DVD Review - One For The Money

The Movie: One For The Money
The Players: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Sherri Shepherd
The Makers: Julie Anne Robinson (director), Stacy Sherman, Karen Ray, Liz Brixius (writers) 
Run time: 107 minutes 

Based on Janet Evanovich's best selling novel, the film adaptation of One For The Money had so much potential. The novel was a breath of fresh air in the nineties, and female protagonist Stephanie Plum was a plucky, out of luck Jersey girl willing to do almost any job to pay her rent and keep herself out of her parents' house.

The film's plot somewhat mimics the novel - Plum takes a job with her scumbag cousin Vinnie in his bond agency recapturing criminals who have failed to appear at their court hearing.  Much the same as in the novel Stephanie gets herself set up as a bounty hunter with the help of Vinnie's office manager, Connie, and fellow bounty hunter Ranger, and the audience is treated to cutesy scenes of clumsy Stephanie fumbling her way through learning to shoot a gun and bringing in her first Failure To Appear crim.

When Stephanie discovers that cop Joe Morelli is an FTA with a fifty thousand dollar bond reward fee, she vows to be the one to bring him in. Her motives aren't purely monetary based though; she wants to bring in the guy who took her virginity at sixteen and never called her again. And so the scene is set. Stephanie begins hunting for Joe, who is wanted for murder, only to discover that there is more to his crime than she first realised. She quickly gets in over her head when she starts sniffing around boxer Benito Ramirez after linking him to Morelli's missing witness, and her friendship with confidante hooker, Lula, puts lives in danger. Threats to her own life, a car bomb, and seeing Lula get beaten into a bloody mess convince Stephanie that Morelli is actually innocent, and bringing him in to collect her reward money becomes secondary to finding out what he's mixed up in.

Where the novel was witty and action packed, the film is disjointed and awkward. It's not quite sure if it's a comedy, a thriller, or a romance, and while a lot of the issues lie in the poorly constructed script, it's Heigl as Stephanie Plum that creates most of the awkwardness. The audience is very much aware that they are watching Katherine Heigl Play A Jersey Girl rather than watching Jersey girl Stephanie Plum navigate through life in Trenton. Personally, I think a relatively unknown actress would have been a better casting choice for Stephanie. Jason O'Mara as Joe Morelli is mostly satisfactory, and Daniel Sunjata makes a perfect Ranger. It's just a shame that neither of their characters in the film resemble the characters in the novel. Morelli isn't enough of a cop, and Ranger is nothing like the sharply mysterious man in the book. Another failing of the film is the exclusion of Plum's family, particularly Grandma Mazur, who would have added some much needed comic relief to an otherwise dull film. Sure, they appear in a couple of scenes, but it's very obviously filler material to set up a family dynamic that is ignored for the rest of the film.

While the film got the location and sets fairly spot on, it's disappointing that the two characters most resembling their novel counterparts are office manager Connie and hooker Lula, who are both are secondary characters at best. The film is a disappointment from the beginning, which is unfortunate given the writers had perfectly useable source material. As a Stephanie Plum fan, I was really disappointed with this adaptation, and unfortunately I think this film has destroyed any future attempts at bringing further Stephanie Plum novels to the big screen.

In a word: average

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Movie Review: The Adventures of Tintin

The Movie: The Adventures of Tintin
The Players: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig
The Makers: Steven Spielberg (director), Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy (producers), Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish (writers)
Run time: 107 minutes

 

Tintin (Jamie Bell) is a young journalist living in a European town with his dog, Snowy. While browsing in a market one day, he spots a model sailing ship, the Unicorn, and purchases it on the spot, pleased with such a great find. Before leaving the market, Tintin has offers from two other gentlemen to take the ship off his hands for a decent sum of money, which he attributes to nothing more than a strange coincidence. When Tintin refuses, one of them issues an ominous warning that he will be cursed as long as he owns the model ship.

Back home, after a scuffle with the neighbour's cat, Snowy destroys the model ship by accident, and eventually they discover that the ship holds part of a secret that leads Tintin to Marlinspike Hall, the residence of Ivan Sakharine (Daniel Craig), one of the men who offered to buy the ship from Tintin at the market. While at the mansion, Tintin notices that Sakharine is also in possession of a model of the Unicorn and his curiosity it piqued. Returning home, Tintin discovers that his model ship has been stolen, and moments later he is shot at and abducted.

