Weekly Film Review Roundup 17th October 2013

What a week it’s been for reviewers, we’ve seen some really great films. Prisoners is not for the faint-hearted; its gripping. If you want something lighter go fall in love with About Time.  Girls, go treat yourselves and watch at Gold Class, La Premiere or one of those luxury cinema experiences.  For those who want a solid Australian drama, take a trip to Mystery Road. Remember, also, it’s the last week of the Italian Film Festival running across Australia.  Make it a night out with pizza, wine and a wonderful Italian film.

(My movie Pick of the week)

About Time ★★★★

Opens in Australia: 17^th October, 2013

Other Countries:          Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Richard Curtis, screenwriter for some of the most memorable romances in the past few decades—Notting Hill, Bridge Jones Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and War Horse—wrote the screenplay and directed for About Time. So going in, you know what to expect. It’s blatantly sentimental and filled to the brim with lovely, sweet moments.  

Nerdish Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is sat down on his 21^st birthday by his offbeat father (Bill Nighy) and given the secret man’s talk—the men in their family have the ability to travel through time. The deal is he can only change things in his own life, so he uses it to change the one thing uppermost in his mind—score a girlfriend (Rachel McAdams).

Of course, true love, or life for that matter, never runs smoothly, but Tim can fix that by jumping back in time. However, he comes to realize that it’s not as easy as he thinks and he is faced with some large dilemmas. Some of the best moments are between Tim and his Father. Bill Nighy’s quirky character portrayals never get old.

It may not be Notting Hill, but there are so few of these sentimental romances around these days that About Time was a surprisingly enjoyable film. It’s a lovely commentary, too, on family, the bond between father and son, and a reminder we should savor each day.

STUDIO BLURB

At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time... The night after another unsatisfactory New Year party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time. Tim can't change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life-so he decides to make his world a better place...by getting a girlfriend.

Sadly, that turns out not to be as easy as you might think. Moving from the Cornwall coast to London to train as a lawyer, Tim finally meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams). Tim finds out that his unique gift can't save him from the sorrows and ups and downs that affect all families, everywhere. About Time is a comedy about love and time travel, which discovers that, in the end, making the most of life may not need time travel at all. (c) Universal  

Prisoners★★★★

Opens in Australia: 17^th October 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

This film is intense… no, I mean, REALLY INTENSE.  If you have children it will ask you all kinds of questions you won’t want answered, and you hope will never be asked of you.

I think it’s one of the best performances by Hugh Jackman I’ve seen. He really is a great actor. The final act has a few plot-holes, but you will be so shaken up by then you won’t think about them until later.  It’s a good film but I can’t say I enjoyed it.  It’s too grim, too terrifying, and too relentless. But, if that’s what you like, this one is definitely a “go see it.”

STUDIO BLURB

PRISONERS, from Oscar (R)-nominated director Denis Villeneuve, stars Oscar (R) nominees Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal in a story that poses the question: How far would you go to protect your child? Keller Dover (Jackman) is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation,  Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) arrests its driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect's release. Knowing his child's life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family? (c) WB

Mystery Road ★★★ 

Opens in Australia: 17^th October, 2013

Other Countries:          Release Information

Perth, Australia:      See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

Ivan Sen has done a remarkably solid job in creating a real sense of dread in this small town murder mystery. The Australian cast is a “who’s who” of talent, and all deliver their best.  It’s a touch uneven in pace, but is still a good drama. Aaron Pedersen has a powerful screen presence, as the small town cop who follows his instincts while being confronted by prejudice and the challenges of his family. If you live outside Australia you will find this peek into Australian outback town life fascinating. And it’s a bloody good product from our country that you will enjoy tremendously.

STUDIO BLURB

An Indigenous detective investigates the murder of a teenage girl in a small town in the Outback. Ivan Sen (Toomelah) crafts a mesmerising thriller with a stellar Australian cast including Aaron Pedersen, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten and Jack Thompson.

Honey ★★★½

Australian Lavazza Italian Film Festival

(Festival: 2^nd – 22^nd October­­­—varies in your state)

Visit Lavazza Italian Film Festival Websitefor info on the Festival

Perth Festival: Screening details: Click here

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Honey is a controversial film in its topic matter. Dealing with euthanasia it is not an easy

film to watch. Although, those who brave it will be rewarded with thought provoking arguments. Is euthanasia for mental illness justifiable. As one of the characters poses the question: Just because you can’t see the illness, is it not still an illness? 

