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Surveillance
The Trip
Subdued, prototype Coogan/Brydon pseudo doc, peppered with top gags. Reviewed here in US movie formation.
26th Jan 2014
Read more 3 star reviews
Oblivion
Engaging, original sci-fi. Competently made and solidly realised, but somehow ringing a little hollow.
25th Jan 2014
Read more 3 star reviews
One False Move
Tense, brutal film noir. Updating western sensibilities and old-fashioned tension for the 90s.
25th Jan 2014
Read more 4 star reviewsSearch
The Voices
Intense, thought provoking black comedy, with a seriously dark underbelly.
23rd Jan 2014
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What We Do In The Shadows
Riotous NZ vampire doc. Relentless laughs, and a rowdy performance from the Swerewolves.
23rd Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Cold In July
Tense, witty, southern-drenched thriller. Dexter changes his M.O. and Don Johnson plays it cool.
21st Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
The Trip To Italy
Relentless laughs with a dramatic undercurrent as Coogan and Brydon riff their way round Italy.
21st Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Old school indie pic with great script and central performance. Hilarity meets sadness.
21st Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Boyhood
Epic indie odyssey from Rick Linklater, following lead actor Ellar Coltrane through 12 years of high school.
20th Jan 2014
Read more 4 star reviews
Young Ones
Uneven indie sci fi from Jake Paltrow with much to recommend. \#Nowaterworld
19th Jan 2014
Read more 3 star reviews
The Internship
'Old School' gets a version 2.0 update, with heavy product placement. Everybody learns something.
16th Jan 2014
Read more 2.5 star reviews
The Company You Keep
Solid, old fashioned thriller with great turns from Redford and other veterans + great script.
16th Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Man of Steel
Riddick meets LOTR as Zack Snyder cements his position as the most overrated director of his generation.
16th Jan 2014
Read more 2 star reviews
Star Trek Into Darkness
Surprisingly watchable sci-fi, despite the near-parody casting. But then I'm no Trekkie.
11th Jan 2014
Read more 3 star reviews
Dallas Buyers Club
Great Matthew McC perf as a cowboy hustling unapproved drugs in the early days of the Aids crisis.
10th Jan 2014
Read more 4 star reviews
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Breathless story boarding, note perfect script and vintage Harrison Ford. All time top five.
2nd Jan 2014
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The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
Generic Vegas laughs that's less than magic even with Carell, Buscemi & Gandolfini.
2nd Jan 2014
Read more 2.5 star reviews
Room 237
Loopy film studies fever dream diving deep into the hidden meanings Kubrick (maybe) packed into The Shining.
1st Jan 2014
Read more 3.5 star reviews
The Hidden Fortress
Kurosawa's Tohoscope tour de force packs in action, a princess on the run and some great shots.
Halliwell says: In medieval Japan, the heiress of a feudal lord is saved from a bandit by a samurai. Roistering eastern Western.**
#Screened
#Film
#chimp71
#Halliwell
1st Jan 2014
Read more 4 star reviews
Prisoners
Dense, old-fashioned thriller with ratcheting tension and powerhouse turns from Gyllenhaal and Jackman.
31st Dec 2013
Read more 4 star reviews
The Departed
Over the top, unsubtle, bombastic and thoroughly enjoyable Scorsese picture. Great script, great turns.
30th Dec 2013
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Bachelorette
Almost edgy female take on The Hangover, with some actual depth.
28th Dec 2013
Read more 3 star reviews
Iron Man 3
Dismal CGI superhero farce, with crystal twiddler Robert Downey Jnr turned up to eleven.
28th Dec 2013
Read more 2 star reviews
Public Enemies
Sluggish biopic with shoddy cinematography and a lot of wasted potential amongst the style.
27th Dec 2013
Read more 3 star reviews
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The bronze medal of Indy movies, but Connery and Phoenix expand the formula.
26th Dec 2013
Read more 4 star reviews
The Notebook
Solid, sentimental chick flick that occasionally threatens to paint outside the lines.
22nd Dec 2013
Read more 3 star reviews
Prince Avalanche
Charming, thoughtful indie drama with that Paul Rudd that we like. Plus, @EITS soundtrack.
17th Dec 2013
Read more 3 star reviews
Rampart
James Ellroy updates his police corruption schtick, with a heavy turn from Woody from Cheers.
16th Dec 2013
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The Iceman
Competent period hit man biopic, that gets a bit distracted by the dressing up box instead of the script.
9th Dec 2013
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The World's End
Another remake of that one @simonpegg / @edgarwright movie. This one's like Dr Who with swearing.
8th Dec 2013
Read more 2.5 star reviews
Europa Report
Decent indie sci-fi about a mission to one of Jupiter's moons that works round the found footage style.
8th Dec 2013
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Syriana
Stylish, classy, sprawling oil epic from Traffic's Stephen Gaghan. Backed up by a great ensemble cast.
6th Dec 2013
Read more 4 star reviews
The Wolf of Wall Street
Weekend at Bernie's meets Goodfellas, as Scorsese goes to max. McRomcomedy steals the show.
2nd Dec 2013
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Robot & Frank
Smart, touching near-future parable, with a great turn from Frank Langella.
30th Nov 2013
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Zero Dark Thirty
Enthralling by default, this CIA procedural could have done with a more experienced touch.
29th Nov 2013
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Starlet
Edgy, charming, stylish flick with some heavy indie cred.
28th Nov 2013
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Les Revenants
Prototype, under developed film version of the pragmatic French zombie show. Less Mogwai. Less creepy.
28th Nov 2013
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The East
Decent/earnest attempt at blending 70s political thriller style w a contemp eco-terror cell & corporate spies.
27th Nov 2013
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Crystal Fairy
Charming road movie. Michael Cera ditches the script and heads into the Chilean outback to trip out.
21st Nov 2013
Read more 3.5 star reviews
White Denim
Village Underground
Quirky, erratic Texan rockers go super tight and loud. So good.
20th Nov 2013
Read more 4 star reviews
Under The Skin
Alien Scarlett Johansson prowls Scotland looking for lonely Scots to seduce/baffle. An arthouse Species.
20th Nov 2013
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Robot & Frank
Subtle sci-fi that plays with ideas of memory loss, family & ageing - and has a great one last heist.
19th Nov 2013
Read more 4 star reviews
The Hobbit
An Unexpected Journey
Zero tension as this near real-time prequel sets the pace. Goonies x Big Brother.
19th Nov 2013
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Only God Forgives
Hilariously superficial art house twoddle. 'Style' turned up to 11, content down to zero.
17th Nov 2013
Read more 1.5 star reviews
The Truman Show
Masterful modern classic. Funny, sad and ultimately uplifting - Jim Carrey's finest hour.
17th Nov 2013
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On the Road
Stylish, faithful adaptation that manages to render the book as a pretentious load of jazz twoddle.
16th Nov 2013
Read more 2.5 star reviews
Pacific Rim
Disappointingly vacuous, badly cast, tension-free monsters vs robots nonsense. GDT should know better.
14th Nov 2013
Read more 2 star reviews
Gravity
One dimensional 3D space epic, that pushes its one trick pony to the limits. Mesmerising and gripping.
14th Nov 2013
Read more 3.5 star reviews
Shame
Raw, emotional, stylish art house flick that's surprisingly slight and pretty depressing. Good OST.
12th Nov 2013
Read more 2.5 star reviews
End of Watch
Witty, tense, effective police procedural, despite the contrived hidden cameras. Heat meets Blair Witch.
3rd Nov 2013
Read more 4 star reviews