Bridesmaids (Comedy)

Why do weddings bring out the “crazy” in us? Who knows, but ‘Bridesmaids’ captures some of the hilarity and absurdity of this joyous occasion perfectly!

‘Bridesmaids’ is written by two talented and funny chicks - Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig (of Saturday night live fame), and the cast is full of comediennes including some memorable Aussies. One of the great things about this film is that its a testament to funny chicks and a great reminder that there are too few comedies written by, and starring, women. It’s like ‘Hangover’ for girls (the first ‘Hangover’ not the second one!).

Kristen Wiig plays the starring role in the film as down-on-her-luck Annie. Annie’s been asked to take on the coveted maid of honour role by her long term best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph). Despite the fact that nothing is going right in Annie’s own life, she’s determined to be a great maid of honour and make her best friend proud. Unfortunately one of the other bridesmaids, is quite obviously gutted she wasn’t given the maid of honour role and so makes it her mission to expose Annie’s inadequacies. Kristen Wiig is hilarious (albeit a little over-the-top neurotic) as Annie, whilst Aussie Rose Byrne is positively unlikeable as Maya. There are also some worthy performances from the lads - Jon Hamm (of Mad Men fame) is brilliant as Annie’s f*ck buddy and Chris O’Dowd is perfect as her new love interest.

‘Bridesmaids’ is a great laugh, with funny scenes from beginning to end (unlike many comedies where I find the funniness seems to get watered down as the movie goes on). Apparently the cast spent a few weeks improvising with each other before filming, some of which was incorporated into the movie. Unfortunately there were a couple of scenes that seemed to resort to more puerile humour. For example, I found the scene in the wedding dress shop totally cringe-worthy which I thought was a bit of a shame given the obvious intelligence and wit of the female writers.

The other thing that bugged me slightly was the way the three strong female leads were ultimately driven by insecurity and jealousy. Again, I thought a smart and sassy group of female comedians would have been able to balance out the equation a little be celebrating some of the positive aspects of female friendship. And artistic licence aside - after the way they treated each other in the lead up to the wedding - I personally found it hard to believe that any of these women managed to find a way back to friendship.

Nevertheless you’re bound to laugh out loud at ‘Bridesmaids’- it’s one of those rare films that can serve as both a chick flick and a date night flick. And there’s the added bonus of seeing Wilson Phillips perform their hit ‘Hold on’. It’ll make you want to grab your hairbrush and play air guitar as you exit down the cinema aisle. Or was that just me?! And more importantly, ‘Bridesmaids’ also manages to leave you with some heartfelt messages, for example, the importance of having faith in yourself, afterall, “don’t you know, things can change, things can go your way, if you hold on for one more day....”

Hangover Part II (Comedy)

I would honestly rather wake up with a hangover than sit through ‘Hangover Part II’ again. Even though I had extremely low expectations going into this film given the reviews I’d read, I still managed to come away feeling surprised by how bad ‘Hangover Part II’ really is. I also came away feeling perplexed about why it seems to be so difficult to make a successful sequel? Clearly the answer is NOT to simply replicate the storyline from the first successful movie which is exactly whatthe producers of this film decided to do – basically ‘Hangover Part II’ is same sh*t, different location.

‘Hangover Part II’ takes place two years after the first bachelor party in Las Vegas. This time, Stu (EdHelms) is all loved up and set to get married in a gorgeous beachside setting in Thailand and he isdetermined not to let his mates ruin it. Nevertheless, the lads are back and Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) manage to give Stu a night to remember (or more aptly, a night to forget!), in spite of his insistence on a low key pre-wedding brunch in favour ofa bachelor party. Stu’s downfall begins as he finally agrees to one quiet beer by the camp fire on the beach to calm his pre-wedding day jitters. Cut to the next morning and Phil, Alan, and Stu find themselves in a sleazy Bangkok apartment with no recollection of what happened the night before.They also wake up to discover a freaky drug mule monkey, half a human finger, a missing brother-in-law, and a tattoo on the soon-to-be groom’s face.

