Midnight in Paris (Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams) : Movie Review

While his relationship to Inez is questionable, just why the two are together is never really clear; it provides the catalyst for his falling for Adriana (Marion Cotillard), the artist’s muse. Back in the modern day Inez is striking up her own love affair, that with her former flame Paul (Michael Sheen), who seems to know everything about everything and isn’t shy to let you know.

Contagion (Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne) : Movie Review

While the abundance of characters provides the necessary coverage for such a story, there were some instances; Elliot Gould and Marion Cotillard in particular, disappear for large chunks of the film. Cotillard’s character in particular seems to carry an important storyline that fades into the unnecessary and by the end of the film, downright confusing.

What’s Your Number? (Anna Faris, Chris Evans) : Movie Review

Faris’ gift for physical comedy goes a long way in the film, and there’s a particular scene where she’s attempting to maintain a cockney British accent that had me in tears, but the message that a woman’s number of sexual partners in some ways matters is quite off-putting for a modern audience.

Red State (Melissa Leo, Michael Parks, John Goodman) : Movie Review

While Smith is obviously retaliating against the Westboro Church for a comment once made about him, “God hates fags, God hates fag enablers; therefore God hates Kevin Smith,” his decision to turn these extremist Christians into murderous imbeciles is questionable.

Footloose (Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid) : Movie Review

Footloose is a high-energy, all out fun film, one that you think you shouldn’t enjoy but can’t help giving in to. The dancing, as expected, is the highlight, and you find yourself laughing off or forgiving the sub-par screenplay.

Monte Carlo (Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy) : Movie Review

Those critical of a predictable happy ending, unrealistic characters, over the top scenarios and overly attractive actors playing “normal teenagers”, should steer clear of this film. However, for those who enjoy a shamelessly cheesy and feel-good story and pretty frocks, there’s plenty to enjoy in Monte Carlo.

Abduction (Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Sigourney Weaver) : Movie Review

Taylor Lautner’s latest film, Abduction, was the chance to show the world he was more than just a buffed teenage werewolf.

The Change Up (Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds): Movie Review

The old Freaky-Friday-body-swap plot gets another run in the latest comedy from director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) and writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (The Hangover and The Hangover Part II).
In The Change Up, Mitch Planko (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave Lockwood (Jason Bateman) wake up in each other’s body after urinating in a magical fountain [...]

The Help (Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard): Movie Review

In 2009 we had Sandra Bullock adopting a pitch perfect Southern accent and coming to the rescue of a young, underprivileged black student in The Blind Side. In 2011 we have Emma Stone donning a hideous hairdo and coming to the rescue of a group of black maids during the 1960s civil rights movement. There is a trend in Hollywood to tell the black person’s story from a white person’s point of view, watering down the narrative by placing the white character’s drama of being ostracised by their friends or town for their actions on equal par with the black person’s misery.

One Day (Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess): Movie Review

David Nicholls has a reputation, albeit a rather small one, for delivering rich period detail in his drawn out relationship dramas. A novelist and screenwriter, his latest film One Day, directed by Lone Scherfig and starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, doesn’t feel as fresh as previous 1980s romp, Starter for Ten, but delivers the [...]

Horrible Bosses (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis): Movie Review

The day I saw Horrible Bosses, the comedy directed by Seth Gordon and starring Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis, I also watched another comedy, Top Hat. Some may say it’s not fair to compare a film from 1935 with one made in 2011, that the film industry was still in its infancy back [...]

Melbourne International Film Festival: How the Blogathon Was Like A 6 Course Dinner

The MIFF 60 Films in 17 days blog-a-thon is a lot like eating a six-course dinner. I can account for this as I have now done both in the last month.

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