Archive for December, 2008
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Released 1st January 2009
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Star rating - TBC
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So, folks, apart from the synopsis there is not much on offer in terms of an opinion… “Why”, we hear you ask? Well, we have not been able to preview the full film prior to release. We did, however, get to watch a couple of clips. Now, there are usually three reasons for this: 1) The film is still in production. 2) They want to keep the story a secret from the press so they don’t leak it to the public. 3) It is so terrible that they want to keep it secret to avoid bad reviews prior to release…
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Released 1st January 2009
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Politician, author, physician, military theorist and guerrilla leader, Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara is a worldwide, and often misunderstood symbol of revolution and anti-establishment. Ocean’s Thirteen director Steven Soderbergh and Che executive producer and star Benicio Del Toro bring the first part of this epic biopic to the screen in January 2009. First impressions are highly favourable. Part 1 is an insightful, compassionate and moving piece of film-making that rather too generously, at times, depicts the beginnings and makings of the highly influential leader.
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Released 26th December 2008
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One word neatly describes kitsch-loving director Baz Luhrmann’s new romantic action-adventure epic: fun. In fact, if fun is on the menu for one final 2008 cinema outing, combined with a need for some sizzling passion and sentimentality in epic proportions, then Australia is a must-see to round off the year. Ignore the length (yes, it’s long and has more red-herring endings than the most complex of crime thrillers), and simply allow the film-maker to take you on a faraway journey and into another time for some good old-fashioned storytelling. Who cares if it swipes elements from Out of Africa, Pearl Harbour, Indiana Jones and even City Slickers? The stunning scenery, action-packed and aerial-panning shots, highly comical ‘panto’ performances, and unashamedly lingering Hugh Jackman torso shots more than compensate for Luhrmann’s excessive indulgence and pride for making a movie about his beloved homeland.
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Released 26th December 2008
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Put your Jim Carrey reservations to one side, and say a big “yes” to his new comedy because it’s well-worth a look. Peyton Reed’s film manages to combine previous serious and loopy Carrey performances in the one film, with the troubled character of Carl Allen, based on the real-life memoirs of Danny Wallace’s ‘yes-capades’. As they say: there is always a tragic side to humour, and Jim Carrey is the master in portraying this.