It’s well-rounded and beautifully filmed and directed. Not for everyone but definitely a conversation starter.

STUDIO BLURB

Irene, nicknamed 'Honey', has devote herself to people looking for help, and tries to alleviate their suffering even when they make extreme decisions. One day she meets Grimaldi and his invisible malaise. An official selection of Un Certain Regard at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Honey has been applauded for Golino’s stylish direction and Trinca’s breakout performance, making this multilayered and beautifully nuanced film an unmissable festival highlight.

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Weekly Film Review Round Up 13th October 2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

Reviewed this week.  2 Guns’ is a story  elevated by the actors.  I can never not like Denzil in anything. He is just too good.  Then there is the woeful Diana which I think is asking a lot expecting you to pay for what is really a midday movie. If you are in Australia and want to have a little fun, check out the Italian Film Festival running across the country.  It’s just started in Perth at Luna Cinemas.  Ciao for this week.

(My movie Pick of the week)
2 Guns ★★★ ½ 
Opens in Australia: 10^th October, 2013
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Anything with Denzil Washington and Mark Wahlberg is always reasonable. Here they play pretty much to their usual type. Denzil is the wise, cool dude, and Wahlberg the smart aleck, careless sidekick. The beginning was a tad confusing but once the twist is revealed, about thirty minutes in it is quite fun. There is a horrible scene with chickens.  If you like animals, close your eyes.

The film is reasonable fare and there are no plodding scenes, but having just discovered Breaking Bad, I am catching up on obsessed with it at the moment, and every drug-dealing story pales next to it.  I think the name, 2 Guns needs a little work, too.

STUDIO BLURB

Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg lead an all-star cast in 2 Guns, an explosive action film that tracks two operatives from competing bureaus who are forced on the run together.  But there is a big problem with their unique alliance: Neither knows that the other is an undercover federal agent.   

For the past 12 months, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Washington) and U.S. naval intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Wahlberg) have been reluctantly attached at the hip.  Working undercover as members of a narcotics syndicate, each man distrusts his partner as much as the criminals they have both been tasked to take down.

When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, Trench and Stigman are suddenly disavowed by their superiors.  Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, the only person they can count on is the other.  Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad, they pick up a few tricks along the way.

Diana ★ ½ 
Opens in Australia: 10^th October, 2013
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Oh its horrible. Really ridiculously bad, just the like the hairdos of Naomi Watts as Diana.  Supposedly they gave her a prosthetic nose, but I don't think she looks anything like her.  She's the wrong shape, doesn't sound like her and her hair just looks like a bad wig.  Considering this affair was concealed pretty much from most people, its a real fictional account.  Don't waste your dollars.  You will actually see better on the free-to-air. Only watch if you enjoy Mills and Boone and Danielle Steele dramatizations. And I use the word drama very loosely here.

STUDIO BLURB

DIANA is a compelling portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales during the final two years of her life. The film stars British-born Academy Award (R) nominated actress Naomi Watts (J. EDGAR, FAIR GAME, 21 GRAMS) who assumes the leading role of the eponymous and iconic princess. Naveen Andrews, best known for his roles in THE ENGLISH PATIENT and the hit television series LOST, co-stars as Dr. Hasnat Khan. Fellow Brits Douglas Hodge, Geraldine James, Charles Edwards and Juliet Stevenson round out the  supporting cast. (c) Official Facebook

Honey ★★★½
Australian Lavazza Italian Film Festival

(Festival: 2^nd – 22^nd October­­­—varies in your state)

Visit Lavazza Italian Film Festival Websitefor info on the Festival
Perth Festival: Screening details: Click here
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Honey is a controversial film in its topic matter. Dealing with euthanasia, it is not an easy film to watch. Although, those who brave it will be rewarded with thought provoking arguments. Is euthanasia for mental illness justifiable? As one of the characters poses the question: Just because you can’t see the illness, is it not still an illness? 

It’s well-rounded and beautifully filmed and directed. Not for everyone but definitely a conversation starter.

STUDIO BLURB

Irene, nicknamed 'Honey', has devote herself to people looking for help, and tries to alleviate their suffering even when they make extreme decisions. One day she meets Grimaldi and his invisible malaise. An official selection of Un Certain Regard at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Honey has been applauded for Golino’s stylish direction and Trinca’s breakout performance, making this multilayered and beautifully nuanced film an unmissable festival highlight.

