In what can only be described as a superficial melodrama that squanders the talents of its A-list cast and marks another lacklustre effort for director Rowan Joffe., Before I Go To Sleep – an adaptation of S. J. Watson’s bestselling novel – stars Christine (Nicole Kidman) as a woman who wakes up every day with no recollection of the day before after an accident left her with severe amnesia. Continue reading “Review: Before I Go To Sleep (2014)”
Review: Life Of Crime (2013)
Adapted for the screen by writer-director Daniel Schechter, Life Of Crime is a slow-burning, character-driven adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch that never quite reaches its full potential, yet sparkles nonetheless. Louis (John Hawkes) and Ordell (Mos Def), two small time crooks, hatch a plan to kidnap Mickey (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of businessman Frank (Tim Robbins). Continue reading “Review: Life Of Crime (2013)”
Review: Into The Storm (2014)
Into The Storm attempts to match up to brilliantly silly disaster films such as Twister and The Day After Tomorrow, but falls terribly short – its special effects not even enough to raise it up. The plot, if there is one, centres on a troop of storm chasers who, along with the many townspeople of Silverton, find themselves caught up in a terrifying, death-defying storm. The only problem is, everything within Into The Storm has been seen before – multiple times, in fact. Continue reading “Review: Into The Storm (2014)”
Review: Obvious Child (2014)
Written and directed by Gillian Robespierre, Obvious Child is a smart, observant and humorous comedy drama that will make a star out of its star Jenny Slate. Donna (Slate), an aspiring stand-up comedienne, makes a habit of turning her day-to-day existence into uproarious material for her shows. But when left pregnant after a one night stand with Max (Jake Lacy), she’s forced to wake up and take control of the real obstructions in her life. Continue reading “Review: Obvious Child (2014)”
Review: Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (2014)
Nine years after the release of Sin City, directors Robert Rodriquez and Frank Miller (who also wrote the script) reunite for Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, a sequel that visually intoxicating, yet dimly vacant on the inside. Unraveling over four vignettes (two that have been ripped from Miller’s source material, and two that have been written specifically), the film adopts the same template as its predecessor, but fails to fix any of the problems. Continue reading “Review: Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (2014)”
Review: What If (2013)
Daniel Radcliffe continues to stretch his capacity in Michael Dowse’s What If, a smart and funny rom-com that puts a modern spin on the age-old topic of whether men and woman can merely be friends. At a party, Wallace (Radcliffe) meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan), an animator with a similar sense of humour and a long-term boyfriend. Determined not to let their connection pass them by, Wallace and Chantry agree to be friends – an understanding that proves difficult to maintain. Continue reading “Review: What If (2013)”
Review: Lucy (2014)
The best film Luc Besson has delivered in years, Lucy is a full-throttle action-thriller that’s every bit as bonkers as it is furiously entertaining. Accidentally embroiled in the deadly underworld of Taiwan, an American student (Johansson) turns the tables on her captures when the drug she’s transporting leaks, infusing her brain with a serum that enables her to unlock its full potential. Continue reading “Review: Lucy (2014)”
Review: Hector And The Search For Happiness (2014)
Simon Pegg stumbles once more without partner in crime Nick Frost by his side with Hector And The Search For Happiness, a wretched excuse for a British comedy. Hector (Pegg), a well-to-do psychiatrist, leaves his perfect life and perfect other half (Rosamund Pike) behind in a bid to discover the true meaning of happiness. Directed by Peter Chelsom, who helped to adapt François Lelord source material, the film is a mostly insufferable travelogue that bears no resemblance to reality. Continue reading “Review: Hector And The Search For Happiness (2014)”
Review: The Expendables 3 (2014)
Sylvester Stallone and his ragtag team of ageing action heroes return in The Expendables 3, the third and potentially final entry in the increasingly preposterous, testosterone-fuelled franchise. Under the helm of Red Hill director Patrick Hughes, The Expendables 3 finds Barney (Stallone) up against old partner-turned-foe Conrad Stonebacks (Mel Gibson), this time with some new, younger and more tech-savvy mercenaries along for the ride. Continue reading “Review: The Expendables 3 (2014)”
Review: The Rover (2014)
Guy Pearce proves his chops once more in The Rover, David Michôd’s effectively dressed, yet ultimately prosaic post-apocalyptic revenge thriller. In the rough outback, Eric (Pearce), a ruthless loner, undertakes a chase across the outback when two thugs steal his car, crossing paths with one of the thieves’ brothers (Robert Pattinson) in the process. Continue reading “Review: The Rover (2014)”
Empty Screens 