CINEMA REVIEWS

The Other Side of Sleep

Director: Rebecca Daly

Cast: Antonia Campbell-Huges, Sam Keeley, Olwyn Fouere, Vicky Joyce

Receiving rave reviews from Cannes and causing a stir there at the Director’s Fortnight, Rebecca Daly’s The Other Side of Sleep received an Irish screening at the Galway Film Fleadh.  Director Daly was on hand to introduce the cast and commented that “there wouldn’t be a Q&A after the film, the film sort of speaks for itself.”  Gar O’Brien, programmer for the festival, mentioned just before the screening that this was a film that stayed with him for quite a while after he saw it and it’s not hard to understand why.  Almost like a more intimidating and suffocating version of The Machinist, The Other Side of Sleep is a credit to Rebecca Daly, another of the great Irish directors making an impact abroad at the moment.

Skilfully, The Other Side of Sleep involves the audience from the first scene, our leading lady Arlene (Campbell-Hughes) is prone to sleepwalking and just before the opening credits is off on one of her mysterious expeditions.  However, this particular venture is more serious than the previous ones.  Immediately after the credits, Arlene wakes up in a wood beside the body of a dead local girl wrapped in a duvet.  Confused, she returns to her lonely flat and gets ready for work with seemingly no recollection of what happened the night before.  Arlene continues her life with the thought of the girl pushed to the back of her mind, but when the body is discovered by two schoolgirls, she is haunted by the memory of Gina, the girl from the wood.  Depriving herself from sleep and believing she is implicit in the murder, Arlene’s reality blurs as she attempts to grow closer to the family of the murdered girl.

Although that is the main plot of the film, there is far more going on in sub-plots and off camera than what meets the eye, particularly Arlene’s relationship with the local bad boy and her emotions towards her dead mother.  Her lifestyle is painfully isolated; in fact, a lot of the film contains no dialogue, only an understanding between the audience and her circumstances.  There is an overwhelming sense of dread and anxiety around Arlene’s life, her knowledge of Gina and the mysterious passers-by in the night as she walks lonely roads in Offaly.  Campbell-Hughes holds the entire production together beautifully and you can almost feel like you are watching a woman retreat into dementia right before our eyes; you will genuinely feel uncomfortable and wary for a great deal of this film.  The Ireland you will see is very different from any kind of Bord Failte advert, as Daly has stressed herself, but that is not to say it is without its beauty, particularly the scenes in the wood and long walkways.  The overall look is dark however, and only lends to the dreary life Arlene leads.  In retrospect you may feel like not a lot happens but this is the classic case of “it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey.”

And I can confirm that it has stayed with me; The Other Side of Sleep may even haunt you a little.

PREVIEW: THE GALWAY FILM FLEADH

This week, We Love Movies will be delighted to attend the Galway Film Fleadh Launch in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway.  The 23^rd Fleadh runs in Galway from the 5^th to the 10^th of July and continues to gain momentum annually. Gar O’Brien, Programmer for the 2011 event ran us through the impressive programme for this year at the Launch…

The name of the Galway Film Fleadh has become synonymous with the “first feature”, and this year is no different, with the Opening Film of the festival a strong first feature for Darragh Byrne.  Parked tells the story of recently unemployed Fred and dope-smoking Cathal who strike up an unlikely friendship.  They also happen to be neighbours, who live in their cars.  Starring the wonderful Colm Meaney and Colin Morgan, the film’s screening will be attended by the Director.

It would be near impossible to run through the entire programme, so this is just the select picks, and there are quite a few of them!  The Guard, which has been travelling the Festival Circuit and receiving rave reviews, has its Irish Premiere, fittingly at the Fleadh.  Fortunately, We Love Movies managed to get a sneak peek of the feature and can confirm that this is a screening not to be missed.  Chronicling the tales of Sergeant Gerry Boyle, the last of the independents, The Guard, set in Galway, gets caught up in a drug-trafficking case brought to Irish shores by Don Cheadle’s FBI agent Wendell Everett.   Gleeson is, of course, the star of the production, turning out yet another wonderful comic performance.  The Guard will be screened in the Eye Cinema at 19.00 and in the Town Hall at 21.00 on Wednesday, 6^th of July.

Other select Irish picks include Ballymun Lullaby, directed by Frank Berry, which we cannot recommend highly enough.  Lullaby tells the story of Ron Cooney, a music teacher from Ballymun who decides to spend a year of his life curating a music collection, which gives a voice to the young people in the area.  If you missed Ballymun Lullaby at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, now is your opportunity to catch it in Galway on Friday, 8^th July at 10am.  Another favourite is the wonderfully touching Men of Arlington, which documents the life of the Irish men of Arlington House in Camden who left Ireland to work in London, some of whom never returned.  Heartbreaking and stirring, we dare you to get to the end without shedding a tear.  Men of Arlington screens at 8pm on Saturday, 9^th of July.  Other wonderful screenings include Johnny O’Reilly’s The Weather Station, Barbaric Genius, a documentary about the author John Healy, Treacle Jnr, starring the exploding talent of Aiden Gillen and the intriguing Holy Wars.

International features this year include Miguel Cohan’s No Return, the story of a group of strangers who must deal with the impact of a fatal hit-and-run accident.  For 80 Days examines the relationship between two females who had chemistry in their past but went their separate ways in life.  Following a chance meeting, the pair’s relationship is examined in their later years.  The eagerly anticipated follow up to Pixar’s Cars, Cars 2, will get a screening in the Eye and the closing film will be The Beginners starring Ewan McGregor.

As if that is not enough to whet your appetite, Galway’s own Martin Sheen will make a welcome return for the feature Stella Days.  He will also be the subject of “An Afternoon with Martin Sheen”, a public interview which will be held in the Town Hall at 3pm on the final day of the Fleadh.  Not that Martin Sheen needs a public interview as such; he is practically considered a Galway native at this stage!  In honour of Sheen, there will also be a screening of the classic Badlands.

On top of all that excitement, the Fleadh, famous for its support of the first feature and the Irish Film Industry, will screen an Irish Shorts Programme each morning to kick off the day.  The Galway Film Centre is also involved with the 30-Minute Film Festival, which will screen thirty one minute films on the final day.