What have you seen this week? Did you find our comments helpful or do you disagree? Share your thoughts with us.

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Win tickets to preview of FRUITVALE STATION

UP FOR GRABS MY PERTH FILM FRIENDS

FIVE DOUBLE PASSES

TO PREVIEW OF

FRUITVALE STATION

at

LUNA CINEMAS, Leederville

Saturday 19 October

10.45am for 11.00am start

TO ENTER

Just follow @susanmaywriter or like on Facebook or Friend on Google+ and tweet or share:

#PERTH #WIN Tickts 2 Film preview FRUITVALE STATION Sat 19/10 11am @lunacinemas  RT & Follow-Details: http://buff.ly/15YqMPr @susanmaywriter

Competition closes Midnight WA Time Tuesday, 15^th October

Getting to Luna Cinemas Leederville

Luna Leederville is just a few minutes from central Perth. There's plenty of parking available off Vincent Street behind the supermarket or at the rear of the Leederville Hotel, or at the end of Oxford Street in the car park opposite the Leederville Train Station. We're also easy to reach by public transport. The Leederville Train Station is just a short stroll down Oxford St and Buses nos 15 and 401 will drop you at our door.

FILM BLURB

Film opens 7^th November 

          Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler’s FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air.             

         Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), whose birthday falls on New Year’s Eve, being a better partner to his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who he hasn’t been completely honest with as of late, and being a better father to Tatiana (Ariana Neal), their beautiful four year-old daughter. 

         Crossing paths with friends, family, and strangers, Oscar starts out well, but as the day goes on, he realizes that change is not going to come easily. His resolve takes a tragic turn, however, when BART officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year’s Day.  Oscar’s life and tragic death would shake the Bay Area – and the entire nation – to its very core.

Website:  www.fruitvalestationmovie.com.au 

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Weekly Review Roundup 5th October 2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

This is the week of the sensational film Gravity opening around the world. It’s already the most talked about film of the year. I don’t give out five stars lightly.  A book or a film has to be perfect in its genre to receive that rating.  That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plot-holes but it means it delivers to its intended audience. Gravity is the Avatar or Inception of 2013. We will look back and say that this film changed our expectation of what can be done on film.  Rushis also another great film but if you see one film this year, see Gravity.

(My movie Pick of the week)
GRAVITY ★★★★★
Opens in Australia: 3^rd October, 2013
Other Countries:          Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

This is hands down one of the best space films you will see.  I don’t hand out 5 stars very often, maybe two or 3 a year and neither do most film critics. But universally, we all agree that this film is a stand out and should not be missed. See it on the biggest screen, IMAX 3D.  Its what you call an experience. Every now and then a film comes along that pushes the envelope of technology and storytelling.  This is 2013.  If this film doesn’t win a lot of categories at the awards then something is very wrong. Sandra Bullock gives her best performance yet. I dare say its the best performance of her career.  Go see it and please remember to breathe occasionally. For my full review click here.

STUDIO BLURB

GRAVITY, directed by Oscar (R) nominee Alfonso Cuaron, stars Oscar (R) winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone.

Rush ★★★ ★
Opens in Australia: 3^rd October, 2013
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Just like the mesmerizing 2010 documentary Senna, Ron Howard’s Rush takes us into the live fast-die young world of F1 racing. I’m not a rev head, and in my book cars are for getting from A to B (definitely within the speed limit), so these movies should not rev my engine.

But Rush is such a crafted film on the story of the fierce competition, in the seventies, between Englishman James Hunt and Austrian Niki Lauda that you can’t help enjoying it. It’s quite a remarkable tale of two crazily competitive drivers who both sought to be F1 world champions. You would be forgiven for believing the story had been Hollywood-fied but it is all true. It’s an adrenaline rush and a fascinating dramatization of a historic time in motor racing sport. Even if you are not a sports or car racing fan you will enjoy this film.

Chris Hemsworth is surprisingly good as the carefree, drinking, philandering James Hunt and Daniel Brühl makes a good, very serious Niki Lauda.

This is a surprisingly good date night film. The boys will love the cars and the girls will certainly enjoy simply looking at Hemsworth, and the story moves at a quick pace to match the cars. The incredible track footage is worth the entry ticket alone.

