Australian Penthouse

Director: Allen Hughes
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Kyle Chandler
HOYTS DISTRIBUTION

WITH a title that spells out the state of the city, you can be assured going that this particular place is more corrupt than utopian. Mark Wahlberg stars as Billy Taggart, an ex-detective who was asked to retire because evidence came to light that a supposed by-the-numbers shooting he was involved in wasn’t exactly above board. This information is given to him by Mayor Hostetler (Crowe), a powerful man who you really don’t want to owe a favour.

Years later, Taggart runs his own small-time private-eye business, shaking down whatever work he can find in the hopes of staying above water, all the while supporting his actress girlfriend Natalie Barrow (Natalie Martinez). Mayor Hostetler, remembering the favour owed to him, enlists Taggart’s services to tail his wife Cathleen (Zeta-Jones) and lead advisor for the opposition Paul Andrews (Chandler) who are suspected of having an affair.

The more Taggart investigates into the alleged infidelity, the more lies he uncovers from both his employer and the people he’s tailing: lies that have deadly consequences the more Taggart digs. Loyalties change, tensions abound and people start dying under mysterious circumstances.

Broken City is part drama, part thriller and gets a lot right between opening and closing credits. Crowe is deliciously slippery as Mayor Hostetler, while Wahlberg does a decent job of pushing the plot forward with a furrowed brow and a believable threat of violence. Smaller roles from Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright and Barry Pepper are all solid and engaging, and make you wish they had more screen time.

The real problems, though, are with the sub-plots and sometimes bizarre character motivations. Natalie, in particular, serves no real purpose to the storyline, acting as a love interest that inexplicably turns to an antagonising role, who then ultimately vanishes from the film. One of the biggest reveals towards the end is also the most obvious, given how deliberately it was set up in the opening scenes, which reflects poorly on the supposed intelligence of Taggart’s detective instincts.

By the time the credits roll on Broken City it’s certainly not a bad film, it just doesn’t really do a whole lot different from political thrillers that have walked similar ground before.

Broken City is in cinemas on the now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Nick Love
Cast: Ray Winstone, Ben Drew, Damian Lewis, Hayley Atwell, Steven Mackintosh
HOYTS DISTRIBUTION

IF there’s one thing you can tell going into a movie with Ray Winstone in a leading role it’s that, nine times out of ten, he’s going to play a hard-arse. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a negative when in the right setting, but Winstone’s career as a hard-arse is a mix of fantastic films and some that are less than stellar.

In The Sweeney Winstone plays Jack Regan, a detective in the armed-robbery division (nicknamed “The Sweeney”) who isn’t afraid to bend or break the law to get results. His dodgy tactics capture the interest of Internal Affairs officer Ivan Lewis (Mackintosh) whose vendetta against Regan is made all the more personal by the fact that Winstone is banging his wife, Nancy (Atwell). After a robbery ends in a seemingly senseless killing, Regan and his crew are in a race against time to stop a highly trained gang before they strike again.

As far as British crime-caper films go, The Sweeney isn’t as memorable as Lock, Stock or Snatch, but it’s an entertaining movie nonetheless, made all the more enjoyable by a particularly engaging performance from Ben Drew as Regan’s right-hand man, George Carter.

It’s a bit slow in parts, and the romantic sub-plot between Regan and Nancy is as unnecessary as it is disturbing (watching Winstone and Atwell hook up isn’t the most attractive on-screen coupling), but there is a great mentor/learner rapport between Winstone and Drew. Better still, some of the firefights are reminiscent of Michael Mann’s Heat, and there is enough action to maintain audience interest throughout.

It may not be the best example of British cinema, but The Sweeney is still worth a look if you’re a fan of storylines that explore good cops gone bad.

THE SWEENEY is in cinemas on the now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

DANIEL Day-Lewis leads an all-star cast in a historical film that is extremely faithful to the history books. The problem is the specifics of the history aren’t overly familiar to the masses outside of America. While the acting is stellar—and the buzz surrounding Day-Lewis’s transformation into Abraham Lincoln in particular is warranted—it’s difficult to connect with a plot that doesn’t translate across borders.

The trailers would have you believe that it’s a race to collect a handful of votes to push the slavery emancipation act through the divided and mostly bigoted North American senate, as rumours of a peace-treaty offer from the slavery-supporting South circulate, all the while American blood is being spilt. Unfortunately, for the film to get to the climactic stage of collecting a handful of votes, you have to sit through close to two hours of the 150-minute runtime.

