Poll Results: Most Overrated Film of 2008

At the start of this month I unveiled what I thought to be the 5 most underrated films of 2008. Naturally this begs another question; what is the most overrated films of the last year? Instead of writing an article, I took it to a poll. Obviously not every acclaimed or popular film was an option, but I think the poll covered most bases.

After 32 votes, here are the results!

Man On Wire (Review)

Philippe Petit is an extraordinary man. Anyone who saw his interview on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton got a fascinating insight into what makes this man tick and how he goes about satisfying it. It’s not just what he does, but how much he appreciates and is excited by doing things, and how it affects other people. Brash, eccentric and slightly self-centred, the Frenchman’s story wouldn’t have evolved without breaking the rules – but wire walking is an [...]

Doubt (Review)

No-one need be reminded that a film with Meryl Streep released in the American winter is gunning for Oscar glory. The Academy also seems to have a knack for loving the drama, favouring grief-stricken characters over more comedic roles. It seems then, that Doubt fits the bill and as such has been rewarded for its superb casting. Now up to a record 15 nominations for Streep, she is joined by fellow winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, nominee Amy Adams [...]

81st Academy Award Nominations – Shocking Exclusions and Pleasant Surprises

The nominations for the 81st Academy Awards are finally in, and  boy are there some surprises! The Dark Knight and Revolutionary Road get shafted from deserving categories, but included in surprising ones. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button takes in the most nominations at 13, but can it outshine Golden (Globes) boy Slumdog Millionaire?

Here are some quick observations:

Valkyrie (Review)

I blame History for spoiling Hollywood’s latest Nazi thriller Valkyrie. Had I not previously known that the attempt made by Germans to assassinate Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime had failed, it might have made for a more engaging movie. It’s common knowledge that the Nazi leader topped himself; clearly a completely miscast Tom Cruise had nothing to do with it.

Cinema Releases – January 22, 2009

Opening this week in cinemas across Australia:

Valkyrie - A WW2 thriller that sees Tom Cruise attempt to assassinate Nazi German Führer, Adolf Hitler.

Revolutionary Road – Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCarprio battle suburban blues in this drama from acclaimed director Sam Mendes.

Gran Torino – Clint Eastwood directs and stars in a film about Bigoted Korean War Vet who tries to reform his Hmong teenage neighbour.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – An origin story centred on the centuries-old [...]