STUDIO BLURB

Two-time Academy Award (R) winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon), teams once again with fellow two-time Academy Award (R) nominee, writer Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen), on Rush, a spectacular big-screen re-creation of the merciless 1970s rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The epic action-drama stars Chris Hemsworth (The Avengers) as the charismatic Englishman James Hunt and Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds) as the disciplined Austrian perfectionist Niki Lauda, whose  clashes on the Grand Prix racetrack epitomized the contrast between these two extraordinary characters, a distinction reflected in their private lives. Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing, Rush portrays the exhilarating true story of two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed-handsome English playboy Hunt and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Lauda. Taking us into their personal lives on and off the track, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error.

Thanks for Sharing★★★
Opens in Australia: 3^rd October 2013
Perth, Australia:      See at Luna Cinemas
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Films about addiction are a difficult topic. It’s an illness but its hard to comprehend if you don’t suffer from it. This one is billed as a romantic comedy but its really a drama with some good performances.  It’s not a very deep examination on sex addiction which was explored in far more grim and suffocating detail with last year’s Shame. Gwyneth Paltrow is her usual natural self and Mark Ruffalo plays the lovable, raffable guy (as he always does well). Good performance by Tim Robbins.  I’d probably catch it on DVD if you like these actors.

STUDIO BLURB

On the surface Adam (Ruffalo), an over-achieving environmental consultant, Mike (Robbins), a long-married small-business owner, and Neil (Gad), a wisecracking emergency-room doctor, have little in common. But all are in different stages of dealing with addiction. Confident and successful in his career, Adam is afraid to allow love back into his life, even if that means losing a chance to start over with smart, beautiful and accomplished Phoebe (Paltrow); Mike's efforts to control his wife, Katie  (Richardson), and son, Danny (Fugit), as tightly as he does his impulses are tearing the family apart; and Neil is still deeply in denial when befriended by Dede (Moore), who has just begun to take her own small steps back to health.. As they navigate the rocky shores of recovery, Adam, Mike and Neil become a family that encourages, infuriates and applauds each other on the journey toward a new life. (c) Roadside

What have you seen this week? Did you find our comments helpful or do you disagree? Share your thoughts with us.

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Gravity ★★★★★

A perfect space odyssey

Opens in Australia: 3rd October

USA: 4th October  UK: 10th October
Other Countries: Release Information

Gravity is surprising, no matter which way you turn. And there is a lot of turning and spinning, so be prepared if you suffer motion sickness. There is also a great deal of white knuckle, breath holding moments, too.

You could be forgiven for thinking a dramatic space film with Sandra Bullock as the lead wouldn’t work. The staging is so realistic you could, also, be forgiven for thinking it was filmed entirely in space. It was actually filmed entirely at Shepperton Studios in London, England against animated screens. You would also not expect that ninety minutes of slow movement, fifteen minutes of dialogue in the opening followed by mostly silence and monologue, would be so enthralling.

But director Alfonso Cuarón has delivered a film that will grab you by the throat from the beautiful opening scenes, and it will not release you until the end credits. Even then, you will find yourself reliving the moments later because it felt so real.

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a medical genius is on her first shuttle mission and effecting repairs on a routine spacewalk. Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) is on his last mission and, in the magnificent opening sequence, casually zips around her admiring his final view from space. When disaster strikes and their shuttle is destroyed through a collision with hurtling detritus, Dr. Stone must find a way back to earth while her air runs low and she finds herself in an environment for which she is ill prepared.

By all accounts Gravity was a frustrating film for Cuarón to create and he has said he will never venture into space again. Each sequence needed to be digitally created; a two year process before filming began. Most of the technology invented for the film constantly failed up until the first day of filming. Cuarón even kept a diary and talks of fifteen days where they barely achieved anything. The diary was his record for later analysis after what he believed would be his inevitable dismissal when the project fell apart. After the conclusion of principal filming, it was still another year and a half of post-production.

Even the star, Sandra Bullock, described the time she spent in a nine foot cube, created for her shots, as “lonely” and “isolating.” It was so difficult to get in and out of that she chose to remain inside between takes, alone, many times in full astronaut suit.

Gravity has been universally praised by critics, deservedly. We’ve never seen anything like it on the big screen. And since Cuarón has explained that it took him four and a half years to complete, we probably won’t again. But the effort was worth it. It is a haunting, thrilling masterpiece that should be enjoyed on the big screen. We saw it in IMAX in 3D and it is worth the extra dollars to experience the full effect of this extraordinary film.

