All Eyez on Me
What’s it about?
The story of successful nineties gangster rapper Tupac Shakur before he became a hologram.
What did we think?
Dan Beeston says: The tale told here is so one-sided it feels like the other two sections of the Rashomon went missing. Tupac is portrayed as a cultural leader for whom butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, and then justifying his abuse of the trappings of his success. Like that one kid who’d plead “I was hanging out with the bad kids sure, but I’ve never done anything bad myself”.
There’s a lot of information and swearing to get through. Tonally it often feels cartoonish. You could almost cast Samuel L. Jackson in every single part and it would only make it slightly more comical. But the viewers job isn’t to cast judgement. It’s to delight in the tale of this version of Tupac. To revel in his heroism. Add an extra star if you’re West Coast 4 EVR.
Rough Night
What’s it about?
A bachelorette weekend turns nasty when someone accidentally kills a stripper.
Elizabeth Best says: A female take on the bromance Hangover-style films that falls mostly flat as the talented actresses are relegated to playing stereotypes whose intelligence is seriously flawed. The saving grace is Kate McKinnon playing an Aussie expat whose accent is impeccable… 90 per cent of the time; the other 10 per cent is full of bung words but honestly, our accent is bloody difficult, so props to her. I’d love to see McKinnon lead a movie one day, but for now I’m content to see her steal it.
Despicable Me 3
What’s it about?
After losing his job, Gru meets his long-lost charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru who wants to team up with him for one last criminal heist.
What did we think?
Fans of the minions will be a bit disappointed in DM3 as the banana-loving yellow henchmen don’t feature as much as previous instalments. Most adults will also be disappointed as that means the weak storyline has to be carried by a two-dimensional version of Gru. The best parts of a movie (from an adult perspective) is 80s jokes and a wicked 80s soundtrack but there’s not much else to talk about. Perhaps having three directors is to blame for the lack of a central theme but there’s still mindless fun on show as the kids laughed and were left happy and that is the primary audience. The Minions sequel (due 2020) will need to be better than this for the franchise.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
What’s it about?
Greg is a typical millennial with a knack for getting himself into trouble. His loving mother forces the family on a road trip to Grandma’s house.
What we thought
Dan says: The problem with road trip films is that they end up feeling like a bunch of sketches all lined up. Only four of the scenes in the film are required to understand the story and the rest could be shuffled or removed and it wouldn’t be noticed. Some of these scenes are funny. Some are needlessly scatological. Perhaps vomiting on someone’s face is funnier on the page than in full technicolour. At the end of the day this just doesn’t feel like proper movie.
The Mummy
What’s it about?
Welcome to a world of gods and monsters! It’s Tom Cruise and ‘our’ Rusty helming Universal Studios own interpretation of a “Marvel Universe” cash-cow using the old (classic horror aka the curse of the mummy) and the new (shit-loads of CGI).
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Just like a one-night-stand, you get exactly what you expect: a good time that’s quickly forgotten. Tom is Indiana Jones reincarnated as a sledgehammer that’s been born into a Michael Bay wet dream of ACTION ACTION ACTION! It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours (the plane flight sequence is worth admission alone) with some fun twists, and plot holes as large as the archeological pits they skip over.
The Promise
What’s it about?
WWI saw many atrocities, but the Armenian genocide is one that is fading from history. That story is told via the romantic rivalry between a medical student and a renowned journalist with Anna, an Armenian freshly returned from France.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: A poignant and timely reminder of where racism / intolerance / bigotry leads to. Luckily the love triangle doesn’t drag you in completely or the heartbreak of what happens to their families would tear you apart. Genocide is brutal and horrific, and The Promise pulls no punches in that regard, at times the stark brutal reality of war borders on traumatising. The romance is a sugar coating to attract audiences, which hopefully works, because this is a story that deserves to be seen by the masses. Continue Reading
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The Old Man & the Gun
What’s it about?
