A Star is Born shows you can teach an old dog, new tricks Movie Rating 8.5 friends out of 10 Family Rating Adult Drama, frequent coarse language, mild sex scenes. I have never been a fan of watching remakes and especially when the previous version was so well done. So having watched all three previous adaptations of 'A Star is Born' I wondered whether this newest version could compare favourably to the others. To its credit, it took the same story and brought it into a new era that made it relevant to today's audience. As the story has been told so many times, following the same premise each time, I am not going to try and not give away the storyline. So if you can honestly say you do not know the story then look away now. Bradley Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a successful country-rock star who is struggling with addictions and tinnitus that is affecting his ongoing career. By accident, he meets Ally, played by Lady Gaga, who is an aspiring singer/songwriter who has never had the chance to showcase her skills. They immediately hit it off and Maine is blown away by Ally's talent but there is little likely hood that their relationship will develop further. However, one thing leads to another and Ally joins Maine on the stage at one of his concerts and the rest is history. They make beautiful music together until a promoter convinces Ally that she should develop her own musical career as a pop artist. This decision leads to Ally becoming more successful, which Jackson has trouble dealing with and he gets back on to the alcohol and drugs. His downfall is complete when he upstages Ally during her Grammy acceptance speech. Jackson undergoes rehabilitation and that is where I finish the plot line so as to not spoil the end of the movie. The movie pretty much revolves around Jackson and Ally's careers and relationships and so they have to carry the movie. Both Cooper and Lady Gaga play their roles very convincingly and their interaction makes the relationship feel real. Cooper surprises with his singing skills and has a great husky voice that had me believing that he was the real deal. His character has flaws but he shows off a vulnerability that allows you to feel for him even with his weaknesses. If you are of an older generation and not familiar with the music of Lady Gaga I can tell you she has an amazing voice but was able to add another dimension when taking on the country ballad. More importantly, her acting was exceptional and I found her portrayal as a loving caring partner who was strong enough to demand better from her husband as very genuine. Unmasked from her pop image I found that she has a very earthy beauty…

Bad Times at the El Royale makes for good times at the movies. Movie Rating 8 friends out of 10 Family Rating Adult themes, coarse language and violence The movie, Bad Times at the El Royale, has snuck into theatres very quietly with all the fuss for A Star is Born eclipsing other releases. I had heard this movie referred to as a cheap tribute to Quentin Tarantino but I believe that it captured the Tarantino storytelling without creating a copycat story. The El Royale is a regal old hotel that is way past its heyday but used to be the place that rich and powerful would visit. It has the distinction of being built on the border between Nevada and California that allowed it to be a casino on the Nevada side but not on the California side. When we visit the El Royale Hotel it is run down and without much business but sees the arrival of four unrelated characters with their own secrets. One by one the backstory for each character is told and as it does so there are unexpected reveals that throw your initial perceptions off guard. The setting at the hotel is the late 60's and there are hints as to the racism, male chauvinism and hippie culture that was America of the day. The story does not rush the development of the characters but you know that you can't look away or else you may miss something that will help to make sense later. The five main characters are Jeff Bridges as Father Flynn, Cynthia Erivo (I have not seen her before) as backup singer Darlene Sweet, John Hamm as salesman Laramie Sullivan, Dakota Johnson as Emily Summerspring and Lewis Pullman as the hotel's only employee Miles Miller. Each actor provides a facade at the beginning and it is not until the movie develops do you find who they really are and what brings them to El Royale. With only a small number of characters, they play well as an ensemble and the intertwining stories and relationships allows you to see the truth emerge. You may have also heard that Chris Hemsworth is in the film and he has a vital role in the second half of the movie but it is not a character you will have seen him play before. His presence fits the character to a tee and it is not hard to believe that he could have the influence he has on those around him. Too much more would give away key elements of the plot. So why has the movie been compared to Tarantino? Firstly as mentioned there is a depth in each character beyond your average story. Secondly, the character roles start out as individuals but then become entangled and each impacts on the other without intending to. Thirdly there are incidents…