Here is a great interview with Alfonso Cuarón on GRAVITY

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Film Review Round Up 29th September 2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

There are only two reviews for you this week. I missed a few screenings. Well I saw five in a week this week, but they are not opening in Australia yet. One of this weeks is quite a masterpiece in film-making but not for everyone. And the other is the dreary opposite. Next week some really great films open. Until then…

(My movie Pick of the week)

The Turning★★★ ★

Opens in Australia: 26^th September 2013

Perth, Australia:      See at Luna Cinemas

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

I respect this film because it’s experimental and is an experience as much as it is a film. Taking 17 short stories and turning them into a film is an interesting concept. It’s also a very long at 3 hours. There is an interval for those who are not as well-trained as reviewers. Some of the stories are more interesting than others and the second half definitely has the cream of the tales. I am told the screenings will also have a programme (which I think would really enhance the experience). If you are a cinema fanatic then go along and enjoy something different. If you are a blockbuster fan and like your films fast and furious, then…ah…no, this one is not for you. Still a marvelous piece for us cinephiles.

STUDIO BLURB

TIM WINTON'S THE TURNING, a film adaptation of Winton's best-selling novel 'The Turning', consists of 17 chapters that each features a different director and stellar cast. Under the guidance of curator Robert Connolly (Balibo), first time filmmakers Mia Wasikowska and David Wenham make their directorial debut amongst acclaimed directors such as Warwick Thornton and Justin Kurzel. 

Australian talent starring in the film includes Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Miranda Otto, Brenna Harding, Richard Roxburgh, Callan Mulvey, Dan Wyllie, Oscar Redding, Robyn Nevin, Susie Porter, Wayne Blair, Mirrah Foulkes and numerous others. Many of the chapters were also shot right here in WA. 

Runner Runner★★

Opens in Australia: 26^th September, 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Run, run, run as fast as you can away from this movie. It is so boring, you will sleep sleep. I made a vow not to see any more films with Justin Timberlake. He cannot act. It’s like he’s reading the script for the first time. But I thought how bad can it be with Ben Affleck?  The answer: Bad bad. He seems to have lowered his acting standards in this so as not to show up Timberlake or Jemma Arterton. I don’t even know why it is called Runner Runner. Maybe even the studio is trying to give you a heads up. Don’t even get it on DVD. But, at least on DVD you can turn it off. I am renaming it Rubbish Rubbish.

STUDIO BLURB

Richie, a Princeton college student who pays for school with on-line gambling, bottoms out and travels to Costa Rica to confront the on-line mastermind, Ivan, whom he believes has swindled him. Ivan sees a kindred spirit in Richie and brings the younger man into his operation. When the stakes get incredibly high and dangerous, and Richie comes to fully understand the deviousness of his new boss, he tries to turn the tables on him.

What have you seen this week? Did you find our comments helpful or do you disagree? Share your thoughts with us.

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Weekly Film Review Round Up 22nd September 2013

Its school holidays in Australia, so we have our usual release of “fill in a few hours of the day" fare.  Most are not too bad, but nothing is a stand out I am afraid. The only thing for the tweens is Percy Jackson but don’t discount the cutie Turbo 3D  for them.  My very harsh-critic children really enjoyed it.  If a film can get past the ten-year-old it’s pretty good.

(My movie Pick of the week)

Turbo 3D ★★★ ½

Opens in Australia: 19^th September, 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Turbo 3D may seem like a goofy idea but in the hands of Dreamworks it works pretty well.  My harsh-critic children even enjoyed it; with the very tough ten-year-old turning to me after and saying how great it was—“surprisingly.”  It’s colourful, well-paced and has the obligatory life lessons in there, which is always helpful with the children exposed to so much negativity these days.

STUDIO BLURB

In Venice, California, Theo, a.k.a Turbo (Ryan Reynolds), is a garden snail who dreams of being the greatest racer in the world, just like his hero, 5-time indinapolis 500 champ, Guy Gagne. His obsession with speed and all things fast has made him an oddity and an outsider in the slow and cautions snail community, and a constant embarrassment to his cautious older brother, Chet (Paul Giamatti). Turbo desperately wishes he could escape the slow-paced life he's living, but his one chance to live proves a near fatal disaster.  When a freak accident gives him extraordinary speed, Turbo sets out to try to make his dream come true.

