mother_of_popcorn Reviews

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Fun Remake Not To Be Taken Too Seriously

[8/10 · 25 July 2016]

So I have a confession to make. I only saw the original 1984 film a couple of days before I saw this remake of Ghostbusters. This means I may not have has as much of an attachment to the original as other people who grew up with it did. Having said that, seeing the trailer prior to seeing the movie definitely piqued my interest. Supernatural beings, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and with Paul Feig at the helm, I knew this movie was going to be right up my alley.

This is one very rare instance of when a remake of a movie actually brings something new to the table. With visual effects that make the ghosts look creepier than ever, teamed with an all-girl team of butt- kicking 'busters and a very handsome (but not-so-bright) secretary in the form of Chris Hemsworth, you can't help but enjoy this movie. It has the right amount of laughs, right amount of action and the right amount of cameos (no spoilers here, you'll have to see it for yourself).

After the success of this one, I won't be surprised if a sequel has already been greenlit. This is a movie that lends itself to both older and younger generations alike. Fans of the original will appreciate the various nods and references that they can relate to and the younger audience can experience the joys the older fans felt over 30 years ago.

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The BFG (2016)

Wonderfully Whimsical

[8/10 · 24 July 2016]

Anything relating to Roald Dahl – both books and films – will always be extremely nostalgic for me. As well as Enid Blyton, Dahl was one of my favourite authors growing up and I consistently found myself lured into his multiple magical worlds that were always full of kooky characters. Take this as a warning that my opinion on Steven Spielberg's take on The BFG might be biased on either side. I could either hold it up high on a pedestal where it's completely untouchable or I could be extra critical as it has a lot to live up to. Considering I haven't read the book in a long time, I believe I was quite fair when passing judgement on this film.

From the very moment the BFG snatches little Sophie from her bed at the orphanage, the story started slowly coming back to me. Considering all of the modern day developments in visual effects, this movie certainly puts them to good use, with some scenes looking so incredibly realistic that even a grown woman like myself started questioning whether giants really do exist.

Spielberg really is the king of children's fantasy – he brings out a fantastic performance from new-comer Ruby Barnhill who plays the bold orphan Sophie. It was almost reminiscent of Henry Thomas in E.T. It's a shame this film didn't perform too well at the box office because it's a movie that had a great combination of scares, imagination, heart and humour that I think every child (and adults alike) should go out and see. Escapism at its best, The BFG gave me a case of the warm and fuzzies – and also had me curious as to what exactly a snozzcumber tasted like.

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Central Intelligence (2016)

Don't Even Bother

[2/10 · 13 July 2016]

One of my favourite things is when a film is a hybrid of genres – horror comedies, romantic comedies, dramedies and romantic dramas. Unfortunately, Central Intelligence is an action comedy which skimps on both the action and the comedy.

This was disappointing for so many reasons, but mainly because expectations were high with the tagline for the film being such a stroke of genius: "Saving the world takes a little Hart and a big Johnson" (I do love a good pun). I can handle when a film is predicable in plot if it makes up for it in other ways, and I was hoping this one would have fresh jokes to counteract the cliché story however this is where it fell short. Kevin Hart's character Calvin Joyner is a straight-laced accountant who was once the high school golden child. He receives a Facebook request from a nerdy and overweight ex-classmate Bob Stone (played by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) and when they meet to catch up over drinks, Calvin is slowly drawn into a crime underworld where Bob is an ex-CIA agent gone bad… or is he? (Cue dramatic music… yawn).

Kevin Hart plays the same character he always plays – whiney and a little nerdy, whilst Dwayne Johnson's character has a little more meat to it (and I don't just mean his biceps). Even though Bob had bulked up over the years, he maintains the soft and fluffy persona that his high school self once was. This was probably the only redeeming feature of the film which made it even remotely unique and interesting. With Ike Barinholtz as one of the screenwriters, you would think the film would have many more laughs than it did. I think the comedy was just too PG for my liking and with no amazing action sequences to boot, it became a dull journey where the only excitement I felt was when the closing credits began to roll.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

A Fun And Easy Watch

[6/10 · 10 July 2016]

Zac Efron has starred in no shortage of comedies lately. With Dirty Grandpa and the Bad Neighbours franchise under his belt, he is really starting to flex his comedic muscles (so to speak). Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he stars in this hilarious 'loosely based on true events' romp, Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates.

Zac plays Dave Stangle, a dim-witted lad who is in the alcohol business with his equally dim older brother Mike (played by Adam Devine, who you will remember from Pitch Perfect and Modern Family). Both are notorious for their destructive behaviour at family get-togethers so when they are confronted by their fed-up father to bring sensible dates to their sister's upcoming destination wedding, they are on a mission to find the perfect girls.

