American Sniper - Trailer 1:49
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From director Clint Eastwood comes 'American Sniper', starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history.
- news.com.au
- 03 Oct 2014
- Entertainment
AMERICAN SNIPER (MA15+)
The more the heat, the more you fire, US, 130 min
Strip away the modern military fatigues of American Sniper, and you’ll find the heart of an old-fashioned western beating very strongly indeed. No surprise then that this epic war drama is the work of director Clint Eastwood, a man who knows all too well how to pit good against evil with much gunplay thrown in for good measure. This is the true story of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), the Navy SEAL who is ranked as the most effective wartime sniper in US military history. During four tours to Iraq last decade, Kyle sent an estimated 160 enemy militiamen to their deaths. While the movie is no way a wanton celebration of killing in the line of the duty, there is a proudly patriotic streak to Eastwood’s approach that some viewers may find worryingly simplistic. However, Kyle (whose hit autobiography is the main source for the screenplay) was in essence a simple man who saw the world in shoot-or-be-shot terms. A current Best Picture Oscar nomination indicates the overall quality on offer here.
***1/2
If we learn anything from Big Hero 6, it is that every child deserves their very own pet robot at some point in their youth. Source: Supplied
BIG HERO 6 (PG)
All those zeroes and ones really add up, US, 102 min
Disney’s summer animation release is a futuristic sight for sore eyes, a Pixar-esque tale of a young robotics genius and his heartfelt bond with one of his automated creations. The breakout character of this beautifully designed affair is a plus-sized robot named Baymax, who defies his programming to help teen tear-away Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter) get over the death of his brother. Visually and tonally, this is a smart hybrid of American and Japanese cartooning (the setting is a city named San Fransokyo!) that kids will love in a heartbeat, and their parents will find resolutely refreshing. Based on an obscure run of Marvel comics, but don’t let that put you off.
***1/2
A not-untypical scene from Birdman, where Riggan (Michael Keaton) often has freaky unwanted company should he go for an afternoon walk. Source: AP
BIRDMAN (MA15+)
If the only way is up, he’s going to have to wing it, US, 118 min
An obliquely unsettling and serenely strange blend of black comedy and psychological drama, Birdman is quite unlike any other film in recent memory. Michael Keaton delivers a stunning performance as Riggan Thomson, a former big-time movie star battling to reinvent himself as a legitimate stage actor. The cramped backstage setting of Birdman - and how it is covered in a sequence of long and mind-bending tracking shots by Gravity cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezski - becomes crucial to our understanding of Riggan’s plight. As impacting as Keaton’s work undoubtedly proves to be, the back-up he draws from an impeccably-cast support ensemble (led by Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and a scene-stealing Edward Norton as a manic method actor) is never less than crucial. Highly recommended.
****1/2
That’s Jeff Daniels as Harry on the left, and Jim Carrey as Lloyd on the right. Doesn’t matter who it is in the middle. But his sporting the same expression many people have on their faces while watching Dumb and Dumber To. Source: Supplied
DUMB & DUMBER TO (MA15+)
Just plain dumb, US, 109 min
Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) will always retain prime positions in the Stupid Movie Characters’ Hall of Fame. Not even a lame, 20-years-too-late sequel to the classic 1994 cringe-maker Dumb & Dumber can lighten their heavily hilarious legacy. This is not to say this follow-up is a debacle in any way. It’s just that the distance between the big laughs - while the half-witted heroes embark on another ridiculous road trip - is far too great for a movie comedy that somehow grinds past the 100-minute mark. A one-hour TV special might have been the way to go. Perhaps best not to remember them this way.
**
Meet John du Pont (Steve Carell), the creepy coach-cum-cash-cow messing with the heads and filling the pockets of Olympic wrestlers in Foxcatcher. Source: AP
FOXCATCHER (M),
Crossing the line from mentor to tormentor, US, 132 min
This hypnotically eerie drama tells the true story of John du Pont (played by Steve Carell), a wealthy and eccentric American philanthropist who invested heavily in the sport of Olympic wrestling in the 1980s. The moneyman’s motives in building an expensive training facility around two medal-winning brothers (Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo) remain in dispute to this day. The tragic outcome of the project, however, speaks for itself. Director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) is a master of making proven fact play like unpredictable fiction, and the du Pont affair is tailor-made to benefit from his exclusive expertise. For many viewers, the standout aspect of this uncomfortably unforgettable experience will be the performance of Carell (best known as the comic anchor of the US TV series The Office for many seasons) as du Pont. The character’s combination of blind arrogance and fragile grip on sanity is a tough assignment that Carell completes with relative ease. A long film well worth the time and effort it demands.
****
THE HOBBIT : THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (M)
The third time is a precious charm, US, 144 min
Those who resisted the urge to kick the Hobbit habit during those agonisingly sluggish first two episodes will be rewarded with all the sprawling spectacle and grandiose drama they can possibly handle. The anchoring presence of the entire film is Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), no longer the meek onlooker he once was when first persuaded to throw in his lot with the warrior Dwarves. Overall, this is rollicking, rousing and unforgettable entertainment, which belatedly justifies the slogging terms on which the series began.
