Growing Up and Other Lies

After struggling for years as an artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him... 

Directors:

Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs

Writers:

Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs

Stars:

Adam Brody, Wyatt Cenac, Danny Jacobs |  

Storyline

After struggling for years as an artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him retrace their greatest adventure together: a walk down the entire length of Manhattan. But their attempt to reclaim the glory of their early 20s doesn't go quite as planned. Over the course of the day, buried conflicts emerge as Jake becomes embroiled with his ex-girlfriend and his friends dip into their own crises of manhood.

User Reviews

I was fortunate enough to catch the premiere screening last month followed by an insightful Q&A. Wonderfully scripted and directed by Danny Jacobs and Darren Grodsky. A tremendously fun and energetic love letter to Manhattan. Beautifully shot in an array of familiar and not so familiar locations, showing the appeal of both the rhythm and noise of the busy city streets as well as the haunting beauty found in forgotten dilapidation. Consistently funny and engrossing with a charming and skilled cast. Highlights include Danny Jacobs lovable performance contrasting the deadpan curmudgeon Wyatt Cenac. I'm not sure if it inspired me to explore Manhattan, or just made me feel like they took care of it for me. Loved it. Watch it!

Two Days, One Night

Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job.

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Stars:

Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée |  

Storyline

Sandra Bya, married with two children, has been off work from her job at Solwal on medical leave for depression. During her absence from work, her boss, M. Dumont, on the suggestion of her immediate supervisor, the shop foreman Jean-Marc, figures that her section of the company can function with sixteen people working full time with a bit of overtime instead of seventeen with no overtime, that seventeenth person being Sandra. Because of the global competition the company faces, Dumont decides the company can only finance the annual bonuses for those sixteen employees, which are EUR1,000 per person, or Sandra's job, leaving the decision to those sixteen. On a Friday near the end of her medical leave, Sandra learns of this situation from her friend and co-worker Juliette after the "show of hands" vote is held, the result a 13-3 decision for the bonuses over Sandra's job. Because Juliette knows Jean-Marc, who is determined to get rid of Sandra, influenced the vote by scare mongering

User Reviews

It's as low key and quiet as a film can get. It's not enhanced for comedy, action, or drama. Just a realistic human story of the basic struggle to make ends meet in this world.

It's the type of movie that separates the movie geeks from the film geeks.

As a film geek, I can appreciate how the filmmakers did so much with so little, especially actress,Marion Cotillard.

The movie counts on her being realistic, all the way down to the weight it looks like she lost in order to play a woman who just got over an illness, and in order to get her job back spends a weekend visiting her coworkers in order to convenience them to vote for her to get her job back in a secret ballet on Monday, over a big bonus they would all get if she stays laid-off. She had to be believable as a proud woman who did not want to ask her coworkers of this, she did not want their pity, but she needed to support her family, a situation all of her coworkers are also in. It's a truly unbalanced and unfair situation for everyone and Marion did an excellent job portraying how uncomfortable that is.

As a movie geek, though the movie was watered down with absolutely no sugar, I'm glad it was not boring. It helps that the subject is something almost everyone who has a job in this economy can relate to, no matter which side of the equation you're on.

Definitely the type of picture we'll all be discussing long after the film is over. '

Chef

A chef who loses his restaurant job starts up a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.

Director:

Jon Favreau

Writer:

Jon Favreau

Stars:

Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson

Storyline

Carl Casper is an acclaimed chef with a family life that seems as decaying as his artistic freedom. Those frustrations boil over into a raucous viral-videoed public confrontation against a restaurant critic who panned his cooking of food that his boss ordered him to make against his instincts. Now with his career ruined, Carl's ex-wife offers an unorthodox solution in Miami: refit an old food truck to offer quality cooking on his own terms. Now with his young son, Percy, and old colleague, Martin, helping, Carl takes a working trip across America with that truck to rediscover his gastronomic passion. With Percy's tech savvy and Martin's enthusiasm, Carl finds that he is creating a traveling sensation on the way home. In doing so, Carl discovers he is serving up more than simply food, but also a deeper connection with his life and his family that is truly delicious in its own way.

