One of the most controversial, and in his own way, influential figures of the 21st Century thus far is WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In The Fifth Estate, the latest biopic (of sorts) from director Bill Condon, we are shown the events surrounding the relationship between Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl). … [Read more...]
Prisoners (2013) review by That Film Guy
Prisoners is the first English-language film from Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, most famous for the 2010 drama Incendies. Taking a stellar cast of Hollywood favourites, Villeneuve creates a complicated, in-depth thriller that is at times packed with edge-of-your-seat tension. … [Read more...]
The Call (2013) review by That Film Brat
The Call is a high concept thriller based around 9-1-1 operator Jordan Tuner (Halle Berry). One night, Jordan gets a 9-1-1 call from a girl who says there is a man in her house. After indirectly causing her capture, Jordan blames herself for her abduction and gives up her job on the floor after the girl is found dead. Six months later, Jordan is a teacher, showing the new … [Read more...]
The Wicker Man: Director’s Cut (1973) review by That Film Journo
The Wicker Man is the perfect cult film, one that comes with its own ready-made mythology and bizarre history. Its subject matter alone - a pious Christian policeman investigating the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island that's home to a pagan community - would have been enough to have raised eyebrows on its release in 1973. Add to this the mystery … [Read more...]
Blue Jasmine (2013) review by That Film Journo
To say Woody Allen's output in recent years has been variable is putting it mildly. But if you thought his best was behind him, think again. Blue Jasmine must surely rank among his finest work, a funny but heartbreaking portrait of a woman unravelling. … [Read more...]
Riddick (2013) review by That Film Brat
Back in 2000, before Vin Diesel was the big star we know him as today, he starred in a low-budget sci-fi B-movie called Pitch Black. In the film he played Richard B. Riddick, a convict and murderer who was mysterious and unpredictable, not to mention the fact that he was essentially a ninja who could sneak out of everywhere. The film was probably much better than anyone could … [Read more...]
We’re the Millers (2013) review by That Film Brat
The beginning of 2013 was not a great period for the comedy genre. In a row we had the offensive banality of Movie 43, the poorly constructed mess of Scary Movie 5 and the frat boy annoyance of 21 & Over. Things have been looking up, though. This Is The End and The Heat were both very funny, and The World's End was absolutely fantastic, and that's not mentioning Alan … [Read more...]
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013) review by That Art House Guy
Ain't Them Bodies Saints starts fast. There are two lovers, Bob (Casey Affleck) and Ruth (Rooney Mara). They are going to have a baby. They are going to commit a crime. Something goes wrong and they find themselves in a shootout with police at an abandoned house. Their friend is killed by a policeman's bullet, and Ruth returns fire, hitting one of the gathered lawmen. Realising … [Read more...]
Rush (2013) review by That Film Guy
Formula 1 may seem like a strange choice for Hollywood director Ron Howard to pick for his latest film. In a country that follows the more ragtag racing of NASCAR, F1 has not quite caught on in the same way it has elsewhere but as Howard points out, he's more interested in the story of his two lead characters, James Hunt and Niki Lauder than the actual racing, and it's that … [Read more...]
Review: Insidious Chapter 2 (2013)
James Wan is really starting to come into his own as a horror director. Saw's direction was good, but was a little fast-paced and music-video-esque for the film's tone. Insidious was a step in the right direction, with it being a delightful little homage to old school Hammer horror films that was scary and entertaining. However, it was the year of 2013 that Wan released his … [Read more...]