There is actually not enough space to go through each and every great event in this festival (I have just realised I forgot to mention The Other Side of Sleep) but please scoot on over to the website and have a look (David Mackenzie is running a master class for scriptwriting).  If you are not from Galway, consider paying a visit for a couple of days.  There’s no Fleadh like the Galway Fleadh. (That’s a Sue Murphy trademark right there)

www.galwayfilmfleadh.com

THE GREEN HORNET

- Reviewed by Gordon Hayden

For those unfamiliar with The Green Hornet it tells the well worn tale of a wealthy heir who harbours daddy issues and so tries to prove his worth by standing up for what is right and fighting the cities bad guys… just like his father would have wanted. Blah, blah, blah!

With Rogen on board – and I am a fan of Rogen’s – but after viewing the The Green Hornet I think I may just hand back my Seth Rogen fan club card. His constant gurning and need to be funny at every available opportunity drains the film of what it could have been….

No wonder the original director and would-be Kato Stephen Chow walked from the project. I can now completely understand why after sitting through this new superhero mire. I’m guessing the “creative issues” that were first citied by Chow is that it really is Rogen’s film and the director at the helm of such a project is purely there to see “his” vision put on the big screen.

When it was first mooted that The Green Hornet was going to have fun playing up on how it’s really the sidekick that saves the day I thought, this may be fun in a kind of ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ kind of way. The lead character in that 80’s cult classic was Jack Burton played brilliantly by Kurt Russell riffing on John Wayne’s tough guy persona, but showcased sheer incompetence in the action sequences leaving it to his kick-ass sidekick to bail him out of trouble at nearly every turn. This should have been the perfect template for The Green Hornet instead it’s nothing more than Iron Man lite…
Iron Man however is a great example of how cheeky humour and the tone of the superhero world can easily work side by side, but Rogen’s ego-fest dilutes what should have been a fun film.

I feel so sorry for cast members like the Oscar winning Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds) and newcomer Jay Chou who plays Kato. Both give it their all and are easily the best thing in The Green Hornet. Cameron Diaz is pure and simply wasted – she is nothing more than meat on a stick in this flick. It’s hard to imagine why an A-lister like her would sign on after reading such a lacklustre script; unless she needs the exposure after a string of flops. Cameron’s role should really have been filled by someone trying to make the leap out of a T.V. show like Gossip Girl.

As for director Michel Gondry… an incredibly talented director; his talents are wasted on this redundant fare. In the lead up to the film’s release Rogen kept talking up the way the action was shot and how Gondry created a new style in the way the fight set-pieces were filmed. B*llocks! It is the same fight sequences we’ve seen in a handful of Guy Ritchie movies; nothing more.

In short The Green Hornet is a wasted opportunity. The plus side is… hopefully it’ll knock some of that over-sized ego out of Rogen that may just match his new slender frame.

UNSTOPPABLE

Reviewd by – Sarina Bellissimo

Director Tony Scott and Denzel Washington team up for the fifth time in their careers to bring us Unstoppable. Inspired by real events, this is the story of a runaway, unmanned, train carrying a load of dangerous chemicals which, if not stopped, could kill a group of primary school students in an oncoming train and also wipe out a local Pennsylvanian town. Luckily for everyone, veteran train driver Frank (Denzel Washington) and newbie Will (Chris Pine) are on a nearby train and have a plan for how to prevent this major catastrophe. However, will the big wigs at their multimillion-dollar company stand in their way and will they get there on time?

Tony Scott has assembled a very capable cast in Washington, Pine and Rosario Dawson (who plays Connie, the only corporate employee who has faith in Frank and Will’s plan). They are likeable and bounce off each other well. Washington, Pine and Dawson are not the problem with this film. The problem is the script they have to work with and Scott’s sometimes lazy direction.

Scott is usually good at building tension and excitement in his films, however, in Unstoppable, it hardly happens. He seems to have taken the lazy way out. He has the usual corny music, fancy special effects and he even asks Rosario Dawson to create tension by putting her hair up in one shot and then pulling it out in another – and then repeating this process for the entire film.

Scott also uses ‘breaking news reports’ to move the story along and spell out to the audience what exactly is happening – just in case they don’t quite get it!

Introducing Frank and Will’s personal issues half way through the film does not help either. The audience is teased at the start with the fact that these characters do have something else going on in their lives outside of work, but then it is forgotten about and re-introduced during the dramatic train chase. This does not work and feels very clichéd.

Tony Scott is usually very reliable when it comes to providing fun, sometimes over the top, action packed blockbusters. This time it just does not happen. Many have called Unstoppable Speed on a train. If that is the type of film you want, stay away from this and get Speed out on DVD instead!

THE AMERICAN

Reviewd by – Sarina Bellissimo

After a job goes wrong, Jack (George Clooney) moves to a quiet Italian town where he can be anonymous. Given that his last assignment went awry because he allowed himself to connect with Mathilde (Thekla Reuten) he should know better than to make any friends. However, he is really craving a human connection and once again lets his guard down when he befriends a local priest (Paolo Bonacelli) and falls for the beautiful prostitute Ciara (Violante Placido). Will this make him vulnerable in his latest assignment or will he finally be able to lead the life he craves?

Clooney’s performance as Jack is a darker, moodier one than audiences are used to seeing from him. In this role he can not get away with flashing his beautiful smile or whipping out a cool one liner to make a scene work (although ladies will be happy to know that there are some beautiful topless shots of him throughout). This film is reliant on Clooney getting the message across to the audience without saying a word on most occasions.

It is refreshing to see that director Anton Corbijn does not resort to any of the usual tricks of the trade to build tension in this film. There is no corny music or script or even flashy special effects. Corbijn uses natural sounds, the environment and the talent to build the tension.

Even though The American was made within the Hollywood system this is more of a European Arthouse film. Corbijn’s skill with a camera has enabled him to create a beautiful piece of work. The way he shoots the location as well as the leads is reminiscent of the beautiful cinema that came out of Italy in the 50s.

For those expecting a Bourne or Bond type spy thriller you may be disappointed. The American does not move at that pace and the action isn’t as elaborate. It is more subtle and very slow. However The American is a beautiful piece of art/cinema.

