BREATH

‘Based on Tim Winton's award-winning and international bestselling novel set in mid-70s coastal Australia. Two teenage boys, hungry for discovery, form an unlikely friendship with a mysterious older adventurer who pushes them to take risks that will have a lasting and profound impact on their lives.’ —See PIctures and Gran Via Productions

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Not a perfect movie, but it’s a good movie. Simon Baker (The Mentalist) who directs BREATH and plays the character of Sando does a great job given this is the first movie he’s directed. The two boys, Samson Coulter and Ben Spence, are outstanding. It’s slowly paced but, for me, remained engaging throughout. It’s a coming of age story but takes a fresh approach. The cinematography is beautiful and the surfing sequences are excellent. Covering some deep themes it comes across as authentic. It will be interesting to see what Baker does next.

THE EXCEPTION (The Kaiser’s Last Kiss)

A German soldier tries to determine if the Dutch resistance has planted a spy to infiltrate the home of Kaiser Wilhelm in Holland during the onset of World War II, but falls for a young Jewish Dutch woman during his investigation.
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Surprisingly good yarn. The acting was excellent, particularly Christopher Plummer. The story was engaging, the cinematography was well done, and there were a few genuine surprises along the way.  Good, solid, storytelling. Very enjoyable.

CHAPPAQUIDDICK

Depicting Ted Kennedy's involvement in the fatal 1969 car accident that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne.
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Another piece of history I didn’t know about. It’s an intelligent move that maintains the ambiguity of the event and the lack of certainty of what really happened. The acting is very good and the script comes across as very authentic, but it does go a bit too slow in places. There are a few very suspenseful moments. If you don’t like being left with unanswered questions, you may not like this one. For those who like a thoughtful take on significant historical events, it’s worth seeing.

CARGO

After being infected in the wake of a violent pandemic and with only 48 hours to live, a father struggles to find a new home for his baby daughter.
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An excellent, refreshing new take on the “zombie genre”. It’s less focused on the zombies and more focused on the characters who face profound ethical and moral dilemmas. The movie also tackles some deep social issues. The cast does an excellent job of their roles with Martin Freeman put in a top-notch performance. While there are a few moments when the story lagged a bit, overall, it is tense and emotional. The cinematography is also superb and there’s a great soundtrack. I really enjoyed this one so check it out. It’s on at the cinema but will be released on Netflix very soon.

CROOKED HOUSE

In Agatha Christie's most twisted tale, a spy-turned-private-detective is lured by his former lover to catch her grandfather's murderer before Scotland Yard exposes dark family secrets.
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Typical Agatha Christie story. When I saw the trailer for this, I hoped that we’d get a rawer, more modern movie. Not the case. Pretty standard fare although some big-name actors are in this one (eg, Glenn Close) and they play it for all they can. Problem is that the script is boring and most of the characters are caricatures rather than “real” people. Shocking ending, though! For lovers of Agatha Christie movies, it’ll be ok, I guess.

CATCH-UP RATINGS

|Every so often, I get a bit behind in reviewing movies I’ve seen. So, here are my star ratings for a few recent movies.|

THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY - A writer forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island in the aftermath of World War II, when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war. ****

LOVELESS (Nelyubov) - Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears... ***

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR - As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artefacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain. ****

LAST FLAG FLYING - Thirty years after serving together in the Vietnam War, Larry "Doc" Shepherd, Sal Nealon and the Rev. Richard Mueller reunite for a different type of mission: to bury Doc's son, a young Marine killed in Iraq. Forgoing burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Doc and his old buddies take the casket on a bittersweet trip up the coast to New Hampshire. Along the way, the three men find themselves reminiscing and coming to terms with the shared memories of a war that continues to shape their lives. ***½

UNSANE - A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear--but is it real or a product of her delusion? ***½

See you at the movies!

Movie descriptions are from IMDB or TMDB unless otherwise stated.

TULLY

Marlo, a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging nanny named Tully.
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Excellent movie. Charlize Theron is superb as the mum. She enters so fully into her roles that she is a pleasure to watch. The story is humorous and serious and, as far as I can tell, a pretty realistic representation of the frantic and exhausting experience of mothering. The script is intelligent, honest, and raw. Try to avoid anyone telling you about the ending — go into this knowing as little as possible. An enjoyable movie.

BROKEN

Logan, an ex-gang leader, has left the gang life to raise his daughter Tori. But when Tori is murdered by an opposing gang in town, Logan must choose forgiveness or revenge.
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There's probably a good story here about forgiveness. But the movie is heavy-handed, preachy, cliched, and poorly acted. The score is overly heavy. The dialogue is terrible. The whole thing feels completely inauthentic. After a while, it becomes obvious that this is a Christian film made for evangelical believers that has hidden its agenda in its slick marketing campaign. The best thing about the movie is the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. It's a sanitised movie clearly made for believers who want a "nice" movie that doesn't confront or provoke deep thinking. Give it a miss.