Snowy manages to track Tintin down where he's being held captive aboard the SS Karaboudjan, which has been taken over by Sakharine. As Tintin and Snowy escape, they discover the ship's captain, Haddock (Andy Serkis), a bumbling drunk with a temper who is also being held captive. Haddock reveals that his ancestor, Sir Francis Haddock, was captain of the treasure-laden Unicorn when it was attacked by pirates led by Red Rackham, Sakharine's ancestor, and sunk. It is revealed that there are three model ships that each hold a piece of the puzzle that will lead them to the buried treasure, so the trio decides to find the other two pieces of the puzzles and beat Sakharine at his own game.

Based on three of Hergé's original comic books, I think The Adventures of TinTin is one of the best animated films released in years. The plot is set up nicely and without too much laborious explanation of Tintin's backstory, so the audience is able to get a grasp of adventure-loving Tintin's life and his talent for solving mysteries as the story moves forward at a cracking pace. Tintin, with his curious nature paired with Snowy, his mischeiveous dog are a delightful duo, and once they team up with the unpredictable Haddock things become action packed. 

Critics may take issue with this film for a seeming lack of humor, or sit down expecting to watch a cute, fluffy film, thus completely missing the care and attention to detail the creators have taken with this adaptation. Light-hearted and funny (particularly when the bumbling Thomson and Thompson are on screen), Tintin, Snowy and Haddock make an entertaining trio of adventurers. While the character of Tintin would have benfitted from a little more personalisation to help the audience connect with him on a deeper level, the creators can't be faulted for their faithful portrayal of such a beloved comic book character.

 

The animation is simply stunning - scenes in Morocco are richly layered with the most intricate details, and the characters' faces are so emotive it's hard to believe what you're watching is an animation. The film is action packed and offers viewers a rollicking good ride full of thrills, spills and a nice, old fashioned goodies versus baddies battle. It's also great to see the plot doesn't rely on a traditional male/female love interest story to hold the things together, keeping the mystery and adventure front and centre for the duration of the film. Tintin, Snowy and Haddock's journey to defeat the bad guy is all this movie needs to keep you on the edge of your seat.

While fans of the comics and cartoons from years gone by will love this spectacular update of a comic book icon, it's also a nice movie to introduce kids to as an alternative to the often formulaic Disney and Pixar films. Definitely something for the whole family to enjoy!

In a word: great

Sidenote: if you're ever travelling through the Loire Valley in France and have the opportunity to visit Château de Cheverny, the mansion Marlinspike Hall was based on, I highly recommend it. It's set on beautiful grounds, has luxurious interiors and if you time your visit to coincide with the hounds' feeding time you'll be in for a real treat!

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DVD Review - Disney's Prom

This DVD was provided to me for review by the kind folks at Haystac Marketing.

The Movie: Prom
The Players: Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonnell, Danielle Campbell
The Makers: Joe Nussbaum (director), Justin Springer, Ted Griffin (producers), Katie Wech (writer) 
Run time: 99 minutes 

Genre: Drama - Comedy

Classification: PG 

 

The final days of high school are upon Nova Prescott and her friends Mei, Jordan, Lloyd and Rolo, but there's one more major event they've spent the past four years of their lives eagerly awaiting: Prom!

Nova is a popular, gorgeous over-achiever and she's head of the prom committee. She's spent months coordinating and creating the backdrop for what she hopes is the best prom ever, and just as the preparations are finalised, disaster strikes three weeks before the big event. A fire burns down the storage unit containing all the decorations the committee has carefully built and no one has time to recreate their efforts.

Meanwhile, Nova's friends are struggling with their own secrets and insecurities. Mei is avoiding telling her boyfriend she'll be going to college in New York and leaving him in Michigan, Jordan has realised her perfect jock boyfriend is two-timing her and clumsy Lloyd has left his prom plans too late and can't find a date for love nor money, despite his creative but clueless efforts. Sophmore Lucas is harboring a crush on fellow classmate Simone but is too chicken to ask her out, while Simone is hiding a secret that could ruin everything.