Ken Jeong is also back as Mr Chow although this time he’s trying so hard to be funny, he totally misses the mark. As it turns out, Mr Jeong is a physician so has something to fall back on should 'movies' not work out.

I didn’t love the first one as much as most people seemed to but I really enjoyed it, and I definitely experienced many laugh out loud moments. Unfortunately, during the screening of ‘Hangover PartII’ I honestly struggled to get a smile up, let alone a belly laugh.

I wasn’t even going to bother writing this film up but it gives me the chance to award my first 1 star rating.

Sitting through this film really made me wonder about the process these blockbuster films go through before getting distributed. It blows my mind that nowhere along the way did a single producer/ editor/ actor/ friend once fess up and say – “Hey guys, this just isn’t funny”. Or perhaps they did but someone important decided they could make enough money out of it anyway by riding off the success of the first film. And they were probably right.

Only for diehard fans.......

Babies (Documentary)

I was dying to see this doco at the Sydney Film Festival last year but unfortunately it sold out in a jiffy. So I was more than a little excited to learn that ‘Babies’ (or ‘Bebes’ as it was originally titled given the French director, Thomas Balmes) was going to be on short release here at a few independent cinemas.

‘Babies’ follows four babies from different parts of the world and compares and contrasts their first year of life. First of all there’s cheeky little Ponijao born into a Namibian village, then the super-relaxed Bayer from a farm in Mongolia, then feisty Mari from Tokyo, and finally little Hattie born into privilege in San Francisco. These four choices perfectly showcase the spectrum of economic, technological, and social development and the impact - if any – these aspects might have on a baby’s first year.

Trust me - you don’t need to be a parent to find this film adorable! I’m quite sure anyone with a heartbeat will enjoy and appreciate the beautiful images, the lyrical musical score, and the subtle commentary on Western society. And there is no dialogue, aside from a few ‘goo-goos’and ’ga-gas’ which makes it very easy to sit back and just focus on the visual feast.

What I found most striking was not that so many themes were universal across the four different cultures, but rather it was the few differences that really struck me. First up, you really notice how natural the process of childbirth can be vs. the medical procedure that it’s become in Western society.

‘Babies’ also really drives home how unnecessarily over protective we’ve become about routines, eating habits, cleanliness, contact with animals, etc. I delighted in watching little Bayer from Mongolia travel home from hospital on the back of his dad’s motor bike; entertain himself by climbing all over the three family goats in the middle of their pen; and take a bath while one of the goats simultaneously drinks from his bathwater. I suddenly felt quite ridiculous about the hand sanitiser I was rubbing vigorously into my hands as I was getting ready to feed my little one!

Another really salient point the film makes is how lonely and isolating child rearing has become in our society –it was so lovely to see the Namibian women hanging out in groups all day with their children, to the point where sometimes I wasn’t even sure who was the mother of which child! I never thought I would ever say this but thank god for Mother’s group!

Finally, it quietly demonstrated how so many activities are such a natural part of life in less developed societies (e.g. dance, music, language, learning etc) vs. Western society where it feels like these activities have become completely segregated and almost artificial. In fact, I felt more than a little silly as Lilliana and I sheepishly rushed out of the cinema at the end of the film to ensure that we weren’t late for our baby Einsteinz music class!

‘Babies’ is 79 minutes of love and beauty and gentleness which is such a nice distraction from the fear, and tragedy and violence that has graced our TV screens of late. There are so many beautiful moments in this film. In fact that’s exactly what this film is: a collection of beautiful moments. And who wouldn’t enjoy that?

Water for Elephants (Drama)

‘Water for Elephants’, a film based on the novel by Sara Gruen, was much better than I was expecting. I realise this assessment probably isn’t very useful seeing as it’s totally relative. So ..... let me tell you what I wasn’t expecting and that might help you decide whether ‘Water for Elephants’ is worth seeing .

