Marriage and other Disasters
Anne Murphy
Disillusioned with romance, an unmarried woman finds herself organising her sister's wedding.
"Marriage and other Disasters" has all the elements of a romantic comedy, and then some. There is the likeable cast playing mismatched couples, then there are the requisite independent and romantically available parties, the ubiquitous hopeful parents, the comical disaster-dates, the looming wedding and a certain depth that's often lacking in the genre. This movie is also intelligent, with a sassy savvy woman in the lead, it's delightfully laced with irony and served with breathtaking Italian scenery. Look elsewhere for disasters.
- Genre » Romance Comedy
- Release » Limited 02 Oct 2010
- Festival » Italian Film Festival 2010
Ten Winters
Anne Murphy
Timing is everything as friends who are drawn to each other miss opportunities to become a couple but keep connecting by chance during a decade.
Winter in Venice looks cold, the back drops are frosty, a stark contrast to the central characters who are warm and real. There is a good deal of restraint exercised, and love-lorn resignation experienced, by the friends as they fail to connect romantically over the ten year period covered by the movie. The unrequited attraction of the couple is understated and compelling to watch as each year passes and fate conspires to keep them apart. "Ten Winters" is one great story.
- Genre » Romance Drama
- Release » Limited 01 Oct 2010
- Festival » Italian Film Festival 2010
Charlie St. Cloud
Tom Jones
Charlie St. Cloud is a young man overcome by grief at the death of his younger brother. So much so that he takes a job as caretaker of the cemetery in which his brother is buried.
Under usual circumstances, if someone could see dead people, they'd be called crazy. But apparently, if that someone is incredibly good looking, it's endearing. For a film, which deals with heavy subject matter, it's rather underwhelming. Too much emphasis is placed on peripherals (what do geese have to do with anything?) and not enough on the tragedy and trauma, which comes with losing someone. When it comes to Charlie, best stick to the regular seven stages of mourning.
Easy A
Tom Jones
A clean cut high school student relies on the school's rumour mill to advance her social and financial standing.
Forget what you think this film is going to be like (you aren't even going to hear 'like' after every second word). This is a new generation teen flick. It's witty, intellectual and no subject is taboo. The characters are multidimensional and worldly. An original and funny take on that common double standard of society; the guy gets all the glory, the more he can score. While the girl can do the same and yet you call her... You get the picture.
Going the Distance
Courtney Slevison
A look at the trials and tribulations of a long-distance relationship.
"Going the Distance" is a pretty stock-standard romantic comedy. However, having a couple on either sides of the country attemps a twist that simply doesn't work. The pace feels rushed and you never quite feel the chemistry that is meant to be keeping the couple together despite the odds. The leads put in a likeable effort, but the movie as a whole ends up feeling a bit strained, and some moments are just plain awkward. If you go the distance with this film, unfortunately you will be disappointed.
Matching Jack
Wendy Slevison
A woman struggles with her son's illness and her husband's infidelity.
Watching "Matching Jack" is a bit like spending two hours in the Oncology Ward of a Children's Hospital, and whilst compassionately acknowledging that for many families, this is their dreadful reality, it's pretty tough on the ordinary movie-goer. The film is about sick children, and in spite of a romance and a 'happy' ending, this fact leaves a slight feeling of discomfort - it's too emotionally overworked to be a documentary, but too tragically true to life to be entertaining. Tears will flow, but it just feels a bit too orchestrated... disappointing diagnosis for one of Australia's well-known film-making teams.
Cairo Time
Anne Murphy
A romantic drama about a brief, unexpected love affair that catches two people off-guard.
Cairo creates a magnificent backdrop for this movie, the mood is exotic and the scenery is breathtaking. The pace in the summer heat is languid, and the already heavy atmosphere is laden with meaningful glances. Without meaning to give anything away, the previous sentences provide a full plot description, as not very much happens. "Cairo Time" is well produced and almost serves better as a travel documentary than a romantic drama, as charming as the love story is. Slow, subtle and lingering, it might stay around for a time.
Me and Orson Welles
Anne Murphy
A teenager is cast in the production of "Julius Caesar" directed by a young Orson Welles in 1937.