GROWN UPS
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

Is there something wrong with me? This is the question I have been asking myself since a recent Grown Ups screening. Everyone around me keeps saying that this is one of the worst movies they have seen in a long time, it gets a rating of 11% on www.rottentomatoes.com, yet I actually had a bit of a laugh. Am I one of the few people in the world who thinks that Grown Ups is a bit of harmless fun?

Grown Ups sees 5 buddies, and their famililes, being brought back together to mourn the death of their junior basketball coach and to honour his memory. They have all taken different paths since their 1978 junior basketbal championship win. Lenny (Adam Sandler) is a hot shot in Hollywood. Eric (Kevin James) has just been fired but maintains that he is a high flying Furniture King. Kurt (Chris Rock) is an underappreciated house husband. Marcus (David Spade) is single and living up the single life. And Rob (Rob Schenider), has married a much much older eccentric woman. None of them expected the weekend at the old summer house to be this much fun!

Many critics have slammed this film, saying it has a lazy script, is unoriginal, and just a chance for some old comedians to get together over the summer and get paid for it. While all of the above may be true, I did find myself laughing during the 90 mins and having some fun along the way. This will not go down as comedy gold – even though it does have some of Comedy’s heavyweights, but, it is funny in places and it is a movie that the whole family can enjoy.

Grown Ups has a strong female cast in Salma Hayek, Maria Bello and Maya Rudolph however they could have been better utilised if some of the male characters were dropped – especially that of Rob! Rob looked out of place in this film, he looked like he was supposed to be on the set of Don’t Mess With the Zohan or Deuce Bigalow rather than Grown Ups!

Grown Ups does rely on slapstick, cheesy moments and juvenile fart and pee jokes to get the laughs but do you know what? These are age old methods that do guarantee laughs. They may not be belly laughs but it still gets a giggle out of the audience. And sometimes it’s good to have a giggle! Now I can’t be the only one who thinks this way as it has taken over 240 million dollars at the worldwide box office. So, somebody else out there has to think it’s funny too!

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Review by – Brogen Hayes

Scott Pilgrim – an awesome 23 year old, who is between jobs – falls for the new girl in town; Ramona Flowers. Before they can date, however, Scott must defeat Ramona’s seven evil exes who have banded together to form The League of Evil Exes, and take Scott down.

When stripped down to it’s basic premise, film is about our hero coming to terms with his girlfriend’s past. The difference here is that Scott has to literally confront Ramona’s history, and defeat each of her evil exes before their relationship can really begin.

Michael Cera seemed to be a fairly obvious choice for Scott Pilgrim – he has been playing the awkward slacker for years. The good news, this time around, is that Edgar Wright actually challenges Cera’s acting muscles, forcing him to portray more than a goofy, mumbling teenager. Scott Pilgrim actually has a range of emotions, and is not the usual downtrodden character that Cera plays. In fact, Scott’s treatment of his ex girlfriend, Knives Chau, is stunningly thoughtless. As well as this, Scott is self pitying and careless. This may sound like it would turn the audience off such a character, but in his actions, Scott is relatable – haven’t we all been like this at some stage?

May Elizabeth Winstead has her work cut out for her as the object of Scott’s affections – Ramona Flowers. The character has to be alluring enough to draw Scott in straight away and for the audience to understand why she has seven evil exes fighting for her. Winstead makes the character mysterious, enigmatic, cool and ultimately – likeable. It is this combination that explains the effect Ramona has on people, even if her green hair is more than a little off-putting.

There are two real star turns in the movie. First is Kieran Culkin who plays Scott’s gay roommate, Wallace. Wallace can be equally as thoughtless as Scott, and perhaps even more selfish – he shamelessly steals other people’s (straight) boyfriends – but when it comes down to it, he reminds us that best friends are sometimes the ones to tell us to stop whining, get off the couch and do something about our problems. Culkin’s performance is easy, natural and hilarious. While little too much focus is given to Wallace’s sexual preferences in the film, Culkin takes this facet of his character, runs with it and makes it his own.

The other outstanding performance has to be newcomer Ellen Wong as Scott’s spurned girlfriend Knives Chau. Wong’s portrayal of the character is so wideeyed and lost puppy-ish that it is almost impossible not to root for her. That said, she may remind some of us of those clingy exes we would rather forget.

Edgar Wright has been perfecting his visual style for years. What began with the TV show Spaced was continued through Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. It is with Scott Pilgrim, however, that Wright’s visual style finally comes into it’s own. The cuts flow smoothly into one another, with conversations sometimes taking pace over several locations – crummy apartment, street to sleazy nightclub. Add to this blocks of comic book text that alternate between setting the scene, commenting on the action or describing sound effects and you have the perfect mix of comic book meets video game type action. The film is very much a love letter to video games, not only in the fight scenes, but through the little touches – the ‘life’ Scott gains, the fact that defeated foes turn into coins, and the Street Fighter-esque glowing ‘Vs’ that appears on screen before each fight.

Overall, there are times when the film feels a little like it is dragging its heels – perhaps seven evil exes were too much for one film? – but there is enough action, and a plot that keeps the audience guessing right up to the last minute, to make up for the lulls. The supporting cast – Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick and the array of evil exes (in particular Brandon Routh, Chris Evans and Jason Schwartzman) – are fantastic and the soundtrack is filled with great tunes, including the track Scott Pilgrim, by Plumtree.

The film has a very specific target audience – it is, after all, the ultimate geek film – but anyone who has ever been in their early twenties, had a boyfriend/girlfriend with issues or lived in a damp basement will see some of their selves in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World and it is this coming-of-age story at the centre of the film that will stay with audiences long after the final evil ex has been defeated.

SALT
Review by – Sarina Bellissimo

The question on everyone’s lips, including the woman herself, is who is Angelina Jolie’s Evelyn Salt? Is she a Spy? An office worker? A loving wife? A CIA agent? A Russian Spy? A heroine or a villain?

Until recently Evelyn Salt (Jolie) thought she was a CIA agent keeping America safe. All this changes when she is accused of being a Russian Spy who is about to kill the Russian President and start a war with America. Desperate to clear her name and save her husband (who is now in danger after this accusation) she goes on the run to find the truth. On her back and trying to keep both the Russian and United States Presidents safe are her superior and friend Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) and Internal Investigative Officer Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

Salt was originally written with Tom Cruise in mind (he turned it down because he felt it was too similar to Mission Impossible). It definitely has a Tom Cruise-esque type action/spy thriller feel about it but Jolie has managed to make this her own. She is one of the very few actresses that can successfully carry off this type of film. She gives a charasmatic and ballsy performance, and the fact that she does most of her own stunts, makes for some fantastic and realistic action scenes!

