AVATAR
(US, 2009) Stars Sam Worthington, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, CCH Pounder. “James Cameron’s Avatar is a richly symbolic, captivating and immense film which laces together some of the great mythical stories of mankind into a contempo action adventure fusing its sci fi genes with spiritual and ecological themes. And it pivots on romance,” says Andrew. “Love and acceptance are at the heart of this megabuck megapic; while our hearts are opened by the Emotion Key, our eyes are dazzled by the visual spectacle, enhanced by remarkable 3D technology … an event of a film, a spectacle that allows us to live the fantasy,” says Louise.
BOY
(NZ, 2010) Stars James Rolleston, Taika Waititi. “..is a wonderful mix of elements, ranging from lighthearted character-based humour to profound drama, and studded with observational detail about human nature in general, via the cultural specificity of New Zealand’s bi-racial society,” says Andrew. “Outwardly simple, yet inwardly complex, this soulful coming of age debut feature from Taika Waititi is the tale of a young boy’s harsh reality deflected by fantasy,” says Louise.
CAIRO TIME
(Canada/Ireland/Egypt, 2010) Stars Patricia Clarkson, Alexander Siddig. “A sublimely delicate film about culture, taboos, relationships and promises, Cairo Time offers us a tantalising taste of the past, the present and the future,” says Louise. “ .. it plays more like a quality Cairo travelogue with an element of forbidden romance,” says Andrew.
DESPICABLE ME
(US, 2010) Voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews. “ .. a combo of derivative, innovative and kooky. It’s colourful and bright with larger than life characters and a techno-themed plot that counters themes about self-esteem, family and belonging,” says Louise. “Sweet as a lollipop and scoring high on the cute factor (the Japanese will swoon), Despicable Me is a screaming hoot if you’re 8-ish,” says Andrew.
EXPENDABLES, THE
(US, 2010) Stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Sly Stallone has corralled the meanest, toughest action actors he could find and pooled them into a turbo-charged Dirty Dozen movie. With laughs,” says Andrew. “Despite the gritty action that never abates, and the wryly funny lines, the scene that everybody will be talking about is the one in which Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a welcome cameo and faces off with Stallone in memorable fashion – using words, not weapons as ammunition,” says Louise.
FATHER OF MY CHILDREN
(Le pere de mes enfants)
(France/Germany, 2009) Stars Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli, Alice de Lencquesaing, Alice Gautier. “This delicate and beautiful film about the highs and lows of a close-knit family takes us on an emotional journey in which we experience joy, laughter, sorrow and contemplation,” says Louise.
GHOST WRITER, THE
(UK, 2010) Stars Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams. “ .. filled with intrigue and tension. Roman Polanski uses all his skills to bring together the elements for a hit of suspense,” says Louise. “ .. part detective story part political thriller, The Ghost Writer is built on recent world events in an imaginary scenario that is not so fanciful as to be incredible,” says Andrew.
GOING THE DISTANCE
(US, 2010) Stars Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate. “Be prepared to be underwhelmed by this contrived romantic comedy that falls as flat as the dining room table on which Drew Barrymore and Justin Long make out,” says Louise.
HUBBLE 3D
(US, 2010) Documentary. “Star gazing with Leonardo DiCaprio is an awesome out of this world experience. On the giant Imax screen in breathtaking 3D, this is probably the closest you or I will ever come to space travel,” says Louise. “ .. after becoming blasé about CGI effects in movies that pretend to take us into other galaxies far far away, we know this is for real,” says Andrew.
INCEPTION
(US/UK, 2010) Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page. “A scintillating exploration of dreams, reality and the fine line that divides them, Inception toys with our minds on a massive scale, sending us on a dizzying trip which makes all our preconceptions spin relentlessly,” says Louise. “ .. the film’s promise is watered down in the execution by a sense of it being a novelty, a plaything for Nolan to bamboozle his audience with his clever mind tricks,” says Andrew.
KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE
(US, 2010) Stars Mia Wasikowska, Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Annette Bening. “Outrageously funny situations and two sterling performances make this smartly written film about an unconventional family a sure-fire winner. Lisa Cholodenko’s film has plenty of laughs and a light touch, but don’t let that fool you: the subject matter is deadly serious,” says Louise. “The screenplay is beautifully honest and well observed; not only is it truthful about human nature, it finds the humanity as well as the flaws in all the characters,” says Andrew.
KILLER INSIDE ME, THE
(US/Canada, 2010) Stars Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Ned Beatty. “A lethal brew of misogynistic, sadistic horrors, Michael Winterbottom’s carefully crafted psychological noir thriller, as told from the point of view of a killer, is disturbing in the extreme... The most shocking aspect of the graphic violence is the context in which it is shown,” says Louise.
SALT
(US, 2010) Stars Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski. “ .. is Salt a double agent or a triple agent? Did she really marry for love or for professional cover reasons? We swing on tenterhooks as the story reveals new angles and deeper layers, all the while hoping that Salt doesn’t let us down,” says Andrew. “Adrenalin-charged action, assured direction and a star turn by Angelina Jolie makes Salt the best condiment on the action thriller movie menu,” says Louise.
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
(US, 2010) Stars Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick. “An acid trip of surreal fantasy and hyper reality, Edgar Wright’s film takes a high concept approach to its interpretation of the graphic novels with a jumble of cinematic comic-book and video game inspiration with ninja sensitivities,” says Louise.
STEP UP 3D
(US, 2010) Stars Alyson Stoner, Sharni Vinson, Harry Shum Jr, Rick Malambri. “ .. there is little tension or angst as secrets are revealed, loyalties redefined and all the story strands are neatly tied into predictable outcomes. Pipped at the post by Streetdance 3D, this energetic dance film is entertaining enough but doesn’t step up to any challenges,” says Louise.
TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN
(Aust, 2010) Stars Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis, Deniz Akdeniz, Phoebe Tonkin, Chris Pang, Ashleigh Cummings, Andy Ryan. “Ordinary teenagers doing extraordinary things is the result of this action-filled adventure … a likeable film with a good premise and a nice vibe, offering humour, romance, surprises and explosive action,” says Louise. “ .. there are some tense highlights and great technical work, including Ben Nott’s high class cinematography,” says Andrew.
VAMPIRES SUCK
(US, 2010) Stars Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher Riggi. “Imagine a clever cartoonist turning his pen from the politicians to these [Twilight] characters and you’ll get some idea of the fun that can be had. Despite its short running time, the film sags a bit in the final third, but the target audience will undoubtedly get a boost from experiencing the film as a crowd,” says Andrew.
TOY STORY 3
(US, 2010) Voices of Tom Hanks, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack, Tim Allen. “Everything works: from the excellent voice cast to the way the story naturally evolves and leaves us in a happy place. This is a film that will certainly endure the test of time,” says Louise. “Driven by a good plot and clearly defined characters, Toy Story 3 is injected with humour and powered by fun as the adventure of their lives brings these toys together in ways that will entertain and move you,” says Andrew.
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
(US, 2010) Stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Bryce Dallas Howard, Billy Burke. “ .. it is not the technology, stunning locations or editing techniques that we remember, it is the tantalising relationships and the romantic notion of following tradition, promising eternal love and protecting the soul that affects us where it matters most,” says Louise.
VAMPIRES SUCK
(US, 2010) Stars Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher Riggi. “Imagine a clever cartoonist turning his pen from the politicians to these [Twilight] characters and you’ll get some idea of the fun that can be had. Despite its short running time, the film sags a bit in the final third, but the target audience will undoubtedly get a boost from experiencing the film as a crowd,” says Andrew.
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