Firstly, I wasn’t expecting quite so much eye candy. I’d never understood what all the fuss was about when it came to Robert Pattinson. Perhaps that’s because I’ve only ever seen him looking all white and pastey and playing the same mopey character three times over in the twilight series. But RPatz (as he’s known to die-hard – and recently converted - fans) is brilliant as the leading man Jacob in ‘Water for Elephants’ who abandons his studies to join the travelling circus as it’s resident vet after a tragedy involving his parents and is brilliant. I’d read a few reviews prior to seeing the film that claimed ‘Water for Elephants’ is his best work yet and I’m inclined to agree. Did I mention he was easy on the eye?

Secondly, I wasn’t expecting to come out of this film wanting a yellow and purple pant suit so much! Reese Witherspoon plays RPatz’s leading lady, Marlena, and her wardrobe is amazing. From her skimpy, spangley circus leotards to her sexy but simple evening dresses, it made me want to go and buy up big on 1930’s fashion as soon as I got out of the cinema. Marlena is married to the very scary August, the circus owner played by Christoph Waltz, and is obviously supposed to be off limits so all hell breaks loose when a flame starts to flicker between Marlena and Jacob.

Furthermore, I really didn’t expect to feel nostalgic for a time when life was as simple as a circus being in town to totally captivate and mystify kids and adults alike. Nor did I expect to be so transported by some of the visually stimulating sets in ‘Water for Elephants’. On a number of occasions I could almost feel the sense of excitement that came with sitting on the front row bench under the yellow and red big top, pink fairy floss in hand. Sadly, I very much doubt my daughter, with all of the entertainment options she’ll have at her fingertips, will ever find a circus quite so captivating! I especially loved an early scene when RPatz discusses his employment terms with his new boss August as they run along the roof of the moving circus train, jumping carriages against a starry night sky.

Finally, I didn’t expect to come away thinking about how selfish love can be. As caught up as I was in the love story between Marlena and Jacob, it got me thinking about how many casualties there often are just so two people can be together. Obviously the casualties in this film are a little atypical but still a love affair often leaves much in its wake: ex’s who end up with their hearts broken, unsupportive friends fall be the wayside, disapproving family members become distanced.

Sometimes love has a lot to answer for!

‘Water for Elephants’ was a lot of things I wasn’t necessarily expecting but overall, it’s just a really nice, light, entertaining love story to get swept away with on a cold autumn afternoon. It’s also a nice reminder that we all need a little illusion in our lives from time to time. So go buy yourselves a ticket to the big top, treat yourself to some RPatz eye candy while you’re there, and don’t forget some Water for the Elephants.....

Brighton Rock (Crime/Thriller)

This film has a number of great things going for it: acting by Helen Mirren and John Hurt; production by Paul Webster (same guy that produced Atonement); and a story based on a popular 1938 Graham Greene novel. Unfortunately, these things weren’t enough for me......

‘Brighton Rock’ is set in the sleepy English seaside town of Brighton in 1964. The story follows the rapid rise and fall of Pinkie (played by Sam Riley from the 2007 indie film ‘Control’), a teenage gangster who takes matters into his own hands when his gang gets accused of committing a revenge killing.

First of all, there were way too many characters for my liking. I was one of those annoying movie goers who keeps whispering to their friend – ‘What did he say?’, ‘Who’s that again?’, ‘Why did he do that to that other bloke?’!. .Secondly, whilst I found the performances of the main characters convincing, I had trouble empathising with their characters (for example, Pinkie seemed too young and immature to rise to any kind of significant role in an established gang and Rose, who falls for bad boy Pinkie, was too whiny and stupid to pity). Which as you know is quite unusual for me, usually I can easily find some character to project myself onto!