They end up with Alice and Tatiana (played by Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza respectively) who are far from wholesome but manage to convince the boys that they are. It's not until various unconventional situations occur that the ladies' true colours are revealed to the Stangle brothers who are now facing the dilemma of potentially ruining yet another family event.

This film is what you would expect – a lot of crude humour and ridiculousness so don't expect anything more. My biggest fear was that (like most movies of this nature) the best bits are all in the trailer, leaving the film empty of anything fresh however I can safely say there are plenty other laughs to be had throughout. No Oscar nominations here, but a fun and easy watch.

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The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Wan Brings The Warren's Back Along With All The Scares

[8/10 · 10 July 2016]

Huge props need to go to Aussie horror king James Wan. He had his big break with the mysteriously creepy gorefest Saw, which spawned a multitude of sequels that he also produced. He then went on to direct the films Insidious and The Conjuring – two films that breathed new life into the stale genre. After directing Insidious: Chapter 2 and producing the spin-off Annabelle, he is back at the helm of the next sequel The Conjuring 2.

In this instalment the focus lies on the Hodgson family, comprised of a single mum of four children who live in the suburb of North London called Enfield. What adds to the fear in this film is the fact that once again, it is based on true events as these hauntings became infamous all over England (and eventually worldwide) in the 70s. Ed and Lorraine Warren (reprised by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are summoned to investigate what appears to be a combination of a haunted house and the demon possession of a little girl.

Without revealing too much, certain scenes that used CGI immediately take you out of the film and therefore might dull the scare factor however this film is full of traditional scares and suspenseful moments that have you jumping out of your seat (I literally did jump out of my seat at one point!).

The cherry on this ghoulish cake is the fact that real imagery and audio is used throughout the end credits, almost as a friendly reminder that this stuff REALLY WENT DOWN.

If you're a fan of the franchise, and of James Wan's work (as I am), then you're in for a deliciously scary treat.

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Me Before You (2016)

Nothing Special But Sweet Nonetheless

[6/10 · 7 July 2016]

Judging by the trailer for Me Before You, you already know the kind of ride you're in for. It's a tear-jerker about a quirky girl who takes up a job looking after a cynical paraplegic. It's not long before they fall in love with one another, despite their differences, and it either ends happily ever after or in tragedy.

I won't reveal which of these endings are true, however I must say that despite the predictability of this film, there are certain themes in the movie that I wasn't expecting to delve into. Without exposing too much, the issue of euthanasia crops up and whilst it's a polarising topic, I think the film deals with it in a very fair and two-sided way. Both sides of the coin are justified and it's a very complex theme that doesn't have a simple answer.

The acting is effortless and real between the two main characters. Lou Clark is played by GOT's mother of dragons Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin plays Will Traynor, who you might recognise from The Hunger Games franchise and Love, Rosie. The film is actually based on a New York Times bestseller by Jojo Moyes who also wrote the screenplay. I'm a big fan of novelists writing their own screenplay adaptations as I believe that no one knows their own story and vision like the person who wrote the original text.

This isn't a film that you can expect big things from, but it tells a sweet story that's funny, sad and inspiring in some ways too with many a lesson to be learned.

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Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

No More Sequels!

[2/10 · 4 July 2016]

The announcement of the release of Independence Day: Resurgence was met with a mix of joy, scepticism and depression by me. Joy because I was a huge fan of the first film Independence Day (one of the most impressive feats of CGI at the time was the scene with the White House exploding). Scepticism because (as I've mentioned time and time again), how can you match – or top – a hugely successful blockbuster? And depression because it was in time to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the release of the first movie and this made me feel incredibly old.

All of my favourites were going to be back… Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman… hang on a second. No Will Smith? This smells like a dud. And it was.

Using fresh faces like Liam Hemsworth and Jessie T. Usher, you can see that Roland Emmerich was trying to introduce the franchise to the younger generation. Where I think he missed the mark was the fact that it brought nothing new to audiences, particularly since there have been twenty years' worth of advances in film in between. Not to say that the effects technology in this film wasn't great, because it was. The thing that may not sit well with viewers this time around is the fact that we're not as tolerant of syrupy Hollywood cornball scripts as we may once have been. Whilst this is the kind of movie that is seen as a form of escapism and recognised as completely fictional, there are certain scenarios that had my eyes rolling… and I personally think I'm generally pretty tolerant of unbelievable plots!

The worst part of the whole thing was the hinting at a third film in the franchise to come down the pipeline. Resurgence is just another example of the studios playing it a little too safe and it has become part of a franchise that never should have been resurged to begin with.

