Reviews 1033 results

Incredibles 2 Movie Review

Animation technology has changed massively since 2004 and the new edition looks great, with far more detail in the backgrounds, the character’s details are also enhanced. Bob Parr AKA Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) is even sporting a five o’clock shadow. This expansion of detail was achieved without losing any of the original’s comic charm or colour palette.   //   Adding quite a large number of new characters was also handled with aplomb. The story focus is on ...

Kodachrome Movie Review

The story involving a dying father attempting to reconnect with an estranged son has been done many times before. Even with such familiarity, there are some truly moving scenes and even the ending, while completely predictable is very satisfying. Jason Sudeikis as the son steps away from his comic past and successfully connects with the serious role, while Ed Harris, the father, ratchets up the crankiness as a world famous photographer who lives every spoiled artist cliche to the hilt. ...

The Mathematics of Longing Theatre Review

The Mathematics of Longing tackles this conundrum head on with the kind of flourish that round out a multi-media rampage as only live theatre can. Lights and motion and sound sometimes coming at you from multiple sources all at once. The cacophony of five voices battling for your attention and that one loan power chord to argument the truth. There are many equations that equal results that charge the mind with as much force as some of our baser instincts charge the body.   // ...

Ocean’s 8 Movie Review

It has its own feel and its own pacing and in a few key moments, it has clever ties with the films that have come before. Also like a good caper, there is that substantial twist at the end that few, it any will have seen coming.   //   While new director Gary Ross (The Hunger Games & Pleasantville) has his own kinetic feel, the influence of Steven Soderbergh (who serves as one of the film’s producers) continues to be strongly felt. The examples of fashion are ...

Gringo Movie Review

David Oyelowo (Selma & Nightingale) plays Harold, a mild mannered accountant whose life is about to change in the most dramatic of ways. His behind the scenes work at a company run by college mate Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) takes a turn for the worse, when the conniving Rusk and his female off-sider Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) run afoul of a Mexican drug lord.   //   Theron overplays her wicked character to the hilt and it’s fun to see how low she will go. ...

Briefs Close Encounters Theatre Review

Dreams of acceptance on their own terms with a blasting away of the traditional sense. The sense of burlesque being just for girls or the circus with all its tricks being defined by just one thing.   //   Their mix of physical endeavour, both high risk and high entertainment was driven by high volume sounds that were perfect to help get your grind on. The show was light on commentary but the few words were chosen well and were both funny and forceful. If you can’t ...

Solo: A Star Wars Story Movie Review

Solo of course refers to Han Solo, he of roughish charm and one liners. In early chapters, Harrison Ford made the role his own and now Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar! & Beautiful Creatures) gets the chance to put his own stamp on the role. Unfortunately his character is the least developed in the film and the roughish charm inherent in Ford’s take is mostly missing. When Ehrenreich as Solo claims he is an outlaw, it’s a stretch to believe as per the actions that have come before. ...

Deadpool 2 Movie Review

Like the original film, Deadpool 2 is out right funny and filled with so many jokes both visual and dialogue based that as soon as the final credits finish you want to see it again to discover what you missed while everyone else was laughing. It also has a sting in the tail for those used to the final moments of Marvel films. There are a large number of surprises awaiting audience members both new and old, the biggest of which is how much heart the new film has. Pulling off this amount ...

Midnight Oil: 1984 Movie Review

Focusing almost solely on Garretts first run in politics is an interesting story in and of itself and the reward for long time Oils fans is present. That gift is a selection of live footage that highlights the last era of the band when they were truly powered by punk energy and righteous indignation (other than the resurgent period of Redneck Wonderland brought about by the rise of the chip witch from Ipswich). The live footage however is frustratingly incomplete and no complete ...

The Boy Downstairs Movie Review

The story is told in a non-linear way as we follow the rocky relationship of Diana (Zosia Mamet of Girls fame) and Ben (Matthew Shear). Their on and off and on again approach to dating is almost as frustrating as an almost complete void of being able to communicate with either themselves and each other. It leads to some deliciously misdirected dialogue. The reality of the actual exorbitant cost of living in New York City is never addressed. It’s left to the imagination how these ...