With so much tension going on in her friends' lives, it falls to Nova to begin prom preparations again, and the principal orders bad boy Jesse to help her. A rebel and a loner, Jesse has a reputation that precedes him, and tensions flair between he and Nova as his blase attitude towards prom become apparent. Nova's determination to give her classmates the perfect night, despite having no date of her own, drives her to work tirelessly to recreate the magic. As she and Jesse spend their nights building backdrops they're able to change their perspectives and they become friends....and more.

Disney's Prom is light-hearted look at the tumultuous final days of high school, where the atmosphere and emotion is heightened as everyone focuses on that one special night. The film focuses on this group of students, seamlessly knitting their stories together as the film comes to a close. Friday Night Lights fans will recognise Aimee Teegarden as the likeable Nova, and the ensemble cast works nicely together as a group of bright and bubbly high schoolers on the brink of adulthood.

This film is something the whole family can enjoy together, and will particularly appeal to kids (probably girls) around eleven to fifteen years old - I mean, what teenage girl doesn't love a movie about prom? It probably doesn't hurt that the actor playing bad boy Jesse has a very convincing young Johnny Depp thing going on! With a snappy soundtrack and a likeable cast, Prom is sure to be popular with all ages.

Disney's Prom is available to buy on a 2-disc blu-ray ($49.95) and a 1 disc DVD ($39.95) from November 2. The DVD features a making of featurette and a cute bloopers reel, as does the blu-ray. The blu-ray also features a short film about Lloyd's efforts to find a prom date, four deleted scenes and seven music videos.

In a word: good

But wait, there's more - check out this trailer of the film!

And this music video from Thomas McDonell's band Moon (bad boy Jesse)!

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DVD Review - I Am Number Four

The Movie: I Am Number Four
The Players: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron, Teresa Palmer
The Makers: D.J. Caruso (director), Michael Bay, Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, David Valdes (producers), Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Marti Noxon (writers) 
Run time: 114 minutes 

John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) is an alien from the planet Lorien, and is one of eight others sent to earth to escape the invading race known as the Mogadorians (or Mogs). Protected by his warrior and guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John has to keep a low profile or risk being hunted down and killed by the Mogs, who are searching earth for the eight remaining members of the Lorien race.


This is more difficult than it sounds, though, as John's powers, referred to as "legacies" begin to gather strength before he learns to control them. An increase in body strength, speed, agility and the power to generate light through his hands lands John in trouble early on in the film. He and Henri leave their home in Florida and head to Ohio to start hiding all over again, since the Mogs have picked up their trail and John, number four, is the next target on their hit list


Paradise, Ohio allows them a little more breathing space initially, and John settles into life at the high school, quickly befriending Sam, the son of a missing conspiracy theorist, and falls in love with Sarah, fellow student and amateur photographer. He also makes an enemy out of Mark, a popular jock, who takes an instant dislike to John. 


People quickly become suspicious of John and Henri, as John struggles to control his legacies and his temper. But before they can leave town and start over, Henri is captured and murdered by the Mogs, leaving John to fight the Mogs with a mysterious girl who claims to be Number Six from Lorien.


Based on the book I Am Number Four by James Frey and Jobie Hughes, the film has a quick pace with a relatively vague back story. It jumps straight into the here and now of John Smith's existence, and there is little explanation to how and why the Mogs destroyed Lorien and are intent on killing the eight remaining members of the race.


Pettyfer is a perfectly acceptable leading man, but his friendship with Sam remains fairly secondary to his blossoming relationship with Sarah, which is disappointing. One suspects the writers could have delved deeper into Sam's backstory and his father's conspiracies as a way of linking back to the Mogs' reason for hunting down John Smith. The script is fairly formulaic and lacking great dialogue, which I found disappointing after realising Buffy alum Marti Noxon was one of the screenwriters. But teenage audiences will find appeal in the slick action scenes that bring explosions-a-plenty and are reminiscent of Twilight-esque stunts as John and Number Six fight the Mogs.


