Hail, Caesar! Movie Review
Viewers with a basic knowledge of cinema history will be paid dividends as the references to a glorious past arrive with regularity. From references like the dance extravaganzas of Busby Berkeley to the screwball comedy of Cary Grant, the love and respect is up on the silver screen for all to see.
A familiar cast of characters is evident and Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and Scarlett Johansson are just a few regulars that do justice to the always-impressive words of the ...
Trumbo Movie Review
Following the Second World War many in democratic countries around the world (including Australia) became members of the Communist Party, then the party of social and economic justice. But when the former ally in the Communist regime of the USSR became the enemy of the West during the Cold War, the ground figuratively shifted beneath western Communists' feet and they became targets of suspicion within their own countries.
This is not unique to this time and place, of course; German ...
Risen Movie Review
Naturally, given the story, the torture porn of The Passion is mostly absent here and in its place is a fictionalised account of a Roman Tribune, Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), and his efforts to locate Jesus' (Cliff Curtis - makes sense) resurrected personage before he once again inspires Judaeans to reject the good, wholesome Roman way of life endorsed by Prefect Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth).
On the strength of the trailer, Risen looked to be an interesting study on the juxtaposition of ...
Deadpool Movie Review
Ryan Reynolds is the perfect man for the job and his ability to act the class clown and emote even with his face covered in a silly red and black mask is outstanding. He has finally found a role that utilizes all of his talents. Animator Tim Miller makes his directing debut with Deadpool and his sense of pace is spot on. He throws so many jokes and unique ideas your way that the fun doesn’t stop from the hilarious opening credits to the very end crazy credit (don’t miss it).
By now ...
2016 Oscar Season
Spotlight
More of a detective drama than a sole examination of the deeply entrenched evil that the Catholic Church posses in regards to paedophilia, Spotlight is still difficult to watch. See more in Stuart Jamieson’s review here.
The Big Short
In retelling a moment in time that had a dramatic effect on the entire world, The Big Short succeeds in taking a somewhat complicated story and reducing it to its primary human trait, greed. It also uses hilarious cameos by a surprising group ...
Spotlight Movie Review
As they delve further into the case they find there's much more to the story than the mere ravings of a couple of local cranks and a rogue lawyer stirring up trouble and uncover long running systemic corruption and cover up within the church. It's an investigation that would have implications right across the globe.
Right from the outset, Spotlight looks like a great film. It's economic script has a frugality which, in the beginning at least, makes it difficult to get a bead on precisely ...
Steve Jobs Movie Review
Screenplay writer Aaron Sorkin’s influence can be felt in more than just the words in the film as the Sorkinisms just keep piling up. The famous walk and talk shot is used throughout, as is the uber intelligent and quick witted conversational style. The brain pool on display is never short of exceptional as are the acting chops.
Michael Fassbender as Jobs is fantastic as is Kate Winslet as Job’s right hand woman Joanna Hoffman. Winslet’s take on Hoffman with her strange accent and ...
The Good Dinosaur Movie Review
Pixar are renowned for producing films of varied levity from the fun Finding Nemo to the much more serious Inside Out which is capable of reducing adults to a blubbering mess. They're all primarily aimed at kids though, so from a tyke's perspective they're all fun (mum and dad are just wusses).
From the outset (and on the strength of the promotional trailer), The Good Dinosaur looks like one of Pixar's lightweight affairs but upon viewing it quickly becomes apparent that there is a ...
The Danish Girl Movie Review
The cast of The Danish Girl also features the outstanding talent of Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Gerda Wegener. Gerda is Elbe’s wife, fellow painter and long suffering supporter. Her level of support, selflessness and compassion for her husband is at the heart of the film.
With all of the pieces in place for an emotional cinema going experience, why then does the film leave the viewer feeling so detached? It’s shot beautifully, maybe too beautifully and ...
The Revenant Movie Review
The film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman and Babel) tells a story based on a book by Michael Punke called The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge. The book was inspired by the life of a 19th century fur trapper named Hugh Glass. The trapper profession during Glass’ lifetime was highlighted by an existence of extreme hardship from both the harshness of the land and the extremes of the weather.
During an excursion collecting fur pelts in the unsettled wilderness of the ...
