Bernie
What’s it about?
In small-town Texas, the local mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she’s alive.
What did we think?
Cindy says: Like the title character, this film is short and sweet, and a little bit dull, and leaves me in two minds. Appearing as a cross between a mockumentary and a midday movie, the big-name stars (Jack Black, Matthew McConaughy and Shirley MacLaine) seem a little out of place among an outstanding cast of unknowns featured as the townsfolk of Carthage, Texas. These unknowns totally steal the show as they narrate the plight of their small-town hero. Based on a true story, this is a comic murder mystery with not a lot of shock, but plenty of “awww”.
The Bourne Legacy
What’s it about?
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum’s novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
What did we think?
The Bourne Legacy is an oddly flat addition to the franchise. It has an interesting enough story and indeed the first act is set during the first Bourne movie. But even that provides some jarring moments and simply makes you wish you’d re-watched the original before you sat down.
The characters are likeable and Jeremy Renner and Ed Norton put in very good performances, but the action sequences are a little lacking especially when compared to the outrageously frenetic fight scenes we’ve previously seen. Unfair comparison? Possibly but it is quite a contrast.
It’s good enough to warrant a continuation of the series – and doesn’t rule out a return of Damon – but it’s simply entertaining without reaching any great heights.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
What’s it about?
Liz says: Apparently vampires nearly took over the US, but for the superior axe-wielding abilities of one bad-ass action-hero president, Abraham Lincoln. Who knew?
What did we think?
Ben says: Even in the US Civil War era, American politics was full of horrific bloodsuckers. Honest Abe hacks up the undead in this silly Saturday-night schlocker of camp acting, balletic bloodletting and ubiquitous “This is Sparta!” digital slo-mo. Not likely to be seen on the History Channel, then.
I enjoyed the absurdity of it all but wished it took itself even less seriously. The healthy dollop of beheadings definitely helped.
The Dark Knight Rises
What’s it about?
It’s been eight years since Batman was last sighted but will he return when his beloved city is once again threatened? This time on an unprecedented scale? Well duh.
What did we think?
A triumphant – though somewhat bleak – return of the caped crusader, Dark Knight Rises is a gripping roller coaster ride full of action, explosions and metaphors. And it’s simply stunning in its scope.
That’s not to say there aren’t problems – a few sideplots are painfully predictable, the pacing is awkward to say the least , the last act is bloated and the sound editing guy should be shot – but the passion and the characterisations simply mean you don’t care. Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle is pretty true to the comics and adds an interesting dimension to a wonderfully convoluted plot.
Nolanverse fans will love the end of the trilogy. Believe the hype – it’s everything you want from a gritty superhero film.
Hysteria
What’s it about?
A whimsical look at how Dr Mortimer Granville devised the invention of the first vibrator in the name of medical science.
What did we think?
It’s true doctors used to diagnose Hysteria as a catch-all for women in the 19th century and true that sometimes manual manipulation of the vulva was prescribed as a treatment, so why not make a romantic comedy about it? 0_o Hysteria takes liberties with history but never pretends to be anything but playful so it’s easy to forgive especially in the light of the performances of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rupert Everett.
Despite my dislike of anachronistic events on film, I quite enjoyed this titillating comedy that managed both laughter and solid characterisations.
Magic Mike
What’s it about?
A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money.
What did we think?
I was ready to have the pants entertained off me, and the first half hour did just that. There was so much eye candy early on – special mentions go to Matthew McConaughey’s on-screen bravado and bongo playing and Channing Tatum’s body moves. Oh. My. Goodness. Yes.
But, the sugar high simply wore off. Like being sober at a hen’s night, at first it was exciting and fun and a little bit naughty, but the longer it dragged on, the more you wished you were drunk off your ass.
Needed less romance, more bromance. Left the crowd wanting less talking, more stripping dancing. P.S. I need a teacup piglet.
What’s Popular
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.
Into The Woods
What’s it about?
Several of your favourite fairytale characters find their happy ever after, before everything gets sent to hell in a handbasket once they realise that fairytale endings aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
What did we think?
Susan Hetherington says: At times laugh-out-loud funny at others “where’s-my-tissue” sad, this is a grown-ups fairytale with a strong message about being careful what you wish for and whether happily ever after is possible with someone you have known for 2.5 seconds.
Fans of the stage show may shed a tear that the adaptation has dropped the second double act between the Charming prince brothers (Agony, the over-the-top duet which included just about every cinematic cliché was the funniest point in the film) but overall it was a very satisfying translation from stage to screen. It would be nice to think Into the Woods the film will springboard composer Stephen Sondheim into the musical theatre limelight alongside the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber. It probably won’t. In fact the 15 minute opening overture will probably be enough to ensure some never again give a musical a try. But anyone who can see past that will see an intelligent tale that’s been well told and extremely well acted. They will almost certainly also have the Into the Woods earworm in their head for some time to come.
Editor's Choice
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.
Into The Woods
What’s it about?
Several of your favourite fairytale characters find their happy ever after, before everything gets sent to hell in a handbasket once they realise that fairytale endings aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
What did we think?
Susan Hetherington says: At times laugh-out-loud funny at others “where’s-my-tissue” sad, this is a grown-ups fairytale with a strong message about being careful what you wish for and whether happily ever after is possible with someone you have known for 2.5 seconds.
Fans of the stage show may shed a tear that the adaptation has dropped the second double act between the Charming prince brothers (Agony, the over-the-top duet which included just about every cinematic cliché was the funniest point in the film) but overall it was a very satisfying translation from stage to screen. It would be nice to think Into the Woods the film will springboard composer Stephen Sondheim into the musical theatre limelight alongside the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber. It probably won’t. In fact the 15 minute opening overture will probably be enough to ensure some never again give a musical a try. But anyone who can see past that will see an intelligent tale that’s been well told and extremely well acted. They will almost certainly also have the Into the Woods earworm in their head for some time to come.