When the next Australian film to hit cinemas is a French co-production that features beautiful scenery, impressive performances and paranormal themes, it would be reasonable to expect something exciting is heading our way. But don’t hold your breath; Julie Bertuccelli’s The Tree is yet another ponderous Aussie film structured around well-trodden themes of death and family dysfunction.

In the current climate of reboots, sequels and prequels, it has become a natural reaction for movie-goers to groan at the next film to draw off past classics. So initial cynicism about a 21^st century follow-up to Oliver Stone’s iconic, white collar drama, Wall Street (1987) is understandable. However, putting aside these prejudices, it becomes clear that Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (Wall Street 2) is a rather good idea, [...]

Sometimes in cinema, we see a movie that can’t really be criticised without sounding as if we expect everything to be a masterpiece. Sometimes a film will exhibit obnoxious, uninspired, lazy or subjectively displeasing elements that we can confidently criticise and openly disapprove of. However, if your biggest criticism of the picture is: “it’s no Citizen Kane” or “it’s no Shawshank Redemption”, you truly have nothing substantial to dislike. For me, this situation applies to Despicable Me; the latest computer generated family adventure.

If you ever wondered what would happen if Russell Brand relapsed into drugs and took off on a ridiculous adventure, then Nicholas Stoller’s Get Him to the Greek might have your answer. Although the strong cast is enough to sell such a simple plot, Greek has a lot to offer in it’s outrageous portrayal of stardom that will rival anything you see on TMZ.

Crime-drama movies never really have much trouble satisfying my need for a good, solid story – and I’m not the only one. With the genre’s prevalence in film and television, it’s clear that a simple criminal investigation can go a long way with audiences. Argentinean film, The Secret in Their Eyes is the latest offering of its type, not only meeting my general expectations but surpassing them, with a simple, yet unpredictable plotline that has you guessing until the very end.

Mindless action movies can be absolutely fantastic, especially if you are in the right mood to consume a patently ridiculous plotline, exaggerated physics and a heroic protagonist with a flair for blowing things up. Some of these films can be appreciated for being “so bad their good”, others are well conceived spectacles with uber cool, or bad ass, main characters. Sometimes they will even poke fun at themselves, or pay homage to classic action movies of old.

Despite some technical flaws and required knowledge, Amos Oz: The Nature of Dreams is an insightful documentary and should be seen by anyone with a moderate interest in Israel’s current political situation.

The White Ribbon is not for everyone, but those with the patience to see its entirety will experience a unique window into the world of the German pre-war village; complete with social conflict, mystery and lots of subtext.