Sunshine Cleaning - Movie Poster

Sunshine Cleaning

4.0 Anne Murphy

In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mum starts an unusual business, a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service, with her unreliable sister.

This is an endearing movie in a low key 'indie' style. A beguiling cast portray a dysfunctional family facing their everyday relationship challenges. The comedy is so heartfelt that laughs catch on the way up, almost mutating into sobs, before rising as smiles. The tone is as mirthful as it is melancholic, despite the dark storylines. "Sunshine Cleaning" is the perfect antidote for messy everyday lives.


Spork - Movie Poster

Spork

3.0 Anne Murphy

A junior high school musical, about a frizzy-haired, hermaphrodite, an outcast who fights back.

The main character is called Spork, after an implement that's part spoon and part fork. The name provides a hint about the style of movie this is, where life is played out in an exaggerated comic book style. "Spork" is fun, a singing and dancing movie populated with a likable collection of quirky friends surrounding the central misfit. The movie's theme is one of self-acceptance over fitting in with any group, all realised through a satisfying, if nasty, battle between the outcasts and the mainstream. Put a spork in it.


Special Treatment - Movie Poster

Special Treatment

2.0 Anne Murphy

A world-weary psychoanalyst and a classy prostitute both struggle with relationship issues.

The premise for "Special Treatment" is intriguing, but unfortunately the film fails to leverage the plot for comic or dramatic interest. While parallels are sketched between the professions of the two main characters, the outlines drawn are insufficient to sustain audience curiosity, which is not encouraged to deepen into involvement. The supporting cast suffer in undeveloped roles, as clients and friends, they fail to bring enough colour to the screen to be appreciated as eccentric, and subsequently end up looking pitiful. Better treatment required to make this movie special.


Soula Ela Xana - Movie Poster

Soula Ela Xana

1.0 Anne Murphy

A teacher on the Greek island of Spetses receives four offers of marriage on her 30th birthday.

This cheeky Greek pantomime style comedy is like fairy floss for the audience; pretty, sweet and insubstantial fare. The characters romp around in an overly theatrical style that is faintly amusing and only mildly entertaining. It's certainly no aphrodisiac, and from the misleading title to the predictable ending the on-screen antics fail to excite the viewer. As a cinematic experience you are left hoping there is something better than S.E.X.


Soul Kitchen - Movie Poster

Soul Kitchen

3.0 Anne Murphy

Zinos unknowingly disturbs the peace in his locals-only restaurant by hiring a more talented chef.

A motley collection of likable characters encounter some unlikely events. Scenes reveal darker forces at play and there's adversity to overcome along with unexpected romance whisked together with a slapstick sort of tone. These are good ingredients roughly chopped to make "Soul Kitchen" a rambunctious romp. However, most characters and some storylines are a little undercooked, and the film fails to connect on a meaningful level. This fare is easy to digest and pleasant enough without being truly satisfying for the soul.


Sorelle Mai - Movie Poster

Sorelle Mai

3.0 Anne Murphy

The director's family is filmed over a 10 year period acting in film roles rather than biographic depictions to create an experimental and dramatic work.

"Sorelle Mai" is an interesting movie that follows the hopes and mostly thwarted dreams of a brother and sister. What makes it really interesting is knowing what the director attempted and the scope of the project. For those sitting in a cinema it's not obvious how ambitious the film-making is, and for the average viewer the slight narrative may be insufficient to captivate. Appreciate this one for being well crafted. Sisters are doin' it...


Solanin - Movie Poster

Solanin

3.5 Anne Murphy

Recent college graduates try to fulfil their dreams in a band and escape the monotony of regular jobs.

A coming of age movie, where adolescents try to find a life beyond the conventional one that might be expected of them. The soundtrack is loud with original music which conveys the passion of band members; and in contrast, the dull and muted tones of Tokyo reflect the plight of those same characters. Well acted and understated, it is hard not to be moved by the sentimentality and uncertainty of lives dedicated to pursuing one's dreams.


Snowtown - Movie Poster

Snowtown

3.5 Anne Murphy

A look at the life of serial killer John Bunting.

