In a World...: Movie Review

In a world where feminism is alive and well.

In a world where jobs for women are hard to come by and they are always over-looked for the less talented man comes one woman who’s going to make a difference for her generation. Her name is Carol (Lake Bell). Excuse me while I get a newspaper and figure out if it’s 2013 or if I have somehow gone back in time and watched a new film from 60 years ago. The film's over-the-top insistence that women have it so hard can make any well-meaning feminist vomit and it takes away from everything the movie did well.		2013 Directed by: Lake Bell Screenplay by: Lake Bell Starring: Lake Bell, Fred Melamed

Blue Jasmine: Movie Review

Jasmine and Ginger through shady eyes and poisonous hearts.

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) lived the high life in New York with her financial businessman husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin), and all the jewelry and parties she could want. With great success comes great failings, and with her husband in jail and all their assets taken, Jasmine comes crashing down. All the way to San Francisco. Broke and desperate, Jasmine moves in with her estranged sister. And Jasmine’s downward spiral continues.		2013 Directed by: Woody Allen Screenplay by: Woody Allen Starring: Cate Blanchette and Sally Hawkins

The Sapphires: Movie Review

A fascinating look at a singing group in the year the world changed.

“The Sapphires” is a look at Australia, and the world, in 1968. For those unaware of Australia’s recent history, it is a fascinating look. Australia's history is told alongside history that more of the world is familiar with: assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, and the on-going war in Vietnam. With all of that unfolding, 4 Aboriginal girls formed The Sapphires, and we get a triumphant rise of their musical career.		2012 Directed by: Wayne Blair Screenplay by: Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson Starring: Chris O'Dowd

Rapture-Palooza: Movie Review

The rapture is coming, be prepared to laugh.

“Rapture-Palooza” is based on a true story. Or, so it says at the very beginning of the movie, and then you know exactly what type of humour you’re getting yourself into. It’s funny, extremely funny. The type of funny that you’re laughing out loud so often that you need to rewind to catch all the jokes you missed; it’s also the offensive kind of funny. It’s offensive, extremely offensive.		2013 Directed by: Paul Middleditch Screenplay by: Chris Matheson Starring: Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson

The Hunt: Movie Review

One bad deed, many questionable decisions and never-ending consequences.

The Hunt begins with a hunt, in the woods, for their latest animal prey. The hunt continues when one five-year-old girl, Klara, decides to tell the school’s director that her Kindergarten teacher, Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), made inappropriate advances on her. He did no such thing, but thus begins the hunt of a lonely man’s innocence and second-guessing on everyone's part.		2012 Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg Screenplay by: Tobias Lindholm and Thomas Vinterberg Starring: Mads Mikkelsen

We're the Millers: Movie Review

The fake family brings many laughs, the other elements bring a few groans.

“We’re the Millers” is a stoner comedy, except better than that because it’s written as a family comedy, well, inappropriate family comedy. The additional genre adds a much needed structure to the film and increases the comedy. This is one funny movie. All of the main and supporting actors keep bringing the jokes so you can over-look the ridiculous plot.		2013 Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber Screenplay by: Bob Fisher, Steve Faber, Sean Anders and John Morris Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston

The Way Way Back: Movie Review

Actors deliver the comedy in an otherwise dysfunctional family drama.

“The Way Way Back” is a coming-of-age / dysfunctional family dramedy about Duncan (Liam James) trying to find his way to adulthood. He has a lost mother, her intentionally (but disguising as unintentionally) mean new boyfriend, and his over-sexed daughter. And all the summer brings is an inappropriately over-sexed neighbour and her precocious daughter. But none of them make it easy on him. Duncan just wants to get through adolescence and find a place he belongs. Regular readers will know that I find dysfunctional family dramedies tiring and this one doesn’t start out much better.		2013 Directed by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash Screenplay by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash Starring: Liam James, Steve Carell, Toni Collette and Sam Rockwell