James's Reviews

Han Solo shot first, right? If opinions to the contrary make your blood boil, this doco was made for you. But if you either don't know, or, worse, don't care who shot first, well then you can probably skip this and rent the latest teenage vampire movie instead.

This is a gorgeous little movie for kids of all ages. Yes the plot is a little thin and predictable, and the themes are of little interest to the average adult viewer, but the voice acting is a who's who of Australian thespian talent, and the animation is breathtaking so make sure you rent the bluray and charge up the 3D specs.

A fast-paced science fiction romp that entertains sporadically but adds little of substance to the genre. The tropes here are well-worn (see Logan's Run for example), and although Timberlake can certainly act he seems miscast as an action hero. Ultimately, however, the major weakness lies in the script, which betrays a dismal lack of intellectual rigor. After all, the whole point of money is that my time isn't necessarily worth the same as yours.

Yep, it's a Spielberg movie and Richard 'Black Adder' Curtis wrote the script, but this is no Schindler's List... not even a Saving Private Ryan because the battle scenes are ruinously sanitized for 'family' viewing. (As if any movie with 'War' in its title should be family viewing FFS!) The characters are pure caricature, the plot is riddled with absurdities, and the resolution depends on a coincidence of astounding improbability. So, worth seeing only for the principal photography (England looks uncharacteristically gorgeous), and for the horses.... if you particularly like horses that is.

Don't be put off by the slow-motion 'overture' that opens this movie -- the main event begins about ten minutes in at the wedding reception from hell. Basically it's all character analysis and pseudo-psychology, which (this being a Lars v T. movie) is frustrating and engaging in roughly equal measure. Both female leads turn in solid performances, as does John Hurt in a seemingly effortless cameo, but don't expect anything resembling a satisfying resolution Oh, and the special effects are strictly under-stated.

I'll resist the urge to poke fun at people who rate movies that they haven't even bothered to watch because the dialogue is in a foreign language, and instead simply add to the praise for this little gem from Spain. No Shawshank Redemption here, but instead a gritty and frequently inventive yarn about a prison guard having A VERY BAD DAY. !Muy bien!

A gorgeous, absurd, and frequently hilarious nostalgia hit for anyone who grew up with the Muppets.

Not so much UK politics 101 as a tender examination of love and loss as age takes its toll. Like many of my generation, I absolutely loathed the real Thatcher, and yet I found it impossible not to empathise with the semi-fictional version of her presented here. Of course it helps that Meryl Streep is almost frighteningly good in the lead role, and Jim Broadbent makes for an amiable gin-soaked Dennis. That said, one or two of the supporting actors are miss-cast, so unless you're a serious political junky it's difficult to work out who is supposed to be who at times. Fortunately, these shortcomings are easily overlooked because there's so much else to enjoy: historic locations and sumptuous production design make this a real treat for the eye, if not so much for the brain.

This is a seriously good movie about the burden of motherhood. I watched it without having read the best-selling book first, and it sucked me right in from the opening scene. You'll probably figure out the main gist of the story well before the halfway point, but by then it hardly matters because there are other issues to resolve. Tilda Swinton is painfully good as the tragic mother, and so are the actors who play her young son Kevin at different ages, but the story also gains considerable momentum from some sly editing.

A must-see classic from the mid-Seventies about a naive American kid who gets thrown into a Turkish gaol on drugs charges. And that's just the beginning of his troubles. Note that the print appears to have been cleaned up for the blu-ray release, so the film looks great despite its age.

Tiresome, predictable action movie stuffed so full of cliches it's almost a marvel to behold. Car crash entertainment really. Basically, Stallone leads a group of geriatric multimillionaire mercenaries into battle against an entire army of tinpot dictatorship goons who can't shoot straight or wield knives. The performances are wooded (if not arthritic), the plot is absurd, and the dialogue is so packed full of one-liners that fall flat it's a wonder they even bothered. Full marks to the stunt team and the fight choreographers, but beyond this there is nothing worth wasting two hours for here. Rent a classic like Kill Bill or Total Recall instead.

The core of this movie is an unsettling but ultimately rewarding study of two lives ruined by one act of stupity. Around this core is wrapped some high concept science fiction that is strictly for grown ups - by which I mean that if you enjoyed Moon and/or Monsters, and you're capable of suspending disbelief through a series of glaring violations of Newtonian physics... well then enjoy!

The opening scenes of this unusual movie play out like the first act of a well-made horror flick, but what follows is an insightful and frequently harrowing character study of a man tormented by dreams, who doesn't know which way to turn for help. It's not exactly easy viewing, but it certainly yields rewards if you can summon the stamina to stay with it until the end. The wife, the kid, and the dog are gorgeous, but Shannon's performance as the husband/father really kicks up a storm.