User Reviews

I've always been a big fan of Jon Favreau due to both his acting history and his fantastic directorial skills in the Iron Man films. So I looked forward to renting and watching CHEF. But 30 really-trying minutes into the movie, it becomes obvious that every scene is 5x longer than it needs to be and 5x less interesting than it could be. Moving at roughly the speed of wood, the film occasionally offers enjoyable performances from Sophia Vergara, Dustin Hoffman and Emjay Anthony (who plays Favreau's son, who is reaching out to his dad for a richer relationship). The film needed a better writer, and desperately needs an editor, ANY editor. I finally resorted to fast forwarding through most of the rest of the movie, before slitting my own wrists from having to endure any more tediously long scenes.

Leviathan

In a Russian coastal town, Kolya is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family.

Director:

Andrey Zvyagintsev

Writers:

Oleg Negin, Andrey Zvyagintsev

Stars:

Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Roman 

Storyline

On the outskirts of a small coastal town in the Barents Sea, where whales sometimes come to its bay, lives an ordinary family: Kolya (Aleksey Serebryakov), his wife Lilya (Elena Lyadova) and their teenage son Romka. The family is haunted by a local corrupted mayor (Roman Madyanov), who is trying to take away the land, a house and a small auto repair shop from Kolya. To save their homes Kolya calls his old Army friend in Moscow (Vladimir Vdovichenkov), who has now become an authoritative attorney. Together they decide to fight back and collect dirt on the mayor.

User Reviews

From the first five minutes, I was appealed to this movie more than 3/4 of what I've seen this year. It was dark, it was beautifully shot, and established its characters nicely. People complain it took too long for the characters to be established and that the story took too long to unfold. Haven't you heard of visual storytelling? As it plays out, you find out the dark shadows that follow each character and who they really are in the situation they're in. From the wife (most interesting character), to the step- son of the wife. The father is a dark character that is strained beyond limits, and the fantastic acting portrayed by the father is just one of the great performances done by all the actors and actresses. It fights the bond of love, land, and power. The corruption that still stands tall in Russia and its small towns that surround the leviathan that is the story. It unravels extremely slow, but thats what makes more of an impact. The over-thirty second shot of the woman in court explaining the case is so well done, you can really just see the effort put into each role in the film. If only American films could be so well thought out. For any person who has the near two and a half hour time to watch a superb film, sit down and immerse yourself into the gloomy world that inhabits these characters. It teaches you, it haunts you, it stays with you.

Paddington

A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

Director:

Paul King

Writers:

Paul King, Hamish McColl (screen story), 2 more credits »

Stars:

Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters |  

Storyline

A young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined - until he meets the kindly Brown family, who read the label around his neck ('Please look after this bear. Thank you.') and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.

User Reviews

Well this was a wonderful surprise. Full of charm and wit, Paddington is an irresistibly heart-warming film that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Everything from the quirky humour, to the British scenery to the wonderfully-animated bear himself is a true delight to watch. The cast are also brilliant. The Brown family feel genuinely real and easy to relate to. I particularly enjoyed Huge Bonneville's amusing performance as Mr Brown, as he overcomes his initial distaste for Paddington and grows to love him as the rest of his family do. Other stand outs include Peter Capaldi, as crafty neighbour Mr Curry, and Nicole Kidman as the Cruella De-Ville-esque villain.

However, the true highlight of the film is of course Paddington himself. Whether he's flying down a staircase amidst a pool of water or clinging on to a bus for dear life to give a man his wallet back, he lights up the screen with his presence. Yet it is his honest and virtuous nature that makes him so lovable as a character. Innovative and fresh , yet a fine complement to the books, you would do well to find a more pleasant and charming family film than Paddington.

What We Do in the Shadows

Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane - like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.

Directors:

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Writers:

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Stars:

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh |  

Storyline

Follow the lives of Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) - three flatmates who are just trying to get by and overcome life's obstacles-like being immortal vampires who must feast on human blood. Hundreds of years old, the vampires are finding that beyond sunlight catastrophes, hitting the main artery, and not being able to get a sense of their wardrobe without a reflection-modern society has them struggling with the mundane like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.

User Reviews

The three lead vampires in this film were absolutely fantastic, especially Jonathon Brugh (His solo dance routine was one of the most awkwardly hilarious things I have ever seen!). I loved all three of the main characters and their interactions with Stu. I was laughing the whole way through this film which is continuously funny.

I actually found some of the scenes to be quite frightening, especially when the vampires are chasing one of their victims through their home! This scene was one of my favourites.

I don't think it needed to be a mockumentary though. Sometimes the shots were purposefully too long which felt unnecessary and just slowed the pace of the film. Some of the jolty, hand-held camera shots could be a bit annoying too. Otherwise, I loved it and definitely recommend it! I hope it claims top spot for its opening weekend in NZ.