Intended as the start of a franchise, it will be interesting to see if more attention and investment is paid to the script for any sequels that are made, because the potential to create a blockbuster set of films is definitely there. It just all depends on how much the studio wants to create a teen sci-fi action film with some real punch and a solid backstory versus a teen action film with a bunch of explosions and some pretty people that doesn't offer much susbtance.


In a word: okay Pin It

Movie Review - The Glee 3D Concert Movie

The Movie: The Glee 3D Concert Movie
The Players: Glee cast (in character: Rachel, Finn, Puck, Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, Artie, Quinn, Sam, Brittany, Mike Chang, Santana, Lauren), guest appearance by Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holliday.
The Makers: Kevin Tancharoen (director), Ryan Murphy (producer)
Run time: 84 minutes

Song spoilers / set list spoilers after the jump....Read on if you dare!
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Movie Review - The Green Hornet

The Movie: The Green Hornet
The Players: Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Jay Chou
The Makers: Michel Gondry (director), Neal H. Moritz (producer), Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (writers) 
Run time: 108 minutes

2011’s remake of The Green Hornet, directed by Michel Gondry, is a superhero action comedy co-written and starring the Judd Apatow alum Seth Rogen. Rogen stars as Britt Reid, the irresponsible son of newspaper magnate James Reid. Reid senior finds nothing but disappointment in his son, a fact he doesn’t try to hide throughout the boy’s life. When James dies suddenly, Britt finds himself in charge of his father’s newspaper, the Daily Sentinel, which is a mere inconvenience to his playboy lifestyle. He forms a friendship with his father’s mechanic/barista, Kato, and after a night of drunken mischief where they’re mistaken as criminals, they decide to continue working together as a crime-fighting duo. Before long, their escapades are front page news, and Britt realises that as the owner of a newspaper, he can spin the stories to his advantage, with the help of his new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz).

Britt decides he and Kato should pose as criminals to try and infiltrate the Los Angeles underworld in an attempt to clean up the streets of the city, and they quickly make an enemy out of Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), a Russian mobster who controls the crime in LA. As Britt and Kato are unwittingly drawn deeper into a tangled web of blackmail, involving his late father, the District Attorney and Chudnofsky, they begin to realise there are powers at work that are well beyond their amateur crime fighting skill and understanding. Britt and Kato’s partnership also becomes more and more competitive, as does their affection for the beautiful and intelligent Lenore. As The Green Hornet’s profile rises, so to does the price on Britt's head, with Chudnofsky and the District Attorney eager to remove him from the picture.

The film starts of with the potential to be a slick, comic book franchise film, but its weaknesses are apparent from the start. Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s script is insubstantial and lacks the punchy, comedic, and heroic dialogue that should be one of the main drawcards for audiences. Rogen’s portrayal of Britt Reid is somewhat uneven, as the character swings between boyishly amusing and brazenly obnoxious, often making him unlikeable. Christoph Waltz is disappointingly underused as the movie’s villain and Cameron Diaz doesn’t quite seem like the right fit for Lenore Case. However, it’s Taiwanese musician and singer-songwriter Jay Chou as The Green Hornet’s sidekick who brings the most humour to the film. His impressive superhero gadgetry, witty banter and the madcap car chase antics between Kato and Reid are what saves this film from being a complete disaster. One definitely gets the feeling that Michel Gondry’s individual style was quashed in by the studio, which disappointingly could have been the deciding factor that turned a mediocre action film into a quirky, memorable and fun superhero flick.

In a word: disappointing Pin It

Movie Review: Bridesmaids

The Movie: Bridesmaids
The Players: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd
The Makers: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (writers), Paul Feig (director), Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend (producers)
Run time: 120 minutes
So, what do you get when you put a douchey Jon Hamm together with a very butch Melissa McCarthy, a penis imitation, a Brady Bunch reference and some really bad food poisoning?


You get this:

Annie's life kind of sucks. She has a crappy retail job, she lost all her money when her business failed, she's sleeping with a hot asshole and her roommates are seriously weird. Annie's best friend, Lillian, gets engaged and asks Annie to be her maid of honor, along with four bridesmaids from various walks of life and Annie accepts. She's happy for her friend, but Lillian's happiness also illuminates Annie's train wreck of a life. Annie begins to have reservations about the wedding preparations when she meets Helen, Lillian's wealthy new friend, who seems determined to sabotage everything Annie does.