Well you see there’s a Detective who’s just hit 40 and is questioning what to do with his life. Then there’s a widower living her dreams, but wondering if she’s doing everything she’s meant to. And then there’s this old guy who’s just trying to be the best travelling salesmen he can be. Or maybe he’s lying about that and really just likes to rob banks. Whichever one he is, he’s a charmer.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Surprisingly, for a ‘mostly true’ tale about a charming criminal, this is a story about ordinary people. It’s a love story, and it’s about finding happiness by doing what you love.
There is a delightful attention to detail in the telling of this tale, which, coupled with Redford’s brazen confidence as the untouchable Forrest Tucker, weaves a story that confounds you with contradictions of character.
After all, is a thief really that bad a person if he’s stolen your heart?
Footnote: If you think this review goes a bridge too far with references to a certain legend’s career, wait till you see how the river runs through this flick. You’d need all the Presidents men to help you unravel the sting.
Bohemian Rhapsody
What’s it about?
A chronicle of one of the most influential rock-pop bands of the 20th century, Queen and its flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury. Focusing more on Freddie, this biopic ranges from the group forming from the remnants of SMILE and provides glimpses of the years leading up to Queen’s legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Imagine flicking through a thick, detailed book about the history of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Not reading: just flicking through and reading a page or so at random here and there. And then flicking backwards occasionally so you’re reading out of order. That’s kind of what you get with Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s still fascinating but feels somewhat superficial and you can’t help but feel it should have been more. The movie takes liberties with chronology both musically and factually which will annoy a diehard Queen fan, but it has to be said it’s still a satisfying movie emotionally. The performances are fantastic, the music is electrifying and the heart is there even if finer details aren’t. The exploration of the paradox that was Freddie – a flamboyant performer who off-stage was shy and never identified as cool – is going to be enough for most as the familiar songs paper over a lot of the cracks. The adherence to a formulaic biopic is irritating – and almost UnFreddie like – but I enjoyed it despite the failings.
My biggest criticism was that the ending isn’t right. Frustratingly, a simple info card covering the six years between where the film ended and the info card they did display, would have addressed the issues. If you’re a Queen fan you might be disappointed with points here and there but not the overall picture. 4/5
Amy Curran says: This long-awaited film didn’t quite rock me. The music is great, of course – it’s the script that’s the problem. It’s all obvious foreshadowing, simplified characters and cinematic licence. While it dutifully checks off its mandatory rock movie moments, it does so in a very timid, overly respectful way. Any hint of debauchery is politely alluded to rather than explicitly depicted, and the film suffers for it. That said, Malek is excellent, his bandmates are well cast (Gwilym Lee’s Brian May is particularly spot on) and the incredibly faithful re-creation of the 1985 Live Aid concert at Wembley stadium is truly spectacular. Despite its flaws, it’s worth seeing. 3/5
Andrew Danyals says: Queen had not one, not two but three albums of greatest hits. Trying to choose a small list of favourite songs would be like trying to fit twenty years of fascinating and often bizarre stories into a single film. It’s inevitable that this biopic glosses over so many things. In fact there are so many things they just leave out altogether (where is the legendary Bowie studio meeting? Or Michael Jackson and his llama? The dwarves were alluded to but not shown!). Despite this, BoRap is a great movie. Not because of anything technical – there it sometimes fails – but because it taps into your emotions. You lose yourself in Rami Malek’s incredible portrayal of Freddie and you lose yourself in the music. And that’s all that really matters. Love Queen? See the movie. 4.6/5
Halloween
What’s it about?
Mike Myers (the bad one) returns to Haddonfield to wreak havoc on the one night of the year that it feels mostly okay to do so.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: I walked into the cinema thinking I could handle it and came out of the cinema so horribly wrong. Halloween doesn’t really present anything too fresh, but Jamie Lee Curtis is great and David Gordon Green’s handle on the source material is incredibly solid, and I did kinda shit myself thanks to some of the scares.
3.5 / 5 stars
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The Old Man & the Gun
What’s it about?
