Retro Movie Review – Sicario
This is a modern day tale of drug running and Mexico/America border politics and it draws you in with bold strokes. It then details the character’s action in such a way as to illustrate the horrors that both the innocent and guilty have to endure during these drug wars.
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The screenplay leads you to make certain assumptions about the main protagonists actions and it’s to its satisfying complexity that right up until the end of the last reel there are still ...
Retro Movie Review – Chappie
The story revolves around a computer sciences geek Deon Wilson (played by Dev Patel, he of Slumdog Millionaire, The Newsroom and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel fame) who creates an Artificial Intelligence program to help his robots achieve a level of human consciousness. His place of employment has already used his technology to build robots that the police use to enforce the law in Johannesburg. Upper management is opposed to this, so he goes rogue to complete the task. This is when the story ...
Retro Movie Review – Focus
Will Smith plays a hyper intelligent and suavely smooth career con man with one major flaw and it’s one you have to wait until film’s end to assess. He plays off the somewhat naive Jess, played by Margot Robbie in her first major role after her breakout appearance in The Wolf of Wall Street.
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In line with most flicks of this ilk, there is a large group of co-conspirators and victims and it’s very enjoyable to find out which is which. The sets and background ...
Watch the trailer for the upcoming Australian movie – Dirt Music
One hazy night she sees the lone figure of Lu Fox (Garret Hedlund) appear in the mists of the bay. A long time ago he was a dirt musician, but now he survives as a poacher - an unwise choice given Jim’s iron-grip on the local fishing trade.
Georgie is instantly drawn to Lu, and the pair begin an intense affair. What Georgie doesn’t realise is that the Foxes and the Buckridges have a long, murky history.
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Fearing Jim’s fury and haunted by his tragic past, ...
Retro Movie Review – The American
The story revolves around a hit man played with icy cool by George Clooney who is on the lame after the tables have been turned on him and he finds himself an intended target for termination. He hides out in a small Italian town that seems familiar to him and pretends to have a somewhat normal life.
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Unfortunately this normalcy is only applicable to someone with no discernable job but lots of money and one whose only real human contact is with a priest with a ...
Retro Movie Review – The Wolf Of Wall Street
It’s a sign of the expertise at work here that the 180 minute long film literally flies by. It’s also helped along by Leonardo DiCaprio’s most manic performance yet. If you thought he was full on in Django Unchained, he ramps it up ten fold here. Quite a few of the support cast members also turn in career defining roles. This includes Jonah Hill, who get the mix of powerful and pathetic just right and Aussie soap star Margot Robbie’s clothing optional performance that proves her ...
Retro Movie Review – War Dogs
When casting this story, one that is based on true events, the filmmakers followed the tradition of the funny man and straight guy. No guesses needed to know whom Jonah Hill and Miles Teller end up playing. Hill in particular, returns to a role we’ve seen numerous times before and the unfortunate result is the film ends up playing out like a poor man’s version of The Wolf Of Wall Street.
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There are moments of true humour and more than a few situations that are ...
Retro Movie Review – Legend
No twin brothers could be more different than Reggie and Ronald Kray and Hardy plays them both so effectively with only small make up tricks and big acting chops. Browning plays Frances Shea a girl from around the neighbourhood who falls in love with and eventually marries brother Reggie.
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The story told through her eyes gives the proceedings a more human tone and gives the tale a feel of authenticity that is tinged with great sadness. This approach helps raise the ...
Retro Movie Review – The Nice Guys
Crowe is unafraid to play a role far removed from his usual on-screen persona and he lets his advancing age and lack of fitness give the role a realistic and well-worn feel. It’s one that is free from the false heroics that mar so many similar roles. Gosling gets the nuance just right between glamour boy idiot and heart of gold father. These two play off each other and the friendship that builds between them is so naturally developed; it’s a real pleasure to behold.
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Tiger King Television Review
With the tradition of releasing small tidbits of information to keep you on the hook for far too many episodes firmly established, this show is a great case study of that technique Just when you think it can’t get any more bizarre, hilarious or insane, it regularly drops a bomb of pertinent information. When the main arch type sketchy lady that is used as both a rival and enemy for our mullet headed hero reaches new depths, it’s just the start.
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At one episod...