The House with a Clock in its Walls - Stephen King for Kids Movie Rating 7 out of 10 Family Rating PG rating so no swearing but some scenes may be scary/disturbing for young children. Supernatural themes and images. The movie House with a Clock in its Walls is based on a 1973 novel of the same name written by John Bellairs and was the first in a series consisting of 12 volumes. It follows the adventures of recently orphaned 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vacarro) who goes to live with his uncle Jonathon (Jack Black) who he has never met before. He arrives to find that his uncle is a self-proclaimed warlock, of average skill, who lives in a creepy old house. Lewis meets Uncle Jonathon's neigbour Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett) who is a good witch but whose magic levels are not as good as they used to be. As Lewis learns to deal with his Uncle's eccentricities and the unique characteristics of the house he also has a desire to develop warlock powers himself. The name of the movie comes into play as Lewis watches his Uncle search for a clock that can be heard ticking but has been hidden in the walls of the house. It was put there by the former warlock owner of the house, Issac Izard, who with his wife Selena had turned to dark magic. The movie focuses on how Lewis develops his powers, has moral choices about how to use them, and then together with Uncle Jonathon and Mrs Zimmerman fight to overcome the evil that is unleashed. Jack Black and Cate Blanchett are excellent in their roles as great friends and have a really good chemistry. Black's best films, School of Rock, Goosebumps come about when he plays off children as the kooky mentor type and this is no exception. Cate Blanchett just seems to be getting younger in each movie I watch and it was good to see her in a lighter role. I haven't seen Owen Vacarro before and without having read the book I had no pre-conceived notion of how he should look or act but he also did a good job. As a stand-alone movie, it was quite entertaining and kept moving along at a good pace. It is not a Harry Potter and I think its weakness is that it only has one main child character and so the movie cannot build that 'buddy' feel about it. You may be surprised to know that this movie was directed by Eli Roth of Hostel and Cabin Fever fame and is his first family film. It is not surprising then that some of the images of dark magic and witchcraft are not your average children standards and it surprised me that with some of the supernatural themes such as raising the dead and a doomsday…

Searching - Why is no one talking about this movie? Movie Rating 9.5 out of 10 Family Rating Adult themes but no swearing, sex, violence. Tonight I watched one of the best drama's I have seen in years. A movie that I only discovered because the trailer was shown during my last visit. This is a hidden gem that needs to be brought to the surface so while it sounds like I'm babbling please make the effort to go and see Searching. I am so sure that you enjoy this movie that I guarantee your money back if you don't like. (I said that without Jene's approval) So why did I love it so much? From the very first shots it plays with your emotions, it tugs at the heartstrings and sets up what you think is the foundation of a story about a small family who has suffered tragedy. Its unique storytelling is made up of text messages, facetime chats, social media strings and yet it is personal the whole time. The suspense begins to build from early in the piece but there are so many twists and turns that you never have the time to feel comfortable with the current status. There are no scenes that do not add to the story and just when you think you have reached the crescendo it lifts to another level with another outcome appearing over the horizon. As a father I felt for David Kim (John Cho) who discovers that his daughter is missing and there are few clues to assist him or Detective Vick (Debra Messing) who has been assigned to investigate the case. Feeling helpless David goes online to try to find out who his daughter Margot (Michelle La) may have been with or where she may have gone. As each clue unfolds he realises that he does not really know his daughter and this adds to his guilt and feelings of helplessness. So as a parent you can relate to his anxiety, guilt, anger and all those other emotions that build up as each part of the story is revealed. David acts as I imagine a real dad would react rather than a Liam Neeson in Taken. All three actors do a really great job portraying their characters and I was really impressed with Messing who I have not seen often in a serious role. To provide any more of the story would lead to spoilers but I was seriously impressed. I pride myself in being able to read a plot and know how a story will evolve well before the end (that's why Jene won't let me watch police shows with her). During this movie, though I constantly found myself picking up clues that I thought would lead to a certain point only to find that I, like David Kim, was no…

