As much as director Sam Mendes seems to loathe suburbia, he is undeniably fascinated by it. Revolutionary Road sees the director re-explore the “hopeless emptiness” of suburban life, the monotony of being just like everyone else, and the childish desire to simply escape it all. He’s been here before; despite being an adaptation of Richard Yate’s novel, Revolutionary Road is essentially a 1950′s themed take on the same issues Mendes explored in 1998 with American Beauty. Arguably this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; Mendes’ directorial debut was a remarkable film and Road sees the director return to his obvious strengths. Yet despite an entire ensemble of superb performances, his latest film doesn’t feel as fresh as his earlier effort, nor does it have the lasting impact. Why? Simply because Mendes beat himself to it 10 years ago; he made his point so perfectly the first time around, it seems somewhat unnecessary to try and do it again.

Disney had no idea of the phenomenon it would create when they brought High School Musical (HSM) to TV screens across America in 2006. Since then it has become global, spawning two sequels (the latest to the big screen) that have brought the no-name actors international stardom. Zac Efron would undoubtedly be the biggest winner from the franchise, with a crazy statistic (one in three teenage girls in the US have his poster on their bedroom wall) suggesting his heartthrob status will continue after the end of the High School Musical juggernaut. There must be an end after all, for these stars anyway…

Vampires haven’t been given much treatment in Hollywood in recent times, but much of that would be due to the superhero invasion and the overwhelming anticipation for the release of the first film in the Twilight Saga. Stephenie Meyer’s books have topped the New York Times Bestsellers list, knocking off the likes of Harry Potter, and have gained quite a cult following from teenage girls among others. The story of Bella Swan and her Prince Charming, Edward Cullen, is an old-fashioned romance with an unconventional twist as she finds love while settling in a small town. The secret Edward hides of his true being is what sets their relationship apart and brings danger to the already klutzy Bella wherever they go.

It’s a bold and unusual move to name a film after an entire country. Considering that no feature length film since 1923 has been simply titled “America”, maybe there is a good reason why it’s not a common occurrence. Sure, the entire film subsequently acts as a giant advertisement for the country that millions will actually pay to see, but if the film completely bombs or even slightly falls short of expectations, its failure could potentially be forever associated with the nation. The stakes are raised even further when you consider that Australia is the nation and film in question. With the economy deep in recession and the nearly non-existent film industry floundering, the nation has desperately needs the film Australia to be a national and international success. However, when you have Oscar nominated auteur Baz Lurhmann behind the camera and Oscar winning actress Nicole Kidman in front of it, you’d be inclined to think it’s a safe gamble to make.

Wow! A teen coming-of-age film not part of the Frat Pack or Apatow collection! Not that we’re complaining about their output, as their films have re-reinvented the teen genre well, but it’s good to know there are other filmmakers out there putting their spin on things. The tagline “He’s leaving virgin territory” is almost misleading – Sex Drive is marketed as a teen comedy but has more to offer than [...]