Vice - Amazing performances, ordinary story Movie Rating 7 out of 10 Family Rating Adult themes, strong coarse language, depictions of war violence. This movie is based on the story of Dick Cheney and so the name 'Vice' refers to the office of Vice President of the United States in which he served during the period that George W Bush served as President. I really wasn't planning to see this film, as modern American politics leaves me cold, but as it will be nominated for some Academy Awards I have the reviewers duty to share with you all my opinions. The story follows the development of Dick Cheney from a lethargic university student with little ambition to the point that he becomes one of the most powerful men in the world. This review will be in two parts today as I will firstly review the movie and its cast and then secondly the politics of the presentation. Christian Bale is an amazing actor and will go close to winning the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Dick Cheney. Some of you may recall the little rant I had last year about Gary Oldman's performance of Winston Churchill, fat suit and all. In contrast, Bale has the mesmerising ability to physically become the character he is playing, losing heaps of weight in The Machinist and now putting on weight to play Cheney. Halfway through the movie, I forgot that this was an actor and not the real character. In support, Amy Adams does a great job as his ambitious wife without turning it into an episode of House of Cards. Steve Carel is also impressive as Donald Rumsfeld and Sam Rockwell as George W Bush. So with such good performances, you would expect that I would have given Vice a higher rating. Unfortunately, the movie really doesn't know what it wants to be as it swings from a Michael Moore documentary to a spoof on the Bush presidential reign to an episode of the Soprano's. It is hard to watch the movie with an unbiased view as it obvious that the writer and director, Adam Macky, does not think highly of Dick Cheney or the Republican party. Early in the film, he tells us that the story is based on facts relating to decisions and actions that Cheney took in his life however he then adds his own interpretation of what he believes motivated Cheney to make those decisions and none of it implies that Cheney had any concern for people at all. The movie runs for over two hours and during that time he tries to cover over 40 years of Cheney's life and so there are many stops and starts that makes it hard to understand segments in context. Throughout the movie, there are continual montages of cuts from real film clips that…

Movie Review 6 out of 10 Family Review Strong violence for a superhero movie, scary underwater creatures and a few swear words. I am afraid my first review for 2019 will tear the superhero community in two as I have heard people rave about Aquaman and others pan it as poorly made. Already I have been involved in an international incident where an NZ local took my comments on the film and Jason Momoa's acting as an affront to Maori culture. For this reason, it is important that I am upfront in declaring that I am definitely a fan of Marvel movies over those produced by the DC banner but I do try to be unbiased when reviewing their movies. It is also important for me to mention that it has grossed $940 million worldwide so people obviously want to see it Now that I have made all my apologies let me share with you my opinions on this mega-blockbuster. I am not a Game of Thrones watcher so I do not know how good an actor Jason Momoa can be but I believe he was picked for the role based on his image rather than his ability to play a character. Momoa portrayed his character as 'one of the boys' that is not interested in taking any responsibility for events that don't immediately affect his world. While we find that he is mentored as a young boy/man to understand his heritage and place in the undersea world of Atlantis he has no desire to be part of it, even though he doesn't seem to have any career or desire to achieve anything on land. In Aquaman, DC is trying to establish a knockabout character modelled on a cross between Thor's self-assurance and Deadpool's bad behaviour but Momoa does not have the comedic timing to land the zingers. The movie is directed by Australian, James Wan, who is known for his horror movies Saw, The Conjuring, Insidious and recently Furious 7. Knowing his background it is understandable that the violence in the film is more intense and personal than most Marvel movies. The increased violence. along with the nasty creatures from the Trench, lead me to recommend that this movie may not be suitable for younger children. Some of the underwater scenes are reminiscent of Avatar and the movie does follow a plot that establishes Aquaman as a much stronger character than previously portrayed in DC shows. However, the story is very predictable and rolls along without feeling the need to explain how certain things happen or why. (For a list of these see Spoiler Alert below). There are two bad guys with Patrick Wilson playing Aquaman's half-brother who believes that he is entitled to be King of Atlantis and a pirate known as Mantra that has high tech gadgets but not much else going…

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Movie Review 7 friends out of 10 Family Review The film is much darker than previous stories but most of the nastiness is implied rather than seen. I would not recommend for young children. Having watched this film through the amazing medium of 4DX/3D (see last weeks review) I felt that I should wait a couple of days to calm down and then review this movie on its merits rather than its gimmicks. While 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them' was a good stand-alone movie, the 'Crimes of Grindlewald' carries the disappointment I experience when watching a story that serves as a bridge between the story origin and its conclusion. This applies to Star Wars, LOTR and even Twilight where the second movie answers some questions, raises more and then ends with you diving to your calendar to see when the 3rd episode is due to be released. The Fantastic Beasts franchise may be even worse than the others as I believe that 'The Crimes of Grindlewald' is only the second episode of a five-part series. With this in mind, I would not recommend that anyone watch this movie without seeing the original 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them' as most of the characters have already been established before finding them again in this story. Newt, Tina, Jacob and Queenie all come back together in Paris after Grindelwald escapes from custody. The movie then focuses on their search for Credence with both sides looking to harness his power to support their side of the cause. We see the introduction of new characters to this series, that are familiar to the Harry Potter fans, such as a young Dumbledore (played by Jude Law) and Nagini in human form. There are a smattering of 'fantastic creatures' but they do not dominate this movie as they did in the first episode and the story is a lot darker in its content and delivery. As the screenplays are being written without corresponding novels there is not the opportunity to be ahead of the story as was available with the Harry Potter franchise. I believe that for these reasons that this series will not be as popular with younger children who loved reading the stories and developing their own interpretation before the movie arrived. Fantastic Beasts does not allow that and so our imaginations are controlled by the CGI version that appears on the screen. While the movie was colourful and entertaining in parts I also felt that in other sections it dawdled through dialogue that didn't add to the backstory nor push forward in establishing the next episode. With another two movies before we reach the sought after conclusion, I am wondering if I will look forward to the next release with excitement or resign myself to let them pass and…

