Ben Wheatley blends dark comedy and thriller to deliver a wickedly fun 1970s inspired shootout set within the confines of a dilapidated warehouse in Boston. The bullet bonanza is a result of an arms deal turned sour, with the likes of Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley and Armie Hammer along for the ride, each one determined to walk away with their lives and a briefcase full of money. Continue reading “Review: Free Fire (2017)”
The Kings Of Summer director Jordan Vogt-Roberts transitions to big-budget tent pole with relevant ease; his Kong a mammoth creature discovered during a scouting mission to an unmapped island in the immediate aftermath of the Vietnam War. Roberts wastes no time in introducing the ape, keen to make him the main focus, to the point where both narrative and characters are sorely underdeveloped. Continue reading “Review: Kong: Skull Island (2017)”
Anchored by a pair of rich, intricate performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, Room – self-adapted from Emma Donoghue’s bestselling novel – somehow manages to be both fascinating and uplifting in the face of unrelenting bleakness. Ma (Larson) and Jack (Tremblay) live in a cramped shed, locked away from the outside world by their captor. Continue reading “Review: Room (2015)”
I reviewed Trainwreck for CineVue.
The debut of Schumer as both lead actor and writer, Trainwreck breezes in as Amy’s reckless way of life is documented in hysterically crude detail. Her behaviour is refreshingly brazen and subverts the typical opinion in comedies of woman as doting fools, their lives non-existent until they’re swept off their feet.
Mark Wahlberg’s fine and committed performance isn’t enough to save The Gambler – Rupert Wyatt’s remake of the 1970s crime drama – from being slight and dull. Literature professor and blackjack addict Jim Bennett (Wahlberg) is thousands of dollars in debt, turning to loan sharks for help after his wealthy mother (Jessica Lange) leaves him cold. But when he fails to pay back the loaned money, his position worsens further. Continue reading “Review: The Gambler (2014)”
When best friends Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) realise that they’re out of their policing depth even as park officers, the former high-school enemies are assigned to a newly revived undercover division on 21 Jump Street, spearheaded by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube). The death of a careless teenager, Billiam (Johnny Simmons), reveals the spread of a new drug at the local school, prompting Schmidt and Jenko back to class as “teenagers”, to infiltrate and put an end to the drug ring before anyone else is hurt.
Taking its name and supposedly many of the sensibilities from the cult 1980’s TV series, 21 Jump Street is every bit as hysterical, crude, action-packed and self- Continue reading “Review: 21 Jump Street (2012)”
Empty Screens 