The world looks like a more sinister place after watching "Snowtown". The story, which recounts real events, is chilling and shows life as you wish it wasn't. The setting is a colourless and unsettling suburban landscape, all the more terrifying for its ordinariness. It's sometimes hard to tell the relationships between the characters, not that it's possible to care for any of them. The dramatic build is slow and we squirm at what's coming and, unsurprisingly, the audience becomes enmeshed in scenes so sickening that they're almost unwatchable. Snowtown is no town to be.


Sister Smile - Movie Poster

Sister Smile

2.5 Anne Murphy

A biography of Belgian nun Jeannine Deckers, who became a popular singer in the early 1960s and came out of the closet.

It's said that truth is stranger than fiction, and while the 'Singing Nun' had a very strange life, it borders on dull when stretched to fill a feature film. The story is neatly presented in chronological sequence, and beautifully filmed to capture the era. Unfortunately, this bio-pic sticks to the facts and barely scratches the surface with any deeper connection to the characters. Expect a limited life span from this disappointing tale of a one-hit wonder.


Single by Contract - Movie Poster

Single by Contract

3.0 Anne Murphy

A teenage girl falls for the lead singer in a popular rock band without knowing he is famous.

A classic storyline, retold for adolescents, is romantic and pleasing, if schmaltzy. By sticking to a tried and true formula, "Single by Contract" is predictable, but the story is still amusing to watch. The strong affable leads create interest and play out their romance with wit and style. This version of the tale about the celebrity and the simple girl gives something really joyful to an implausible plot... we can even forgive them for being surrounded by a cast of clichéd characters. Apparently contracts are made to be broken.


Shaolin - Movie Poster

Shaolin

3.5 Anne Murphy

China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power with war.

It's a simple plot that's brought to life in this epic-scaled production. The magnificent courtyards and halls of the Shaolin temple play a starring role. Add sweeping rural landscapes of China to the on-screen splendour and the characters end up as extras. There are no crouching tigers but there are astonishing displays of aerial and on-the-ground martial arts. The well executed and bloody action scenes are furiously fought, not hampered by one side being mostly monks. Even Buddhist principles need defending.


Shame - Movie Poster

Shame

2.0 Anne Murphy

A couple are considering sending back a difficult adopted child.

The plot outline suggests that this should be a tense and emotional film, as a pair grapples with their situation and subsequent decision. The expected intensity, given the subject of the souring reality of a long-held dream, is not realised. Along with a failure to deliver an emotional punch, there are other difficulties: the real time pace drags, use of symbolism is too overt, and an unlikely sub-plot that detracts from the main story complicates the film. All in all it is a shame.


Seraphine - Movie Poster

Seraphine

3.0 Anne Murphy

Based on the life of French painter Séraphine de Senlis.

Séraphine's paintings reflect both her simplicity and her deep commune with nature. The artist's life is appropriately rendered with compelling images of rural life in the French village of Senlis before World War 2. Although visually delightful, the characters and story are sketched without sufficient dimension to enthral the viewer. The aesthetic experience would be enhanced by a stronger narrative dimension.


Sarah's Key - Movie Poster

Sarah's Key

4.0 Anne Murphy

A journalist researching the 1942 Vel' d' Hiv Roundup in Paris uncovers links with Sarah, a Jewish girl, who was arrested with her parents.

"Sarah's Key" is a fictional account of the Holocaust that discloses events from the dark years of World War 2 in an assured manner. A contemporary story is seamlessly intertwined with one from the past as intrigue builds. The actors underplay the poignancy of both narratives, as ordinary people deal with extraordinary dilemmas and strong messages are presented without unnecessary melodrama. The past is not forgotten but sometimes needs to be unlocked.


Sagan - Movie Poster

Sagan

3.0 Anne Murphy

France, 1950s. From the Quartier Latin to Saint-Tropez via New York, a young Parisienne becomes the icon of a whole generation.

"Sagan" is an interesting biography if a little episodic. This happened then that happened, got married, wrote another book, fell in love again; get the picture? This long movie covers an eventful life well lived at the expense of depth or connection. Beautifully filmed and well acted but a series of events even in an interesting person's life, leaves the audience longing for a stronger narrative. The paradox is unforgivable, especially when the central character is a writer.