As Annie gets increasingly insecure about Helen and Lillian's blossoming friendship, her inner crazy kicks into high-gear and she begins to lose control as the chaos of her personal life takes its toll on her friendship with Lillian. After a disastrous lunch and bridal fitting, followed by a horrifically embarrassing attempted bachelorette party trip, the tension between Annie and Lillian is high. Lillian asks Annie to step aside to allow Helen to take over the planning and Annie....well, Annie basically loses her shit and hits rock bottom.

Everything about these female characters is spot on. Annie's forced enthusiasm and feelings of inferiority during Lillian's wedding preparations is a feeling I know many women can identify with, and Wiig's chemistry with Rudolph perfect. The script, co-written by Wiig, is impressively sharp and the dialogue between the friends is genuinely heartfelt and comedic at the same time. A wonderful esemble cast featuring Melissa McCarthy, whose in-your-face honesty is simultaneously horrifying and entertaining, and Rose Byrne as the perfect Helen, portrays an hilariously over the top bridal party doing what they can to make Lillian's weddning preparations special. The It Crowd's Chris O'Dowd has a nice supporting role as the adorable Rhodes, Annie's policeman love interest, and his understated humor plays nicely off Annie's chaotic energy. 

Yes, this is a chick flick. But it's a chick flick written by women, starring women and it's incredibly funny. There's no horribly cliched sad love story or cheesy fashion montage (*coughsexandthecitycough*) to sit through just to get to the good parts. It's a story about two women at different places in their lives trying to figure out how their separate journeys will influence their friendship, which is a story every woman can identify with. While many might write it off as a "girls'" boys' film, it's actually not. It's just a really, really funny movie that has an obvious female influence every step of the way. If that opens the door to more movies like this, than who are we to complain?

I'm just going to say it: this film was possibly the funniest film I've ever seen. It's waaaaay better than The Hangover (which, FYI, I dont' think was as funny as everyone says. There, I said it). This is probably the best movie I've seen this year, and I think it will remain that way for a while.

In a word: hilarious Pin It

Movie Review - Easy Virtue

The Movie: Easy Virtue
The Players: Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes
The Makers: Noel Coward (play), Stephan Elliott (director), Sheridan Jobbins & Stephan Elliott (writers)
Run time: 97 minutes

 

It's the 1920s and Larita (Biel), an outgoing, successful American race car driver meets John Whittaker (Barnes), a younger British man in Monaco. They fall in love, get married and he takes her home to meet the family at their family mansion in the rural English countryside. Larita receives a frosty reception from John's mother, Veronica (Scott Thomas) and is treated with curious indifference by John's sisters Hilda and Marion. John's father, Jim (Firth), is a war veteran who seemingly couldn't care less about the goings on of the house. 

Life at the mansion is difficult for Larita from the outset. While trying to forge a relationship with her new mother-in-law, she's constantly ignored, belittled and suffers horrific hayfever, much to Veronica's amusement. Her sisters-in-law become increasingly malicious toward her, particularly after a joke about not wearing underwear is misinterpreted (with hilarious results) and her new husband seems ignorant to her difficulties adjusting to life in the isolated countryside. Larita and John's plan was to move to London swiftly so Larita can establish a career in the UK, but it becomes apparent that John's desire to stay at the mansion is stronger than his desire to keep his new wife happy.

When Larita decides to stop bending over backwards to please her new family, the claws come out and she uses they brash, American-ness they dislike so much to her advantage. She finds an unlikely ally in her father-in-law, a bitterly unhappy man who uses wry barbs and unrepentant honestly to get under his wife's skin. As the honeymoon period comes to a fast end, a secret from Larita's past is revealed, making John's view of his new wife become tinted with doubt. Larita struggles to keep her marriage on track and the women in the house rejoice at the seemingly impending demise of the union, while having to face some harsh realities of their own.