"Me and Orson Welles" is a coming of age drama within a convincing theatrical setting. The era is authentically replicated, and the characters so well drawn the audience is transported to thinking we're watching Orson Welles in his prime. The raging genius, ruthless manipulator, and ambitious actor and director are all credibly presented. Theatre life and backstage dramas within the chaos of the production process are all used to enthral, and it's crowned by romantic intrigue. This is a well directed movie that ends with applause.
Killers
Wendy Slevison
A vacationing couples' idyllic life is upset when they discover that everyone wants to kill them.
"Killers" fails spectacularly in every area. Apart from the beauty of Nice in the early scenes, there is very little to make this movie worth seeing. The two leads, with zero chemistry, awkwardly make their way through a shemozzle of a story that you will find yourself laughing at for all the wrong reasons. Uninspired direction does nothing to save this film from an appalling script and insincere performances. Mixing romantic comedy with violent action is a risky endeavor which simply doesn't work in this instance. Avoid, even if all you're doing is killing time.
Leaving
Anne Murphy
Suzanne is a well to do married woman and mother in the south of France.
"Leaving" is a sensual summertime love story set to the lazy sound of crickets, where passion is taken to the brink of histrionics in this ardent tale of an illicit romance. The realism of the story is first apparent in the soundtrack which consists mostly of the amplified background noises of the everyday. Whatever your moral stance, the strong performances allow audience members to be swept up, embraced in the fervour, held by the story, and then left panting. No leaving early.
Every Jack has a Jill
Anne Murphy
Jack is encouraged to take the romantic Paris vacation he won, despite just being dumped by his girlfriend.
Despite the odd title, "Every Jack has a Jill" is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy. The genre dictates the happy outcome so the ending is no surprise. Apart from the conclusion the rest of the story is delightfully unpredictable with a cast of eccentric characters. See this movie to enjoy a warm hearted story which has all the quirky and charming elements required to weave an endearing spell.
- Genre » Comedy Romance
- Release » Limited 01 Jul 2010
- Festival » French Film Festival 2010
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Anthony Macali
Bella is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward and werewolf friend Jacob.
It is made abundantly clear that "Eclipse" is about decisions. It's hard to choose between the equally attractive (and buff) leads who continuously confess their undying love. Thankfully, this tiresome triangle doesn't consume the show. A great supporting cast share their interesting back-stories and shed light on the mystical history of vampires and werewolves, building tension for the frantic action showdown. Expect the inevitable lingering kisses amongst mountain tops and fields of flowers, but this instalment offers a little more to feast upon. Your choice.
Mademoiselle Chambon
Anne Murphy
Jean, his loving wife and son live a simple, happy life.
"Mademoiselle Chambon" is an emotional drama laden with unexpressed feeling that hovers between sensitive and stagnant. While subtlety must have been the director's intention, the effect is slack and stifled. The story has a very long fuse, as restraint is favoured over illicit passion. Unfortunately, the wick is so slow burning that by the final scene interest in the characters has been extinguished. With barely any action and sparse dialogue, the movie fails to ignite (which could be the point), and for many this film will seem pointless.
- Genre » Drama Romance
- Release » Limited 10 Jun 2010
- Festival » French Film Festival 2010
Sex and the City 2
Courtney Slevison
Two years have passed since Carrie Bradshaw finally bagged John "Mr. Big" Preston, the man she was always meant to be with...
"Sex and the City 2" delivers on its mantra, ensuring that fun, fashion and frivolity are the order of the day. However, some of the best scenes come when the glitzy curtain is drawn back and the struggles of making a marriage and family work are exposed. As a whole, this movie is exactly what you should expect: the script isn't all that great, but as a visual feast it works a treat. So kick back with a Cosmopolitan and catch up with some old 'friends'.
The Burning Plain
Anne Murphy
The past and the present have a curious way of affecting one another as several people separated by time and space are about to discover.
This gripping tale is revealed as slowly as a building storm while tension builds. The movie is laden with foreboding, even if you anticipate the outcome before it's played out. The threads involving various characters weave together to reveal the anguish filled origins of the story. "Burning Plain" is moody and filled with loss and remorse, filmed against scenic backdrops that create realism and tension. The plains burn with a slow fuse to create an unforgettable movie.