Well you see there’s a Detective who’s just hit 40 and is questioning what to do with his life. Then there’s a widower living her dreams, but wondering if she’s doing everything she’s meant to. And then there’s this old guy who’s just trying to be the best travelling salesmen he can be. Or maybe he’s lying about that and really just likes to rob banks. Whichever one he is, he’s a charmer.
What did we think?
Stephen Scott says: Surprisingly, for a ‘mostly true’ tale about a charming criminal, this is a story about ordinary people. It’s a love story, and it’s about finding happiness by doing what you love.
There is a delightful attention to detail in the telling of this tale, which, coupled with Redford’s brazen confidence as the untouchable Forrest Tucker, weaves a story that confounds you with contradictions of character.
After all, is a thief really that bad a person if he’s stolen your heart?
Footnote: If you think this review goes a bridge too far with references to a certain legend’s career, wait till you see how the river runs through this flick. You’d need all the Presidents men to help you unravel the sting.
Bohemian Rhapsody
What’s it about?
A chronicle of one of the most influential rock-pop bands of the 20th century, Queen and its flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury. Focusing more on Freddie, this biopic ranges from the group forming from the remnants of SMILE and provides glimpses of the years leading up to Queen’s legendary appearance at the Live Aid (1985) concert.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Imagine flicking through a thick, detailed book about the history of Queen and Freddie Mercury. Not reading: just flicking through and reading a page or so at random here and there. And then flicking backwards occasionally so you’re reading out of order. That’s kind of what you get with Bohemian Rhapsody. It’s still fascinating but feels somewhat superficial and you can’t help but feel it should have been more. The movie takes liberties with chronology both musically and factually which will annoy a diehard Queen fan, but it has to be said it’s still a satisfying movie emotionally. The performances are fantastic, the music is electrifying and the heart is there even if finer details aren’t. The exploration of the paradox that was Freddie – a flamboyant performer who off-stage was shy and never identified as cool – is going to be enough for most as the familiar songs paper over a lot of the cracks. The adherence to a formulaic biopic is irritating – and almost UnFreddie like – but I enjoyed it despite the failings.
My biggest criticism was that the ending isn’t right. Frustratingly, a simple info card covering the six years between where the film ended and the info card they did display, would have addressed the issues. If you’re a Queen fan you might be disappointed with points here and there but not the overall picture. 4/5
Amy Curran says: This long-awaited film didn’t quite rock me. The music is great, of course – it’s the script that’s the problem. It’s all obvious foreshadowing, simplified characters and cinematic licence. While it dutifully checks off its mandatory rock movie moments, it does so in a very timid, overly respectful way. Any hint of debauchery is politely alluded to rather than explicitly depicted, and the film suffers for it. That said, Malek is excellent, his bandmates are well cast (Gwilym Lee’s Brian May is particularly spot on) and the incredibly faithful re-creation of the 1985 Live Aid concert at Wembley stadium is truly spectacular. Despite its flaws, it’s worth seeing. 3/5
Andrew Danyals says: Queen had not one, not two but three albums of greatest hits. Trying to choose a small list of favourite songs would be like trying to fit twenty years of fascinating and often bizarre stories into a single film. It’s inevitable that this biopic glosses over so many things. In fact there are so many things they just leave out altogether (where is the legendary Bowie studio meeting? Or Michael Jackson and his llama? The dwarves were alluded to but not shown!). Despite this, BoRap is a great movie. Not because of anything technical – there it sometimes fails – but because it taps into your emotions. You lose yourself in Rami Malek’s incredible portrayal of Freddie and you lose yourself in the music. And that’s all that really matters. Love Queen? See the movie. 4.6/5
Halloween
What’s it about?
Mike Myers (the bad one) returns to Haddonfield to wreak havoc on the one night of the year that it feels mostly okay to do so.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: I walked into the cinema thinking I could handle it and came out of the cinema so horribly wrong. Halloween doesn’t really present anything too fresh, but Jamie Lee Curtis is great and David Gordon Green’s handle on the source material is incredibly solid, and I did kinda shit myself thanks to some of the scares.
3.5 / 5 stars