Free Fire
What’s it about?
A bunch of people meet in a warehouse for a weapons deal. Shots are fired and shit gets real in real time.
What did we think?
Elizabeth Best says: Ever wanted to skip the beginning boring part of a movie and get right to the climax? Free Fire is ALL CLIMAX; an hour and a half of gangsters shooting the shit out of each other, on a claustrophobic set. It’s tense, it’s exciting, it’s even gross in bits. It has a touch of the Reservoir Dogs about it except without the flashbacks. Only thing is, the flashbacks (ironically) are what move the story forwards and without them, the bullet fatigue eventually sets in. The concept is truly kick-ass, it’s just a shame they didn’t do a bit more with it.
My Pet Dinosaur
What’s it about?
A town is plunged into chaos when a boy accidentally makes a new friend. And by make, we mean literally and figuratively. The title probably gives that away though.
What did we think?
While it doesn’t exactly tread new ground, My Pet Dinosaur is a delightful throwback to kid’s movies of the 80s. It’s a positively endearing reminder of youth, imagination and love. It would be easy to lump in with a post-Spielbergian genre, but great acting and good characterisation more than overcome the cliches. It’s good solid fun and wonderful to see a movie for all ages that doesn’t talk down to kids or get too caught up in itself.
Get Out
What’s it about?
A young black man visits his girlfriend’s wealthy white family at their mansion in the woods for the first time, but when he gets there, things seem seriously weird.
What did we think?
True horror is not monsters or ghosts – it’s humanity. And nowhere is this more evident than in Jordan Peele’s Get Out. An incredibly intelligent look at racism, the insidiousness of political correctness and modern America, it’s a movie that defies easy categorisation though it slips into a revenge flick. The true strength is that it will make you uncomfortable mentally long after the credits have rolled. Insightful and witty, it’s a must see not only for film lovers but anyone interested in equality or racial dynamics. Superb.
GET OUT opens in Australian cinemas on May 4.
CHiPS
What’s it about?Michael Peña and Dax Shepard reprise the roles made famous in the 1970s/80s by Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox, with the California Highway Patrol officers this time hunting down a mob of motorcycle thugs making a killing from security vans, with suspicions of an inside job.What did we think?Angela says: “Chip happens” is the tagline: an implied sentiment so synonymoys with modern remakes. But surprisingly, this cheesy little comedy is actually not light on laughs. Peña’s Frank Poncherello is a likeable little git, and despite being the writer, director and star, Shepard’s washed-up ex biker makes a great partner. It’s no Oscar-winner, but there’s some serious chortles to be had. It’s a bit like watching a film your douchey friends have made in their spare time – pretty clumsy, but you can’t help feeling happy with it.
Going in Style
What’s it about?
Morgan Freeman, Alan Arkin and Michael Caine turn to a bank robbery in order to save their stolen pension funds.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: Despite being a bit light on the comedy, Going in Style delivers nothing new, but is still driven by a grand chemistry between its three leads.
Fate of the Furious
What’s it about?
Family. But also a buttload of action scenes with cars somehow still being the main attraction. If we’re being real? Cipher (Charlize Theron) makes Dom (Vin Diesel) turn on the crew for mysterious reasons.
What did we think?
Nick John Bleeker says: F8 shows the Fast franchise starting to lose its creative edge, but you just can’t shake the fact that hanging out with the crew is still tonnes of fun. The addition of Theron as a nutcase villain adds to the mix nicely and, at the end of the day, the action is, as always, wonderfully explosive and utterly ridiculous. Exhausting but still a damn good time.
What’s Popular
Venom
What’s it about?
Reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is infected by an alien parasite that gives him superpowers, but shares control of his body.
What Did We Think?
Peter Linning says: Desperately hoping that you’ll assume it’s part of Marvel’s cinematic universe (look, we have a Stan Lee cameo and everything!) Venom is occasionally fun, but not nearly enough to warrant your time. The movie’s best moments are the interactions between Tom Hardy’s Eddie and the “symbiote”, as he discovers the nature of their shared living situation. Sadly these scenes are few and far between, buried in a poorly-written and awkwardly paced mess.
McKellen: Playing the Part
What’s it about?
A documentary about the famous actor.
What did we think?
Oliver Hetherington-Page says: Ian McKellen’s name will be forever linked to his roles in Lord of The Rings and/or X men. While these topics are covered in the documentary, it isn’t what the film is about at its heart. From the opening words of the piece “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” we are made to think about the tragedy that lies at the heart of Mckellen. By exploring his life both on and off the stage we see a portrait man who is constantly playing a part. In some ways this film is just McKellen talking about his career an hour and half but this film is more than that. It is a self-written (if a bit premature) obituary to the 79-year-old Academy Award nominee.
First Man
What’s it about?
What do you really know about the first man on the moon?
What did we think?
Oliver Hetherington-Page says: First Man is a fascinating character piece on a man who we all believe we know. Ryan Gosling’s performance as Armstrong is captivating as a man of few words. In his silences, we see a man who doesn’t know how to express his feeling but we as the audience can feel it all the same. Claire Foy fresh off her Emmy winning role as Queen Elizabeth shines as Armstrong’s wife. But the real star of the movie is not the performances but Damien Chazelle’s superb direction.
The controversy over the “missing” flag shows that the dissenting voices missed the one thing the title screamed. It is about the first man, not the moon mission.
First Man is First Class.
Editor's Choice
Venom
What’s it about?
Reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is infected by an alien parasite that gives him superpowers, but shares control of his body.
What Did We Think?
Peter Linning says: Desperately hoping that you’ll assume it’s part of Marvel’s cinematic universe (look, we have a Stan Lee cameo and everything!) Venom is occasionally fun, but not nearly enough to warrant your time. The movie’s best moments are the interactions between Tom Hardy’s Eddie and the “symbiote”, as he discovers the nature of their shared living situation. Sadly these scenes are few and far between, buried in a poorly-written and awkwardly paced mess.
McKellen: Playing the Part
What’s it about?
A documentary about the famous actor.
What did we think?
Oliver Hetherington-Page says: Ian McKellen’s name will be forever linked to his roles in Lord of The Rings and/or X men. While these topics are covered in the documentary, it isn’t what the film is about at its heart. From the opening words of the piece “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” we are made to think about the tragedy that lies at the heart of Mckellen. By exploring his life both on and off the stage we see a portrait man who is constantly playing a part. In some ways this film is just McKellen talking about his career an hour and half but this film is more than that. It is a self-written (if a bit premature) obituary to the 79-year-old Academy Award nominee.
First Man
What’s it about?
What do you really know about the first man on the moon?
What did we think?
Oliver Hetherington-Page says: First Man is a fascinating character piece on a man who we all believe we know. Ryan Gosling’s performance as Armstrong is captivating as a man of few words. In his silences, we see a man who doesn’t know how to express his feeling but we as the audience can feel it all the same. Claire Foy fresh off her Emmy winning role as Queen Elizabeth shines as Armstrong’s wife. But the real star of the movie is not the performances but Damien Chazelle’s superb direction.
The controversy over the “missing” flag shows that the dissenting voices missed the one thing the title screamed. It is about the first man, not the moon mission.
First Man is First Class.