2011 »
Melbourne International Film Festival: 23 July 2011
In the second full day of screenings, and the first to fall on a weekend, the Melbourne International Film Festival wasted little time filling its many venues. With nine sold out sessions (including Werner
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Bad Teacher
There’s one word in Bad Teacher’s title that proves accurate, and it’s not the reference to educators. Sadly, the one-note film fails to engage or entertain, relying on viewer fondness for the “bad” premise.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
After a laboured penultimate effort based on one half of the final novel in the series, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 provides the beloved wizarding franchise with the send-off it deserves.
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Wu Xia
Impressively choreographed and intelligently handled, Wu Xia presents a compelling combination of police procedural and martial arts epic, yet distinguishes itself from the wealth of period pieces that recall the frenetic style of the apt title.
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Blame
All arguing and little action, Blame may represent the latest hopes of the Western Australian film industry, however the end result is an average revenge thriller that meanders in motivation, mistaking talk for tension.
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Julia Leigh on ‘Sleeping Beauty’
A modern interpretation of the fairytale that gives the film its name, and an effort far removed from the Grimm’s narrative and the Disney classic, Sleeping Beauty marks the feature film debut of acclaimed author
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Mr Popper’s Penguins
Predictable and pedestrian, albeit pithy and punchy, Mr Popper’s Penguins is pitched at pleading pre-teens rather than put-upon parents, with the latter unlikely to be placated by Carrey’s particular penchant for peculiar physical antics.
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The Tree of Life
Words can barely do master auteur Terrence Malick’s latest – and only fifth – lyrical feature justice, with The Tree Of Life an astounding, audacious, ambitious and operatic cinematic experience to be savoured, celebrated and scrutinised with equal
Read More »Sydney Film Festival 2011: Day 11
Senna Whilst on the surface, Asif Kapadia’s documentary about the titular Brazilian Formula One champion might not appeal to those unenamoured with the sport, Senna provides a powerful example of the deceptive nature of
Read More »Sydney Film Festival 2011: Day 10
Martha Marcy May Marlene After taking home the best director prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and featuring in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, Martha Marcy Marlene
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