Previewfilms.com.au

Men in Black III (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:22:20 GMT

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones
Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones return in the third & what will hopefully be the final installment in the series. Why was another made after a break of 10yrs. It felt like the same script from the previous editions with the time travel element edited in. The movie had that �been there done that� & �more of the same� feel about it. The enthusiasm & vitality from the lead actors also seemed depleted

The villainous alien �Boris The Animal� escapes from the lunar correctional facility & time jumps back to the 60�s to kill agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). Agent J (Will Smith) then time jumps to the day before agent K was killed so that he can ensure Boris doesn�t kill him. Sound confusing? Time travel storylines always are & the �time travel paradoxes� are irritatingly evident in this film.

Filmed in 3D and utilising the usual 3D gimmicks in the action sequences increased the overall excitement. The aliens were very grotesque and beware of the revolting French kissing scene between two aliens. To be viewed in the premium theatres as the extra loudness and vibrating sensation definitely add to the thrills.

MIB fans of yesteryear may find this movie enjoyable and there may be a market for the younger viewers as the never aging Will Smith still has box office pull. Realistically however, the MIB hype has come and gone and with the passage of time it will be quite interesting to see if there is still an audience yearning for more... JAKE 6.5/10

What to Expect When Youre Expecting (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:06:06 GMT

Director: Kirk Jones
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matthew Morrison
Is pregnancy a small miracle to be savoured or is it �just a pain in the ass� as one of the characters in this movie exclaims? This light hearted comedy endeavours to answer this question by following the ups & downs of 4 couples who are, or are attempting to get pregnant. Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz are naturals in the leading roles, especially Cameron whose last comedy was the wickedly funny �The Bad Teacher�.

Anything and everything associated with pregnancy and childbirth is referenced in this film including ovulation, stretch marks, breastfeeding, nausea, getting fat, mood swings and even circumcision. The audience laughs as all the funny scenarios arise & also shed tears when tragedy strikes. Adoption, as a final desperate attempt for parenthood is also explored with a comical yet sentimental edge.

This is a feel good movie, described as a �chick flick� where interestingly most of the laughter at the premiere seemed to come from the men in the audience. Newly pregnant couples should watch this movie so they know what to expect & older parents with vague memories of being pregnant all those years ago should also take this stroll down memory lane.

Ultimately, the message conveyed in a subtle yet humorous way is that regardless of the suffering and sacrifices involved with bringing children into this world pregnancy is, without doubt, the most rewarding and joyous function a woman will ever experience... JAKE 7/10

The Woman in Black (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:44 GMT

Director: James Watkins
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer
Daniel Radcliffe sheds his Harry Potter image in this clever horror flick brilliantly produced by Hammer Studios. Set in England in the late 1800s, Daniel plays the role of a legal worker who ventures off to an isolated village to complete some legal matters on a deceased estate. He comes across a vengeful ghost of a woman dressed in black who avenges her child�s death by making children kill themselves every time somebody sees her in the marshlands mansion.

The atmosphere was hauntingly crafted in this movie with near black & white colour grading & effective direction where facial close-ups heightened the horror being experienced. The isolated house in the foggy marshes, the cold rainy nights, the ghostly figures peering out of the windows, the music box playing , & the sound of children talking & crying in the hallways were other features which creatively added to the atmosphere. Children�s toys have never seemed so sinister. Suspense at times was quite unbearable where you knew that something horrific was about to happen.

However, one flaw in the storyline which I found very disappointing was the idea that Daniel�s character came up with to remedy the situation with the ghostly woman in black. It was just too convenient & unconvincing, a quick way to start rounding off the film. The twist was quite inventive & what the audience would have expected. Daniel gave an excellent performance & has convincingly proved that he has longevity as an actor. The children in the movie were very disturbing, & I will never see innocent young girls dressed in 1800�s attire with long ponytails in the same light again... JAKE 8/10

The Dictator (2012)

rob@didoman.com (EDITOR) — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:28:12 GMT

Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris
Sacha Baron Cohen has only made a handful of films but they have all been tremendously controversial and very successful and there�s no reason why this movie should be any different. He is a versatile comedian whose brand of humour is tacky, rude, vulgar, of gutter level and in very bad taste.