The Girl in the Spider's Web - Movie Review 4 friends out of 10 Family Review Strong language, strong violence, adult themes If you are a fan of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novels and films, especially the Swedish versions, then I think you will be very disappointed with this fourth instalment in the Millenium trilogy. Let me share some background to explain why. The Millenium trilogy was created by Swedish Writer, Stieg Larsson, who died prior to the first book being published. With Dragon Tattoo being acclaimed, the publishers then released Larsson's remaining novels '...Playing with Fire' and '...Hornets Nest'. Instead of allowing the trilogy to stand on its own, it was decided to use another writer to continue the series. While the names remain the same Lisabeth and Bloomkvist no longer have the same motivation and the story becomes a cross between Mission Impossible and the Bourne Ultimatum all be it with a female hero. The film retains Lisabeth Salander's hate for powerful men who abuse women and sees her dishing out strong justice for those who have not been protected by the law. In this story, her computer hacking skills are employed to infiltrate the US Security Systems to recover a key to all the nuclear weapons in the world. As could be expected, this makes her a target for various governments and criminal organisations and she is constantly at risk. To assist her in finding out which organisation is chasing her she contacts her journalist friend, Mikael Bloomkvist, for help and so the two are linked together again. Her fight for the truth ties her efforts to the young son of a computer program developer and an American NSA agent who was responsible for keeping the nuclear program safe. In this episode of the story, Claire Foy (The Crown) has mistakenly been cast as Lisabeth Salander as in her performance she acts like a petulant teenager rather than the brooding goth portrayed by Noomi Rapace. The original Lisabeth relied on street smarts gained from her tough upbringing and resulted in a savage independence but with a repressed desire for attention. In this story, Foy's Lisabeth is needier, less calculated and moves like a trained secret service agent. Rather than a developing drama, the movie comes across as a James Bond story with implausible escapes from death, corny dialogue and an over the top villain. Bloomkvist, who acts as an equal in the earlier stories, becomes a weak male sidekick, and for some reason is much younger than in the original movies. The movie comes across lazy in some of its plots such as having a protected safe house that doesn't have curtains, trying to keep a low profile by stealing the most expensive car you can find and have vital paper evidence survive the total destruction of a burnt out…

Bohemian Rhapsody will Rock You. Movie Rating 10 friends out of 10 Family Rating Mild coarse language, sexual references, drug use Bohemian Rhapsody captures everything that seduces me to attend the movies. It made me laugh, had me supporting the underdog and booing the villains. It made me stamp my feet and sing along to great music. I shed a tear out of sadness and also out of pride and on a number of occasions it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as only great music or sport can do. At the end of the movie the entire audience broke out in applause and no one was in a hurry to leave the theatre as the music continued through the credits. The story is basically the telling of how the band Queen came to be, how it wrote its music and grew to be one of the greatest music acts of all time. While the story focuses on lead singer Freddie Mercury the plot does not diminish the other three band members and shows how they worked (didn't work) together to create some of the most iconic music of the 70/80s. Rami Malek was amazing in capturing Mercury's character as he struts his stuff on stage. Gwilym Lee (Brian May), Ben Hardy (Roger Taylor) and Joseph Mazzello (John Deacon) provide great support as does Lucy Boynton as Mercury's early girlfriend, Mary Austin. I don't know enough about Freddie Mercury's life to know whether the relationship with his fellow band members and Mary, as portrayed in the film, is accurate but the portrayal of friendship is so good that I am happy to accept that it is true. The same applies to the timeline of events shown in the film. They are not always chronologically correct but they work together to tell the message behind the story. While you could watch Bohemian Rhapsody for only the music and come away satisfied, it provided you with so much more. There were positive messages about the value of family, the importance of friendship, to believe in your own ability and not be limited by others belief in you. It shows that you need to associate with people who want the best for you and that not being yourself to prove popular to others can leave you lonely while in a crowd. But most importantly it was just joyful to watch and be overtaken by the story and musical performances. I really enjoyed the sequences related to how many of their iconic songs were created and then brought to life and I had goosebumps when they portrayed the first live performances of Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You, however, the real magic occurs when they show Queen appearing at Live Aid in 1985. The director of Bohemian Rhapsody plays with the storyline…

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.