In summary, I was lost and bored. I was seriously tempted to leave. Now I should confess it’s not unusual that I find myself lost during gang/ crime movies so my judgement could be a little harsh but I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve found myself wanting to walk out on a movie before it’s finished. In this case, I managed to stick it out till the end and I have to admit that I’m moderately glad I stayed seeing as the ending includes a nice little twist that I found to be one of the films redeeming features. Another redeeming feature is the actress who plays Rose, the ditzy girl that falls for Pinkie – Andrea Riseborough - a newcomer to the big screen. She was incredible and was deservedly nominated for two awards at the British Independent Film Awards (best actress and most promising newcomer). Apparently Cary Mulligan was originally cast to play Rose but pulled out to do ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps’.

‘Brighton Rock’ is a DVD flick at best. The original starring Richard Attenborough might be more worthy if you’re a real Grahame Greene fan but this version of ‘Brighton Rock’ is too long, over complicated, and kind of boring. The only thing it did for me was give me an overwhelming desire to wander down the Brighton Pier with an ice cream in hand.

Never Let Me Go (Drama)

This movie was dark and grey and gloomy just like the rainy day I was trying to escape from. Even so, not long after the lights turned down I found myself pleasantly drifting from one melancholic experience into another.

‘Never Let me Go’ is based on the book written by Kazuo Ishiguru that I remember reading and loving way back in high school. And so I was excited to hear that it had been made into a motion picture. I was also very curious as to how the unusual subject matter would translate onto the big screen. But the impressive screenplay written by Alex Garland (who’s name you might recognise as the guy who wrote the novel ‘The Beach’) helps make the transition from book to film seamlessly.

The story kicks off with a caption explaining that a medical breakthrough in 1952 has prolonged the human lifespan to 100 years. This sets the scene for a science fiction kind of movie but don’t let that turn you off (sorry trekkies!) - unike most sci-fi movies, rather than being set in the future, ‘Never Let Me Go’ lays out an alternative to the current 20th century. The initial setting is at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school with beautiful green grounds and lots of smiley, healthy kids running around. The film quickly becomes grim but also intriguing as we discover that these children are all orphans and are imprisoned at Hailsham as they are being raised to be human organ donors.

The main character performances are haunting – in a good way. Carey Mulligan is exceptional as Cathy H, the narrator of the film, as is Kiera Knightley in a supporting role as the outgoing and dominant Ruth. Interestingly, Carey and Kiera last appeared together in 2005 in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ when Kiera was a much bigger name but ‘Never Let Me Go’ shows Carey is more than capable of carrying the lead role. Tommy, who ends up being the pointy end of a love triangle between himself and the two girls, is movingly portrayed by Andrew Garfield.

What’s great about this movie is the way it makes you think about what it means to be human. I particularly loved the final reflection by Cathy regarding whether or not their lives were truly any different than the people they donate to e.g. “maybe none of us really understand what we’ve lived through”?!. It also touches on the notion of not having enough time to spend with those we love and how important it is to appreciate every moment and the fact that somehow this is easier to achieve when you know the end is near. This movie made me realise that since becoming a mum, I’ve had no choice but to be more present and appreciate all the little moments that make up now – which as it turns out is a beautiful gift Lilliana has given me. And here I was thinking our relationship was all one way at this point in time!

Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed this movie – and Lilliana was clearly mesmerised (see inset!) – I appreciate ‘Never Let Me Go’ probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I think most people will find this hard to watch and might even describe it as ‘slow’. If you haven’t read the book, and if you have other films to choose from, I don’t think I’d be putting this one at the top of my list.

However, if you loved the book, or you’re looking for a film that provokes some interesting dinner conversation, or if you’re just trying to escape a rainy day........ take a risk and add this one to your list.

Depressing Movies Rock!

Maybe this public admission isn’t necessary for those who follow my blog closely but I’ve decided I can’t deny it any longer so I’m coming out of the closet – I LOVE depressing movies!

Who knows whether it’s because it makes me feel better about my own lot in life, or because it just makes me “feel” – whatever the reason I’m over justifying my film choices to friends or trying to work out why so I’m just going to going to run with it. In fact, I’m going to celebrate it.