In The Dictator Sacha plays the role of a not so intelligent Arab dictator who has been responsible for many war crimes, but after his visit to America not only does he experience self confessed �spiritual healing� but he also falls in love with a nice Yanky gal. In the span of 75 minutes Sacha seems to offend everyone; the Jews, the Negroes, Americans in general and even Bin Laden and Oprah Winfrey cop a roasting. This movie was so corny and the gags were vulgar but god it was hilarious! I haven�t laughed so hard in ages! Even his bad one liners were hilarious because of his Arabic accent and the dumb expression on his face.

However, I thought the gag where the security officer tells the Dictator that: �he should visit The Empire State Building before he or one of his cousins knocks it down� was in very poor taste & may hit raw nerves with American audiences, owing to the resemblance to 9/11 - but then the whole movie was in poor taste & that�s what the audiences expect. Definitely not suitable for younger viewers owing to the �in your face� sexual & toilet humour, but it is a perfect date movie. It will give The Avengers a run for their money... JAKE 7/10

Dark Shadows (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Mon, 07 May 2012 06:41:58 GMT

Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green
Johnny Depp plays the role of Barnabas Collins, a man who is transformed into a vampire when he ignores the advances of a witch. He is buried in a coffin for 200 years until mistakenly released in 1972. He returns to his former mansion now inhabited by his dysfunctional descendants where the witch returns to cause havoc. Johnny Depp is a diverse actor who reinvents every character he portrays, always adding that extra dimension to make the character uniquely interesting. He is seemingly innocent & strangely likable as the vampire who is unleashed onto the 20th century. Being somewhat proper many of his humorous lines are delivered with subtlety especially when he is marveled by things which he has never seen before such as TV.

This is Johnny Depp & Tim Burtons� eighth collaboration & it should be quite interesting to see how it�s received when released into cinemas. When the much anticipated premiere was over I had mixed feelings about the movie. I felt dissatisfied & underwhelmed. All the funny one liners had been grouped into the 3 minute preview which had been seen countless times before so laughter was scattered. I also found it comically detracting with so much violence where the gruesome body count just kept escalating.

Should the movie perhaps have been better made as a standalone horror? There were obvious parallels with three other films; Death Becomes Her, Casper & The Addams Family. This movie was dark, sinister & Gothic & there was plenty of action, blood sucking & great music from the 70�s. Depp can do no wrong so I anticipate another moderate money spinner... JAKE 7/10

The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:59:52 GMT

Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt
Having seen this it is easy to understand why cinema audiences have stayed away in droves. This comedy, heavily promoted as �from the makers of Bridesmaids�, simply fails to deliver the laughs which were abundant in Bridesmaids. The advertising campaign may actually have harmed the film�s prospect at the box office as it has misled the audience into believing that the new movie would be just as hilarious as Bridesmaids, which clearly it wasn�t. Word of mouth is powerful advertising & has sealed the movie�s fate.

The story also lacked originality. A man & a lady meet, fall in love & plan on marrying but life just seems to get in the way. Their engagement is prolonged until eventually they split up. Naturally, the audience always demands a happy ending so the writers ensured that the heroes walked off into the sunset hand in hand. This film was utterly draining to watch, where scurrying out of the cinema seemed like a better alternative. Laughs were few & far in between & the script needed reworking or a complete revamp. Many of the supporting characters were copycats from Bridesmaids but weren�t nearly as effective.

The leads were capable but seemed miscast and Australia�s Jackie Weaver had a supporting role but was completely wasted as the girl�s mother. What possessed her to sign onto this movie after her great award winning performance on Animal Kingdom? The Five Year Engagement is what I would categorise as �date movie fodder�, a movie young infatuated couples go to watch when they have no intention of watching the movie. It was slow, stale and unsatisfying. Give it the flick and for plenty of laughs reconnect with Bridesmaids... JAKE 5/10

Act of Valor (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:46:02 GMT

Director: Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
Starring: Alex Veadov, Roselyn Sanchez
Act Of Valour is an incredibly realistic & powerful film. It shows the sacrifices that the US navy seals make in protecting their country from the horrors of terrorist activities. They do a remarkable job which nobody else will do. When they go on assignment they say goodbye to their families & friends not knowing whether they'll see them again. Every day on duty they risk their lives.