To further compound matters, the tantalising prospect of Abraham Lincoln the tyrant—a theme that is touched on but rarely explored—is only ever talked about. Lincoln knows that if the Civil War comes to an end, he will not be able to ratify the slavery amendment act when the South has representatives in the senate. The cost, though, is that he’s delaying peace talks at the expense of the lives of soldiers which, thematically, is fascinating, except for the unfortunate reality that the audience is never actually shown this loss of life.

The inclusion of battle sequences wouldn’t have only shown what Lincoln was willing to wager in order to abolish slavery, it also would have resulted in a film that could have been more accessible to non-American audiences. As it stands, incredible performances aren’t enough to distract from the longwinded reality of a historical film whose tension is offset by the near-certainty that cinemagoers may not know the intricacies of the facts, but they almost certainly know how this particular tale ends.

Couple this with the two-dimensional portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln, played by the talented likes of Sally Field (reduced to an antagonising, nagging wife), and the subplot sidelining of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (whose lack of screen time feels like a wasted opportunity), and there were more than a few times when I was checking my watch.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones and James Spader (even in his limited role) are all fantastic, but it’s difficult to recommend Lincoln to those who aren’t well versed in and fascinated by the ins and outs of American history.

LINCOLN is in cinemas on the now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Judd Apatow
Cast: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox
UNIVERSAL PICTURES

PITCHED as a “sort-of sequel to Knocked Up”, This is 40 is really a spin-off to the 2007 comedy starring Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl. Instead of following the main characters of Knocked Up, though, This is 40 focuses on supporting characters detached Peter (Rudd) and overly emotional Debbie (Mann).

Unfortunately, This is 40 doesn’t have the same comedic impact as Knocked Up. It’s not that the collective talent isn’t up to the task of delivering the goods, either; it’s more that the film falls into the trap of the recent Apatow trend of trying to balance comedy with drama. The problem is, much like Apatow’s Funny People, the laughs are spaced out at 20-minute intervals, and the drama simply doesn’t work when you’re not rooting for the plight of the main characters.

Debbie is approaching 40, and it’s causing her to have a long, hard look at her life to see if she’s happy with where her life is heading. Pete’s problems are more professional, as the indie record label that he runs has fallen on hard times. As he tries to save face and support his bum of a dad (Albert Brooks), his professional problems inevitably boil over into tensions around the house.

You’re supposed to want Debbie and Pete to work through their problems but, right from the outset, they make it difficult to root for their marriage. Debbie is a highly strung wife who seemingly flips out at Pete every other scene, then tries to talk about the communication problems they have. Pete is too detached, doesn’t seem to have an active interest in his family’s wellbeing, and is a bit of a dick. It seems more believable that these characters should end their marriage, but Apatow insists that this sort of polarised relationship should work.

As for their financial problems, they’re difficult to relate to for the average person. While Pete and Debbie talk about money being tight, they hardly seem to do any real work, they still drive their mid-range vehicles everywhere, and there really doesn’t ever seem to be a tangible reason to believe that they’ve fallen on financially challenging times. It’s more akin to watching a millionaire complain about money being tight and complaining that they can only have the gardener once a fortnight, instead of once a week.

Every time This is 40 tries to be a drama, it presents inconsistences that make it difficult to engage with. As a comedy, there just aren’t enough laughs there to maintain interest, and at 134 minutes, it’s way too long when there isn’t enough comedy to maintain interest. On paper This is 40 could have worked, but the result is a film that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be.

THIS IS 40 is in cinemas on the now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Sacha Gervasi
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

RENOWNED character actor Anthony Hopkins once again transforms into another iconic on-screen character in Hitchcock. The difference this time, though, is instead of playing the fictional likes of Doctor Hannibal Lecter, Hopkins embodies silver-screen icon Alfred Hitchcock.

After the success of North by Northwest, film media are asking Hitchcock if he’s had his day and it’s time to retire. Rising to the challenge, Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville (Mirren) wager their reputations, savings and even their house on a risky film adaptation of Robert Block’s horror novel Psycho.

Hitchcock orders his assistant Peggy Robertson (Collette) to buy all stocks of the novel to ensure that cinemagoers won’t know the plot twists ahead of time but, despite his commitment to the adaptation, none of the Hollywood studios want to finance the film. Even when Hitchcock and Reville self-fund the film, distributor Paramount is dubious as to the potential success of a controversial storyline and is constantly watching over Hitchcock’s shoulder as he tries to work. To further complicate matters, a rift forms between Hitchcock and Reville, as suave author Whitfield Cook attempts to woo Alma.