Wild Tales

ix short stories involving distressed people.

Director:

Damián Szifrón (as Damián Szifron)

Writer:

Damián Szifrón (as Damián Szifron)

Stars:

Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa |  

Storyline

Six short stories involving distressed people.

User Reviews

Mixing modern rage with black comedy this collection of shorts rises above expectations to become one of the best and funniest movies from Argentina along with The Secret In Their Eyes and El Aura, and probably the most accessible for international audiences

Six unrelated stories that share a common theme of revenge are shown back to back, and not edited back and forward like it's usual with these kind of movie, some of them are better than others: the opener, the road rage incident, the hit and run, and the wedding stand out, while the more conventional and predictable "Bombita" and "The Rats" still entertain thanks to superb writing and directing

There's a few annoying problems with logical plot holes like why would the rich yuppie go out of his way to put the damaged spare tired in his trunk (and thus leaving it open) when running for his life and factual errors like on the wedding episode the bride's threats about this husband's companies are meaningless because in Argentina possessions are considered marriage goods ("bienes gananciales") only if the are acquire during the marriage and not before like the screen husband's companies, and like these are others but among such high quality stuff glaring mistakes like these are more evident

Kill the Messenger

A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives him to the point of suicide after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine ... 

Director:

Michael Cuesta

Writers:

Peter Landesman, Gary Webb (book),

Stars:

Jeremy Renner, Robert Patrick, Jena Sims |  

Storyline

A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives him to the point of suicide after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine into California. Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb.

User Reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. This is one of those true stories that probably works better as a drama than as a documentary. Jeremy Renner brings passion and believability to his role as infamous journalist Gary Webb. This allows us to gain insight into Mr. Webb as a father, husband and man, rather than only as a fiery investigative reporter.

You likely recall Webb's published story from 1996, when his research uncovered the likelihood that cocaine imported into the US was being sold as crack cocaine and the profits were going towards funding arms for the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. The kicker being that the CIA was well aware of these activities.

The film presents Webb as an idealist, too naive to comprehend that the story would have ramifications to his employer, his family and his self. The use of actual news footage adds a dose of reality, as does the mention of Ronald Reagan, Oliver North, John Kerry ... and even the role Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky played in outshining the ultimate acknowledgment of Webb's work.

The underlying message here ... beyond the governmental cover-up ... is the lack of a true free press. Of course, this issue remains front and center today, but in this particular instance, it's surprising to see the influence and pressure applied by outside forces. It's further proof that any hope for checks and balances from our news outlets was snuffed out many years ago.

The movie is based on two books: Gary Webb's own "Dark Alliance" and Nick Shou's "Kill the Messenger". The frustration as a viewer is derived from the fragmented presentation brought on by steady stream of new characters who mostly only appear in one or maybe two scenes. The list of known actors is impressive: Rosemary DeWitt, Oliver Platt, Robert Patrick, Tim Blake Nelson, Michael Sheen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Paz Vega, Barry Pepper, Michael Kenneth Williams, Andy Garcia, Gil Bellows, Lucas Hedges, Richard Schiff, and Ray Liotta. That should help explain what I mean by fragmented.

The story is an important one and the film is worth seeing. It's impossible to not think of All the President's Men while watching. The Grandaddy of crusading journalism continues to produce heirs ... even those that are a black eye for the newspaper industry and our government.

While We're Young

A middle-aged couple's career and marriage are overturned when a disarming young couple enters their lives.

Director:

Noah Baumbach

Writer:

Noah Baumbach

Stars:

Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Stiller |  

Storyline

A middle-aged couple's career and marriage are overturned when a disarming young couple enters their lives.

User Reviews

After seeing the trailer for While We're Young last week I was reminded what a wonderful and smart comedy this is. It was my favorite movie from TIFF last year, and one of Baumbach's best.

Anyone over 40 will relate to Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts), a married couple in a rut. It's that painful experience of realizing that you've grown up without even trying to, and it's hard to see what's still possible when your body is reminding you that half of your life is already behind you. Baumbach is able to turn this experience into a hilarious and heartwarming story, and that is no small feat. It's serious stuff.

I remember his debut feature Kicking and Screaming as a seminal movie of my 20s. If you've seen it, you might have the same feeling watching While We're Young that I did. It was like I'd watched Noah Baumbach grow up through his films and characters. I suspect if you watched all his movies in sequence it would be quite powerful. Maybe Noah Baumbach is due for a retrospective titled "Manhood" ??

