Super 8, 2011. Written and Directed by J.J. Abrams. Starring Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Noah Emmerich and Glynn Turman. SYNOPSIS: A group of young filmmakers witness a spectacular event that changes their lives forever. THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS… Before we started, let’s get one thing straight. There is no ‘new’ […]

Wreckage, 2010. Directed by John Mallory Asher. Starring Aaron Paul, Justin Allen, Scoot McNairy, Kelly Kruger and Mike Erwin. SYNOPSIS: A group of teenagers find themselves stranded in a scrapyard after their car breaks down, where an escaped convict begins to hunt them one by one. When I received the screener with the title emblazoned […]

Beyond the Border, 2011. Directed by Richard Holm. Starring André Sjöberg, Bjørn Sundquist and Antti Reini. SYNOPSIS: When two young Swedish soldiers abandon their checkpoint and venture into enemy territory, a rebellious Lieutenant plans an unofficial rescue operation deep behind enemy lines. World War Two remains a rich source of inspiration to be mined again […]

Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 2011. Directed by Rupert Wyatt. Starring James Franco, John Lithgow, Andy Serkis, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Tyler Labine and Freida Pinto. SYNOPSIS: A cure for Alzheimer’s Disease is tested on a chimpanzee, who develops advanced mental abilities and leads a revolution against his human masters. Rise of the […]

The Castle, 1997. Directed by Rob Sitch. Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Anthony Simcoe, Sophie Lee and Wayne Hope. SYNOPSIS: An eccentric family fight for their home when the government seize their property for an airport expansion. Voted Australia’s “favourite film”, The Castle is a simple, short comedy about one man’s fight to stand […]

Unstoppable, 2010. Directed by Tony Scott. Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee and Kevin Dunn. SYNOPSIS: A veteran engineer and young conductor attempt to avert a disaster by stopping an out-of-control freight train from derailing in a densely-populated area. Some directors like to hook up, again and again, with certain actors. They […]

The Two Deaths of Quincas Wateryell , 2010. Directed by Sérgio Machado. Starring Milton Gonçalves, Mariana Ximenes and Marieta Severo. SYNOPSIS: Friends of the recently deceased Quincas take his body on one final tour of his favourite spots around Bahia in Brazil. We get superhero reboots and bombastic blockbusters every summer. But is that what […]

Whisky Galore!, 1949. Directed by Alexander Mackendrick. Starring Basil Radford, Bruce Seton, Joan Greenwood and Gordon Jackson. SYNOPSIS: Scottish islanders attempt to plunder a ship’s cargo of whisky when it becomes stranded on the shore. Some films need a run-up. They need their entrance onto the DVD market trumpeted by fanfare, or at least a […]

Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011. Directed by Joe Johnston. Starring Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan and Toby Jones. SYNOPSIS: After volunteering for a top secret military research programme, Steve Rogers is turned into the super soldier Captain America. I’ve never really known much at […]

Cowboys & Aliens, 2011. Directed by Jon Favreau. Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Clancy Brown and Keith Carradine. SYNOPSIS: When aliens attack the town of Absolution, a loner with no memory of his past holds the key to their defeat. Cowboys and Aliens. Cowboys and aliens. Cowboys… and aliens… […]