****
Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is apprehended on suspicion of wearing striped braces above a striped shirt in The Imitation Game. Source: AP
THE IMITATION GAME (M)
Before, Turing, and after, UK-US, 114 min
A compelling true story of perseverance and persecution, The Imitation Game has a lot of information it must convey to its audience. Time is of the essence. And time was always running out for Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). At the age of 27, this brilliant British mathematician was tasked with cracking the German code system that held the key to turning around the fortunes of the Allies in World War 2. While it will be a career-best performance from Cumberbatch (perfectly cast to take us inside an outsider such as Turing) that will inevitably be applauded here, the unyielding support he draws from castmates such as Keira Knightley, Charles Dance and Mark Strong proves crucial throughout.
****
The only worse thing than a wicked with is a wicked witch with a hunch ... James Corden, Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep in Into the Woods. Source: Supplied
INTO THE WOODS (PG)
The more you get lost, the more you will find, US, 124 min
Should you go out Into the Woods today, don’t be counting on seeing any teddy bears. And there certainly won’t be a picnic at any point. However, if you are in the market for a gleefully escapist movie musical, then this melodiously mischievous mash-up of many a fairy tale will prove mighty hard to resist. The original stage show by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine might be over two decades old now, but it hits the big screen in fresh and fighting fit form due to the inspired direction of musical specialist Rob Marshall (Nine, Chicago). A brilliant cast uniformly committed to sing with a zing only further heightens the dazzling appeal of the Into the Woods experience. Stars Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, Chris Pine.
****
Johnny Depp makes Funny Moustache Face No. 57 in the suck-tastically bad Mortdecai. Source: AP
MORTDECAI (M)
Un-Depp-endable commodity, US, 105 min
It’s not so much that they made a comedy and forgot to include the jokes. It’s that there’s not enough jokes, and no nous evident about where these few genuine gags should go. The fact a now-officially-out-of-all-form Johnny Depp has the lead simply takes the cake and drops it on the floor. Depp plays the title role, a posh, preening British wastrel with a love of waxed moustaches and dodgy fine-art deals. With the taxman on his back and MI5 on his case, our not-so-amusing anti-hero sashays between continents looking for the easy way out. This stumbling, bumbling farce could have used a few convenient exits of its own. All the good stuff is used up in the first 30 minutes, making the wait until the closing credits seem like an eternity. A very acquired taste, even if you still believe in Depp’s diminishing powers to entertain. Co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor.
*1/2
PADDINGTON (G)
Exceeds the bear necessities, UK, 110 min
Devotees of all things Paddington are very protective of their pint-sized Peruvian idol. They can now exhale and rest easy. The filmmakers behind this magnificent movie adaptation of Paddington have indeed looked after the bear. For this is one of the finest family films of this, or any other year. The gently redoubtable spirit of Paddington himself remains fully intact. A lively origin-story adventure takes place largely in London, where Paddington (beautifully voiced by Ben Whishaw) revitalises life inside a tired suburban household while evading the clutches of an evil taxidermist (played by Nicole Kidman!). Both the vivid visuals and clever storytelling remain playfully inspired throughout. Co-stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Peter Capaldi.
****
In the fold ... The cast of Paper Planes. Source: Supplied
PAPER PLANES (G)
You’ve got to know how to fold ‘em, Australia, 96 min
A lovely, locally-made children’s pic. Ed Oxenbould stars as Dylan, a 12-year-old kid from the bush with a talent for producing paper planes that fly faster and further than his peers. As luck would have it, the national paper planes championships are about to happen, and Dylan more than deserves a shot at the title. However, his depressed dad (Sam Worthington) and a lack of funds may stop Dylan’s dream from ever getting off the ground. This is gentle, genial stuff that will be much loved by its target audience of primary schoolers. Does drag just a little towards the end, but not enough to fall from anyone’s good graces. Co-stars Deborah Mailman, David Wenham.
***
Julianne Moore in Still Alice.
STILL ALICE (M),
So much found in so much lost, US, 99 min
Julianne Moore delivers a heartbreaking, emotionally astute portrayal of a woman disappearing in full view of her nearest and dearest. Alice (Moore) is a linguistics professor who has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, a rare strain of the debilitating disease that strikes much younger and swifter than usual. Moore’s faultless (and Oscar-nominated) read of her character - particularly when interacting with a wide family circle who react to the news in wildly varying ways - is like watching a canvas being painted in reverse. Moment by moment, all colour and life is slowly fading from view. Based on the best-selling 2007 novel by Lisa Genova. Co-stars Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart.