Jolie jumps out of buildings, off bridges, from the roof of a moving truck to another, gets into big shoot out and fight sequences and none of these seem to phase her. Some of the action scenes are a little over the top but this film gets away with it because of its leading star and it is fast paced with a story you want to get to the bottom of (even if at times some of the twists and turns are a little formulaic/predicatble).

It is not always clear what Salt’s aim or mission is but this adds to the intrigue rather than confusion. A few months ago this would have been thought of as a far fetched story but the timing of the recent capture of some sleeper Russian Spies in America couldn’t have been better and this lends some credence to the film.

Although it is Jolie who carries the film, she does need actors who can hold their own in scenes with her for this to work. Schreiber and Ejiofor do not fail in this task.

Salt gives a new meaning to the term ‘Girl Power’. It is great to see a female action/spy hero who could give Jason Bourne or James Bond a run for their money. If this does well at the Box Office, we will surely be seeing a lot more of Evelyn Salt!

THE EXPENDABLES
Review by – Sarina Bellissimo

Sylvester Stallone. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bruce Willis. These names are synonymous with action movies of the 80s. Back then they were ‘The Reliables.’ Put them in an action film and the box office was likely to explode!

Fast forward to 2010 and they have gone from ‘The Reliables’ to ‘The Expendables’. Well sort of. Willis and Schwarzenegger saw sense and decided not to take part in any of the action in this film. They thought they’d leave it to the youngsters, well youngsters compared to themselves! Willis and Schwarzenegger instead preferred to cameo in the film. Stallone, on the other hand still sees himself as an action hero. So you can understand why he not only thought it would be a good idea to co-write and direct the film but to also star in it! But was it?

Stallone is Barney Ross, the leader of a group of mercenaries called The Expendables. He is hired by Church (Willis) to overthrow a South American Drug Lord and Dictator. Of course the mission isn’t as simple as that. Barney and Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) soon discover that a rogue CIA Agent (Eric Roberts) and his henchmen (former WWF star Steve Austin & UFC star Randy Couture) are the ones they are really after. Trying to get away from them they inadvertently put the Dictator’s daughter and Freedom Fighter, Sandra (Giselle Itié) in danger. When Barney’s conscience gets the better of him he brings his Expendables (Statham, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren) back to the Island to take down the drug cartel and save Sandra.

I really, really wanted this film to be good – for old times sake! Nostalgia can do funny things to your outlook. You look back on the films you grew up with and think they are better than they really were. However if you look back at the action films of the 80s without those rose tinted glasses on, you realise that the first few films our action heroes starred in were good but as the films went on they became less so. Action films of the 80s started to become less about the story and more about the pointless action and over the top ways to kill your enemies!

Unfortunately this is the mind frame that Stallone is stuck in. Not only does he think that he and his mates are still those 20/30-something year old action heroes of the 80s, but he thinks that all it takes to make an action film work is over the top and constant action, and a few big name stars. However that is not the case.

A good script is also needed and in this case the script is very weak. Stallone tries to make it witty by throwing in some jokes, which unfortunately fall flat. He also endeavours to humanise the mercenaries by having Christmas struggle to maintain a relationship, and Tool (Mickey Rourke) retiring from battle because his soul has dried up and he does not ‘want to die alone’. There is no need for these side stories and no real need for Tool either.

That said this film does not go too long without action sequences. The Expendables are indestructible. Five of them are able to bring down hundreds of ‘baddies’ in massive shootouts and fights. At one stage Stallone’s Barney is still fighting and beating off a bad guy after he has been stabbed in the back!

All of that said this movie does exactly what it says on the tin. The Expendables is an OTT action movie with lots of explosions, bodies blown to bits and bad guys. People will not be going to see this film for the actual story, it will be for nostalgic reasons. It is a chance to see 80s action heroes reunite on the big screen in an 80s type action movie. Only Sylvester Stallone could get away with this, and, only those who are a fan of Stallone and his take on action movies will enjoy it.

LETTERS TO JULIET
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

The World Cup has only just begun but if you feel like you already need a break from it all, then Letters to Juliet might be for you.

Starring Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero, Amanda Seyfried, Chris Egan and Gael Garcia Bernal, Letters to Juliet tells the story of Sophie (Seyfried), a New Yorker visiting Verona, who stumbles across a letter written to Juliet 50 years ago asking for love advice. Sophie makes it her mission to write back to Claire (Redgrave) telling her to follow her heart and to find her love. Claire takes heed of the letter and flies to Verona with her grandson Charlie (Egan) to find her long lost love Lorenzo Bartolini (Nero). Sophie joins them on their search across Italy and finds that love may be blossoming for more than just Claire.

Amanda Seyfried is very quickly becoming the go to person for the sappy rom-com lead. In her last few films, she has played the same character in very similar stories. The only things that change are the locations and her gorgeous leading men. That said, she is likeable and is one of the standouts in this film.

The other standout is Italy itself. Set in Tuscan region, Italy looks absolutely gorgeous on screen. This film is like a free ad for its tourist board. You would be hard pressed not to fall in love with it and want to book a holiday there immediately. Accompanying the beautiful images is a great old school Italian soundtrack.

Letters to Juliet is the typical rom-com. It’s cheesy and predictable, the characters are stereotypical, they find themselves in unrealistic situations, and of course the two leads dislike each other before discovering that they might or might not (I do not want to be accused of possibly giving away the ending) actually like each other. However, all of that said, if rom-coms are your thing, then this movie is for you!

GREENBERG
Reviewed by Sarina Bellissimo

Usually when you see that Ben Stiller is in a film you know that you are in for a good laugh. He has starred in comedy classics like There’s Something About Mary and Zoolander. However, Greenberg will not be joining this list of funnies. Greenberg is not a comedy, this is Ben Stiller like you have never seen him before.