Planes ★★★

Opens in Australia: 19^th September, 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

Cars was never my favourite Disney franchise.  And Cars 2 had me snoozing.  It’s not just me; the kids have never been great fans, either. We have the Cars DVD and it was never the one they pulled out for repeat viewing.  So Planes was never going to have my anticipation soaring (excuse the pun).  However, I found it charming, colourful and a lovely story. It’s very by the numbers and pretty much Cars all over again, but with planes.  This time round they’ve paced it up a little and dropped the long montage scenes that would see the kids out of their seats and running around the cinema.  It’s for the younger ones, but parents can still enjoy the simple but sweet story and plane and truck parody clichés.  We all love an underdog or, in this case, an under-plane.

STUDIO BLURB

Cars gets a spin-off with this Disney Toon Studios film starring the voice of Dane Cook as a vertically-challenged plane with high hopes of becoming an air racer.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters ★★★

Opens in Australia: 19^th September, 2013

Other Countries:          Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

I wasn’t a real fan of the 2010 “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.” In fact, my ten-year-old wouldn’t come to this, because he thought the first one was so boring (but he is a tough film veteran critic).  The twelve to thirteen-year-old children with me enjoyed this one, and so did some of the mothers who escorted them.  So, if you have a child in that age group, this should be a fun outing for you.  Fans of the Rick Riordan’s books should be pleased.

STUDIO BLURB

Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon, continues his epic journey to fulfill his destiny, as he teams with his demigod friends to retrieve the Golden Fleece, which has the power to save their home and training ground, Camp Half-Blood.

Riddick ★★★

The Movie ★★ The dog thing★

Opens in Australia: 12^th September, 2013

Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

I expected very little from this film. Vin Diesel is so “blah” for me. If you want a muscle-mumbler give me Dwayne Johnson any day. I loved the origin film, the 2000 Pitch Black. Then, of course, they destroyed everything with the tragically boring follow-up Chronicles of Riddick. This one is pretty much a return to the original formula and is action all the way.  It’s not terrible but it’s not great, and it will probably win an award for most cliché characters in a sci-fi film. There have been so many disappointing sci-films this year that I sadly concede this is not the worst we’ve seen. I would have given it only two stars, but Riddick does pick up this cute hyena type dog and it gave the best performance. So it scored an extra star.  This one is purely for Vin Diesel fans. Other folk will think it is a tad “Riddick-uli.”

STUDIO BLURB

Riddick, the latest chapter of the groundbreaking saga that began with 2000's hit sci-fi film Pitch Black and 2004's The Chronicles of Riddick reunites writer/director David Twohy (A Perfect Getaway, The Fugitive) and star Vin Diesel (the Fast and Furious franchise, xXx). Diesel reprises his role as the antihero Riddick, a dangerous, escaped convict wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy. The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he's encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty. The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. (c) Universal

R.I.P.D. ★½ 

Opens in Australia: 12^th  September, 2013

Other Countries:          Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

I am sure it seemed like a good idea. Take a popular graphic novel, a veteran Oscar winner, a charismatic romantic-comedy lead, a reasonably good action director, top notch writers, and viola!  You should have a blockbuster hit.

But sometimes the cake just doesn’t cook, no matter how many quality ingredients you use.  This is the case with R.I.P.D.  You can almost see the tinkering behind the scenes as the studio realises they’ve cooked up a flat soufflé.

My thirteen-year-old son did think it was “okay.”  And if I saw it in 1992 I would feel the same.  But this is 2013 and we’ve had “Men in Black,” “Ghost,” and “Ghostbusters,” so we don’t need a cynical mash up of those again.  It’s tired and stale, and even the song at the end is miserable and plodding.  Hopefully, this one will R.I.P at the back of a DVD store, unrented.   

STUDIO BLURB

Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds headline the 3D supernatural action-adventure R.I.P.D. as two cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department to protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of souls who refuse to move peacefully to the other side. Veteran sheriff Roy Pulsifer (Bridges) has spent his career with the legendary police force known as R.I.P.D. tracking monstrous spirits who are cleverly disguised as ordinary people. His mission? To arrest and bring to justice a special brand of criminals trying to escape final judgment by hiding among the unsuspecting on Earth. Once the wise-cracking Roy is assigned former rising-star detective Nick Walker (Reynolds) as his junior officer, the new partners have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork. When they uncover a plot that could end life as we know it, two of R.I.P.D.'s finest must miraculously restore the cosmic balance...or watch the tunnel to the afterlife begin sending angry souls the very wrong way. (c) Universal

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