If you know a lot about Alfred Hitchcock or, specifically, the behind-the-scenes trivia surrounding Psycho, there won’t be any plot turns you won’t see coming. That being said, it’s a credit to the filmmakers that they haven’t strayed from the facts, and where poetic licence is injected, it really works.

Hitchcock does fall flat in parts, but that’s mainly due to the constraints of telling a biographical tale. Hopkins is enchanting as the eccentric Hitchcock, Mirren portrays a believable dichotomy in her love/loathe marriage with the auteur, and the supporting cast all offer fantastic performances; even those with limited screen time.

Hitchcock isn’t exactly a necessary film; it’s not the type of story which, after you’ve seen it, makes you understand why it had to be immortalised. But it is a quirky and interesting story nonetheless; and one that’s worth the price of admission.

HITCHCOCK is in cinemas on the 10^th of January.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Giovanni Ribisi
ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT

IF only a film was the sum of its cast. Unfortunately, Gangster Squad stands as another example of a film that had the potential to get it right given the collection of talent but, instead, delivers a mostly unforgettable experience.

Sergeant John O’Mara (Brolin) is a no-bullshit cop who’ll stop at nothing to ensure that justice is served, motivated by the horrors of his soldiering in World War II. You’ll know this is motivation because it’s explicitly said to him several times throughout the film, which neatly sums up the problems with a lot of the dialogue: it’s mostly expositional and, therefore, unbelievable.

It doesn’t take long for O’Mara to step on the toes of gangster kingpin Mickey Cohen (Penn): the unofficial law in 1950’s Los Angeles. Seemingly powerless to stop him, O’Mara is recruited by Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) to form a handpicked secret taskforce to destroy Cohen’s operation from the ground up. With the help of his pregnant wife, O’Mara pulls together a ragtag team of cops with attitude problems, and starts his war against Cohen.

On paper, Gangster Squad sounds like a 21^st century reimagining of classic gangster flick The Untouchables, but it has very little in common outside the basic premise. The over-the-top violence of the bad guys is softened by the inability for the titular gangster squad to do more than incapacitate their foes, instead of just killing them. They talk tough, but they rarely deliver on the follow-through. Despite the MA15+ rating, Gangster Squad plays it safe most of the time, and is so off kilter in certain scenes that you’ll quite literally find yourself laughing at what’s going on; even though you’re supposed to be taking it seriously.

Gangster Squad is fantastically shot, and the film certainly captures the looks of the time, but there’s not a whole lot else to praise. It’s a real shame because the talented cast does the best with the cards they’re dealt. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop Gangster Squad from being a disappointment that should have been a whole lot better.

GANGSTER SQUAD is in cinemas on the 10^th of January.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Director: Rich Moore
Stars: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill, Dennis Haysbert
DISNEY PICTURES

AFTER countless disastrous attempts to bring video game characters to life in film, the most recent shocker Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, it seems direct adaptation is not the answer. Gaming inspired films, such as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, tend to fend far better and this delightful animated romp is cut from the same cloth.

Old school bad guy Ralph (Reilly) is looking for a career change. Thirty years as the bad guy demolishing buildings in the game Fix-It Felix only to see his efforts instantly repaired by goody two-shoes Felix (McBrayer) is beginning to take its toll. Living in a dump and unsuccessfully seeking friendship from his workmates leaves him in a dark depression. He’s tired of being the bad guy and leaves his game fixated on becoming a hero, not realising the effects his disappearance inflicts on his Fix-It Felix co-workers.

Hitting the electronic intersection (the connecting power board at the video arcade) known as Game Central Station Ralph tries his hand at light-gun insect-smashing shooter Hero’s Duty before heading into the candy-coated cart racer Sugar Rush. Here he stumbles upon the down in the dumps and glitchy Vanellope (Silverman) and the two team up to turn their fortunes around. But an errant bug hitching along for the ride and the mental monarch of Candy Land could spell game over for the two of them. Will they succeed? Can Ralph go against his programming and become a hero?

