Change Your Image
warren-232-934862
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Courier (2020)
Movie or Doco ?
Great lover of Spy books/movies I was looking forward to this film. While it was well acted, and I daresay relatively close to actual events, I felt more like I was watching a well produced documentary on the History channel than being entertained by an engrossing movie. It was worth the admission, just, but a little drawn out in parts and not quite up to more memorable films of this genre.
Pork Pie (2017)
Kiwi Romp
Pork Pie is fun Kiwi movie road/car chase that doesn't take itself too seriously. At times the storyline wavers a little, by and large its a fun filled ride through the typical great NZ countryside- particularly outback South Island. Wayward would-be boy racer Luke lacks a car, but manages to 'borrow' a racey Mini Cooper from a dubious car wrecking yard. Fleeing Auckland, he narrowly avoids running down failed writer Jon, who is struggling to forget the love of his life he unexplainably left at the alter. When Jon's beat up car dies on him - he accepts a ride with Luke, and the car chasing/police avoidance soon begins. Stopping for a burger in a funny scene Keira the drive through burger operator girl opts to throw in her job and join the lads, hoping to get to Wellington where she has arranged an anti animal cruelty/meat for burgers type rally. Some great chase scenes around the capital, eventually see's the trio escape across cook straight hidden along with their escape car in a conveniently empty rail-way wagon. By now Jon has learnt his lost love is in Invercargill, so that's their destination - meanwhile Keira has been streaming action clips trying to get support for her animal cruelty campaign, unaware its gone viral. The chase intensifies in the mid-Canterbury/Otago regions, a very funny scene with a guy keen to join the now infamous trio - as the rush to Invercargill somehow continues. Not an amazing film but good fun and worth the admission ; the humour by and large is directed at Kiwi's, so perhaps those not born /bred in the Shaky Isles may miss some of it, but I'm sure you will still find it entertaining.
A Month of Sundays (2015)
Meanderd along pleasantly
Seeing John Clarke in the cast was one of the main reasons that encouraged me to see 'A month of Sundays'. On that score, I wasn't disappointed, Clarke gave a polished performance with a few of his usual sarcastic/humorous one liners perfectly delivered. While obviously a film of redemption, son's trying to justify and/or prove themselves to their elders, to me the movie lacked a real plot or something to bond it together. It meandered along in its own way, much like the main character, struggling real estate salesman Franks, played by Anthony LaPaglia who did do a great impression of a Real estate agent, albeit not an over enthusiastic one ! Overall it was watchable, but for me fell a little short of being memorable.
Krampus (2015)
Horror ? Christmas Tale ?
I found it a little hard to rate KRAMPUS, as to me its not a true horror story, and certainly can't call itself a warm and fuzzy Christmas tale. It starts off well, seems promising as we have the Santa believing boy confronted by his obnoxious cousins and equally distasteful uncles and aunt ; in fact the only person who he seems to have an affinity for is his German speaking grandmother. Unfortunately the relatives obnoxiousness sort of melts away, the hard and tough gun slinging Uncle is soon saved by the boys apparently wimpy father, and the Grandmother explains the reason behind their predicament suddenly speaking fluent English ! My 13 yr old was suitably scared at times, but the so called horrors of the movie were all over the top and the more usual christmasy finale as expected arrived leaving me feel this was an OK movie, but one that didn't rate as anything special.
Ja'mie: Private School Girl (2013)
Its light, its all in jest, and its fun!
I have seen some ordinary reviews for Ja'mie ( added the apostrophe in year 8 ) - but guess they must be from people who take the whole set-up seriously and can't get their head round a middle aged comedian doing a wonderful job as an over-the-top snobby head girl ! Benny Hill did some similar skits years ago ; that likewise were very funny ; Ja'mie is a combination of slap-stick - Dame Edna, over-the-top great Aussie humour taking a wonderful swipe at many of the US college type shows were the spiteful blonde beauty loses her boyfriend to the plain new girl who turns out to be a glamour. This is a show that aging dad ( me ) and teen daughter both love and has us both cracking up in parts. e.g. The flat chested Ja'mie on being targeted by some more developed 'borders' at the school ; "Why don't you go cook your dinner, I bet your having Lesbianese"
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
A tad morbid
I walked out of the Theatre not really knowing quite how to rate this movie. It certainly is not one I am keen to see again - but was it worth the admission price ? well I guess thats a yes. It is a movie to make you think - but there was little of the feel-good influence in it. After seeing some trailers, my 10 year old was keen to view it ; and it appeared a harmless enough movie based on a 10 year old boy. While my daughter was not upset by the movie, suffice to say it was on the depressing/morbid side - with not a chuckle or light word to be seen anywhere. As to the actors, particularly the young boy ; EXCELLENT - if sometime in the future a director is looking for an actor to play a suicidal and/or depressed teen then look no further - I predict a big future for him.
Tomboy (2011)
Interesting rather than entertaining
After some debate, decided to let my own 10 yr old come along with me to see this movie. No regrets on that score, ( although certainly no Tomboy, she is a soccer loving, level headed girl ) of course being in subtitles probably took some of the gloss of it for her. In the end I found I was a little bit disappointed with the overall film ; certainly it was very natural, children by and large filmed behaving as one would expect, but few of them had the chance to really develop their characters. We can see that 'mikal' is troubled at home about what she is doing/thinking - but even this is brought to the fore in a rather abrupt manner by her mother, when perhaps some more in-depth dialogue/scenes could have helped the film. All in all my daughter and I both agreed it was 'interesting' rather than entertaining ; to me at times it hinted at a documentary style of film, although perhaps some of that was due to the subtitles and the fact it was obviously filmed on a fairly low budget.
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Well worth seeing
Went along to see this ( at Peter Jacksons 'Roxy theatre - great location) in 3D with my 9 yr old daughter. I thought it may have been more of a boys movie, however that didn't end up being the case. I knew/enjoyed the comics as a kid - however although the characters were all knew to my daughter, she was also impressed. Plenty of action, and a storyline that was easy enough to follow. I felt it kept both kids and parents interested throughout - some of the action sequences were particularly well done. I wasn't too sure about the format i.e. sort of in-between cartoon and realm characters, but it works well in this instance. In usual Jackson/Speiling/Hollywood tradition the ending is left open for a sequel ... which no doubt will follow. I Wont say its an all time great film, but compared to some of the current kids holiday rubbish around ( i.e. chipwrecked ) I think its well worth the entry fee.