Highly recommend seeing this. Performances are excellent across the board. Charles Grodin is a living legend!

Love & Mercy

The life of reclusive Beach Boys songwriter and musician Brian Wilson, from his successes with highly-influential orchestral pop albums to his nervous breakdown and subsequent encounter with controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

Director:

Bill Pohlad

Writers:

Michael A. Lerner, Oren Moverman (screenplay)

Stars:

Elizabeth Banks, John Cusack, Paul Dano |  

Storyline

The life of reclusive Beach Boys songwriter and musician Brian Wilson, from his successes with highly-influential orchestral pop albums to his nervous breakdown and subsequent encounter with controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

User Reviews

I saw this movie last night at the Elgin Theatre as part of the Toronto International Film Festival(TIFF). The Elgin was a perfect setting, as the theatre is built in an old fashioned and artistic way as probably most of the theatres looked in the early 60s when the Beach Boys started their careers. I almost wanted to cry when I came out of the movie. Several things struck me most about the film. The character of Dr. Eugene Landy was totally Gothic in his perverse behaviour, he was truly scary to look at. In contrast, the relationship between Melinda and Brian balanced the tension and eventually was able to be the catalyst for Brian to break out of his virtual imprisonment with Landy.

I grew up in the 60s and loved all the songs from the Beach Boys. In the 1990s I read a book about the band called "Heroes and Villains" by Stephen Gaines. I had no idea, however, how abusive Brian's father had been, not only physically but emotionally. The movie portrayed the creative aspects of Brian's work in the studio and the working of his imagination. Paul Giamatti did such a good job of playing the psycho that this set me off for most of the movie. Melinda's ability to recognize the genius and decency of Brian being the counterpoint. The acting was excellent and you come away with the realization of the great price that many artists have to pay to get their work out there!

The Drop

Bob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living - no matter the cost.

Director:

Michaël R. Roskam

Writers:

Dennis Lehane (screenplay), Dennis Lehane (short story "Animal Rescue")

Stars:

Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini |  

Storyline

Follows lonely bartender Bob Saginowski through a covert scheme of funneling cash to local gangsters - "money drops" - in the underworld of Brooklyn bars. Under the heavy hand of his employer and cousin Marv, Bob finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living - no matter the cost.

User Reviews

This is best movie I have seen this year so far. There I said it. I go see about 30-40 movies per year on average and this is the best one in 2014. Now that that is out of the way, here is why.

The movie is so solid through out, the acting is stellar and it builds tension to a very satisfying ending. This was also written by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, Shutter Island) so you know it has to be good right? Right.

It reminds me a little of "A History of Violence" in that it builds the tension very nicely and you know that some where down the line violence is going to happen, but when, how and why?

I am really sad that James Gandolfini is no longer with us, he is such a presence in the film. Tom Hardy is the best actor I can think of in today's era, I just buy into anything he is selling, he simmers here.

After a summer of mindless action flicks, go see something with some meat, great performances and a great screenplay. This is a very good drama, well worth your $12.00.

Mr. Turner

An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh (screenplay)

Stars:

Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson |  

Storyline

Mr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.

User Reviews

Let's start with the good - it's beautifully shot and acted. That's it. The film lacks any element of storyline. It begins with a shot of Turner in Holland. But why? We're never told. He goes to Margate to paint. But why there instead of some other part of Britain? We're never told. He gets tied to the mast of a ship in a storm. But that's almost a stand-alone scene. His housekeeper has some sort of progressive disease but we're never told what it is or why she had it. I believe that Turner had a fairly contentious relationship with Constable but all we get here is a very brief scene in which Constable walks out in response to what he considers to be a slight on the part of Turner. If the relationship was as acrimonious as I believe it's reported to have been, couldn't Mike Leigh have used this to greater effect?

Overall the film looks as if somebody has been through a biography of Turner, used a highlighter pen to pick out important episodes and they've been stitched together as a complete piece. As a result, the movie is nothing more than a series of largely disjointed vignettes and represents 3 hours in a cinema to no good effect.

The Lego Movie

An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied 'Special', is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis.

Directors:

Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Writers:

Phil Lord (screenplay), Christopher Miller (screenplay), 4 more credits »

Stars:

Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks |  

Storyline

The LEGO Movie is a 3D animated film which follows lead character, Emmet a completely ordinary LEGO mini-figure who is identified as the most "extraordinary person" and the key to saving the Lego universe. Emmet and his friends go on an epic journey to stop the evil tyrant, Lord Business.