I popped this movie into the DVD player as background noise while I was doing other stuff. I quickly abandoned the other stuff and let myself become engrossed in life at the mansion. The story moved along at a cracking pace, and Biel played her role perfectly. Glamorous and outspoken, she shines as Larita, completely endearing and amusingly stubborn, which makes for some great scenes between her and Kristin Scott Thomas. The interaction between Jim and Larita brings out her gentler, reflective nature, and gives the audience a fleeting insight into Jim's life during the war years. There's great supporting work from the sisters-in-law, particularly Marion, played by The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson, who is dim-witted and droll at the same time. The household butler, Furber, also provides excellent one-liners and some great comic relief (it's actually a shame he's not featured more heavily), but it's Firth's portrayal of Jim as an unexpected ally for Larita that provides much of the entertainment as the other members of the Whittaker family become more and more amusingly horrible.

This film is a nice piece of light entertainment, and while it's probably not the best period film ever made, there's no denying it's pretty to look at and has sparkling wit. Besides Biel's gorgeous wardrobe and the impressive mansion used for filming, the soundtrack has a delightfully modern twist, with The Easy Virtue Orchestra performing rousing renditions of Sexbomb, Let's Misbehave and When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going, to name a few. The orchestra brings a fresh feel to the film, which could easily have been scored with slow, meandering instrumental songs. The end result is a fun romp through life in the 1920s in Britain, seen through the eyes of an American. It's definitely worth watching, perhaps with a nice cup of hot chocolate and some scones with jam and cream.

In a word: fun

Oh, here are some pics of Jessica Biel's wardrobe:

 

You know, because we can all use a little 1920s wardrobe porn every now and then.

The whole time I watched the film I wished I had an arse suited to high waisted pants. Alas, I do not.

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Movie Review - Ramona and Beezus

The Movie: Ramona and Beezus
The Players: John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Selena Gomez, Joey King, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Duhamel
The Makers: Elizabeth Allen (director), Laurie Craid, Nick Pustay (writers), Beverly Cleary (novel)
Run time: 103 minutes

Anyone familiar with the Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary will instantly have an idea of what this film is about, but here's a brief synopsis anyway!

Ramona is an eight year old girl who is anything but ordinary. She's a talented artist, an imaginative, brave little girl who gets easily frustrated and upset at unfair situations and adults. Her older sister, Beezus (short for Beatrice), is the complete opposite - friendly, mature and perfect. Obviously her mother's favourite (according to Ramona). They live on Klickitat Street in Oregon, a fairly ordinary middle class neighbourhood, with their parents and baby sister Roberta, and next door to Ramona's best friend Howie and his family. Ramona is the kind of girl who takes an idea and runs with it, often trying to mimic the behaviour she sees on television, or pitch in and "help" with disastrous results.

The film adaptation of Beezus and Ramona was actually an amalgamation of all of the Ramona books combined into one neat and tidy narrative. The film begins with some great scenes of basic introduction to the Quimby family for the audience. From the get-go, it's obvious that the writers have kept the script as close to the books as possible, just modernising it slightly. The initial scenes deal with the renovations to the Quimby house and the chaos that it brings to their lives. To Ramona and Howie, it's the most amazing thing that's ever happened and they spend endless hours playing amongst the building, which makes for some cute scenes as the hole in the house provides a nice vehicle for Ramona's fantasies.

Tension heats up though, when Ramona's dad is made redundant from his job. Money woes mean that Dorothy has to go back to work part time and Bob becomes a stay at home dad, allowing him more time with his girls. While the threat of unpaid bills hangs over their heads, the film manages to continue with it's entertaining, light tone. In amongst these tense scences, Ramona goes to school, hangs out with Howie and looks forward to visits from the always fun, always glamorous Aunt Bea (Ginnifer Goodwin). The film incorporates many of the hilarious messes Ramona manages to find herself in, which readers of the books will instantly recognise, from her audition for a television commercial with a crown made from burrs, saying a "bad" word, cracking a raw egg over her head, and running away from home with the help of her mother, just to name a few.