  Movie Rating 4 out of 10 Family Rating Not suitable for children and has frightening images with demons and dead nuns etc. If you are a fan of the old Hammer horror film productions starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing then the setting of 'The Nun' will get you excited. Picture an old run down Abbey in Romania surrounded by creepy woods, a rundown graveyard and blankets of mist swirling around your feet. Add to this a world-weary priest, who the Vatican teams up with a novice nun to visit this isolated building to determine whether it can still be considered a holy place. Then throw in the creepy Nun who made an appearance in Conjuring 2 and you should have a good old fashioned horror movie, full of suspense, well-timed scares and a need to check under the bed before you go to sleep at night. Unfortunately, there was 'Nun' of that (Apologies for Dad jokes). The Nun is the fifth film in what they are calling the Conjuring Universe which already consists of the two Conjuring and two Annabelle movies. We first come across the Nun in Conjuring 2 when it appears in a vision to Lorraine Warren and turns out to be the form used by a demon called Valak. Those two scenes are quite suspenseful and the appearance of the Nun is quite powerful. However, in this movie, the evil Nun is seen in the first scene and pops up quite regularly floating around the abbey. While scary in small doses the Nun is so often seen during this film that it doesn't have the shock value that it had in The Conjuring. There are only a few cast members and none of any note. The script was poor and the characters had no chemistry and so I never worried about whether they would escape or not. There were a few spots that induced jumps but they became predictable and really were used to cover any real suspense. The only real value of the movie came at the end when it was explained how the demon Valak was able to leave the abbey and later make contact with Lorraine Warren. So once again I leave the theatre disappointed and still waiting for a great horror movie to make me think twice about entering my empty house at night.

Movie Rating 7 out of 10 Family Rating It is PG rated and suitable for teenagers Those of you asking why I would call the movie Crazy Rich Asians a banana have not yet seen the movie. The term 'banana' is an Asian slur used to describe a person of South East Asian heritage living in a Western country and who have lost touch with their cultural identity. Thus yellow on the outside but white on the inside. This movie was heralded as the first Hollywood movie in over 20 years with an entirely Asian cast and while it is a good entertaining movie it is a banana. The story is a light romantic drama that sees Nick Young, Henry Golding, take his American girlfriend Rachel Chu, Constance Wu, home to Singapore to meet his family. Unknown to Rachel, Nick comes from one of the richest families in Asia and therefore is a very eligible bachelor for the mega-rich families back home. Rachel, on the other hand, was brought up by her single mother in a very humble home. Rachel agrees to go but does not realize what she is getting herself into. Having arrived in Singapore and finding out how rich Nick really is, Rachel has to deal with the snobbery and cattiness from Nick's mother, grandmother, aunties, friends, former girlfriends etc who all believe that she is not good enough for him. Rachel is not all on her own as she meets up with Peik Lin, a fellow university student friend and Nick's sister, Astrid who provide support when the nastiness gets her down. Michelle Yeoh plays Nick's mum, Eleanor and there is a good supporting cast. While I enjoyed the movie, it felt that I had seen all the plot points in other movies. The couple's wealth gap from Notting Hill, the mother vs future daughter in law from Monster in law, the kooky family members from My Best Friends Wedding and the cultural divide in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. While it had an all Asian cast it did not show me a culture any different to others. You could have replaced Golding and Wu with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and the story could have been told using the exact same dialogue. This story could have been used to show the same plight for an English, Italian or Australian family and you would have only had to change the reference to dumplings with pizza or lamingtons. For a better example of TV displaying Asian family culture I recommend you watch the Australian show 'Family Law' or Wu's 'Fresh off the Boat'. So what was good about the film. It was an easy film to watch with the main couple pulling it all together. Wu has the ability to play sarcasm but without being overbearing or disagreeable. Golding is a natural…

