saving it. Deborah Mailman and David Wenham are criminally underused.
You’ll find yourself rolling your eyes more than once and the worst part is that there’s some really nice moments hidden away here. Ed Oxbould and Sam Worthington do a beautiful job and a few more rewrites could have picked this up and out of the mud.
Appropriately, his film has wings, but no steering.
Unbroken
What’s it about?
Unbroken follows the life of Louis “Louie” Zamperini, from running at the 1936 Olympic games at Berlin to being interned at a Japanese prison camp during World War 2.
What did we think?
Unbroken opens strong with a thrilling dogfight. The speed of the plane, the sudden sprays of bullets and the massive drop to the ocean below are almost palpable. It’s a shame that the rest of the film doesn’t follow this lead. Hamstrung by an uninspired script (despite being co-written by the Coen Brothers) director Angelina Jolie focuses on Zamperini’s physical torment, namely his being punched in the head many, many times. It makes for a grueling film that fails to reward the viewer. Any attempt at exploring Zamperini’s internal life or the moral complexities of war are studiously avoided. The prison warden, for example, is an offensive cliché of the inscrutable and effeminate Asian man. Unbroken may be Jolie’s love song to Zamperini, who died this year, but in its reluctance to describe the mental and spiritual tolls of war, the film’s messages about self-belief and forgiveness lack impact.