LOVELESS (Nelyubov)

Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears...
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This Russian movie had a great premise. The actors are good. It’s a well-made movie. There’s a very interesting soundtrack. The problem is that it’ so slow and didn’t have the emotional tension I was expecting.

THE PARTY

Various individuals think they’re coming together for a party in a private home, but a series of revelations results in a huge crisis that throws their belief systems – and their values – into total disarray.
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A tightly written chamber piece that unfolds with unexpected revelations with an old-fashioned feel about it. The cast obviously enjoyed making this but the whole thing comes across like a stage production and felt a bit artificial. Scathingly satirical commentary on the middle class traversing a wide range of topics but, overall, doesn’t rise above average.

CATCH-UP RATINGS

Every so often, I get a bit behind in reviewing movies I’ve seen. So, here are my star ratings for a few recent movies.

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE - A poker-playing restaurateur and former traveling salesman befriends a group of refugees newly arrived to Finland. ***½

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING - Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat. **½

THE DEATH OF STALIN - Follows the Soviet dictator's last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death. ***½

EARLY MAN - Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of Dug, along with sidekick Hognob as they unite his tribe against a mighty enemy Lord Nooth and his Bronze Age City to save their home. ***½

PETER RABBIT - Feature adaptation of Beatrix Potter's classic tale of a rebellious rabbit trying to sneak into a farmer's vegetable garden. ***½

See you at the movies!

Movie descriptions are from IMDB or TMDB unless otherwise stated.

BLOCKERS

When three parents discover their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.
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It’s fun. One of the better teen-oriented comedies around. And the message that women can make decisions about sex themselves without being over-parented, and can be empowered to do so, is a good one. Acting is strong and the script is funny. Be prepared for a few gross bodily fluid jokes, though. All in all, an enjoyable romp.

READY PLAYER ONE

When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.

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A fast-paced action, adventure, sci-fi from Steven Spielberg. The action is stunning and the story has some interesting things to say about our modern obsession with online living as compensation for the reality of life which is not always pleasant. The self-conscious references to 80’s pop culture is a bit annoying at times and some of the dialogue gets pretty cheesy. But, overall, a captivating movie that is full of energy, although it could have been a bit shorter. Possibly the best Spielberg entertainment we’ve seen for a while. Worth seeing in 3D if you have the opportunity.

A QUIET PLACE

A family live an isolated existence in utter silence, for fear of an unknown threat that follows and attacks at any sound.

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Suspenseful. Emily Blunt is excellent as usual as is the rest of the cast. There’s no history or context that tells us how the world where the family lives came to be; we just find them living in complete silence trying to avoid being killed by some very nasty creatures that are blind and respond to sound. There is a small amount of music in the movie but a large proportion of it occurs, of course, in complete silence. Directed skillfully. I wasn’t scared but there is some well-orchestrated suspense and there are no cheap tricks. Most of the dread is conveyed through the physical action of the characters. And I loved the ending! If you like a good on-the-edge-of-the-seat thrill, check it out. Original and very cleverly made. In cinemas April 5.

MARY MAGDALENE

Set in the Holy Land in the first century C.E., a young woman leaves her small fishing village and traditional family behind to join a radical new social movement. At its head is a charismatic leader, Jesus of Nazareth, who promises that the world is changing. Mary is searching for a new way of living, and an authenticity that is denied her by the rigid hierarchies of the day. As the notoriety of the group spread and more are drawn to follow Jesus’ inspirational message, Mary’s spiritual journey places her at the heart of a story that will lead to the capital city of Jerusalem, where she must confront the reality of Jesus’ destiny and her own place within it.
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MARY MAGDALENE was better than I thought it would be and not as good as I thought it would be.

What I liked about it: The story is told through the eyes of Mary Magdalene. She is the main character in the story, which is excellent given that the New Testament (NT) gospels are written from a male perspective (we don’t know who wrote the NT gospels, but the view is obviously male). Mary is portrayed as challenging the religious and cultural patriarchy of the first century CE. And she, unlike the male disciples of Jesus, is the only one who “gets” what Jesus mission is about.