Written and directed by The Squid and The Whale’s Noah Baumbach, Greenberg is an interesting observation of life using two characters, Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) and Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig), who are at different points of the life cycle. Their paths cross when Roger moves from New York to L.A. to housesit his brother’s home where Florence is the family’s Personal Assistant.

Florence, in her early 20s, has just finished college but doesn’t know what lies ahead for her. Roger had so much potential in his 20s. His band were on the verge of being successful before he made a decision that changed all of the band members’ fates. He is now in his 40s and life has not panned out the way he planned it. Florence is asking herself, “Where am I going? Who am I going to be?” while Roger is asking himself “How did I get here? Why am I me?”

Greenberg poses questions and shows situations that are not always comfortable to watch. Florence and Roger will rile up different emotions for the viewer. The first instinct is to dislike Roger because he is so mean, and to fall for and pity Florence as she is so vulnerable, allowing others to walk all over her because she feels she is not worthy of anything more. The thing is, these two characters are more alike than they think. They are both in pain, unsure of their purpose in life and their behaviour/actions are defence mechanisms to help them get through life. As Florence profoundly puts it, “Hurt people hurt people”.

This film could be a sequel to one of Ben Stiller’s early films Reality Bites. In that film he played a confident 20-something who was ready to go out there and take life by the horns. In Greenberg, Roger is the bitter 40-something who has lost belief in himself. He believes that “Young people are brave. When I was a kid I was a leader.” One of the only friends who hasn’t dropped him, Ivan (Rhys Ifans), tells him that “It’s huge to embrace the life you never planned for”.

Greenberg ends very abruptly on screen but it will stay with you long after you have walked out of the theatre. Greenberg will either have grated on you or will leave you asking questions of your own life and the path you are taking or have taken.

UP IN THE AIR
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

George Clooney is Ryan Bingham. A man who spends his life in the air, raking up frequent flyer points, as he heads out to fire employees of large corporations (who don’t have the guts to do it themselves). Ryan thinks that life is all about the free upgrades, hotels and chasing the elusive 10,000,000 frequent flyer points – “everything you hate about travelling are warm reminders that I am home”. He is forced to re-evaluate his world and way of living when his boss (Jason Batemant) tries to ground him and two very different women, Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) and Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), come into his life.

Clooney gives a remarkable performance in a role that many have said could be a close reflection of his life. This is the best acting we have seen from him in a while. He plays a character that Natalie says has “set up a life that makes it impossible to have any sort of human connection”. However Clooney has the audience feeling for Ryan. He is the reason you will be reaching for the tissues!

Alex Farmiga and Anna Kendrick star opposite Clooney. They are not in awe of Clooney or overshadowed by his performance, they in fact shine with him. Farmiga is sassy, sexy and strong as Alex, the female version of Ryan. And, Anna Kendrick, who most will know as Jessica from the TWILIGHT franchise, shows that she will still be here long after the TWILIGHT franchise is over!

As he did in JUNO and THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, director/co-writer Jason Reitman again proves that you don’t need gimmicks or whizz bang special effects to make a great film. It’s about having a central character, who is not your average Joe, and telling his story as he tries to make his way through life. It’s also about making sure that everything gels perfectly – the story, directing and acting. When all this comes together, as it has in UP IN THE AIR, you get a funny, poignant, sometimes sad, charming, and most of all, a fabulous film!

THE BOYS ARE BACK
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

You see the name Clive Owen on a movie poster and you would be forgiven for thinking that you are about to walk into an action or a thriller, with lots of blow ‘em up and tear ‘em down moments. THE BOYS ARE BACK couldn’t be further from that – the closest you will get to an action scene is the big pillow fight Joe (Clive Owen) has with his sons.

THE BOYS ARE BACK is based on the memoirs of Simon Carr. It tells the story of Joe, a successful sports journalist who left his ex-wife Flick (Natasha Little) and young son Harry (George McKay ) in England to move to Australia to be with his pregnant young wife Katy (Laura Fraser). Joe is frequently on the road with his job, making him a part time dad to his young son Artie (Nicholas McAnulty) and a very distant dad to his now teenage son Harry. However, he is forced to turn into the full time parent to both his sons when Katy suddenly dies and Harry decides to visit him in Oz.

Owen proves that he can do more than be the serious action man. He is endearing and sweet as the struggling father who is trying to forge a real relationship with his sons. These are the scenes that work the best. The two young sons (McAnulty & McKay) are fabulous. With Mckay (who is a dead ringer for a young Rupert Grint) really shining as the uneasy and angst ridden teen son Harry.

However, when his dead wife appears to give him advice there is no real chemistry. Their relationship feels flat and lifeless – and that’s not because she is dead!

This is the first film director Scott Hicks has made in his hometown of Adelaide (Australia) since his hit SHINE. Hicks has provided the audience with some beautiful shots of his homeland – making you feel like Australia is another character in this film. You fall in love with the land as much as you will with Joe and his sons.

It used to be a rare thing in cinema to see a father and son love story, but this month, this is one of two showing in cinemas – the other being THE ROAD. This is not as grim as THE ROAD however, the theme is the same. It is about fathers who are stuggling to cope with loss, but, do so for the sake of their sons. Take note Hollywood, a beautiful story of love does not need to be dripping with soppiness. I hope this is just the begining of a new genre.

6/10

ALL ABOUT STEVE
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

Mary Magdalene Horowitz (Sandra Bullock) is an eccentric crossword constructionist with no real social life, bar the blind dates her parents set up for her. She usually hates these dates, until she meets Steve, the news cameraman. He is hot, and, for Mary, it is love at first sight. When he leaves the date early to go to a ‘breaking’ news story, and she gets fired for designing a crossword all about him, Mary decides to follow Steve around the country from one big news story to another to convince him that they are meant to be. She has one problem though – all Steve wants to do is run from her. However, when she becomes the big news story, he finds that he can not run anymore.

I wish the producers of ALL ABOUT STEVE had asked themselves the 3 questions a crossword constructionist asks themselves – “1. Is it solvable? 2. Is it entertaining? 3. Does it sparkle?“ If they did that, and answered truthfully, then no-one would have to suffer this movie! This is one of the worst movies I have seen in a long time. I wonder why Bullock, Cooper and Thomas Haden Church decided to do it? It is all over the place. It is awkward, cheesy in places, not funny and in the end tries to wrap everything up with a moral that really has come from out of nowhere.