For any of you fellow depressing film goers out there, I found an awesome list of depressing movies on IMDB, some of which I haven’t even seen so I’m paying homage to depressing movies by committing to work through this list while I’m on mat leave!

Here are a few of my faves from the list if you are in a movie watching mood and feel the need to reign in your own happiness:

#1 - Into the Wild
#4 - Gattaca
#7 - Million Dollar Baby
#13 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
#21 - American History X
#22 - Black Swan
#24 - American Beauty
#26 - Blue Valentine

I would also add Lantana, Revolutionary Road, Little Children......

Please write in as I would love to hear other suggestions....

127 Hours (Drama)

Based on a little informal survey I conducted since seeing ‘127 Hours’ I know that many people wouldn’t necessarily classify this film as “entertainment” but I found it gripping. Clearly, this movie isn’t going to be every one’s cup of tea but I’m a sucker for a true story. In particular, I love true stories that make me wonder whether the hero had any particularly special attributes, or would most people simply have done the same thing when faced with the same situation?

127 Hours’ is the film based on the book by Aaron Ralston, who is probably more widely known as ‘the dude that cut off his own arm’. The film stars James Franco as Aaron, the adventurer who found himself facing death after he became wedged under a boulder during a solo hike in Blue John Canyon, Utah.

Aside from ‘gripping’, I also found this film ‘to be gruesome’. Not an adjective I employ very often in my reviews but in this case, it’s a word I keep coming back to. 127 Hours runs for one hour and 35 minutes but for me - and I suspect for most people – my memories of the film are dominated by one gruesome 10 minute scene. Personally, I think this is a bit of shame seeing as the movie turned out to be so much more but the word seems to be out already, as evidenced by the fact that I tried to elicit a number of movie going buddies to see this film with me but to no avail! So off I went with the one person that couldn’t protest - little Lilliana.

Lilliana and I were just starting to settle in to the film (I was munching on popcorn, she was munching on something else ) and we were both enjoying the fast paced music and the amazing cinematography so I was more than a bit surprised when the hero of the story became trapped in the canyon not long after we sat down. In fact, I don’t think the credits had even rolled yet?!

My first thought was – geez this is going to be a long morning… I wondered how the hell they were going to fill up the next hour or so. But the remainder of the film was surprisingly engrossing thanks to James Franco’s brilliance. Not only was this a particularly tough gig for Franco given the subject matter, but in addition it was tough because this film is essentially a one man show. There are some brief diversions as Aaron reflects on friends, family, lovers and the last two people he met before his unfortunate predicament (played by Amber Tamlyn and Kate Mara), but for the vast majority of the film, it’s just Franco’s face you see up on screen. For this reason I found Franco’s performance even more astounding.

Rest assured that Franco is a million times better actor than he is an Awards show host!

I loved the way the film was shot in that it was often split between Franco and the footage of his daily video diary he recorded on his VC. I found this really added to the sense of time and the weight of it passing. Apparently Aaron really did keep a video diary of the ordeal and Franco and the Director are the only two people outside his family and close friends that have been allowed to view it. As I was watching the film, I frequently found myself wondering whether or not Aaron would approve? I have since read that when he was asked how authentic the film was, he said, "the movie is so factually accurate it is as close to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama”.

And of course, the question you find yourself pondering in the end is : if I were in that situation, would I be able to cut my own arm off? What lengths would I go to to survive? And whilst I admit that this idea isn’t necessarily new – it does have a kind of ‘Touching the Void’ or ‘Into the Wild’ kind of feel - the way the story is told, and the story itself, is unique. Some might say that 127 Hours’ made them conclude that life is too short to spend in a dark cinema watching some dude cut his own arm off. To which I will only admit that the film could’ve been 10 or 15 minutes shorter, but otherwise, I felt like I was in the canyon with Aaron and I couldn’t have been more engaged…