Author: James Partridge

Cannes 2015 Review: Mad Max: Fury Road

Posted by | May 16, 2015 |

Synopsis: Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows. Thoughts: If you think a two hour chase film might get boring… think again! This is one hell of a ride, where the thrills just keep on coming. Remarkably, this is more Charlize Theron’s than Tom Hardy’s and yet it still takes pride of place in the mad world of Max. Rating:...

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Cannes 2015 Review: Standing Tall (La Tête Haute)

Posted by | May 15, 2015 |

Synopsis: Abandoned by his mother at the age of 6, Malony is constantly in and out of juvenile court. An adoptive family grows around this young delinquent: Florence, a children’s magistrate nearing retirement, and Yann, a caseworker and himself the survivor of a very difficult childhood. Together they follow the boy’s journey and try unfailingly to save him. Then Malony is sent to a stricter educational center, where he meets Tess, a very special young girl who will show him that there are reasons for hope. Thoughts: A standout performance Benoît Magimel doesn’t save a script that begins to drag by the end. There’s plenty to enjoy though and the over-arching messages in the film were strong, without being too in your face. Rating:...

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Cinema Release Round-Up: 14 May

Posted by | May 14, 2015 |

Things are about to get batsh*t crazy, as Mad Max: Fury Road roars into cinemas this week . Opening today: . MAD MAX: FURY ROAD……FILM OF THE WEEK Australia | 120 minutes | Action Director: George Miller (Mad Max, Mad Max 2, Happy Feet) Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoë Kravitz, Riley Keough, Josh Helman, Nathan Jones, Angus Sampson, Abbey Lee, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Megan Gale In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, everyone is crazed fighting over the necessities of life – and poor Max Rockatansky is stuck in the middle of it. Just seen it. Believe the hype!!!!! Distributor: Roadshow . A ROYAL NIGHT OUT UK | 97 minutes | Comedy, Drama Director: Julian Jarrold (Brideshead Revisited, Becoming Jane, Kinky Boots) Cast: Sarah Gadon, Emily Watson, Bel Powley, Rupert Everett, Jack Reynor It’s V-E Day, 1945, and people are celebrating the end of the war. Two teenage princesses Margaret and the future Queen of England, Elizabeth, are allowed out that night to join the party. Looks charming and fun – should play well to its core audience. Distributor: Paramount Pictures . MET OPERA: LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN USA | 200 minutes | Live Performance, Opera Cast: Vittorio Grigolo, Erin Morley, Hibla Gerzmava, Christine Rice, Thomas Hampson One of the more well-known opera’s gets the New York Metropolitan Opera Company treatment, during their 2014-2015...

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Cinema Release Round-Up: 7 May

Posted by | May 7, 2015 |

Three stunning documentaries lead the charge this week.  Each one’s a “must see”, but it’s the heartland rugby doco The Ground We Won that deservedly gets our nod for FOTW. Also this week, there’s the Aussie feel-good family flick Paper Planes and the Bellas are back in the sequel to Pitch Perfect. . THE GROUND WE WON……FILM OF THE WEEK New Zealand | 91 minutes | Documentary, Sport Director: Christopher Prior (How Far is Heaven) Featuring: Peanut, Slug, Broomy, Socks, Sticks, Turbo, Horse, Grease A rich slice of heartland New Zealand, as we follow the fortunes of the Reporoa Rugby Team, made up of local farmers, who attempt to turn around their dismal run of form. By all accounts, this year’s best Kiwi film. I can’t wait to see it. https://youtu.be/3I0H0ugoplo Distributor: Self distributed . KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK USA | 145 minutes | Documentary, Music Director: Brett Morgen (Crossfire Hurricane, On the Ropes, Chicago 10) Featuring: Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Krist Novoselic An intimate picture of Kurt Cobain’s life told through home movies, animated journal extracts, archival footage, and interviews. Looks spellbinding. A must of Cobain fans. Distributor: Unknown . PAPER PLANES Australia | 96 minutes | Family Director: Robert Connolly (The Turning (Aquifer), Balibo) Cast: Sam Worthington, Ex Oxenbould, Deborah Mailman, Nicholas Bakopoulos-Cooke, Terry Norris, Julian Dennison A young boy’s passion for flight takes him to...

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