If you still want to see this film because you are a big fan of Sandra Bullock and/or Bradley Cooper, well I suggest, skip this film and go see Bullock’s THE BLIND SIDE (for which she won a Golden Globe) and Cooper’s A-TEAM (I am counting down the days until this is out!) when they come out later this year. And if you can’t wait for those, then watch the trailers online over and over again rather than watch this film.

IT’S COMPLICATED
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake (Alec Baldwin) have been divorced for years. He left her for another woman (Lake Bell). Never did Jane think that she would end up as Jake’s other woman. However, when Jake joins Jane and the family on a weekend to New York to see their youngest graduate, that’s what she becomes! And then as if things aren’t complicated enough, along comes Adam (Steve Martin) the architect and she finds herself in a weird love triangle.

Writer/Director Nancy Meyers has enjoyed success with romcoms such as THE HOLIDAY, SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE, and, WHAT WOMEN WANT. Her scripts aren’t always the strongest, and the story can sometimes drag, as it does in this, but what keeps you watching is that her stories are somewhat different, and most importantly, she has a strong enough cast to pull it off.

She has struck gold in this movie with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin in the title roles. They bounce off each other effortlessly and they don’t seem to care too much about how they may look on screen. It’s all about getting the laugh – cue Alec Baldwin’s topless shots (he did have a limit though, apparently he used a body double for the naked scene).

The obvious doesn’t need to be stated but I am going to do it. Meryl Streep is an amazing actress. She really does show everybody else how it’s done. Streep also looks like she is at a point in her career where she is finally having a lot of fun with her roles. First MAMMA MIA and now this. In anyone else’s hands Jane would have been sugary and annoying, not with Streep though. Her Jane is funny and full of heart. And as for Alec Baldwin his star is back on the rise. It started with his resurgence as Jack Donaghy in the hit TV show 30 ROCK and it’s continuing in this role.

I can’t end this without making mention of an actor who surprisingly steals many of the scenes he’s in – and that’s a big statement to make when you are talking about sharing them with Streep, Baldwin and Martin . The actor in question is the US OFFICE’s John Krasinski. He is hilarious as the future son-in-law who is accidentally in on the secret.

It’s not often you get a rom-com about older characters that people of all ages and both sexes can actually enjoy. IT’S COMPLICATED has laugh out loud moments and not too much of that mushy stuff to make this an enjoyable night out at the movies.

SHERLOCK HOLMES
REVIEW -Sarina Bellissimo
You hear the words Sherlock Holmes and you instantly think of an English, plaid wearing, intellectual sleuth with his sidekick Dr Watson. Apparently Guy Ritchie doesn’t! His take on the world of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson is completely different. For one, the plaid is all but gone. It has given way to a simplified black wardrobe and at times to a next to nothing wardrobe, with shots of Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) on screen with little more than his pants on; And another thing, they live in a world of action and lots of it!

In Ritchie’s version of SHERLOCK HOLMES, Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) and Watson (Jude Law) are two old crime solving buddies who have just taken down the evil Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) but their friendship is changing. Watson is fed up with Holmes’ behaviour, is moving out of their shared home and in with his fiancé, and threatens to leave Holmes and his wild crime solving capers behind. However, when Lord Blackwood miraculously comes back to life, the partners team up again to this time bring him down for good.

With scenes more reminiscent to SNATCH and LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, cue Holmes in a bare knuckled fight scene, cue karate moves, bone breaking moments, etc., you would be forgiven for thinking that this could never work. Somehow, Ritchie has managed to bring out some of the gangster in Holmes and it does in fact work!

That said, at times Ritchie places too much focus on the action and the story loses it’s way, sometimes becoming a little farcical. You let this go though because the action is so good and he has assembled a great cast to take us on this ride.

Downey Jr brings quirkiness and at the same time the edge need to portray the action fueled, tormented genius that is Holmes, and, it has to be said that Law, as Watson, gives one of his best performances in a long time. Their onscreen partnership is dynamic! Rounding out the cast are the talented Mark Strong as the evil Lord Blackwood and Rachel McAdams as Holmes’ crush, the ballsy Irene Adler.

This isn’t the best SHERLOCK HOLMES story you’ll see but it has to go down as one of the most fun and entertaining! I can’t wait for the sequel!

NINE
REVIEW -Sarina Bellissimo
NINE is Oscar nominated Rob Marshall’s latest venture into musicals. Loosely based on Federico Felini’s 8 and 1/2, NINE tells the story of Guido Contini (Daniel Day Lewis), a legend of Italian cinema in the 60s, who needs a hit movie to combat the last few flops he’s had. The pressure is on and he is finding it hard to come up with a script for his latest epic ITALIA. He uses his imagination and the most influential women in his life to help him develop a script – his wife Luisa (Marion Cotillard), his mistress Carla (Penelope Cruz), his close friend and costume designer Lilli (Dame Judi Dench), his muse and leading lady Claudia (Nicole Kidman), the fashion journalist Stephanie (Kate Hudson), a prostitute from his childhood Saraghina (Stacey ‘Fergie’ Ferguson) and even his late ‘Mamma’ (Sofia Loren).

With a stellar cast it’s only normal that expectations for this film are going to be high. The cast has six Academy Award winners and an additional nominee among them, and even the crew has an impressive number of Oscar winners and nominees between them. For a split second you believe that NINE is going to live up to the expectations. Seeing all the fabulous women and Daniel Day Lewis on screen together, for a brief moment in the opening sequence, leaves you gasping in wonder and even getting goosebumps. Unfortunately though, this is one of the few times this happens.

Daniel Day Lewis is great as the tormented Guido but the script and lack of chemistry with some of his leading ladies let him down. There is genuine chemistry between him and Dench and a tenderness between him and Loren but the chemistry and passion is lacking between him and some of the other main characters in his life.

Visually this film is beautiful with Rob Marshall capturing the essence and look of 60s Italian Cinema. However it is missing a vital ingredient. It is missing the Italian passion and vibrancy for life! It is also missing those big musical numbers.

