Retro Movie Review – The Hateful Eight
His new film is another period piece (that makes three in a row) and plays out like a longhand love letter to his past. The Western is set almost exclusively in one room and is dialogue heavy to the extreme. That it works so effectively at it’s almost three hour running time is a testament to his skill with words and his utilization of the right mix of actors and actions. The violence is extreme in the few moments that it occurs and gives the film its rightfully earned R rating.
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Retro Movie Review – The Revenant
The film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman and Babel) tells a story based on a book by Michael Punke called The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge. The book was inspired by the life of a 19th century fur trapper named Hugh Glass. The trapper profession during Glass’ lifetime was highlighted by an existence of extreme hardship from both the harshness of the land and the extremes of the weather.
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During an excursion collecting fur pelts in the unsettled ...
Retro Movie Review – The Danish Girl
The cast of The Danish Girl also features the outstanding talent of Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Gerda Wegener. Gerda is Elbe’s wife, fellow painter and long suffering supporter. Her level of support, selflessness and compassion for her husband is at the heart of the film.
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With all of the pieces in place for an emotional cinema going experience, why then does the film leave the viewer feeling so detached? It’s shot beautifully, ...
Retro Movie Review – Creed
It first must be said that the film features some extremely graphic faux boxing footage and is not for the weak of stomach. Secondly it dips quite often into populist sentimentality. Within those constraints however, it is a very enjoyable film and mumble as he might, Stallone holds his end up quite admirably.
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Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) as Adonis Johnson is Balboa’s protégé and he really sells the role with his gym sculptured bod and obvious ring ...
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 Dressmaker
The story revolves around country life in a very small town and the often times negative effects of power and privilege filtered through gossip and innuendo. Kate Winslet is fantastic as Myrtle ‘Tilly’ Dunnage who returns to the town to address some long held secrets. Liam Hemsworth (brother of Thor) is also very effective as the love interest.
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The film is unafraid to throw the audience and the characters themselves under the bus and as such there are some ...
Retro Movie Review – Spectre
The feeling lingers that they started with an overall direction for the Craig films but ended up taking too many diversions along the way. Some of the reveals are far from the surprise the filmmakers intended. Also extending the realism and casting Bond as more human and less the gadget guy has worked with only half of the four films. This sombre realism worked well with Casino Royale and Skyfall, less so with Quantum of Solace and Spectre.
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Even though Craig is ...
Retro Movie Review – Hotel Mumbai
The main trust of the film is the attack on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. This site was chosen for its opulence and the large numbers of Westerners that stayed there. We follow the plight of the humble hotel staff, most notably Anupam Kher as head chef Hemant Oberoi and Dev Patel as Arjun, one of his waiters. The staff are presented as selfless and brave. This reality is confirmed by the high number of actual staff members that were killed in the siege while protecting their guests.
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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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Retro Movie Review – Terminator Genisys
The story throws a lot your way and it relies quite a bit on the viewer’s past knowledge of the Terminator film series and its liberal take on time travel. Most of the plot twists originate from that ethos and they are at times hard to follow. It also features a progression of special effects as the early reels show simpler CGI while the later reels try their best to blow your mind with what’s now possible with zeros and ones.
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The new cast play better with ...
