Captain America

I doubted that they’d be able pull off a superhero as corny as Captain America in this post WW2 propaganda era, but by golly Joe Johnson proved me wrong. Chris Evans does an admirable job as Steve Rogers, utilising some freaky voodoo witchcraft to thin himself down in his pre-Capt. state. However, despite the straight-up fun action-filled venturing and some geek-out-worthy hints to The Avengers, there’s not much to our protagonist, shoehorning a blatant “it’s not what it looks like” scene to manufacture some conflict. It’s still a very enjoyable film, just not on the Iron Man or Thor level. 

WATCHABLE

Hobo With A Shotgun

Hobo With A Shotgun is the love letter to the grindhouse era that Rodriguez and Tarantino’s Grindhouse failed to send (with a shotgun). Every element is overdone to perfection: the corny acting, the gratuitous Wal-Mart-quality gore, the flamboyant lighting (with a shotgun). Obviously, the film latches its appeal to a very specific audience, leaving the rest in the dust (with a shotgun). But for what the film planned to achieve, you can’t leave without thinking that they succeeded (with a shotgun). Hobo With A Shotgun is low quality cinema of the highest quality, and with a shotgun (with a shotgun).

RECOMMENDED

The Trip

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon tour northern England to experience and review the finest cuisine (in a buddy road trip movie sort of way). It doesn’t take long for the pair lock themselves into battles of impersonations and mannerisms, which is really all that fuels the movie. The slight insights we’re given into character Coogan and character Brydon’s lives serve little more than mellow take-home messages that have about as much punch as a primary school cocktail. Despite this lack of weight, the movie provides the Wimbledon of hilarious back-and-forth banter, which would be the prime reason to watch it.

WATCHABLE 

Troll Hunter

Disappointment is a bitter flavour. Unlike the rest of the world, I’m still madly fond of the found-footage genre (though Dairy of the Dead really tested me), so I’ve been more than ecstatic to witness Troll Hunter, a mockumentary biopic of a Norwegian badass who, as can be inferred, hunts trolls. It’s a rare technique to pull off both a straight face whilst keeping tongue-in-cheek, but this is the film’s biggest strength. Well, that, and the shit-holy massive trolls that smack the gob. Unfortunately, presenting itself as a rough cut, Troll Hunter’s haphazard editing almost completely rips up the pacing.

WATCHABLE

The Social Network

David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin touch fingers and strike poses to create a super-Sayan film adaptation of the rise of Facebook, along with the ironic demise of Mark Zuckerberg’s social life.  It’s an odd project for Fincher to direct, but it’s one he conducts with professional ease, though his trademark dark green tinge awkwardly swamps the film. Sorkin butters the script with some truly delicious dialog that the cast delightfully devour.  Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield provide extremely absorbing performances while Justine Timberlake gives an enjoyable performance as a smooth-talking douche bag. Not much of a stretch for him really.

BETTER THAN INCEPTION!!!

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Arrietty

After having seen yet another beautiful Studio Ghibli film, how can one act surprised? They are master craftsmen in the field of animated storytelling, and Arrietty is just another brick in that titanic wall of justification. The film is a loose retelling of The Borrowers, using a crooked ol’ Japanese cottage as a basis for the underlying world of the little people. Beneath it’s vastly imaginative micro-world is a subtle, charming story of loneliness and friendship. If your lip shows no sign of quivering near the end, I’ll assume that your soul’s been replaced by a vacant vortex of nothingness.


RECOMMENDED

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Where has this movie been all my life? In the realm of underrated cinematic obscurity, most likely. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is yet another witty crime yarn that plays straight to writer and director Shane Blacks strength. The script is a lolly scramble of hilarious banter and oddball situations, with forth-wall-breaking moments thrown in for good measure. Downey, Monaghan and Van Kilmer deliver each line with moxie (some 1950s slang for ya). Though the flamboyant lighting and jazzicise score gives the film a strange ’90s straight-to-TV movie feel, KKBB deserves the praise it got, and the attention it never got.

RECOMMENDED

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13 Assassins

Fuck yeah!!! I hardly ever get to say those two words with an exclamation mark let alone three, but 13 Assassins is worthy of my enthusiastic vulgarity. Though the premise is simple (Samurai squad vs. an entire army), the essence of Samurai lore is brilliantly maintained. The first scene-setting hour takes its sweet time preparing you for the bodacious mayhem that occurs in the second, which must be the longest continuous battle sequence I’ve ever witnessed. Yet, somehow, it never outstays its welcome. 13 Assassins delivered on my every expectation. For ignorant optimists such as myself, that’s a cinematic rarity.

BETTER THAN INCEPTION!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

A decade-spanning saga reaches its end with an unholy mass of dedicated Pot-heads clambering onto their replica Nimbus 2000s in preparation for an unforgettable experience. Pressured much? The pace in Part 2 directly opposes that of Part 1, constantly stupefying audiences in the face with relentless wizard/witchery war scenes that are nothing short of badass. The ultimate plot turn is done with the utmost tenderness, yielding tragically moving results. There isn’t a full sense of closure with all characters (somewhat understandable) and the last scene left me under-whelmed. Nevertheless, this is a titanic conclusion to an impressive, monumental pop-cultural phenomenon.

RECOMMENDED

Kung Fu Panda 2

I loved the first Kung Fu Panda. Its gorgeous oriental art style and jaw-dropping(-kicking-smashing-and-curb-stomping) animation complimented its satisfying origin story. With that said, the sequel still maimed my expectations, delivering a vastly superior film in every regard. While it triumphs as a family film, it excels as an unprecedented outlet of creativity and artistry, displaying wildly inventive action set pieces that stupefy the mind. With a more involved storyline, pitch-perfect pacing and trademark humour in check, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a staggering watch. But, perhaps most importantly, it’s immeasurable all-age entertainment of the highest calibre. This is pure Dreamworks.

BETTER THAN INCEPTION!!!

Animal Kingdom

The title of this Australian crime thriller is derived from an analogy of the circle of life, where the strong either protect or devour the weak. Just replace the lions with evil bastard crime-lords and crooked-cops, the cubs with some unfortunate teens and Temone and Pumba with a couple of coke snorters. OK, so it’s not entirely synonymous, but holy crap, Animal Kingdom ramps up the intensity from out of nowhere. All-mighty performances all ‘round cements the film in pure win. The beginning drags slightly, but give it time to warm up and it’ll burn a hole in your cranium.

RECOMMENDED

Samson and Delilah

This little Aussie film is about a simple romance between two teen aborigines. Though there is very little dialog, the film has a lot to say. Mainly, that it sucks to be an Abbo. Like, seriously harsh. There’s never a minute wasted in exposing the deplorable reality these two are forced to live in, whether it involved their Ethiopian-like living conditions, addiction to petrol-sniffing or the blatant rejection from the white-dominated Western Australian culture. Tender moments are few and far between, and the film could’ve definitely benefited from more of them. Nevertheless, it’s still a decent slice of wrist-slicing reality.

WATCHABLE