Director: Danny Boyle
Writer: Alex Garland
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Mark Strong
Year: 2007
I can’t remember who it was who described the formula for a thriller, but it goes something like this: A man is on a crashing plane and the controls are damaged; at the last second he finds a parachute and jumps from the plane, only to find Continue reading
Director: Tony Scott
Writers: Brian Helgeland, John Godey
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta
Year: 2009
…what? I don’t even remember watching this.
Which is odd because I’m looking at the disc which I have only just now taken out of the player; and the cover which lays open on the coffee table; and I know that I’ve had the TV on and it was playing something…
Good grief. If we can translate the principles Continue reading
‘A writer discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities.’
I have to imagine that this story was born when the writer was struggling for ideas and envisaged a magic pill that would solve all their problems. I mean, that’s the dream of any writer isn’t it? Some MacGuffin that would allow you to churn out amazing stories with no effort so you can write a new novel as fast as you can type. If only.
The concept is a very interesting one, and the movie Continue reading
‘A woman, two men and a suitcase of money – a lot can happen in the middle of nowhere.‘
I really regret not going along to see more movies at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival, because I know that I’m missing out on some really great films. Thankfully, I did get along last night to see the really fun new Australian movie – Swerve. Swerve is a thriller full of some great dark humour and a simple but compelling storyline.
The film opens in the middle of Continue reading
Director: Joe Johnston
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones
Year: 2011
I’m gonna try not to gush, but I gotta say: YEAH BABY!
For those of you who don’t know and aren’t reading this review anyway, Captain America marks the last stop on the Marvel Studios line before reaching The Avengers. Others much more qualified than I have gone into detail on the creative process Continue reading
‘Tour guide Master Yoda leads a group of rambunctious Jedi younglings through Senate chambers when he senses a disturbance in the Force. Summoned to help save the Republic, he discovers that one of the younglings secretly boarded his ship…and has a taste for adventure!‘
After the disappointment of the last two Family Guy Star Wars Specials I was beginning to think that Robot Chicken was the only place that I’d be able to find some good Star Wars humour, but out of nowhere comes LEGO Star Wars – The Padawan Menace, and it’s the most fun I’ve had watching Star Wars for quite a while.
While The Padawan Menace is obviously Continue reading
Writer/Director: Alex Proyas (w/ Len Dobbs & David S. Goyer)
Starring: Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly
Year: 1998
In the year 1998 I saw a movie. It was a movie that seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a movie marked by distinct visual style, brilliant special effects and a heart-racing soundtrack. It was a movie that questioned the nature of reality as we know, and asked deep questions about humanity and life. My friends and I came away from it not quite sure if we’d ‘got’ all that we’d just seen, but certain that it was a remarkable and groundbreaking new standing stone in the evolution of movies.
I am, of course, talking about The Matrix… which I will never review.
What I can do is take that paragraph and Continue reading
Director: Bob Gale
Starring: James Marsden, Amy Smart, Gary Oldman
Year: 2002
In 2001 writer/director Bob Gale (Back to the Future) wanted to make a movie. He invited all of his friends to help him out. The finished product ended up featuring Christopher Lloyd, Chris Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Gary Oldman and Kurt freakin’ Russel!
If you’ve heard of this flick, congrats, that makes about five of us. I stumbled Continue reading
Another guest review from Lindsay. – Al
Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Writer: Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright; Brian Lee O’Malley (original comic)
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, everyone under 30 in hollywood who’s awesome.
Year: 2010
There is a fundamental core audience to this flick (and the original graphic novels from Oni Press) and I want to make something perfectly clear: I am not a part of it.
O’Malley has always been upfront about the fact Continue reading
Another guest review from Lindsay. My reviews will resume next week. – Al
The Hangover
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham
Writers: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Director: Todd Phillips
Year: 2009
If amnesia can be this much fun I should try whackin’ my head more often.
The setup couldn’t have been more basic: Guy’s getting married; friends take him Continue reading
