Director Paul Feig's follow-up to the critically and commercially lauded Bridesmaids, The Heat serves a similar purpose in giving a prime summer release date to a female-fronted comedy in a genre usually dominated by men. And fortunately, it looks set to follow in the success of Bridesmaids, having grossed over $130 million at time of writing from a budget of $43 million, … [Read more...]
The Lone Ranger (2013) review by That Film Doctor
The Lone Ranger started off as a radio play in America in 1933. Since then, he has become a cultural touchstone within contemporary Americana, epitomising the spirit of freedom, justice and courage that has become synonymous with the American Dream. It is perhaps equally fitting then this current incarnation represents the bilious trite, commercially driven vacuity that is … [Read more...]
Frances Ha (2013) review by That Art House Guy
New York seems to inspire filmmakers like almost no other city “ its iconic buildings provide an instantly recognisable backdrop to any number of movies. For residents, this is a double-edged sword. There's the pleasure of seeing your neighbourhood on the big screen, but cinema has also taught us that when aliens attack, zombies start to walk the earth or a giant gorilla is … [Read more...]
The World’s End (2013) review by That Film Guy
What do you do if you think the world is ending? If you're Edgar Wright, Nick Frost or Simon Pegg, you desperately try to finish an epic pub crawl. The boys are back in town, or in this case, the sleepy British village of Newton Haven. The trio of director Edgar Wright and stars Nick Frost and Simon Pegg return to complete their self-titled Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy with … [Read more...]
You’re Next (2013) review by That Film Punk
On paper, You're Next doesn't sound like a particularly original idea: a family host a rare get-together at a spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere, then (inevitably) find themselves under attack by murderous, masked invaders. As the bloodthirsty interlopers lay siege to the house, the family must work with - or against - each other to survive. … [Read more...]
Despicable Me 2 (2013) review by The Documentalist
Following the success of the excellent Despicable Me, Illumination Entertainment follow up their debut feature with this highly anticipated sequel and once again prove themselves worthy Pixar adversaries. With the last outing ending in harmony with Gru (Steve Carrell) and his three adopted daughters living happily ever after it was perhaps hard to see where a second installment … [Read more...]
Despicable Me (2010) review by The Documentalist
It is not often that an animation house other than Pixar makes something that people delight in but in Despicable Me, Illumination Entertainment have proved themselves to be worthy competition with their debut feature. Super-villain Gru (Steve Carell) prides himself in being one of the finest villains the world has ever seen so when a rival, Vector (Jason Segel) steals the … [Read more...]
This is the End (2013) review by That Film Guy
The apocalypse starts, what do you do? If you're Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel, you hunker down with your celebrity friend James Franco in his newly designed house and hope to survive. This is the End, based on a short film called Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse, marks the directorial debut of long-time collaborators Rogen and Evan Goldberg. … [Read more...]
The Internship (2013) review by That Film Student
Google is a search engine; its purpose is to provide immediate results. The same can be said for Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson's new film, The Internship, what you expect is what you get. You know that the predictable plot will invoke outbursts of uncontrollable laughter (involving Alanis Morissette and a cameo appearance from Will Ferrell), just as you know that Vaughn will … [Read more...]
Grabbers (2012) review by That Film Journo
You either go down the serious route with monsters movies or take a more tongue-in-cheek approach. Grabbers is definitely in the latter camp and what a hoot it is, an uproarious blend of Jaws, Alien, Tremors and Father Ted that serves up generous helpings of both shocks and laughs. … [Read more...]