Based on the best selling novel, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) bequeaths her his beloved Great Dane, Apollo. The regal yet intractable dog immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with Apollo, she begins to come to terms with her past, and her own creative inner life in this story of healing, love, and friendship.

Join us at Dendy Cinemas Outdoor Cinema Sunday, 27 July at 5:30pm for a special preview screening including a lucky door prize from our friends at PADDINGTON PUPS. Don’t forget to bring your ‘Bings’ along to this dog-friendly screening for your chance to win this ‘pawsome’ prize including five doggy daycare visits plus a lead and water bottle. (valued over $400).

The Friend – Dog Friendly Preview Screening
Sunday 27 July 5.30pm
Dendy Powerhouse, Brisbane
www.powerhouse.dendy.com.au

It’s a groundhog day scenario that is peppered with ever-increasing levels of gratuitous violence that ultimately end with Roy’s very unpleasant demise every time. This is until he figures things out and sets out to right quite a few wrongs that exist in his life. He has to reconnect with his son, save his ex-wife Jemma (Naomi Watts) from her evil boss Col. Clive (Mel Gibson), and then save the world, You know, easy stuff.

The science-fiction elements of the story are only there to provide a backdrop to hang the smart ass quips and descents into ultra-violence. It’s violence that is played mostly for comic effect and there is a lot of those kinds of laughs at play here. Grillo does his best with the lines that are given to him and his derisive delivery helps to keep them from becoming too silly.

Non-challenging cinema fills a current need and Boss Level is a lot of fun within those limitations. You get to cheer for the bad good guy and jeer the bad bad guy (it’s way too easy to have contempt for any role Mel Gibson fills) and hope that they keep the world from ending this time around.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/RialtoDistributionAU

Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death.

In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his wife (Naomi Watts) and live once again for tomorrow.

Boss Level will be relased in selected cinemas nationally from February 25!
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To enter this great competition, just fill out the entry form below:

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Competition will be drawn February 24, winners will be notified by email.

Things couldn’t be more perfect, until an accident while on vacation in Thailand leaves Sam paralysed from the waist down. She is miserable with her new situation and becomes increasingly detached from her loving family, especially her oldest son Noah (Griffin Murray-Johnston).

When Noah brings an injured magpie home to help it heal, it starts a chain of events that transforms Sam and leads to her both dealing with her condition and realising her love for her family. These events are presented with little uncertainty and when combined with the beautiful surroundings lead to a rather shallow experience. Based on a nonfiction book of the same name, it should have had more impact.

The film is beautiful to look at and capitalises on some amazing natural light. All of the cast members do a good job but the always stellar Jacki Weaver and the high profile Andrew Lincoln are given little to do. Naomi Watts is very competent but the story is predictable enough to drain a lot of the emotion out of it. It is entertaining and looks fantastic but could have been so much more.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/roadshow

Penguin Bloom tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Academy Award® nominated Naomi Watts) a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her paralyzed.

Sam’s husband, (Andrew Lincoln), her three young boys and her mother (Academy Award® nominated Jacki Weaver), are struggling to adjust to their new situation when an unlikely ally enters their world in the form of an injured baby magpie they name Penguin.

The bird’s arrival is a welcome distraction for the Bloom family, eventually making a profound difference in the family’s life.

Penguin Bloom will be released in Australian cinemas January 21!
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Mexican writer and director Alejandro González Iñárritu has delivered a story inside a story about a past his use by date movie star, Keaton, who previously reaped the riches and empty adulation that went with his role of playing the big screen superhero Birdman. He is seeking redemption (artistically and humanly) by writing, directing and starring in his own Broadway play.

Alejandro uses music masterfully as the first three quarters of the film is set to a drum solo and not the usual film score music. This drum solo, with its odd punctuations and time signatures has the effect of putting you on edge and never letting you get comfortable. This also applies to the great work of the actors. Keaton is brilliant with all of his ticks and nervous affectations (including the voice in his head that comes from his alter ego Birdman). Emma Stone is also great as the hot mess bottle blonde daughter and Edward Norton sizzles as well as a Broadway actor that take method acting to new heights.

The line between reality and fantasy has never been more lusciously disregarded as Birdman takes on a staggering number of acting clichés as it tells its story. The acting and directing is consistently superb and surprises wait at almost every turn. This is the kind of film that gets the year off to a great start.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/20thCenturyStudiosAUNZ

Sam’s husband, (Andrew Lincoln), her three young boys and her mother (Academy Award® nominated Jacki Weaver), are struggling to adjust to their new situation when an unlikely ally enters their world in the form of an injured baby magpie they name Penguin. The bird’s arrival is a welcome distraction for the Bloom family, eventually making a profound difference on Sam’s life, teaching her how to live again.

Penguin Bloom releases in Australia in theatres on January 1, 2021.
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The action-packed third instalment of the blockbuster Divergent Series, Allegiant takes Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) into a new world, far more dangerous than ever before.

After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices of courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

Directed by Robert Schwentke and starring Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller,Theo James, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Jeff Daniels.

Competition will be drawn 13 April 2016, winners will be notified by mail.