Friday 29 May 2015

Verdict: The Flash Season 1


This post contains spoilers for Season 1 of The Flash - you have been warned.

If there's one thing that I love, it's being proved wrong about something. When I first read that The CW were planning to introduce The Flash during Season 2 of Arrow, I was skeptical. In fact, I was downright annoyed - how could they take Arrow, a show that has remained fairly grounded, and make someone so fantastical like The Flash make sense?

And yet, last December, I found myself sitting down to watch the first few episodes of this much-hyped spinoff and really digging it. Now, a few months and 23 episodes later, Season 1 of The Flash has come zooming to a close - and these are my thoughts on it.

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Film Review: San Andreas



Los Angeles, are you ready? San Francisco, are you ready? Let's get ready to crumble! 

Starring WWE superstar Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and True Detective's Alexandra Daddario, San Andreas is two hours of eye-popping action and nail-biting tension that will leave you more than satisfied. 

Monday 25 May 2015

Film Review: Poltergeist


I ain't afraid of no geist. 

Poltergeist is a remake of the classic 1980's horror of the same name - directed by Gil Kenan and starring Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt, it may be uninspired and generic, but it's not your typical failed horror remake.

Saturday 23 May 2015

Film Review: Woman In Gold


The phrase “all that glitters is not gold” springs to mind when reflecting upon Woman In Gold; despite some gorgeous cinematography, and likeable characters, this stale courtroom drama rarely manages to excite or inspire.

Thursday 21 May 2015

60 Second Film Reviews #19


Quick movie reviews, without the waffle. 60 Second Film Reviews is a regular feature where I compile together brief reviews of recent films I've watched at home or at the movies - and generally couldn't be arsed didn't find time to write a proper review for.

This month we have Horrible Bosses 2 and Paddington

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Film Review: Mad Max - Fury Road


It’s a mad, mad world for Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller’s triumphant return to the iconic Aussie film series that continues to redefine post-apocalyptic action.

Monday 18 May 2015

Verdict: Marvel's Daredevil Season 1


They've conquered the multiplex and assaulted network TV - Marvel's highly-successful cinematic universe is seeping into all forms of entertainment from the bombastic Avengers: Age of Ultron currently blasting across the box office and Agents of SHIELD addressing the fallout from that. 

Now, Marvel's next step on the road to world domination is streaming, and the first show to hit Netflix is Daredevil, a more mature and adult take on the leather-clad hero than we've seen before. Here are my thoughts on the first season of Netflix's newest exclusive.

Sunday 17 May 2015

Film Review: Blackhat



From the God of Thunder to keyboard warrior; Chris Hemsworth stars as an on-the-run computer hacker in Michael Mann's globe-trotting cyber thriller Blackhat. 

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Film Review: Clouds of Sils Maria



Self-reference and introspection – Hollywood loves that kind of stuff, but rarely is it executed with such aplomb as in Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria. Starring Julitte Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Moretz, this slow-burn has a fair amount to say about showbiz - but little else. 

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Film Review: Spy


"The name's Cooper, Susan Cooper - Licence to knit, bake cakes and live alone"

Spy is a Paul Feig comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Rose Byrne and Jason Statham. It sees Susan Cooper, an inept and timid CIA analyst (McCarthy), thrust into the field when her partner Bradley Fine (Law) goes missing.

It may start strong, but Spy fails to leave an impression of anything other than your usual scattershot and sporadically funny comedy.

Sunday 10 May 2015

Film Review: Ex Machina


"What happens to me if I fail your test?"

Exploring concepts of artificial intelligence and morality, Ex Machina is a British science-fiction thriller from writer/director Alex Garland. It stars Domnhall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander. 

Friday 8 May 2015

Film Review: Pitch Perfect 2



The Barden Bellas are back in Pitch Perfect 2, the a cappella teen franchise that stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and Skylar Astin.

This time around the gang are facing challenges such as life after college, dating and heading to the a cappella World Championships.

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Film Review: Trash


How far would you go to do the right thing? Could you leave behind everything that you know to see justice served? These questions are the driving force behind Stephen Daldry’s latest movie Trash.

It's a sweet and uplifting drama that veers slightly too far into sentimentality and implausibility - click here so you can read my full review of Trash over at Hooked on Film.

Monday 4 May 2015

Film Review: Star Wars Ep I - The Phantom Menace



Director: George Lucas
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L Jackson, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz
Runtime: 136 minutes

Question - if The Phantom Menace were the first film in the Star Wars saga, would its reputation be as toxic as it is today? It's status as the weakest, and most underwhelming, entry into the series is well-known in 2015, but judged on its own merits, is The Phantom Menace really that bad?

In this first of my extended Star Wars reviews, I revisit the first prequel in George Lucas' space opera series - The Phantom Menace. So, how does it stand up today?

Sunday 3 May 2015

Spanish Film Festival 2015


Hola amigos! The 2015 Spanish Film Festival is in full swing at Luna Palace Cinemas across Australia right now. This means dozens of eclectic Iberian filmic delights are currently playing in independent cinemas across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

The festival headliner is Spanish Affair, a sweet romantic-comedy about a mismatched couple caught in a series of escalating lies. Wildly popular in Spain (it's the highest-grossing Spanish movie of all time), it's a very light and fluffy film that lacks an original thought at its centre.

Meanwhile, Shrew's Nest is a bloody thriller that hails from Spain's rich heritage of horror cinema. It's tense, atmospheric and heart-pounding stuff.

You can read my full reviews of Spanish Affair and Shrew's Nest over at Hooked on Film right here.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...