A great musical has spectacular and over the top numbers. When it has that, you can forgive a musical that doesn’t have a strong story because it is the numbers you really want. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen often enough in NINE. Only a few of the songs are memorable. The one that is the real standout by miles, belongs to a character who is not even really needed in the story, Kate Hudson’s fashion magazine editor Stephanie belts out ‘Cinema Italiano’. It has everything you want – passion, emotion and it’s fun. It’s hard to watch this number and not think of Hudson’s mother Goldie Hawn – she is the spitting image of her and it is like seeing Goldie in her heyday on screen!

If you are not a fan of musicals, stay away from NINE as this won’t convert you. However, if you are in desperate need for a musical fix and love this cast then it might be worth watching – just don’t expect too much. This film really did have the potential to be fabulous and it’s sad to see that this was not achieved. I really hope that this is not the death knell for musicals and that a brave and creative director brings us something to reignite this genre soon!

AVATAR
REVIEW – Sarina Bellissimo
When paraplegic, ex-marine ,Jake Sully’s twin brother dies he is called to replace him in the AVATAR program and is sent on a mission to the planet Pandora. The scientists, headed by Dr Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) want him there on a friendly fact finding mission, however Corporate head Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) and the army have other plans. They want Jake there to infiltrate the indigenous community in order to help them get their hands on the much sought after natural resources on Pandora. Pandora is sacred to the Na’vi people and they will not give it up without a fight. Things do not go to plan when Jake becomes sympathetic to the Na’vi’s cause and falls for one of them, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) – so begins the big battle and the love story.

This is James Cameron’s first film in 12 years, the last being the successful TITANIC, and for the last four years there has been much hype surrounding AVATAR. Many claiming that this was going to be the film to revolutionise cinema, just as the Jazz Singer did in 1927. So does it?

Well, visually this film is stunning. Pandora is a beautiful land and Cameron has you believing that it exists. Strangely, the Na’vi people are also beautiful looking and Cameron, with his new technology has been able to do something no-one else who has used CGI before him has managed to do. He has managed to get rid of those dead eyes that appear when using CGI – in the Na’vi people they have come alive. You can’t help but connect with the Na’vi and you want them to take down the humans and save their sacred land.

Cameron has always been good with action scenes – see ALIENS, TERMINATOR and even a few scenes in TITANIC – and he doesn’t fail to impress in this film. They are some of the best action scenes you will see on screen in a long time!

He has also cast this movie well. He took a gamble on Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, casting them at a time when they were unknowns – before TERMINATOR SALVATION and STAR TREK. That gamble paid off. Add to that the ever-reliable Sigourney Weaver and a great supporting cast – and there is great chemistry on screen. It all works and you don’t really feel the 161 minutes pass by.

All that said, can you feel a but coming? Well you’re right, there is a but. While it is visually stunning and Cameron gets carried away with the technology, there’s something he forgot. That’s the story. The story is quite weak, predictable and seems to take scenes from many famous movies. Sometimes it feels like you could be watching BRAVEHEART, DANCES WITH WOLVES and even at times TITANIC.

So will this be the best movie you will ever see? No. Has it revolutionized cinema? Well in a way it has. This is a movie that has to be seen on the big screen. For that, James Cameron should be congratulated. In an era of illegal downloads and DVDs, he has reminded people of the magic of going to the cinema. Everything is huge and the sound is mind blowing. Throw 3D into that and a box of popcorn and this is not an experience you should miss. It’s a bit of fun and that’s what going to the movies is all about!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
REVIEW – SARINA BELLISSIMO

Spike Jonze brings Maurice Sendak’s popular story book WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE to the big screen. This is a story of Max, a 9 year old boy who lives with his mum and older sister. He is a lonely and somtimes angry boy, who has his wild imagination to keep him company. After a fight with his mum he runs out of the house and makes his way to Where the Wild Things Are. In this world, he is King, has lots of friends and this is a place where sadness does not live. “I have a shield which keeps out all the sadness. I am a King!” (Max)

After a game, one of the Wild Things says to Max. “That was fun! We forgot how to have fun!” And that’s what Spike Jonze does. He has fun with this film – he lets his inner 9 year old boy run free and at times run riot! He had had his battles with the studio while making this, and had to change some scenes along the way, but ultimately he made the movie he wanted to and I’m glad. Only Spike Jonze could really capture the spirit of Maurice Sendak’s book – a book that has captured the hearts of many children since it’s release in 1964. Jonze has transferred it to the big screen wonderfully.

It helps that Jonze found the perfect Max! After a monumental search for the lead, Jonze found Max Records. He is fantastic as Max – he is Max! Jonze allowed Max Records to be a child on screen and as a result we get a raw performance from him. Everything about him feels real. It’s like watching a 9 year old boy’s imagination and emotions run free on the big screen. You see his anger, his loneliness and his wild imagination.

Jonze has also brought The Wild Things and their world to life in a way that matches and possibly even surpasses what you would have imagined them to be like when you read the book. These creatures provide laughter, sometimes scare you and it’s because of them that you will find yourself shedding a tear before the movie is out.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is an imaginative, energetic, sometimes scary, but more so, an endearing story. This is a film that kids and those adults who have never really lost that inner child will absolutely love! If you’re a fan of the book you won’t be disappointed. If you’re discovering it for the first time you will become a fan.

THE DESCENT: PART 2

REVIEW – GORDON HAYDEN

PLOT:
Picking up 2 days after the last film left off, Shauna McDonald returns as Sarah who has no memory of the horrific events of the last couple of days. In order to help trigger her memory the local authorities re-enter the uncharted cave system of the Appalachian Mountains with Sarah in tow, but little do they know of the horrors that await them…

VERDICT:
After the press screening of The Descent: Part 2 there were critics practically spitting blood because they hated the film so much, but I have to say I thought it was a worthy follow-up to its predecessor. Considering that the 1st film had an ending which didn’t warrant a sequel in the first place, you have to give the makers of The Descent: Part 2 kudos for re-igniting the story and creating another brutal and bloody affair.
Director Neil Marshall does not return for seconds – instead he’s passed the torch on to the 1st film’s editor Jon Harris. He maintains the 1st film’s claustrophobic, atmospheric style with plenty of gruesome nasty set-pieces to keep the gore hounds very happy. Not surprisingly, there’s very little character development in Part 2 – the only character you’ll really be rooting for is Sarah from the original film – but will she, bizarrely, make it out, again?!?! Most off the characters in the sequel are just there as pure fodder for the subterranean humanoids lurking in the dark; it plays like an old 80’s slasher movie in that you’ll be second guessing who’s next on their hit-list.
Granted this not a patch on the 1st film, but as unnecessary sequels go it offers up fans of the original a good deal mindless visceral brutality, and the inclining that there may be more to come in The Descent series?? 6/10

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Reviewed by – Gordon Hayden

PLOT:
A young San Diego couple Micah and Katie are terrorised in their new home by a malevolent spirit, which looks to be the very same that haunted Katie when she was a child. With most of the spooky occurrences happening in the dead of night – Micah decides to document them on his trusted camcorder in order to find out how prevalent the paranormal activities really are.