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Finding Dory (2016)

Doesn't Compare To Finding Nemo

[4/10 · 3 July 2016]

Sometimes there are films that are untouchable and I think something like Finding Nemo was one of them. Whilst Dory was a beloved character in the film, I believe it was a stretch having her become the star of her own film in Finding Dory.

The other problem with creating spin-off films (or sequels and remakes for that matter), is that you find yourself consistently comparing them to the original. This can be detrimental if the original was close to perfection. I found that the things I loved about Finding Nemo were missing from Finding Dory. One of the great things about the first movie was that the adventure was never-ending. We started with the loss of Nemo and we followed his father Marlon and his sidekick Dory on a quest to find him. Along the way, we met various characters and encountered differing scenarios that kept us on our toes. The gnarly surfer dude sea turtles, the immense field of jellyfish, the creepy creature that lured the two protagonists with a distracting shiny light dangling from the tip of his head and the group of wannabe vegetarian sharks (lead by the intimidating but friendly Bruce). Not to mention what Nemo was going through and the friends and foes he was encountering at a dental surgery in Sydney.

Finding Dory didn't really have any of that. Whilst Dory did meet a few quirky friends along the way, I felt like the flow of the film was missing. Either the interactions were brief (like when she met a couple of fish who were trying to help Dory but couldn't figure her out because of her condition), or they were long and laboured (like when she met Hank the octopus and subsequently Bailey and Destiny at the Marine Life Institute). For me, it seemed like Dory was quick to move from point A to point B (from Australia to the United States) but then lingered on point B for a very long time.

Visually, as was expected, the film was faultless and despite all of the above, there were still some delightful moments that made you laugh and made you cry. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep me interested and instead of wanting Dory to find herself, I found myself looking at my watch and waiting for the end credits to begin rolling.

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Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Can't Be Faulted - Full Of Laughs; Quirky And Crazy Fun!

[10/10 · 28 June 2016]

Knowing that Taika Waititi, the comedic mastermind behind the hilarious What We Do In The Shadows and Boy was also the force behind Hunt For The Wilderpeople, I was jumping out of my skin to know more. Watching the trailer, the scene was set for me to thoroughly enjoy this film.

And it didn't disappoint… full of great one-liners and incredibly dry humour throughout, I am struggling to find a fault with this film. Sam Neill is fantastic as the no-nonsense grumpy old foster parent, as is Rachel House as the stern, unstoppable Child Services worker Paula ('no child left behind'… her self-appointed motto). But no one can out-shine Julian Dennison who plays no-good delinquent Ricky Baker. His comedic delivery is spot-on and you're rooting for him from beginning to end.

I'm so thrilled to see our Kiwi neighbours soaring in the film industry, particularly with Taika having co-written the next Disney animation Moana and also taking the reins of the upcoming Marvel juggernaut Thor: Ragnarok which is currently in pre-production.

This movie was so great that I actually saw it twice… if you love quirky comedies a la Flight Of The Conchords and Wes Anderson, you will love this as much as I did.

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Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)

Not As Bad As You Might Think

[6/10 · 7 June 2016]

The dreaded sequel. Over the years, it has trained us to recoil in disgust at the mere thought of it. We conjure up the image of studio executives huddled around a table and after hours of deliberation have a eureka moment… "Let's take a previously successful film and create a continuation of it. We're bound to be rolling in the big bucks!" After an exchange of pats on the back, they call it a day and go home to their mansions where they sleep soundly on their thousand thread count sheets.

Cut to the release of said sequel and there is a unanimous groan let out by movie-lovers around the world. As much as I enjoyed the film Bad Neighbours (or just Neighbors to my American friends out there), I wasn't too sure how a second film would fare. Having said all of this, you can surely sense that I had extremely low expectations for Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising (if you can't sense that, then you really need a lesson in reading sub-text).

Setting the bar low actually gave the second film a boost in my eyes (or maybe it was just a decent film!) but I found it just as funny as the first one. Granted, I still don't think either film is necessarily the funniest in the world but they deliver on what they promise. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne are back but this time they team up with their previous enemy, frat-boy-turned-Abercrombie-greeter Zac Efron (and ladies, prepare yourselves… we are presented with several shirtless scenes with both himself AND Seth Rogen… I know, too much sexiness to deal with). This time around, the couple have to deal with an even more raucous group who have moved in next door – Chloe Grace Moretz and her newly- created posse of sorority sisters.

With as much ridiculousness of the previous film in the franchise, this is a good no-brainer comedy that's an easy watch – a film that you can switch on if you want to actually 'switch off'.

