WIN 1 of 20 in-season double passes to see SAW VI, which splatters its way into cinemas October 22nd.
Film about robots is mechanical. Who’d have guessed?
Astro Boy — the big-screen adaptation of the beloved 60s Japanese manga-turn-anime series — has been welded together using the parts of other (better) films like Gladiator, The Incredibles, A.I, Pinocchio and, most notably, Frankenstein. It’s a hybrid creation only small children and the most die-hard fans could love, but even they might find this slapdash animated adventure is a middling diversion at best.
Win one of 20 double passes to see the new British coming-of-age drama ‘An Education’, in cinemas October 22nd.
Extravagant weddings are a common part of Greek culture, and first came to Hollywood’s attention through the success of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). Greeks are known for their drama more than most other Europeans, so to have a wedding without it would be implausible.
Sicily’s Cosa Nostra mafia have gained a strong international profile in recent years, through films like last year’s Gomorrah and Gabriele Salvatores’ I’m Not Scared (2003). The underlying corruption in Sicilian communities still lingers past the 20th Century, bringing us a slew of films with revelations about men, family honour, politics and power.
Foreign films can be a mixed bag of sweets, from crusty saccharine affairs to genuine glacé gems like Departures Okuribito). Directed by Yojiro Takita, this film gently probes at our modern contemplations of death. It follows the journey of Daigo Kabayashi (Masahiro Motoki), an ex-cellist who finds himself, accidentally, employed as an encoffineer (a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the afterlife). His personal epiphanies and intimate encounters with death are subtly and mirthfully used to explore the meaning of life and living.
Predictability. It’s something that tends to plague many films, yet it’s the single greatest strength of the Final Destination series. There’s nothing more predictable than someone dying in a horror film, so why not embrace it? It’s all about the build-up;knowing something bad is going to happen, but being powerless to stop it, is more nerve wrecking than the actual event itself. That’s why the Final Destination series actually benefits from foreshadowing everything to, ahem, death.
“It’s like a screensaver!” says John Fevreau’s character upon arriving at their stunning Island resort in Couples Retreat. The line perfectly encapsulates my attitude towards the film overall, as like a screensaver, Couples Retreat is something you want to appear on-screen when you’re not around. It’s little more than a plodding slideshow of gorgeous scenery and gorgeous people, with little rom or com to speak of. If only bringing an end to its insufferably drawn-out 110 minute runtime just meant wiggling the mouse.
