We Bought A Zoo ★ ★★ ★

DVD Release Date: April 3, 2012.Release Date Australia :  26th December 2011  Other countries YOU WILL LOVE THE HUMANSThe trailer for We Bought a Zoo does not do this film justice.  There should be a disclaimer after it, which reads: ‘This montage of one liners does not truly portray this film. We acknowledge we have made it seem ridiculously over-the-top schmaltzy.  In reality it is a well-crafted, beautifully acted and delivered...

Read More

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Fans)★ ★★ ★ (Me) ★ ★

Release Dates:   Australia 5th January 2012 Other CountriesIt's not so elementary  In Sherlock Holmes’ own words, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". And this may also be true for the movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Getting to the truth of why you should or shouldn’t see it, is quite a difficult game of deduction. Notice in one corner, we have Robert Downey...

Read More

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ★ ★★ ★ ½

Release Date: Australia January 12, 2012 Other countries Rating: MA 15+Running Time: 158 mins The Answer to the Millennium Question? We serious moviegoers don’t like remakes. Especially remakes of European movies. Hollywood has this thing about underestimating audiences. They think we don’t like reading subtitles. They take a good story, already successful in a foreign language, cast some big name actors—sometimes not—Hollywoodfy it....

Read More

The Adventures of Tin Tin ★ ★★ ★ ½

Releasing:  Australia December 26 2011    USA-December 21 2011  Other Countries Release DatesIt's A Brilliant Tintin World The last time I read a comic book—sorry graphic novel—was more than thirty years ago.  Even then, “The Adventures of Tintin” did not beep on my radar.  My taste ran to 'Tales of The Crypt' and 'Twilight Zone' and the occasional 'Archies' and 'Scooby Doo'.So I came to the screening of...

Read More

Melancholia ★★★

It’s a weird, weird filmReleases in Australian Cinemas 15th December, 2011Other Country Release DatesPicture this—a hand holding a daisy and systematically picking off the leaves.  ‘I love it.  I hate it. I love it. I hate it.’That’s me on my thoughts on Melancholia.   A quick cruise around the internet film review pages and you will find commentary swinging both ways.  This is a film that filmgoers will either...

Read More

Albert Nobbs ★★ ★

Release Date Australia: 26th December 2012Other Countries Release Dates Humorous, my corsetAlbert Nobbs is not a fun night out at the cinema. It’s an interesting night out at the cinema, but choose this movie knowing you are going to see Oscar worthy performances strung around a sad, sad story of poverty. If you are a woman, you will come out of it grateful to be living in the twenty-first century.Glenn Close’s involvement with the character of...

Read More

Arrietty ★ ★★ ★ ½ For the Kids: ★ ★ ½

When small is beautifulFirst up, with hand on my heart, I would like to state for the record, I am not an animation fan.  When I was younger I loved Scooby Doo and the Archies—even bought the comics—but as I grew older, they lost their charm.  Recently, the little people in my life, Masters Critic Eleven and scathing Critic Nine, and I have seen two animated releases—not CGI, animated—with very different reactions from them.The first, the...

Read More

Jack and Jill ★★ ★ ½

Why when Sandler falls down, he keeps his crown Let us first address the elephant in the room.  Jack and Jill (Dennis Dugan, 2011), has universally not received good reviews.  Adam Sandler movies do not impress film critics.  Yet, his movies are graced with cameos and starring roles from some of the best actors in the business.  Drew Barrymore, Christopher Walken, Donald Sutherland, Don Cheedle, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, and of...

Read More

The Iron Lady ★★★

How they turned gold into tinImagine, if you will, after watching The Iron Lady, the biopic of Margaret Thatcher’s life, Margaret is asked her opinion on said film and its portrayal of what is her memorable and significant life story.  Mrs Thatcher eyes the interviewer, and with a stare that would stop a politician at fifty paces, she replies, ‘I don’t like the tone of it.’  Be assured, there will be a lot of reviewers and film-goers backing...

Read More