FILM GUIDE
just enough humour and gags to make for a fun family affair. ★★★ Here Comes the Boom: Kevin James in wrestling spandex trying to convince us he could bag Salma Hayek. No. ★★ HH Life of Pi: Ang Lee creates a gorgeously rendered 3D world on the high seas as a young boy struggles to survive in the company of only a Bengal tiger. ★★★★ TS Hope Springs: Strong performances from Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones make for grown-up laughs in this romantic drama about a mature relationship. ★★★★ WP Hysteria: Slightly amusing in the moment, but forgettable movie about the invention of the vibrator. ★★★ TS Michelin three star restaurant in Tokyo. ★★★★ Looper: Cleverly cast, with a wise Bruce Willis in a stand-off with an arrogant Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and cunningly told with a fine balance between action and intellect. ★★★★ DdB Moonrise Kingdom: Highly stylised, richly detailed Wes Anderson film about two teenagers who fall in love and run away together, only to be pursued by a bunch of cynical, if rather quirky adults. ★★★★ TS Peace, Love and Misunderstanding: The combined talents of Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olsen cannot save this cliched mess. ★★ WP Pitch Perfect: Better than Glee, more grown up than High School Musical, this musical comedy about a varsity girl who joins an a cappella group packs a pretty good punch. ★★★★ HH Rise of the Guardians: Santa, the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost, the Sandman and the Easter Bunny join forces to defeat the Bogeyman. Great for small ones, but problematic when you start analysing the weak storyline. ★★★ TS A Separation: This 2012 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film is set in Iran and looks at the trials and tribulations of a married couple and those around them. ★★★ HHSammy’s Adventures Part 2: The undersea world is as big, bold and colourful as ever in 3D as the thrilling adventures continue with our loved turtles and friends. ★★★★ TG Searching for Sugarman: Narratively satisfying, Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul’s canny documentary tells the tale of the search for Detroit-born Mexican musician Sixto Diaz Rodriguez. ★★★★ WP
★★★★ Skyfall: Satisfying action thriller that continues the Bond character development from the previous two Daniel Craig movies. Gorgeous cinematography, exotic locations and all the Bond extras. ★★★★ TS Taken 2: Liam Neeson delivers breathtaking blows in this sequel about a man fighting abductors who are back for revenge. It is an unlikely story, forgettable but pleasantly surprising. ★★★ MV The Cold Light of Day: Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver and Henry Cavill in a thriller directed by Mabrouk El Mechri. ( Not reviewed) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Return to Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth where Bilbo steals the ring and helps the dwarves reclaim their homeland. ★★★ TS The Master: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix are compelling in two different ways in a finely drawn portrait of cult leaders and followers. ★★★★ TS The Oranges: It’s not about the fruit, it’s about dysfunctional families living on a street called Orange Drive, but even a fantastic cast led by Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt could not save a script seemingly as random as the title. ★★ DdB The Tempest: Opera recorded live at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. ( Not reviewed) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s on-screen love story as Bella, now a newborn, and Edward Cullen remains as intoxicating as ever. Fans will love the intensity of the story as family and friends (of the wolf variety) unite for the biggest battle the Cullens have ever faced. ★★★ DT