John Wyndham's classic 1950's novel gets the modern makeover treatment here, but unfortunately the script, cast and budget aren't up to this formidable challenge. Strictly for science fiction addicts desperate for a fix.

This sumptuous, atypical Paul Verhoven movie tells the story of a Jewish woman who falls in with the Dutch resistance in the final months of WW2. It was made in Europe for a third of its estimated Hollywood budget, and for my money its mongrel pedigree is its main strength: the emphasis here is on solid performances from relatively unknown actors, while the special effects are of the if-you-noticed-it-we-failed variety. The main weakness of the film is the intricate plot, which in retrospect is full of cracks, but on a first viewing this hardly matters.

If you've seen the TV show you'll know what to expect from the movie and you won't be disappointed. The extras are worth watching too.

Brilliant, absurd, and often hillarious WW2 fantasy about Nazis, Jews, and um... the German movie industry. Tarrantino's script and direction are masterful, the performances are superb, and Brad Pitt looks and sounds great with a ridiculous accent and a silly moustache. But the film really belongs to Christoph Waltz, whose Nazi character is so despicably evil you'll want to boo the telly whenever he's on screen. Good wholesome fun for all the family... not!

Not quite in Pixar's league, but still this is a highly original laugh-out-loud movie for the whole family. Rent the 3D version if you can find it, oh and keep your eye on Steve the scene stealing monkey too. Hillarious!

An engaging but ultimately flawed yarn about a cop turned serial killer. The sex and violence are played straight for confonting realism, but Jessica Alba is way too hot to be a two-bit hooker even in Movieland. Ultimately the plot suffers from a couple of implausible or inadequately explained twists, and several of the scenes are rendered almost incomprehensible by the abundant Texan drawl. Still well worth watching though, thanks to strong performances by Afflec and the supporting cast.

A gorgeous, whimsical comedy about life and love in a cold harsh Universe. So, basically a classic Woody Allen film then -- probably his best since Match Point I reckon. A great cast is backed up with lavish costume and set design, but the star of the show is the City of Paris, which Allen clearly adores.

A beautiful, intelligent movie that slowly draws the viewer into what is, essentially, the story of a bad guy who discovers that he has a heart. No slushly Hollywood endings here though. The performances are mostly excellent, but on first viewing Sam Neil's conflicted character seems under-developed. Based on the bonus material this seems at least partly due to some over-zealous editing, which may also explain why one or two major events are never fully explained, so that the viewer is left to fill in the gaps. But regardless of these minor shortcomings, this is a thought-provoking story set in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Rent the blu-ray for maximum wow-factor.

The plot is contrived, the characters are implausible and/or loathesome, and Anne Hathaway's northern accent is about as believeable as the opening scene: *spoiler alert* our hero gets her into bed but then decides he'd really rather just have a nice cup of tea and a chat. Good grief I mean who writes this crap!? Ninety minutes of fast-forwarding later a Shocking Event saves us from the horror of yet another Holywood ending, but instead we have to endure a sort of Sliding Doors / Alternate Universe resolution because, well, actually I'm buggered if I know why.

A solid, gag-stuffed effort from Pixar. I'm no petrolhead, but still i really enjoyed this one. And even I could see the Porche was cute.

This is a JJ Abrams movie. 'Nuff said? It's all very intriguing to begin with, but don't expect the plot to remain coherent once the explosions begin. Still, on the plus side, the aforementioned explosions really are very good. I mean it's probably worth queuing up this movie just for the train crash that triggers the storyline. It's so completely over the top I actually found myself cheering as the subwoofer settled back onto the floorboards. Great cast too -- especially the kids, who can really act. But unfortunately by the 90-minute mark the plot turns into Swiss cheese, and the climax is an almost literal deus ex machina which is clumsily introduced and played straight without any hint of irony or wit. See Toy Story 3 to find out how it *should* be done.

A strange, occasionally repulsive, and yet beautifully made film about sex, money, power, and the exploitation of women. Emily Browning has real guts, but the male performances are also strong -- especially in the intimate moments behind closed doors. Overall the film has a cold, sad, depressing feel but still I couldn't turn away from it. Vaguely reminiscent of Eyes Wide Shut only without Tom Cruise which I thought was a considerable improvement.

A beautifully assemebled documentary that transcends mere petrol-headed voyerism. This is a truly engaging film about the human condition in general. Highly recommended.