The Jungle Book Movie Review
The film also includes some great laughs along with the heavy hits of pathos as you the audience discover the identity of the voice actors. Of particular note are the very funny antics of Bill Murray as Baloo and the Guido humour of Christopher Walken as King Louie. Idris Elba is also especially majestic as the king of the jungle, Shere Khan
The film travels down the well know path of the animated original but adds enough new depth to give it a relevance of its own. It does however ...
Zootopia Movie Review
The film follows Judy, a carrot farmer's daughter who bucks social norms to engage in a career usually reserved for more robust species such as oxen, rhinos and tigers. When her abilities are underestimated by her chief of police, she teams up with city slicker con-fox, Nick, who is similarly socially pigeon-holed in accordance with his species as a sly character who is always up to no good.
The film is a little heavy handed with its anti-bullying, anti-discrimination, social inclusion, ...
The Lady in the Van Movie Review
Well it was also the first time I had ever laid eyes on Maggie Smith, who played the sea goddess, Thetis. And to my 12-year-old eyes, Maggie looked positively ancient. Of course, she was a spritely 47-year-old then (I say ‘spritely’ because that's how old I am now) but she has grown older as I have grown older and, as a result, she has always looked ‘old’ to me.
At 81, it's fair to say she has earned that mantle now but one thing that has not faded with her age is her performance ...
Grimsby Movie Review
The very British story revolves around spies, long lost brothers, council flats, soccer, drinking with your mates and saving the world. It also features movie star types like Mark Strong, Penélope Cruz, Mrs. Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla Fisher and that worldwide embarrassment Donald Trump.
One of the best ways to put the proceedings in perspective is to make a list of some of the props needed to bring Cohen’s ideas to fruition. Half metre long fake phallus, check. 100 litres of ejaculate, ...
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 ...
