Blade Runner (The Final Cut) (re-release):
Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic from 1982 (or, to be
technical, his 2007 director's cut) returns to the big screen as Harrison Ford
stars as Rick Deckard, a specialist cop known as a "Blade Runner" in
pursuit of a rogue gang of "replicants" (artificial humans).
Initially dismissed for being a much slower-paced and cerebral film than Ford's
previous sci-fi work in the Star Wars (1977 - ) franchise, time has been
especially kind to this moody and haunting slice of technological neo-noir. Not
so much a future-shock action flick and more of an exploration on mortality,
technology and the nature of what it means to be human, Blade Runner isn't just
a seminal film in the genre of science-fiction. It's one of the great films in
the history of all cinema. *****
The DUFF:
At the mid-point of every decade there seems to be a film
for teens, focusing on the ups-and-downs of high school life that reaches
acclaim. Ten years ago, it was Mean Girls (2004), ten years before that
Clueless (1995), and before that...a number of John Hughes-related films such
as The Breakfast Club (1985) and Pretty In Pink (1986). The DUFF aspires to
follow in this tradition with Mae Whitman as a "DUFF" (Designated
Ugly Fat Friend), seeking to improve her dating and social life.
There's nothing
subversive or unpredictable about The DUFF and of course with Hollywood films
like this when your "Plain Jane" is still noticeably pretty, but
there are laughs to be had, especially as Mae Whitman is a good comic actress.
Perhaps not the cult classic it seems to aspire to be, but the film's intended
demographic will probably still derive some enjoyment from it. Notable
supporting players include Bella Thorne, Allison Janney and Ken Jeong. ***
John Wick:
Following in the footsteps of Taken (2008) and The Equalizer
(2014), John Wick is another brainless, noisy action movie with an older
leading man coming out of retirement to blast away some baddies. It's also
glorious. Reeves' notoriously dead-pan acting style fits with the haunted
hitman of the title looking to take on the mobsters who killed his dog. It's
ludicrous, but it embraces the insanity, helping to avoid the rather nasty
aftertaste of some of its contemporaries. Dumb, but very fun. **** (Hot
ticket).
The Water Diviner:
Russell Crowe stars and makes his directorial debut in a
film about a devoted father who travels to Galipoli in order to find put the
fate of his sons who fought in the World War I battle. Inevitably this brings
comparisons to Peter Weir's war classic Galipoli (1981) and falls short,
largely for all of Crowe's directorial ambitions, he lacks some discipline that
will come from experience. In time, we may see a great director in Crowe and he
certainly knows how to evoke emotion, but it's an unsteady first effort that
shows the occasional glimmer of promise. Also features Olga Kurylenko and Jai
Courtney. ***
While We're Young:
The latest film from Noah Baumbach, the man behind
Frances Ha (2013) stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a married pair of
documentary film-makers who befriend hip young things Adam Driver and Amanda
Seyfried, leading them to try new things and evaluate their attitudes towards
life. In comparison to Frances Ha, this is a more conventional
"mainstream" effort but that actually helps the comedy and steers it
towards being intelligent but not pretentious. On occasions it seems like what
we should feel about the main characters is a little lost in the narrative, but
it doesn't stop this film from being enjoyable. ****
Woman In Gold:
Fact-based drama about an elderly Jewish Austrian refugee
(Helen Mirren) looking to get back an old family painting confiscated by the
Nazis and now hanging in an art gallery in Vienna. The performances are
generally of a high-standard, but everything feels middle-of-the-road and
lacking a certain punch, although the 30's-era flashbacks definitely work
better and with more intensity than the central plot. Worth watching for the
actors and the occasional drama but not much more. Also features Ryan Reynolds,
Daniel Brühl, Katie Holmes and Charles Dance. ***
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