Movie Reviews

‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’ – Movie Review

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This low-budget Brit thriller opens ominously, with two blokes we come to know as Danny (Martin Compston) and Vic (Eddie Marsan) wordlessly soundproofing the back of a van and a room in an abandoned apartment block, and fitting both out with confinement gear. They operate with a sense of purpose and efficiency. Whatever they’re up to, you know it’s no good.

Of course, it can be safely assumed from the title of the movie that Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton) – whoever she is – will be their prey, but at this point you’re not sure why. Are they politically motivated, perhaps? Involved in some sort of espionage? Planning on incarcerating some hapless victim as a sex slave? Or just crims after a ransom? Continue reading ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’ – Movie Review →

Movie Reviews

‘The Kids Are All Right’ – Movie Review

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Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a married lesbian couple bringing up their teenage kids, 18 year old Joni (Mia Wasikowska) (named after Joni Mitchell) and 15 year old Laser (Josh Hutcherson), in a trendy LA neighbourhood. Unconventional though the family may be on the face of it, they’re going through all the usual stuff.

The ‘Momses’, as the kids refer to them, have evidently dosed themselves up on pop psychology and self-development hoo-hah and are dutifully applying modern parenting strategies – the kids are rolling their eyes. As well they might. This is an area crying out for satirical treatment, and in director/writer Lisa Cholodenko and co-scribe Stuart Blumberg the best of practitioners are in da house! Dippy self-development lingo and New Age tripe provide the material for many a wry chuckle as the Momses attempt to plot their kids’ futures and manipulate them away from perceived present dangers. Continue reading ‘The Kids Are All Right’ – Movie Review →

Movie Reviews

‘The Killer Inside Me’ – Movie Review

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I abhor real violence, but I generally like it on screen. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing the bad bastard cop it? It’s cathartic. Where else but in the movies do we have moral license to thrill to the grisly kill of some evil mother who had it comin’? Poetic justice sure as hell ain’t nowhere to be seen in life; it’s a comfort to see it enacted in fiction.

There doesn’t have to be a moral justification for screen violence, though. In horror movies and splatter flicks, for example, you expect slaughter of the innocents, and it’s delivered in full – but the gore is so over the top, so obviously gratuitous, it’s cartoon-like. Easily handled, easily dismissed. Continue reading ‘The Killer Inside Me’ – Movie Review →

movie reviews + occasional other musings