I have to say that I really, really enjoyed this film. Obviously my affection for the Ramona books makes me biased, but I think even if you didn't read the books when you were younger this film would appeal to you. It's a gorgeous snapshot of life for an average family, with a daughter whose inquisitive nature makes life chaotic and fun. Her adventures, while full of good intentions, often end up causing her family a lot more hassle than expected. Director Elizabeth Allen doesn't have many feature films under her belt, but she has painted a rich and colourful environment for one of the most loved characters from children's literature, with help from a wonderful cast.

Even if you don't have kids, this film is perfect for a rainy day, and if you do have kids I recommed that you rent this to watch as a family because I guarantee each and every person will find some enjoyment in it.

In a word: Charming





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Movie review: Date Night

The Movie: Date Night

The Players: Steve Carrell, Tina Fey

The Makers: Shaun Levy (director), Josh Klausner (writer)

Run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes

Phil and Claire Foster (Steve Carrell and Tina Fey) are a married couple from New Jersey with two kids and a daily routine so exhaustingly dull they can barely summon the energy to go out for dinner together on a date night. However, the news of some friends’ divorce forces them to re-evaluate their own commitment and they quickly realise that special spark is missing, and has been for a while.

Determined to reignite their feelings for one another, they head into Manhattan for a special date night at a trendy eatery. The restaurant is so trendy that they are unable to get a table, and take someone else’s reservation, the Tripplehorns. Halfway through their meal, they are escorted out into the back alley and threatened at gun point by two criminal. Clearly a case of mistaken identity, Phil and Claire agree to give the goons the missing flash drive they’re being questioned about, despite not knowing anything about it. They quickly become embroiled in a war involving a mobster, a stripper and her lover and a politician who isn’t as squeaky clean as everyone thinks, getting help along the way from an ex-intelligence Adonis with super cool gadgets.

Carrell and Fey are a match made in comedic heaven – they play well off each other, but also manage to properly convey both the dissatisfaction and affection of a long married couple who are stuck in a rut. They also portray a realness that is quite sweet and amusing, as they bumble through New York City’s elite nightlife, fully aware that they don’t fit in. As Phil and Claire become involved in bizarre set-ups, car chases and amateur criminal activity, the storyline, which is totally implausible, moves at a consistent pace (although someone’s Husband had a LOT of issues with the car chase scene: “Those cars would never fit together like that!” “Can’t you just suspend your disbelief? It’s a COMEDY”) and the throwaway lines and impromtu, attempted bad-assery from both Fey and Carrell’s characters keeps the audience chuckling most of the way through the film.

I really enjoyed Date Night, and while it’s not exactly high-brow entertainment, it kept me laughing and was an easy night’s entertainment. There are some great ensemble cast members (Mark Wahlberg, Ray Liotta, William Fitchner) and it's definitely worth checking out the DVD when it’s released, it’s well worth a watch.

In a word: Funny.

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Movie Review: Sex and the City

Sex and the City: The Movie.
The Players: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall.
The Makers: Michael Patrick King, writer & director, HBO Films
Run time: 2 hours, 22 minutes

After a hiatus of four years, Sex and the City: The Movie picks up where it left off, with the fabulous Carrie Bradshaw still single (albeit in a serious relationship with Mr. Big), still a writer and still tottering around on designer heels. Her three best friends remain an ever present fixture in her life, with Miranda and Steve married and living in Brooklyn, Charlotte and Harry raising Lily, their three year old adopted daughter and Samantha living in LA with Smith Gerard. All four women are the same as they once were, but slightly more relaxed versions of their younger selves. Although they still discuss life, love and men, the story focuses mostly on Carrie and Big’s relationship as they prepare to move in to a new apartment and plan their impending wedding. Left at the altar by Big, Carrie is whisked away to Mexico by the girls, left to ponder life without the man she loves again. Upon her return to New York, she hires an assistant to help her organise her life and after a dramatic dye job, redecorates her apartment as a way of reinventing herself. Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha are beside her every step of the way as she navigates through singledom again, pondering life over forty on her own as well as assisting them in the various bumps that arise in her friends’ relationships. The film was a nice continuation of the already existing storylines of the four women, and while there wasn't nearly enough screen time with Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha centric scenes, Michael Patrick King does a nice job of tying up the stories of these four women.

In a word: Good. Pin It