***1/2
Liam Neeson takes cover as word comes in millions of disillusioned Taken 3 patrons would like their money back. Source: AP
TAKEN 3 (MA15+)
This time, it’s strictly impersonal, US, 109 min
Since the days of the original Taken, Liam Neeson has made it his business to saturate the market with messy revenge thrillers. Most of them have been better than bearable, largely thanks to Neeson’s willingness to trash his own reputation in compelling fashion. Unfortunately, Taken 3 will be remembered as the one where Neeson just couldn’t save the day. Part of the problem is that all the highly strung, highly improbable stuff is happening in America this time around. The exotic European settings of the first two Takens were more important to the franchise’s success than producers realised. Therefore this tale of how Neeson’s Bryan Mills is framed (sigh) for a murder he did not commit rarely engages like its pulpy predecessors did. Co-stars Dougray Scott, Forest Whitaker.
**1/2
One of the key things we learn about Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) in The Theory of Everything is that as a younger man, he often caught public transport on rainy days. Source: AP
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (PG)
More than just a matter of time, UK, 122 min
They say pressure makes diamonds. So here is the true story of how a rare jewel of an intellect was formed under incredible duress. The brain in question belongs to legendary theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (well played by Eddie Redmayne), and it is his formative years on the far frontiers of deep, revolutionary thinking that are covered here. Remarkably, it was not until his body was devastated by the ravages of motor neurone disease that Hawking got his act together and began famously decrypting the mysteries of the universe. Fear not : the filmmakers keep the finer points of time theory and associated intellectual gymnastics to a minimum. Instead, the broad scope of Hawking’s achievements are fused to a touching, yet trying relationship with his young wife (Felicity Jones) and family. While some will believe the movie plays it a little too safe and sanitised, Redmayne’s astonishingly expressive portrayal of Hawking excuses most flaws.
***
In this scene from Unbroken, American POW Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) comes to the dramatic realisation all Japanese prison guards are ‘close talkers.’ Source: Supplied
UNBROKEN (M)
He can’t run, he can’t hide, but can he endure?, US, 137 min
A demanding true story of survival in the later years of World War 2. Once a star US athlete at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) later found himself fighting for his life as an inmate of a brutal Japanese POW camp. Director Angelina Jolie initially strikes some trouble switching between timeframes from Zamperini’s days as a champion runner to his time as a valiant bombardier. However, once the indomitable spirit of the man is revealed, the movie finds a sturdy, stirring tone which carries it well through some very tough going. The running time is too generous considering the straightforward nature of the script (co-written by the Coen brothers), so impatient viewers beware. Co-stars Domhnall Gleeson, Takamasa Ishihara.
***1/2
THE WATER DIVINER (M)
So far away to get so close to home, Australia, 108 min
A sobering, yet uplifting ANZAC drama amounts to a successful passion project for Russell Crowe. The Oscar-winning actor assuredly takes charge of proceedings both before and (in making his long-threatened directorial debut) behind the cameras. Though the story told here is intrinsically linked to our nation’s enduring remembrance of those who well fell with honour in Turkey during World War 1, it is hardly a conventional reading of the Gallipoli experience. Crowe plays Joshua Connor, an Australian farmer still mourning the tragic loss of all three of his soldier sons on the same fateful night at Gallipoli in August 1915. With the whereabouts of their remains still classified as unknown in late 1919, Connor travels alone to Turkey to find closure on his own terms. A number of well-shot combat sequences drive home the dire consequences of war with great intensity and soulful insight. Though not without its flaws, Crowe continually locates the right depth of emotion at the right time.
***1/2
Look closely at these two. That’s Josh Gad on the left. Kevin Hart on the right. Together, these stars of The Wedding Ringer are moviemaking poison. So run the other way next time they’re billed together. Source: AP
THE WEDDING RINGER (M)
Just say I don’t, US, 101 min
Sub-par comedy cobbled together from second-hand ideas and third-rate gags. Kevin Hart (Ride Along) plays a boisterous best-man-for-hire, the go-to dude for bridegrooms who haven’t got a friend in the world to fill the role. Imagine Bridesmaids without the women, the wit or the willingness to serve up anything fresh. If you don’t dig Hart’s polarising brand of quick-talking smart-assery, rest assured this is his most annoying effort yet. Co-stars Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting. *
Reese Witherspoon and her OSBP* in Wild. (* Source: AP
WILD (MA15+)
A woman as a walk in progress, US, 115 min
A slow-burning true story of self-discovery and finding redemption in places most people wouldn’t dare look. Reese Witherspoon stars as Cheryl Strayed, a young woman reeling from two major life mistakes in a row. To put a failed marriage and a recurring struggle with heroin behind her, Strayed embarks on an arduous 1700-kilometre hike along the challenging Pacific Crest Trail. Scripted by award-winning author Nick Hornby from Strayed’s own best-selling book, Wild slowly but surely enters the frazzled mind of its subject in vividly moving detail. Strayed’s blind stumble towards clarity meets the right match in Witherspoon, who wisely opts not to smooth down the rough edges of a difficult character. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyers Club). ****
Originally published as The Complete Movie Guide
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