Movie Rating 7.5 out of 10 Family Rating. Has some mild swearing and tense scenes but certainly suitable for a PG 13 rating. I have some big movie release reviews to share with you this week in BlacKkKlansman and The Meg but tonight I watched a hidden gem on Netflix called "I Kill Giants". I knew nothing about it but there was a buzz going around this movie and as I had a quiet night I took the time to watch it. Firstly, without giving too much away, there are Giants in the movie but it is not a story of the Buffy genre with lots of gore and body parts rolling around. It is, however, a wonderful movie that I encourage all mums with young/teenage daughters to sit down and watch together. It centres on a nerdy loner teenage girl named Barbara who is struggling with tragedy in her life. She attributes this to Giants who are out to destroy her life and she spends most of her time preparing to fight them off. Along the way a new English girl arrives, Sophia, and an awkward friendship arises that has to develop around Barbara's mission to protect her local town from the Giant. When the school psychologist, Mrs Molle, becomes involved and seeks to understand Barbara, then her life starts to unravel as she questions her worthiness and ability to 'kill the Giant'. As the atmosphere builds you are faced with the question as to whether the Giant exists or not and regardless, how will Barbara meet her current challenges. Madison Wolfe plays Barbara and does an excellent job for such a young actress. Imogen Poots plays her sister Karen and Sydney Wade puts in a good performance as her new friend Sophia. Zoe Saldana plays the caring Mrs Molle, in the first non-science fiction role that I have seen her in. For you older folk the movie is co-produced by Chris Columbus whose movies has the theme of children proving themselves such as The Goonies, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and Home Alone. If I was to give you a sense of how the movie 'feels' without giving away any spoilers it has the emotion of a 'Big Hero 6' and I loved the ending. Anyway, that is how I felt but I would love to hear your opinion once you have watched it. Take the time one wet weekend, when the rain returns, to sit down and enjoy this movie.

Movie Rating 8 out of 10 Family Rating: Lots of excitement, a couple of swear words, fight scenes Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to leave all logic at the door and enjoy the thrills and spills you have come to expect from an MI movie. Tom Cruise is back in his role as Ethan Hunt and takes up where he left off at the end of the last Mission Impossible episode. Cruise must have sold his soul to the devil because he doesn't look much older than he did in Risky Business, is as fit as a bull and apparently does a lot of his own stunts. Being four months older than this 'Peter Pan' I can tell you he is not the standard for us baby boomers. Supporting Tom in this follow up to MI Rogue Nation are his old friends, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and Rebecca Ferguson and his arch enemy Sean Harris as Solomon Lane. Still trying to save the world from anarchists, Hunt is set the task of recovering the three plutonium cores that he lost in the last film. At the same time, he has to kidnap Lane from police control to use as bargaining power. There is also the usual infighting between IMF and the CIA about who is in charge and who can be trusted. As is expected there was plenty of action with amazing car and bike chases through the streets of Paris, running over the rooftops of London and a helicopter duel in the river valleys of India. There are twists and turns and you never know until the end who are the goodies and who are the baddies and I am not giving away any spoilers. Henry Cavill plays a CIA agent forced upon the IMF team, and I believe that if he had the courage to drop the Superman role that he could become a decent actor. The other notable newcomer is Vanessa Kirby who plays the White Widow and adds the 'Bond Girl' glamour. If you enjoy going to the movies to be entertained and you can accept that people can come off motorbikes at breakneck speeds and get up without a scratch or a bruise, that you can run and jump from building to building without sweating and then survive a helicopter crash with very little damage then you will really enjoy this show. At well over two hours long make sure you have plenty of snacks and make sure you visit the toilet before the entertainment starts as there are not many slow spots during the movie.