Animation veteran director Rich Moore is completely at home in Wreck-It Ralph. With a distinguished pedigree following runs on The Simpsons, Futurama, The Critic and the incredibly warped Drawn Together he’s drawn from all these experiences to both write and direct a film with broad appeal to both adults and children, whether you’re a dedicated gamer or not.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a cheeky wink at hardcore gamers. There are dozens of subtle references to groundbreaking videogame franchises. There are the more obvious cameos with Zangief and M. Bison from Street Fighter and a Ghost Monster from Pac-Man as part of Ralph’s Bad-Anon support group as well as homage to classic video games such as Q*bert, Pong and Root Beer Tapper.

Delve a little deeper and a trained eye might notice graffiti at Game Central Station declaring “Aerith Lives!” in a nod to Final Fantasy VII, a poster with Sonic the Hedgehog, an exclamation mark alert and accompanying sound from Metal Gear Solid or Frogger jumping out of the way of Ralph’s destruction. You don’t need to be steeped in gaming lore to get all the jokes it’s more of a hidden bonus or Easter egg for those that do.

The game worlds range from retro, such as Ralph’s own game a combination of Donkey Kong and Rampage in glorious 8-bit stuttering graphics, to Mario Kart rip-off Sugar Rush to the insane bug-splattering action-fest Hero’s Duty riffing off military styled shooters such as the Call of Duty franchise.

There is a surprising amount of heart to Wreck-It Ralph though it never gets sickly sweet, instead finding the right balance to tug at your heartstrings. Each of the four main characters has some adversity in their programming which they unwittingly work together to overcome. John C. Reilly bring great sensitivity to Ralph and the comedic timing between his character and an almost unrecognisable Sarah Silverman as Vanellope is priceless.

The same can be said for the mismatched duo of McBrayer as happy-go-lucky Felix Fix-It and Jane Lynch as the stern hard as nails Sergeant Calhoun from Hero’s Duty. Written with the most tragic back-story in all of gamedom Calhoun keeps everyone at arm’s length until the smitten Felix starts to melt her icy heart. The unlikely chemistry between the two is pure magic with Lynch delivering scene-stealing performances every single time her character’s on screen.

Touching, gorgeously animated and gut-bustingly funny at times Wreck-It Ralph satisfies viewers of all ages, gamers or not. With shades of Brad Bird’s magnificent The Iron Giant it illustrates belief in yourself can overcome insurmountable odds. Simply put, you choose the type of person who you want to be. It’s an invaluable lesson for youngsters beautifully delivered in a film that speaks to your inner child and I simply can’t wait to go back and watch again.

Wreck-It Ralph is in cinemas December 26, 2012.

Review: Dave Kozicki

Directors: Sam Mendes
Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris
SONY PICTURES

MGM’s financial woes may have caused a forced hiatus for the production of the 23^rd official James Bond film, but Skyfall is finally poised to return to the silver screen; and what a return it is.

While not of the calibre of Casino Royale’s potent cocktail of drama, Bond tropes and engaging action, Skyfall is, thankfully, a whole lot closer to Craig’s first foray as 007 than it is to his last divisive and disappointing film in the series, Quantum of Solace. Unlike Craig’s last Bond film, Skyfall doesn’t try to tell an interconnected tale; instead, carving its own path and exploring the history of James Bond, both as a character and onscreen icon. The latter it does near-flawlessly; the former, not to the same strength.

Skyfall wastes no time getting into the thick of things as Bond and field agent Eve (Harris) are on assignment in Turkey, tasked with recovering a stolen hard drive that contains the details of all undercover NATO agents. An epic chase scene ensues that sees M (Dench) giving the order for Eve to take a risky shot that wings Bond and sends him tumbling into a river below.

When MI6 is attacked by Raoul Silva (Bardem), Bond stops enjoying the perks of his assumed death and returns to England to help track down Silva. Bond has seemingly lost his killer edge, though, and has to pass a set of physical and psychological tests to be put back onto active duty. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Silva isn’t merely interested in attacking MI6, NATO or England; he’s more interested in a personal attack on M.

As an action film, Skyfall is a visually fantastic (especially in 4K resolution), beautifully shot and an engaging piece of work, with occasional moments of dramatic poignancy that are affective and effective. The cracks appear, though, when dissecting the film too closely, or hoping/expecting it to be on the level of Casino Royale in terms of dramatic impact.

If you see Bond for action, gadgets and girls, Skyfall has you covered, and then some. If, however, the Craig-era emphasis on the character exploration of James Bond—both internally and by the people around him—Skyfall isn’t as tight as it could have been. In particular, Bardem’s hammy portrayal of the film’s antagonist stands at ends with the rest of the seriousness of the film, which results in him feeling somewhat out of place. Bardem’s performance works effectively as a nod to the over-the-top Bond villains of yesteryear, but it’s not, for instance, the type of grounded insanity that Heath Ledger injected into his take on The Joker.