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X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

Visually spectacular but underwhelming

[6/10 · 29 May 2016]

The trailer for this latest instalment of the X-Men reboot/prequel franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse had my quite excited. I thoroughly enjoyed both X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days Of Future Past so I figured this third film in the series is sure to deliver.

I won't go as far as saying that I didn't enjoy this film, because I did. The effects were flawless, the action sequences were amazing and it was great to see a little bit more about the history of the X-Men. However, the movie left me feeling slightly underwhelmed.

Played by the always engaging Oscar Isaac, the main villain in the film lacked motivation for me. I found that whilst I knew what his aim was, I didn't truly connect with what his motivations were. I also felt like there was a huge amount of 'filler' scenes in the lead up to the climax, which had me a little bored. Not only this, but being a stickler for consistency and details, there were two things that bothered me which may not have even registered to any other (sane) human being.

Firstly, Sophie Turner plays a younger version of Jean Grey who you may remember from quite a few of the previous X-Men films (played by Famke Janssen). Granted I haven't seen the previous films in a while but I can't really see the resemblance there – this was particularly bothersome to me when all other characters' prequel counterparts were cast so well. It may be a little nit-picky but I can't change the fact that pathetic things like this annoy me.

Secondly, we come to be introduced to an early incarnation of the character Storm. I won't spoil the film for you but all I will say is that she is meant to originate from Egypt yet miraculously when we come to the 'modern day' X-Men, Storm (played by Halle Berry at the time), has a pretty clean cut American accent. You may recall my previous qualms regarding Marvel and the astounding evolving of accents at super- speed in my review for Captain America: Civil War. Again, something that most people won't bat an eyelid at but it's the details that are overlooked which disappoints me. It gives off a vibe that the filmmakers just didn't care enough, and in turn, why should I care about this movie and the characters that reside within it's realm?

Other than these small intricacies, I will still maintain that it is an enjoyable film and I do anticipate what's in store for the mutants in films to come. I just hope they at least get their accents right in the next one…

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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

The lighter side of war

[8/10 · 29 May 2016]

It's not often that you find the two genres Comedy and War in the one film but Whiskey Tango Foxtrot combines both effortlessly. Based on the novel titled The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days In Afghanistan and Pakistan by Kim Barker, this is the real-life account of the Chicago- based journalist Barker who escapes her mundane city life and discovers a bizarre mix of Eastern and Western culture whilst covering the war in Afghanistan.

Tina Fey plays the main character Kim and as always, her comedic timing is perfect as she plays the strong yet also vulnerable woman flawlessly. The chemistry between herself and love interest Iain McKelpie (Martin Freeman) pops on screen and is charming to a T.

Whilst the horrors of war are nothing to be undermined, this film successfully pays respect to the touchy subject matter and at the same time, miraculously manages to keep the tone light-hearted and playful. It focuses purely on Kim and her experiences and takes you deep into the world of wartime journalism – a place we don't often get a true glimpse of.

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Eddie the Eagle (2015)

Ticks all of the boxes that a feel-good movie should

[8/10 · 29 May 2016]

I must admit, the era of Eddie The Eagle occurred when I was just a wee little lass so I didn't know much about the hype behind this beloved Olympic hero. When seeing this film at my local theatre, however, I was pleased to see that the session was virtually full and with people of all ages. Something that really struck a note with me was the fact that a lot of parents brought their kids along to see this PG film – and it is a film that I truly believe should be seen by the younger generation.

As far as motivating underdog feel-good movies go, this one was pretty up there. It included a slightly comedic tinge with sentimental undertones that had you really rooting for Michael 'Eddie' Edwards (played by the young up-and-comer to keep your eyes on, Taron Egerton). After a life-long dream of becoming an Olympic champion, Eddie teams up with disgraced American ski jumper Bronson Peary – played by a tough but lovable Hugh Jackman – and the two of them become just what the other needs to flush out their weaknesses and make them stronger.

As cliché as this sounds, this film really does inspire and make you feel like you can achieve anything. Despite being shut down so many times and by so many people, including his grumpy old dad, Eddie has a spirit that never gives up and whether he succeeds or fails is beside the point. His naïve nature and positive disposition will make even the iciest of hearts melt and the toughest of hearts soar with inspiration.

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Captain America: Civil War (2016)

More of an Avengers film but still worth watching

[8/10 · 29 May 2016]

When I heard the title Captain America: Civil War, I reluctantly thought it was going to be the Marvel version of Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and I am glad to say that it didn't compare (in a good way).

Whilst BvS struggled to portray the building animosity between the two title characters, Civil War did a fantastic job at splitting up the beloved Avengers and ending in an epic final battle. Which brings me to my next point – it didn't necessarily feel like a stand-alone Captain America film and it become more akin to another Avengers installment instead (sans Thor and The Hulk though).

Another qualm I had was the fact that Elizabeth Olsen's Russian character Wanda had somehow lost the terrible accent that we heard in Age Of Ultron and had become an all-American Avenger. Whilst not having to endure the horror of it again, it still didn't sit well with me that they chose the easy way out.

The film also introduces a few new faces: Tom Holland as (yet another) Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther – we can expect two new stand-alone films for these guys in the near future.

All in all, it was an enjoyable, action-packed saga and with all of its CGI glory, my eyes wouldn't budge from the screen.

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The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016)

Great popcorn film full of action, romance and fantasy

[8/10 · 10 April 2016]

After the cheating Kristen Stewart/Rupert Sanders scandal surrounding the 2012 film Snow White And The Huntsman, it was interesting to see that Universal Pictures decided to create a sequel. Chris Hemsworth, who is mostly known for playing Thor in Marvel's Avengers franchise, returns as the Huntsman Eric in The Huntsman: Winter's War – this time in a leading role. Charlize Theron is also at her seductive best, reprising her role as the evil Ravenna and she continues to be absolutely stunning in this franchise.

New additions to the story include Eric's love interest Sara, played by Jessica Chastain and Ravenna's icy sister Freya enters the story as well, played by the diverse and always beautiful Emily Blunt. In the entire film, there is only one very brief mention of the Snow White character and I'm sure casting agents would have made quite a huge amount of savings to the budget by having a humble extra play her in one tiny scene where you see no details of her face whatsoever. Good for them!

This film was everything you want from a fantasy film. Perfectly timed action sequences that didn't drag on for too long, evil sibling rivalry, a gorgeous leading man and several gorgeous leading ladies. It even included some comic relief, with the naturally hilarious Rob Brydon and Nick Frost playing two dwarfs who help Eric along on his journey to retrieve the stolen magic mirror (at the request of Snow White's Prince Charming himself, William, played by Sam Claflin).

This film delivered as being a darker, more adult version of Disney's Frozen and apart from it being a little cheesy at times and slightly predictable, it was an enjoyable popcorn movie where, aside from (or possibly because of) a few obvious plot twists, delivers exactly what you'd expect.

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Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Enjoyable For The Kids, Maybe Not So Much For The Adults

[6/10 · 6 April 2016]

I was a little bit on the fence when thinking about whether I was excited to see Kung Fu Panda 3 or not. On the one hand, I adore all things furry and all things animated so I should be the ideal die-hard fan of this franchise. However on the other hand, I can't say I really enjoyed the first two. Not to say that they were bad movies, they just never stood out in my mind so whilst I didn't hate them… I clearly didn't love them either.

After watching Po, voiced by the electrically awesome Jack Black, embark on his latest adventure I have to say that I am feeling the same indifference towards this latest installment. Whilst visually stunning, I can't say the story really wowed me. It moved at the right pace, and really tapped in to Ancient Chinese history whilst swiftly tying in three character conflicts – Po becoming a Chi master, Po connecting to his real-life father Li (Bryan Cranston taking a slight diversion from his Walter White days) and the menacing Kai (Academy Award® winner J.K. Simmons) who is using every kung fu warrior he can find as pawns in a bid to get revenge for a 500-year old grudge against Oogway.

Although this is a children's film, I would expect the same depth of character exploration as any other genre but perhaps on a simpler scale. This was certainly covered in the stories of Po, Li and even Po's adoptive father, Mr. Ping. Unfortunately, it seemed like other characters were just thrown in with no real purpose at all, despite the big name celebrity attached to them (such as Kate Hudson's dancing delight Mei Mei). Even poor Lucy Liu, who voices Viper, perhaps had three lines in the entire film.

Children will definitely enjoy this crazy, comedic and action-packed visual delight however unfortunately I think the adult audience members might find themselves hungry for more dumplings.

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My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)

A Big Fat Waste Of Time And Money

[2/10 · 1 April 2016]

My Big Fat Greek Wedding was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $360,000,000 worldwide and earning Nia Vardalos an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. This meant that the sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, had a lot to live up to – but unfortunately it just didn't quite hit the mark.

My main issue with this film was the lack of direction, character development or plot structure. Just like Toula's loud and outrageous family, there was just too much going on. Firstly, there's the newest addition to the family – Toula and Ian's daughter Paris (played by the angsty Elena Kampouris). She's already feeling the pressure from her Papou to find herself a nice Greek boy and settle down. Deeply embarrassed by her very Greek family, she also is a senior in high school and looking to go to college, but she's faced with the dilemma of going to Northwestern University (meaning she will stay close to her cringe-worthy relatives), or living out her dream at NYU. I'm sure you can guess which one she'd prefer!

Secondly, there's Toula and Ian's so-called issues… out of the blue, Aunt Voula suggests that they go on a date to reignite their marriage (even though there had been no previous signs of tension). They do so, and suddenly Ian resents Toula for not paying him enough attention. I didn't realise that he needed the meddling Aunt Voula to point this out for him, but there you go.

And then to top it all off, there is the abundance of other short-lived, whacky, out-of- the-blue (or all of the above) scenarios that the rest of the characters encounter, including:

• Aunt Voula's constant complaining about all of her physical ailments - Maria and Gus' upcoming nuptials (as they have realised they have never been 'officially' married) - Gus claiming he is a direct descendant of Alexander the Great - The all-American judgemental (and borderline racist) women who are eventually put in their place and are suddenly very accepting of their eccentric, ethnic neighbours - Why Angelo (played by ex-NSYNC member Joey Fatone) has been single for so long (I won't spoil it for you but it rhymes with 'romosexual')

All-in-all, this film was trying to hard to be what the first movie effortlessly pulled off and it resulted in the jokes being forced and predictable and the stereotypes being more overdone than a tough lamb souvlaki. This proves that sometimes, a classic success needs to remain just that and not rehashed for the sake of it in order to try to force history to repeat itself.

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10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

The Less You Know, The Better

[8/10 · 28 March 2016]

The trailer for this film instantly caught my attention and it immediately planted a seed of doubt as to what was truly going on – who are the good guys and the bad guys? Who's telling the truth? The great thing about 10 Cloverfield Lane is that the air of mystery transcends throughout the lifespan of the film – from the very limited information divulged from a very clever marketing campaign to the first two acts of the actual film, you are constantly questioning every aspect.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who you may remember from the 2011 remake of The Thing and (one of my personal favourites) Scott Pilgrim vs The World, plays Michelle and what an amazing performance. She's such a talented actress and this may be the first film where she will be truly recognised for her abilities. The movie opens with Michelle on the run, driving as far away as she can after what appears to be a dispute with her fiancée Ben. She is soon involved in a car crash and finds herself chained to a pipe in a dank basement. It's not long before she meets her captor (or saviour?) Howard – played by a chilling John Goodman. His character is a far cry from Dan Conner in Roseanne but his variety of roles lately have proved that he is a Hollywood heavyweight well- deserving of overdue praise.

From this point onwards, the film begins to play a frustrating game with our psyches – Howard claims that he has in fact saved Michelle after her accident from what might be a potentially fatal biohazardous attack. Michelle, however, has her reservations about what Howard's true intentions are and what I loved most about this movie is that it is a long time before you are really certain as to what's going on.

This is one of those films that the less you know, the better… so I won't continue with any further information than this. My one qualm was with how the film ended but it's very minor compared to how much I truly enjoyed this insane thrill-ride that had me at the edge of my seat the entire time.

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The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

Not Baron Cohen's Best, But Still Ludicrously Hilarious

[6/10 · 28 March 2016]

I had heard that there was a horrific scene involving elephants in this film. My first thought was something cruel happened to them, much like the giraffe scene in The Hangover Part III. What I should have realised is that this is a Sacha Baron Cohen film, and if anything, the only victim of cruelty was my eyes.

Grimsby (aka The Brothers Grimsby) is full of what you'd expect from the outrageous Ali G comedian. He plays Nobby Butcher, a stereotypical English soccer hooligan who helps his long-lost secret spy brother (played by an exceptional Mark Strong) go into hiding. There's also a little bit of an Australian connection, with Cohen's real-life wife Isla Fischer playing an undercover agent and the hilariously inappropriate Rebel Wilson who plays Nobby's girlfriend.

There are several laugh-out-loud moments, and what took me by surprise was that there were also some light-hearted, sentimental moments involving brotherly love. Don't fret, this was soon forgotten about when all sorts of awkward sibling moments arise – this is far from being a warm, tear-jerking drama. Another surprise was the high-intensity action scenes which made you feel like you were playing a first-person shooter (and almost had me thinking I had wandered into the wrong cinema).

Whilst I definitely can't say it is the best film ever created, it certainly delivers on all of your expectations, despite how low they may be.

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Mediocre Madness

[4/10 · 28 March 2016]

I've never been a huge Coen brothers fan so I entered the cinema without any bias when I went to see Hail, Caesar! And whilst I hadn't heard many great things about this film, I don't think it was as bad as people have made it out to be.

Everything about this film was reminiscent of the golden age of cinema – the costumes, the quick-witted dialogue and repetitive gags and of course you couldn't go past the fact that there were multiple nods to the most epic 'epic' of all time, Ben-Hur.

There were cameos galore, although this might have been to the film's own detriment as opposed to its enhancement. It sometimes felt like the Entourage movie, or the end of Anchorman 2, when stars were on and off screen almost as much as the relationship between any Hollywood A-lister couple. And whilst performances were fantastic by both seasoned stars (Josh Brolin, George Clooney and Ralph Fiennes) and promising up-and- comers (such as Alden Ehrenreich), this wasn't enough to distinguish this film amongst previous Coen brothers success stories.

All in all, it left me asking the question, 'What was the point?'… there ultimately may not have been one, or I may have just missed it. Hail, Caesar! may not have been an epic success story but it doesn't deserve the abundance of rotten tomatoes being thrown its way.

motherofpopcorn.wordpress.com

Zootopia (2016)

Furry Family Fun - Another Disney Hit

[8/10 · 28 March 2016]

It would be an understatement to say that I was extremely excited to see this film. Not only was the trailer hilarious (that sloth scene slayed me) but I am a huge fan of animated films, and this one in particular had plenty of positive buzz around it.

Zootopia is a film that goes beyond a child's world of talking animals and deals with some pretty heavy themes, including failure, bullying and prejudices against those who are different (in this case, it's the predators who are the unlikely victims).

Judy Hopps (voiced by the adorable Ginnifer Goodwin) is a bunny with a big dream. Much to the rest of the animal world's amusement, she vows to move away from the humble carrot farm she's inherited from her parents to become a police officer in the big, bad city. She spends the rest of the film trying to prove what she's capable of to everyone she meets, particularly when she teams up with the misfit rascal fox named Nick Wilde (where a deliciously sarcastic Jason Bateman lends his voice).

Not only is the animation phenomenal, my kudos also goes to the screenwriters who have created a magical world of evolved creatures that actually don't extend too far from our current reality, making this film very humorous, heartfelt and relatable. This is another Disney gem that will become a family favourite for kids and adults alike.

motherofpopcorn.wordpress.com

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

The People Vs Hollywood Studios

[6/10 · 28 March 2016]

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice was a film surrounded by criticism from the very beginning. With the controversial casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, it had many people in an uproar as to how the final product would turn out.

Then came the horrendous reviews from the critics, including a pitiful 29% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As much as the action-packed trailer had me excited to watch this film, I couldn't shake the niggling doubt that had infiltrated my mind.

Honestly, this film delivered in what I had expected from it. That's not to say it is an Oscar-worthy film but people need to remember that it's not what it set out to be. Two gorgeous leads playing superhero heavyweights, not to mention the introduction of Wonder Woman, played by the stunning Israeli actress Gal Gadot. There were two major things that did bother me: the lengthy duration of the film (which seemed quite unnecessary) and the fact that the title implies a heavy battle between Superman and Batman however this was quite short-lived and was poorly explored.

Having said that, the special effects were phenomenal and the cinematography by Larry Fong stayed true to Zack Snyder's video game/comic book style. The major thing to note was that despite the negative criticism attached to this film, this did not deter the regular cinema-goers from flocking to theatres worldwide to view this blockbuster on the big screen. Raking in a whopping $170.1 million at the U.S. box office during opening weekend, this is a shining example of the ever- increasing gap between the industry's professional opinions and the expectations and desires of the general population.

motherofpopcorn.wordpress.com

How to Be Single (2016)

Flirty And Fun Chick Flick

[8/10 · 27 February 2016]

Rebel Wilson? Check. Dakota Johnson? Check. Leslie Mann? Alison Brie? Single girls in New York? Check, check, check! How To Be Single ticks many of the boxes I have when it comes to chick flicks. I prefer my rom-coms to be heavy on the com and lighter on the rom, and this movie fulfills that requirement. It's not (too) schmultzy and what I loved most about it was that it didn't check the other 'cookie-cutter' boxes that you sometimes find in films like these – the girl and guy that hate each other in the beginning don't actually fall in love in the end, and the main character doesn't end up fulfilling what should be her life's sole purpose of finding a man. (Spoiler alert! Oh wait, is that warning meant to come before the spoiler? Oops…).

Dakota Johnson is absolutely adorable in this film. She's quirky and awkward, but in a real, believable way. Rebel Wilson plays her outrageous but lovable sidekick Robin who she meets at a law firm where she starts a new job, and Robin spends the rest of the film trying to convince her that the only way to live life is to do it unattached. Alison Brie and Leslie Mann play smaller roles as the friend and older sister respectively but they each have their own idiosyncrasies regarding love which you will either identify with as one of our own, or recognise in someone you know.

My one criticism of the film has to be the seemingly disjointed events that take place. For instance, whilst the story mainly follows Dakota's character Alice's love life (or lack thereof), it is suddenly brought to our attention that she is having friendship trouble with Robin at the climax of the film – even though there haven't really been any signs of the debilitating friendship along the way.

Other than the sporadic screenplay, this film was a perfect movie for, in Beyonce's words, all the single ladies. And what's even better about it is that although he may not put a ring on it in the end… that's okay.

motherofpopcorn.wordpress.com

Gods of Egypt (2016)

Big Screen Popcorn Movie, Not Cinematic Gold

[4/10 · 27 February 2016]

Amidst the current climate of unrest regarding the issue of racism in Hollywood, Gods Of Egypt hasn't escaped scot-free. Similar to the film Exodus: Gods And Kings, which was also set in Egypt, there has been much talk about the fact that there are non- Egyptians playing Egyptian characters. To me, I don't think this was necessarily a conscious decision by the casting agents to directly exclude Egyptians out of sheer racism. I genuinely believe this was just a case of hiring the right people for the job. I don't think it'd be right for a studio to deliberately seek out actors of a certain racial background and ignore others who might actually be a better fit. I could be wrong – there could have been a multitude of tremendous Egyptian actors and actresses who auditioned and subsequently weren't hired. Either way, I don't think this should affect the success of a film and the level with which we enjoy it.

Okay! Now that the serious stuff is over and done with, let me get to the fun stuff… this movie was shot in my hometown of Sydney (yay!). It's great to witness the generation of local jobs in the film industry, so this is something I'm super proud of. We were able to showcase our range of extremely talented Aussies, both in front of and behind the camera, including the likes of Hollywood heavyweight Geoffrey Rush, legend Bryan Brown and starring up-and-comer Brenton Thwaites who already has several big films under his belt, such as Maleficent, The Giver and Son Of A Gun. He had his first big break in Home And Away, which has been the stepping stone for many a successful actor (ahem, did someone say Chris Hemsworth?). Also starring in this epic feature are international talents Gerard Butler (looking great in a skirt… and why wouldn't he, he's Scottish) and everyone's favourite incest Lannister twin, Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau. The film was also directed by Egyptian-born Aussie Alex Proyas who has directed a range of hugely popular movies, including I, Robot, Knowing, and the cult-hit – and one of my all-time faves – The Crow.

From the opening scene until the end credits, the set design was phenomenal. Everything was on such a large scale, with intricate costumes to boot. This, along with the great cast, was unfortunately the only highlights for me. The dialogue was often stilted and unnatural and the visual effects were hit and miss. There were many similarities between this title and the 2010 remake of Clash Of The Titans, which won't bode well for some. In saying that, when they got it right, it was amazing to see on the big screen and I believe this is definitely a big-scale film made to be seen in theatres… if you're willing to pay the inflated cinema ticket price, that is.

motherofpopcorn.wordpress.com

Deadpool (2016)

Perfect Combination Of Action, Comedy And Eye-Candy

[8/10 · 27 February 2016]

When I first saw the trailer for Deadpool, I wasn't very impressed (hear me out before you throw rotten fruit at me). After watching the film, I now realise why. All the best parts are way too crude to include in the trailer. This isn't the first time I've felt this way about a movie. My initial reaction when I saw the trailer for The Hangover was "Stupid…" – it's now one of my all-time favourite films.

After following @vancityreynolds on Instagram, I was bombarded with marketing for the film. I excused it, because Ryan Reynolds is gorgeous so he clearly has a hall pass to do whatever the hell he wants in life (naturally). My turning point was when I saw his post regarding the billboard that Fox had ingeniously placed on some busy highway in the States.

How can I dislike something which uses one of my favourite emojis – the happy turd? Then, the rave reviews started flowing in. Rave reviews from some of my friends… friends who I seriously trusted regarding their taste in film. Okay, so I'm intrigued now. Consider my interest piqued.

As soon as the opening titles begin, you know what you've gotten yourself into. They set the tone for the rest of the film, with its tongue-in-cheek script and consistent breaking of the fourth wall. The gore dial is switched up to high compared to its Marvel counterparts, which I actually find a little refreshing (I'm sick, I know).

To me, the film is the mutant (ha! See what I did there?) love child of Ant-Man and Kick-Ass… so what's not to love? Oh, and Ryan Reynolds gets his kit off too… I know, gross.