It’s also a work of two parts and while the first half struggles a bit to find its footing, in the second half, things pick up nicely. As in all good caper yarns, things are not always as they seem and the work’s internal logic by film’s end is most satisfying. Soderbergh as is his way, loads the film with a heavy duty cast and it’s great to see Daniel Craig play against his usual screen persona as Joe Bang, a bleach blonde career criminal with a way with science.

Most will compare it to Soderbergh’s previous works but it’s hard to surpass the Clooney charm factor and so that suave sensibility is replaced with a more humorous approach and it doesn’t always fire on all cylinders. Some of the film’s characters are also not that clearly defined and this slows things down a bit in the first couple of reels.

It’s a welcome return for Soderbergh to the big screen and overall it’s a pleasant experience. Let’s hope his self exile doesn’t last and next time he tackles something with a little more meat on the bone.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/roadshow

It’s also a work of two parts and while the first half struggles a bit to find its footing, in the second half, things pick up nicely. As in all good caper yarns, things are not always as they seem and the work’s internal logic by film’s end is most satisfying. Soderbergh as is his way, loads the film with a heavy duty cast and it’s great to see Daniel Craig play against his usual screen persona as Joe Bang, a bleach blonde career criminal with a way with science.

Most will compare it to Soderbergh’s previous works but it’s hard to surpass the Clooney charm factor and so that suave sensibility is replaced with a more humorous approach and it doesn’t always fire on all cylinders. Some of the film’s characters are also not that clearly defined and this slows things down a bit in the first couple of reels.

It’s a welcome return for Soderbergh to the big screen and overall it’s a pleasant experience. Let’s hope his self exile doesn’t last and next time he tackles something with a little more meat on the bone.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/loganluckymovie/

But the conniving Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) decides its time to turn the family’s luck around, and with a little help from his friends, the Redneck Robbers, he plans to steal $14 million from the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Logan Lucky was directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, Hilary Swank, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston and Sebastian Stan. Logan Lucky releases in Australian cinemas on August 17, 2017.

Woman in Gold ticks many boxes which appeal to a wide audience – it’s a David and Goliath story; it’s courtroom drama; it’s holocaust drama; and it’s art documentary. It’s a gripping story about a fascinating and frightening moment in history and director, Simon Curtis, holds it all together with a sure hand.

The film is structured into two timelines: the present day where we follow Altmann’s attempts to reacquire her stolen possession; and the early 20th century leading to the Anschluss annexation of Austria by the Nazis in 1939 and the subsequent maltreatment of Jews and confiscation of Jewish wealth. These two timelines are deftly edited together to provide an affecting portrait of Jewish persecution and one woman’s attempt to reconstruct the shattered remnants of her life.

Helen Mirren is fabulous in the primary role, which is to say she’s par for her course – has there been a time when she hasn’t been fabulous? Ryan Reynolds is also excellent as Schoenberg, displaying greater depth of character as the story proceeds. The film also boasts an exemplary support cast which includes Charles Dance, Jonathan Pryce, Elizabeth McGovern, Katie Holmes and Daniel Brühl. Tatiana Maslany is also excellent in her portrayal of Altmann as a young adult.

Replete with impeccable performances, direction and a fascinating true story, Woman in Gold is hard to beat. Highly recommended.

Stuart Jamieson
www.facebook.com/WomanInGoldMovie