FORCE MAJEURE - film

You know those times where everyone else is raving about something and you don't get the fuss?

Welcome to Force Majeure.

This is a Swiss (subtitled) film about a young family who go on a skiing holiday and while in the Alps, an avalanche comes hurtling toward them. We're assured by the dad that it's planned, they know what they're doing. But then it gets real close and things look dicey and papa does a runner away from his wife and two kids. 

Cue slow unraveling of relationship.

At first I was thinking what the film snobs have been saying... 'what a fascinating concept for a film!'

And then an hour and fifteen minutes into a two hour film I found myself looking at my watch thinking, is there really another 45 minutes to go?! I'm so bored!

The New York Times review called it "viciously amusing" and to be honest, I can't help but feel I was watching a different film. A few chuckles, sure, but "viciously amusing"? No, not for me. And locally, Leigh Paatsch from News Ltd called it a "gripping affair"... again, not for me. It also won a 'jury prize' at the Cannes Film Festival this year.


Let me know what you think if you do see this one, because as I write this, I think I'm the only person who's seen it that didn't love it or at least appreciate it.

Trailer here.

WHIPLASH - film

 It's easy to cut to the chase with a film like this. 

Because it's amazing. I absolutely loved it. Best film I've seen in ages.

It's a drama about a young jazz drummer played by Miles Teller who's studying the craft at the best music school in New York & therefore the world. He has a complex relationship with his TERRIFYING teacher played by J.K. Simmons whose face you'll probably recognise from loads of films and TV shows.

Go and see this. It's getting universally positive reviews so I doubt you'll regret it! I'm even going to see it a second time at the cinema which I rarely do.

Trailer here.

TAMMY - film

 

I'd read some ordinary reviews of this new comedy written by and starring Melissa McCarthy. Sadly I concur. I mean, it's not terrible, but to my mind it's not worth $20 of your hard-earned.

There was a handful of laughs for this slapstick-lover but with just 10 other people in a really big cinema, there really wasn't a good atmosphere for comedy. (Speaking of the others in the cinema, an adult woman had a young child with her of maybe eight or nine years. What a kncklehead - with an M rating, this is not a film for kids!)

Melissa plays a woman who is a bit of a no-hoper who gets fired from her job at a burger joint and ends on up a road trip with her grandmother, played by Susan Sarandon. A bit of a journey to 'find themselves' and what they want in life along the way but it doesn't really fire for me.

In one of the world's weirdest casting choices, Allison Janney plays the mother of Melissa's character. I was looking at the two of them thinking, they look the same age! I googled their DOBs and Allison is just 11 years older than Melissa so I felt vindicated. Dumb choice.

In the interests of fairness, here is a 3.5 star review from Fairfax press but there's also this 1.5 star review from Leigh Paatsch in the Herald Sun.

Trailer here.

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU - film

This film has a killer cast so I went in with pretty high expectations. Sadly the film didn’t live up to them. 

It's about a family of grown up children who are reunited in the town in which they grew up following the death of their father. Mum is played by Jane Fonda and the kids are played by Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Adam Driver and Corey Stoll. Rose Byrne also makes an appearance along with familiar faces Dax Shepard, Kathryn Hahn and Connie Britton.

It was pleasant enough, not bad or anything, but just never really fired from ‘ok’ to ‘great’ territory. Goes to show that even a great cast can’t make magic out of a middle-of-the-road script.

When I read this review in The Guardian after I saw the film I said ‘yes!’ to myself a number of times – have a read if you’d like to know more. 

Trailer here. 

SON OF A GUN - film

I found this Australian film starring Scottish Ewan McGregor patchy. It follows JR (young Aussie, Brenton Thwaites) who winds up in the clink after a relatively minor crime. In there he meets career crim, Brendan Lynch (McGregor) who provides him with protection from fellow prisoners but at a price - JR's gotta help him out when they escape.

There was moments where I was caught up in the drama and thought, 'this is great!' ie. when they're in a high speed chase with actor/stunt guy Nash Edgerton at the wheel. And then there was moments where I though 'seriously?!' ie. when they try to build a dramatic moment around a romance for JR... the music builds to a crescendo that just isn't met by the actual action - the 'love story' really let this film down in my view.

There's plenty to like but this is definitely one you could leave for DVD viewing some time.

Trailer here.

GONE GIRL - film

This film is getting pretty universally positive reviews and I certainly think it's a great one, worth seeing if you don't get to the movies very often.

One thing I would say, though, is that it's a thriller based on a book (and fairly true to the book, I gather) so if you have read the book, it does become a tad less, well, thrilling, because you know how it ends! I've seen it twice and I enjoyed it a lot more the first time round when I had no idea what was going to happen with each twist and turn.

It stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as a rather complex couple - he winds up under intense scrutiny when she goes missing. I will say no more as I think the less you know, the more you'll enjoy this.

Leigh Paatsch's 4.5 star review here if you'd like to read more and trailer here.