This movie is one of a kind. The story is fictional, but as promoted, real life US navy seals portray characters in the film & the weapons & tactics are real. The audience is in the midst of one of their missions. We are there in the sky as they parachute out of planes, on land as they are being chased & shot at while �recovering� a lady who was abducted & tortured, & at sea where their mission was aided by a submarine. We learn that it isn�t an easy, enviable or glamorous job yet these courageous people perform these duties daily.

This highly profitable movie was incredibly produced on a shoestring budget of US$12 million with a no name cast. The end result was just as satisfying as the equivalent produced at ten times the cost. Admittedly some of the acting was questionable as many weren�t trained actors but this only added to the realism. The movie had explosive action, suspense, a high body count & a great story. The audience at the premiere really enjoyed Act Of Valour, & it should especially be watched by those endeavoring to take on a career serving their country, just to see exactly what to expect... JAKE 9/10

The Avengers (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:59:35 GMT

Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson
It's taken five introduction movies to get here, but S.H.I.E.L.D.S - "Avengers Initiative" - has finally been given the green lantern, and Nick Fury has been busy assembling the hero's to once again save the world. The usual suspects have returned - Ironman, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow & Hawkeye. You might be thinking who those last two are? Well they never got their own spinoff, but after watching this, I think they might be teaming up in one soon, as it looks like they share a bit of history, cupid style!

Loki (Thor's brother) has raised his jealous head again and teamed up with some aliens to obtain that blue power cube that we saw in the Captain America film. In return he will be given Earth to rule. After a few hiccups the Avengers are united and that's when the fun begins.

As far as the story and entertainment go it still doesn't beat the first Iron Man film that started it all, but saying that the action and graphics are the best I have ever seen and the comedy between Hulk and Ironman keeps it all grounded. Apart from the action, the best bit's have to be when they all start ripping into each other. There is one gripe I have though; they still haven't explained why the Hulk's pants don't split! Elastic?... ROBDIDO
CHECK OUT JAKE'S REVIEW HERE

Battleship (2012)

rob@didoman.com (JAKE) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:23:50 GMT

Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, Liam Neeson
Battleship will be huge at the box office. The subject matter alone where Earth receives hostile alien visitors & battles them at sea should arouse some interest from movie goers. Throw in Rihanna, the world�s most popular female singer as one of the main characters & curiosity intensifies. Then ensure that the film is made by the same mob who produced the Transformer series of films & people will definitely put this film on their �must see� list.

When a new planet labelled Planet-G is discovered on the other side of the galaxy communication is attempted. The message is received & as some expected, a convoy is sent over to Earth, & so commences the alien�s plan to eradicate the planet of all human life. A battle ensures, & is fought at sea, where battleships try to eradicate these intergalactic pests. The special effects in this movie are quite amazing, & it�s incredible that Hollywood are able to continually outdo themselves, movie after movie, so that audiences keep coming back & paying for more. Oddly enough it wasn't filmed in 3D, as it seems that every second movie is made in 3D regardless whether it�s a Science Fiction or a children�s animated movie.

After a very slow start where the story & characters are set up in the first 30 min, the excitement builds. The battle sequences are truly amazing & leave the audience gasping for more. Rihanna shines in her motion picture debut & the highly respected Liam Neeson plays a small yet memorable role in what should prove to be one of the biggest movies of the year... JAKE 8/10

The Hunger Games (2012)

rob@didoman.com (ROBDIDO) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:11:39 GMT

Director: Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson
Apparently this is some teen novel trilogy that the kids are all raving about. I'd never heard of it and immediately dismissed it as some teen love crap story like Twilight, but was pleasantly surprised to find a great post apocalyptic themed SCI-FI classic. Sure it still has the teen stuff in it, but just like Twilight you secretly love it... go on admit it! - Side note: Not that mushy actually.

Hunger Games is the film adaptation of the popular teen novel by Suzanne Collins. If you've seen such films as 'Running Man' or "Battle Royale", you will probably be quite familiar with the theme here. But what it lacks in originality sure as hell makes up for in delivery and entertainment. This is a great story and has been gracefully translated onto the big screen with the help of some fine young actors and a pretty decent script.

I'm sure the readers of the novel will love every minute, but for the rest of us it could do with some chopping - a tad too long; although the characters are built up for us to care... just in time to then kill them all off. The whole 'big brother' theme is done well and makes you root for the underdog, and join in to give them all the Three Fingered Salute... ROBDIDO JAKE
CHECK OUT JAKE'S REVIEW HERE