At the end of the day, Skyfall is a strong return to form for the series, even if over-analysis can somewhat sour the experience. If anything, it further solidifies Craig’s deservedness of the 007 title and makes you want to see where his character will go next.

SKYFALL is in cinemas on the 22^nd of November.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: John Hillcoat
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Guy Pearce, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman
ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT

IF only films were the sum of their potential. This is the unfortunate disclaimer hanging over the head of Lawless: a film which, on paper, should be a hit for both critics and cinemagoers. Unfortunately, despite an impressive collection of actors and subsequent performances, Lawless falls short of what it could have been.

The Bondurant brothers—Jack (LaBeouf), Forrest (Hardy) and Howard (Clarke)—make a living by producing moonshine on a small scale in Prohibition-era Virginia. They have the local authorities paid off, but when Special Deputy Charles Rakes (Pearce) comes into town, the Bondurant boys find themselves caught in a dangerous battle with the law.

Rakes isn’t afraid to take matters into his own twisted hands, and tensions hit boiling point when ambitious Jack runs a liquor blockade in a truck filled with moonshine and strikes a deal with Chicagoan gangster Floyd Banner (Oldman).

Every member of the cast puts in a stellar performance—in particular, LaBeouf, Hardy, and Pearce’s villainous portrayal of Charlie Rakes—and there are some furious moments of graphic violence that are both hard-hitting and effective. The main problem with Lawless, though, is the storyline.

The plot is taken from the stranger-than-fiction real-life story of the Bondurant brothers (The Wettest Country in the World, by Matt Bondurant: grandson of Jack Bondurant), and it’s an incredible tale. Unfortunately, Lawless often gets bogged down in various subplots and, in many ways, seems like the filmmakers couldn’t decide on a core story they wanted to tell. The result is a meandering storyline that is occasionally brilliant and on track and, the rest of the time, loses the plot, focusing on characters and events that don’t complement the main thrust of the tale.

It’s a shame Lawless feels so disjointed because when it works, it really works; but when it gets lost in the details, it makes you wish it would get back to the fascinating point of the story. The real crying shame, though, is that it’s too easy to compare Lawless to the likes of Boardwalk Empire; and the HBO TV show does the multi-character sprawling tale of Prohibition-era America so much better.

LAWLESS is in cinemas now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence

Directors: Andrew Dominik
Cast: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Ben Mendelsohn, Scott McNairy
HOYTS DISTRIBUTION

KIWI writer/director Andrew Dominik (Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) brings back the leading man of his last film adaptation for a result that, tonally, sits halfway between his first two feature-length movies.

Brad Pitt stars as Jackie Cogan: a hitman who’s called into town after a mob-sanctioned poker game run by Markie Trattman (Liotta)—a man who stupidly bragged about knocking over his own game in the past—is robbed by two opportunistic thieves (McNairy and Mendelsohn). He liaises with an unnamed middleman (Jenkins), as they discuss the various ins and outs of the best way to deal with the sticky situation. They eventually agree on bringing in Mickey (Gandolfini) to help Cogan with the multiple hits; but Mickey isn’t the hitman he used to be.

If you’re a fan of Dominik’s work, Killing Them Softly is an easy choice. It’s not as accessible as Chopper—in fact, its pace is closer to The Assassination of Jesse James than Dominik’s breakout hit—but the short running time, abundance of black comedy and occasional graphic violence make it comparable to the Eric Bana-led film.

In many ways, Killing Them Softly feels like the rebirth of the slow-burn films of the ‘70s but, regardless of how you feel about that, you’re still in for impressive performances across the board from a solid and diverse cast. McNairy and Mendelsohn play the stupid-but-loveable thieves to a tee, Liotta nails his depiction of a character whose past has come back to haunt him, Jenkins provides some offbeat comic relief, and Gandolfini injects a whole lot of brokenness into Mickey.

At the end of the day, though, for a film that’s based on a 1974 book called Cogan’s Trade (also, the original title of the film), Killing Them Softly belongs to Pitt, who dominates every scene he’s in with, arguably, his best performance to date. The pace may not be to everyone’s taste, but the performances that Dominik draws from his cast are worth the price of admission.

KILLING THEM SOFTLY is in cinemas now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence