Five years after making a powerful impression with terrifying ghost story, Spanish writer and director Juan Antonio Bayona turns his attention to the tsunami that wreaked havoc on thousands of unsuspecting victims on December 26, 2004. Though not an immediate horror, shares several similarities with The Orphanage, most prominently in the deep-rooted terror that pervades its entirety. Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria (Naomi Watts) take their three Continue reading “Review: The Impossible (2012)”
Writer and director Christopher McQuarrie follows up the seldom-seen The Way of The Gun with Jack Reacher, an adaptation of author Lee Child’s successful crime series. In the film, which is predominantly based on the ninth novel One Shot, Reacher finds himself embroiled in a murder case when the supposed killer of five innocent victims, trained sniper James Barr (Joseph Sikora), is apprehended in police custody. Continue reading “Review: Jack Reacher (2012)”
Life of Pi, Yann Martel’s supposedly unfilmable Booker Prize winning novel, is ushered to the big screen by Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee after nine years in development turmoil. Working from a script by David Magee, Lee’s interpretation retains the novel’s framing structure as an older Pi (Irrfan Khan) is visited by a struggling writer (Rafe Spall) and proceeds to recount his unbelievable story. Continue reading “Review: Life Of Pi (2012)”
The world of collegiate a capella (college-backed singing groups who perform entirely with their mouths) comes under focus in Universal’s new ensemble comedy Pitch Perfect. In a world where musicals are either as camp and dewy-eyed as Glee, or as irksome as Rock of Ages, Pitch Perfect – from producer and co-star Elizabeth Banks – comes as a welcome surprise with a sharp script, lifelike characters and an unavoidably infectious and buoyant soundtrack. Continue reading “Review: Pitch Perfect (2012)”
Québécois wunderkind Xavier Dolan returns to the fold with Laurence Anyways, a weighty and sprawling three-hour opus that picked up the Queer Palm award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Illustrating a marked improvement in substance over the writer-director’s previous efforts, Laurence Anyways takes its viewers on an intense emotional voyage as Laurence (Melvil Poupaud), a teacher, makes the tough decision to – in the narrow-minded 90‘s – follow his heart and reveal Continue reading “Review: Laurence Anyways (2012)”
Rise Of The Guardians, DreamWorks Animation’s latest big-budget offering, is every bit as bold as it is visually dazzling, rich in depth and expansive in scope. When the evil Pitch Black (Jude Law) threatens to instil fear in every child, the immortal Guardians – North (Alec Baldwin), Bunny (Hugh Jackman), Tooth (Isla Fisher), Sandman and new recruit Jack Frost (Chris Pine) – must band together to protect childhood innocence and optimism. Continue reading “Review: Rise Of The Guardians (2012)”
Tina (Alice Lowe) is struggling to cope with her overbearing and devious mother, Carol (Eileen Davies), and the recent – and accidental – death of their beloved dog. When new boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram) invites her on a week-long caravanning trip, Tina sees it as her chance to escape the confines of her council house and embarks upon what promises to be a week filled with sex, romance and adventure. Unfortunately for her, the trip quickly spirals out of control after a Continue reading “Review: Sightseers (2012)”
Lucas (Mads Mikkelson), a kind, caring and recently divorced nursery teacher, is well-liked by the community of a Danish town – teachers, children and their parents – and resolute in determination to win custody of his son Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrøm). However, as his life starts to find its feet, Lucas’ world is suddenly torn apart when Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), a young girl and daughter of his best friend (Thomas Bo Larsen), accuses him of paedophilia. Continue reading “Review: The Hunt (2012)”
When the American embassy in Iran is ambushed by Iranian revolutionaries in 1979, hostages are taken and people killed in haste. However, six manage to escape through an underground tunnel and take refuge with the Canadian Ambassador in his official residence. With their safety and return to US soil of paramount importance, CIA exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is landed the task and fosters an elaborate plot to smuggle them out as a Canadian Continue reading “Review: Argo (2012)”
After spending the past eight months undergoing therapy in a mental institution, former high school teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) returns to suburban Philadelphia and into the lives of his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver). Wasting no time in attempting to straighten himself up and win back his wife, Pat comes to a deal with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a troubled widow and force of nature, that sees him become her partner for a Continue reading “Review: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)”
Empty Screens 