I also appreciated that the supernatural elements of the NT gospels are underplayed and, while they are present, they play a minimal role in the narrative. MARY MAGDALENE is a provocative retelling of the traditional story and, the director is apparently not bound by tradition. MARY MAGDALENE is a fresh take on the story. We know that the NT gospels are not historical fact — they were written by anonymous authors decades after Jesus lived who constructed them to make Jesus look as though he had fulfilled Old Testament narrative patterns and to make theological points for the readers of the first century. The director of MARY MAGDALENE follows in that tradition, telling a story that critiques contemporary assumptions about gender, belief, doubt, and faith. Joaquin Phoenix does a gentle but powerful version of Jesus. The cinematography is beautiful.

What I didn’t like: I think Mara Rooney was miscast as Mary Magdalene. She’s never quite authentic and seems a little uncomfortable with the role. The script is a bit dull at times and drags a bit. A bit more passion would have been welcomed.

Christians who read the gospel texts insisting that they are literal history probably won’t like MARY MAGDALENE. For others, there is a lot to think about in this of contemporary significance. The more a person knows the traditional telling of the story of Jesus, the more they will appreciate the variations in this movie. A worthy, if uneven, film that takes a middle road between preachiness and sensationalism.

THAT’S NOT MY DOG!

THAT'S NOT MY DOG is a joyous comedy that celebrates our love of joke telling. The film centres around the loveable Shane Jacobson (playing himself) who is throwing a party. Invited are the funniest people Shane knows comprising of Australia's biggest stars along with several Australian music legends playing their biggest hits live, right throughout the party. The invite that goes out is clear. Don't bring meat. We'll provide the beer. Just come armed with nothing but the funniest jokes you've ever heard. Shane will take care of the rest. It'll be a night of great friends telling the world's funniest jokes over a beer and BBQ. —Sounds Write Productions

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Give it a miss. Watching 1½ hours of people standing around telling jokes that I can find in any joke book at a newsagent was boring. Some of the music was ok, and a few of the jokes were funny, but if these jokes are the best that these “funniest people” can come up with, then I don’t hold out much hope for Australian comedy. Fortunately, the really good Australian comedians obviously weren’t invited — they must have been out making shows that were worth paying for. A lazy piece of cinema.

CATCH-UP RATINGS

|Every so often, I get a bit behind in reviewing movies I’ve seen. So, here are my star ratings for a few recent movies.|

12 STRONG - 12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down for the Taliban. ***½

THE MERCY - Yachtsman Donald Crowhurst's disastrous attempt to win the 1968 Golden Globe Race ends up with him creating an outrageous account of travelling the world alone by sea. ***

THE SQUARE - A satirical drama reflecting our times — about the sense of community, moral courage and the affluent person’s need for egocentricity in an increasingly uncertain world. ****

DEN OF THIEVES - A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank. ***½

MOLLY’S GAME - Molly Bloom, a young skier and former Olympic hopeful becomes a successful entrepreneur (and a target of an FBI investigation) when she establishes a high-stakes, international poker game. ***

PHANTOM THREAD - In the glamour of 1950s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock and his sister Cyril are at the centre of British fashion. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love. ****

See you at the movies!

Movie descriptions are from IMDB or TMDB unless otherwise stated.

TOMB RAIDER (2018)

Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.

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An excellent piece of entertainment! I really enjoyed this remake. It’s fast-paced, great action sequences, and Alicia Vikander, who plays Lara Croft, is outstanding. Vikander is one of my favourite actors and she brings a believability to her performance and makes the story more grounded than the originals. Norwegian Roar Uthaug direction is spot on. I’ve taken ½ a star off for the inevitable plot holes. But who really cares when it’s such a joy to watch. Check it out on the big screen. Can’t wait for the next one.

DEATH WISH (2018)

Dr Paul Kersey is an experienced trauma surgeon, a man who has spent his life saving lives. After an attack on his family, Paul embarks on his own mission for justice.

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Bruce Willis is tired and his acting is terrible — almost cringe-worthy at times — in this remake. The plot is predictable and clichéd. And the worst thing about the movie is its promotion of vigilantism — something we don’t need with the ongoing mass shootings in America. At times, it feels as though the NRA in the US has backed the movie with its focus on guns and getting vengeance because the police don’t do a good enough job. There’s one scene in a gun store that comes across as satirical. It’s hard to know whether it was intended that way because nothing else in the movie has the same feel. If the movie had been directed as a satire, it may have had some redeeming quality. As it is, it is not worth watching.

FINDING YOUR FEET

On the eve of retirement a middle class, judgmental snob discovers her husband has been having an affair with her best friend and is forced into exile with her bohemian sister who lives on an impoverished inner-city council estate.
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Despite exploring some timely themes about ageing, grief, and relationships, FINDING YOUR FEET is clichéd, predictable, and “nice”. It’s typical British comedy drama which is ok — but that’s all. Same actors that seem to be in everything British who do an adequate job. Sweetly undemanding.