VERDICT:
I’ve been banging on for some time on We Love Movies that the horror genre is at a crossroads, because most of the output over the last few years has been quite lacklustre; it’s either been a gory “torture porn” type flick that is high on visceral shocks and low on scares OR a reboot, re-imagining or revitalisation – whatever the Hollywood buzz words is to essentially label a tarted up remake of a classic horror film. Thankfully Paranormal Activity comes around at a time when the genre truly needs a shot in the arm. With its shoestring budget the film elicits plenty of scares and marks writer-director Oren Peli and his cast as stars for the future. With parallels to be drawn with The Blair Witch Project in terms of its style and the manner in which it was similarly marketed, Paranormal Activity proves you can do a hell of lot with very little. Granted Paranormal Activity is not “the scariest film ever made” as it has been marketed as, but it does offer up plenty for horror fans who’ll satisfied that at least someone is taking a well-worn idea and doing something differently with it. A must-see!

NATIVITY!
Reviewed by – Sarina Bellissimo

Looking for a film to put you in the Christmas spirit – then look no further than NATIVITY!

Martin Freeman stars as Mr Maddens, an actor turned primary school teacher who fell out of love with Christmas when his girlfriend, Jennifer (Ashley Jensen) walked out on him many Christmases ago. This year though, he is forced to take part in Christmas when the school’s Headmistress (Pam Ferris) asks him to produce St Bernadette’s Nativity play. Posh school Oakmoor always gets critic Patrick Burns’ (Alan Carr) best review but this year Mr Maddens wants it. When he bumps into his old friend, and teacher at Oakmoor, Gordon Shakespeare, his competitive side gets the better of him. He brags that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer, who is now living in LA as a producer, is coming to see the play in the hope of turning it into a film. The problem is he hasn’t spoken to her since she left. Things get worse when his teaching assistant, Mr Poppy (Marc Wotton), overhears this and tells everyone. Excitement runs rife in the community and Mr Maddens has to find a way to get back into the Christmas spirit, help the kids put on the best play in town – oh, and get Hollywood there too!

It’s hard not to fall in love with this movie and its cast. From the Scrooge type Mr Freeman to his disruptive, goofy, but loveable, teaching assistant Mr Poppy, to the always eating Nativity critic Patrick Burns, and finally, but not least, to the kids – who really do steal the show! They are funny, adorable and rough around the edges without being neither sickly sweet nor the stereotypical children’s characters we are used to seeing in these types of movies. Their XFactor style auditions for parts in the play will have you rolling in the aisles.

This movie is fun! Fun! Fun! You’ll counting down to Christmas when you walk out of the cinema. It’s one for the whole family. You will be laughing out loud and possibly even shedding a tear or two before the movie’s done! I’d even go as far as saying that this could be the LOVE ACTUALLY of family Christmas movies.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON

Reviewed by – Gordon Hayden

Unless you’ve been living on another planet you’ll know that NEW MOON is the second chapter in Stephenie Meyer’s phenomenally successful series, about the romance between a mortal and vampire, which soars to a new level when Bella Swan (KRISTEN STEWART) tests fate in order for a glimpse at her vampire love, Edward Cullen (ROBERT PATTINSON). As she plumbs deep into the mysteries of the supernatural world that she yearns to become part of, she discovers a pair of ancient secrets that put her in more peril than ever before.

PLOT:
Just after Bella’s eighteenth birthday, Edward decides to leave her behind in an effort to protect her. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year, numb and alone, she discovers she can summon Edward’s image whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him leads her to take greater risks, including a new taste for high-speed motorcycle jaunts. With the help of Jacob Black (TAYLOR LAUTNER), her childhood friend and a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, Bella refurbishes a motorbike for her adventures. Her frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, who has a supernatural secret of his own.
When Bella wanders alone into a meadow, she finds herself face to face with a deadly attacker. Only the intervention of a pack of wolves saves her from a grisly fate and the encounter makes it clear that Bella is still in danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the ancient secret of the Quileute tribe and Edward’s true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is quite unlike the one she had hoped for.

VERDICT:
I think it’s fair to say at this stage that The Twilight Saga is critic proof. Yes, at times it plays like a bad episode of The O.C. but that doesn’t really matter because; like the Harry Potter series, the fan base is so strong they don’t give a hoot what film critics think. New Moon delivers exactly what the fans want. And will no doubt leave them foaming at the mouth in anticipation for Eclipse next June…

THE INFORMANT!

Reviewed by – Gordon Hayden

PLOT:
Loosely based on New York Times journalist Kurt Eichenwald’s book, Matt Damon plays the likeable corporate idiot Mark Whitcare, a rising executive at an agricultural conglomerate ADM, who decides to turn informant for the FBI when he reveals an elaborate price-fixing scam his company is involved in, which centres on inflating the price of a food additive called Lysine. When his own professional conduct is called into question by the Feds; they begin to question Whitcare’s true motives.

VERDICT:
Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh, the man behind the likes of Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s 11, 12 and 13 movies, returns to the mainstream for his latest flick. The Informant! is a dark comedy about the corporate world where there are truly no good or bad guys just a whole load of dishonesty. Matt Damon is the only A-lister on show and turns in another excellent performance, but unfortunately for him Soderbergh bogs the film down with way too much information, which results in The Informant! being overloaded with twists and turns that quite frankly left me confused at times. The story takes place in the 90’s but has the look and feel of being set in 70’s – tonally it’s all over the place. It seldom excels as a comedy and will no doubt become a forgetful flick.

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