The Intern
The Devil Wears Prada’s intern takes on Taxi Driver as a “senior senior” intern. Could be a train wreck, could be gorgeous.
Southpaw
What’s it about?
Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a pro boxer with a dodgy defence technique but a string of wins under his light heavyweight champion belts. When tragedy strikes his wife (Rachel McAdams) and daughter (Oona Laurence) and custody of his child is taken away, he has to fight to get his life – and career – back on track, with the help of a new, old school trainer (Forest Whitaker).
What did we think?
Angela says: Even though this film has a stellar cast who produce some stonking performances (special nods to Whitaker, McAdams and Laurence). Even though the fight scenes are horrendously, gruesomely well done (as one of those who finds boxing to be the epitome of human savagery, I had my face turned away for a third of the film). Even though I had a tear in my eye on more than one occasion. And even though it’s not actually the same storyline. This still feels like Rocky-lite. Sorry, but it does. It’s a good film but it won’t have Sly’ staying power.
The Gift
What’s it about?
When Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) move from Chicago to Los Angeles to start a new life they encounter an old friend of Simon’s who takes a keen interest in their lives.
What did we think?
Nick says with strong, confident stylistic choices from director Joel Edgerton and great performances from all involved, especially Rebecca Hall, The Gift offers a well paced narrative and rising tension that starts from the minute one right up until the curtain closes.
Vacation
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) drives his wife (Christina Applegate) and children across the country to Wally World in an effort to bring them closer together.
WHAT DID WE THINK?
Dominic says yet another in the recent glut of rush-job studio comedies, although this one improves noticeably as it goes. It’s at its best when trying new ideas (e.g. a running joke with Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose”, copious cameos from modern comics) and not making obvious reference to the previous Vacation movies. Fun performances from Helms, Applegate and Chris Hemsworth as a randy Texan rancher can’t quite redeem the tired gags and flip-flopping tone.
Ant-Man
What’s it about?
There’s this smart guy who’s rich and he figures out how to shrink to the size of an ant and then communicate with them, but he thinks it’s too powerful for the authorities until one day when he’s old he finds out someone else has figured it out so he ropes in a criminal to become … I’ve said too much.
What we thought
Stephen Scott says: In the grand tradition of Iron Man, Marvel have created a fantastic lol-filled adventure that exceeds your expectations. Fun and funny.
Hey, does Marvel have its own Genre category yet?
Paper Towns
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A high school senior (Nat Wolff) finds secret messages left for him by his recently disappeared crush (Cara Delevingne), and takes his friends on a road trip to track her down.
WHAT DID WE THINK?
The term “teen movie” basically exists to say “teenagers don’t know any better”, and Paper Towns is a movie that doesn’t help that. It’s got wonderful performances all around, especially from Cara Delevingne, and there’s a soundtrack filled with trendy music from the likes of Haim and The War on Drugs. Sadly, the smart-alecky and pretentious script imparts the tired message that “nerdy” guys, no matter how gross, are just sweet schlubs that deserve whatever female attention they can get.
What’s Popular
Three Summers
What’s it about?
Each year a Western Australian music festival hosts the same ensemble of die-hard performers and fans. Their stories leap forward every twelve months for three summers.
What we thought
Dan says: Imagine you remade ‘Love Actually’ but instead of being about love and promoting emotionally unhealthy relationships, it was about cultural tolerance and trying to be less of a dick. Ben Elton’s jokes are great. I cackled a lot, but it still feels like he’s directing an episode of Black Adder. Cameras are locked off and dialogue is awkwardly expository as he races for the next gag.
As with all ensemble pieces there’s just not enough time to bring any subtlety to the storytelling. Attempts at pathos feel unearned and he can’t make up his mind whether he wants to respect all cultures or mock them. Good jokes, but it feels like an opportunity to do something wondrous was missed.
Thor Ragnarok
What’s it about?
The God of Thunder finds himself weaponless and pitted against a new foe whose power seemingly knows no limit. Will teaming up with friends, old and new, be enough to overcome a goddess of death?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Funny as bro!
Suburbicon
What’s it about?
A 1959 seemingly perfect American town is rocked by both integration and murder, throwing doubts on just how perfect a place it is.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Imagine a high-quality slow burner where half the plot seems to fizzle out. Well, actually you don’t need to imagine as it now has physical form in Suburbicon. It’s a dark look at the two ugly faces of white America told by two (nominally) interweaving tales in ‘classic America’. I want to call it a dark comedy but the laughs are few and often inspired unintentionally. It’s beautiful tonally but the two stories feel discordant rather than one large coherent one. Still, there’s a lot to like: the acting is top-shelf, Oscar Isaac nearly steals the entire movie, and it will definitely inspire discussion. But for me, the small predictables were going to be offset by a culmination of the stories coming together; an intertwining that sadly never occurred.
Happy Death Day
Death by Deja vu?
Editor's Choice
Three Summers
What’s it about?
Each year a Western Australian music festival hosts the same ensemble of die-hard performers and fans. Their stories leap forward every twelve months for three summers.
What we thought
Dan says: Imagine you remade ‘Love Actually’ but instead of being about love and promoting emotionally unhealthy relationships, it was about cultural tolerance and trying to be less of a dick. Ben Elton’s jokes are great. I cackled a lot, but it still feels like he’s directing an episode of Black Adder. Cameras are locked off and dialogue is awkwardly expository as he races for the next gag.
As with all ensemble pieces there’s just not enough time to bring any subtlety to the storytelling. Attempts at pathos feel unearned and he can’t make up his mind whether he wants to respect all cultures or mock them. Good jokes, but it feels like an opportunity to do something wondrous was missed.
Thor Ragnarok
What’s it about?
The God of Thunder finds himself weaponless and pitted against a new foe whose power seemingly knows no limit. Will teaming up with friends, old and new, be enough to overcome a goddess of death?
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Funny as bro!
Suburbicon
What’s it about?
A 1959 seemingly perfect American town is rocked by both integration and murder, throwing doubts on just how perfect a place it is.
What did we think?
Anthony Sherratt says: Imagine a high-quality slow burner where half the plot seems to fizzle out. Well, actually you don’t need to imagine as it now has physical form in Suburbicon. It’s a dark look at the two ugly faces of white America told by two (nominally) interweaving tales in ‘classic America’. I want to call it a dark comedy but the laughs are few and often inspired unintentionally. It’s beautiful tonally but the two stories feel discordant rather than one large coherent one. Still, there’s a lot to like: the acting is top-shelf, Oscar Isaac nearly steals the entire movie, and it will definitely inspire discussion. But for me, the small predictables were going to be offset by a culmination of the stories coming together; an intertwining that sadly never occurred.
Happy Death Day
Death by Deja vu?