User Reviews

To be honest – when I first heard of 'The Lego Movie' I thought it to be a ridiculous idea and automatically dismissed it as something bad. However, when I gave it a second thought, I realized I kind of liked the idea. I mean, why not create a big budget movie that takes place inside the Lego universe? At least it's somewhat original (there have been previous Lego movies, but they were all direct-to-video, and from what I realize – they are much different from this one). And in this age of spin-offs, remakes, prequels, etc. originality is more valuable than ever. Add to that the amazing cast in the movie, and I, for one, needed no more reasons to see this movie – and I ultimately enjoyed it.

The movie opens with the movie's villain, Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell), stealing a mysterious artifact called the 'Kragle' (I hope I've written it correctly) from a wizard named Vitruvius (voiced by Morgan Freeman), in order to destroy the Universe. During their encounter, Vitruvius tells of a prophecy about a Chosen one, who will find another mystical artifact, called 'The Resistance Piece' and will put an end to Business's mettle. 8 and a half years later, Lord Business's alter ego – President Business – is ruling the whole world in a sort of totalitarian way. We then meet the movie's protagonist, Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt), who one day accidentally stumbles upon 'The Resistance Piece' and is thought to be the Chosen one by a group of Lego characters called the MasterBuilders.

Despite the fact that The Lego Movie's plot summary may seem a bit complicated (and despite the fact that I hailed the movie's originality a moment ago), the movie is actually pretty predictable and formulaic. That isn't necessarily a bad thing – actually, the movie has an explanation of some sort for why it is so predictable – but the movie does get slightly tedious from time to time. The only other possible downsides to the movie besides that, are the movie's third act, which gets clingy in some parts, and some of the action scenes. I like how the animation is a combination of both stop motion and CGI, but this unusual style of animation may be hard to follow during a few action scenes – and I fear this scenes might be even harder to follow if you decide to watch the movie in 3D. Nonetheless, all this downsides to the movie are easily overshadowed by its qualities.

The movie's biggest quality is definitely that it is fun. The Lego Movie is a nostalgic look back at childhood and it helps to realize that our child games were often very silly, ridiculous, over the top and funny – and in that way The Lego Movie could be better appreciated by adults than by children. Virtually almost every scene contains a silly joke or gag and I was constantly giggling throughout the whole movie. The Lego Movie easily succeeds in being a feel good, ridiculously entertaining movie that is worth your time. Moreover, another The Lego Movie's quality is that it has quite an impressive cast (Pratt, Ferrell, Banks, Day, Brie, Freeman, Hill, Neeson, Offerman, O'Neil, etc.), that portrays a bunch of very colorful and memorable characters. In short, if you are interested in watching a nostalgic throwback to your childhood or just want to watch a fun, feel-good movie, you mustn't skip The Lego Movie.

Alex of Venice

Workaholic attorney, Alex [Winstead] is forced to reinvent her life after her husband suddenly leaves. Now faced with the humdrum and sometimes catastrophic events that permeate the fabric ..

Director:

Chris Messina

Writers:

Jessica Goldberg, Katie Nehra, 1 more credit »

Stars:

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Chris 

Storyline

Workaholic attorney, Alex [Winstead] is forced to reinvent her life after her husband suddenly leaves. Now faced with the humdrum and sometimes catastrophic events that permeate the fabric of our lives, Alex discovers both a vulnerability and inner strength she had not yet tapped all while trying to hold together her broken family.


 

Love, Rosie

Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another...or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies.

Director:

Christian Ditter

Writers:

Juliette Towhidi (screenplay), Cecelia Ahern (novel)

Stars:

Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Christian Cooke |  

Storyline

Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another... or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies. One awkward turn at 18, one missed opportunity... and life sends them hurling in different directions. But somehow, across time, space and different continents, the tie that binds them cannot be undone. Will they find their way back to one another, or will it be too late? Based on Cecelia Ahern's bestselling novel "Where Rainbows End", LOVE, ROSIE is a modern comedy-of-errors tale posing the ultimate question: Do we really only get one shot at true love?

User Reviews

Somehow i made it to the end of this movie in spite of questioning myself the whole way through as to why I was giving it my time. I think this has more to do with my inability to stop something half-way through or perhaps my willing it to get better & leave me feeling at least somewhat satisfied. Not. This. Film. They were so busy squeezing in the many missed opportunities the leads had of getting together that they forgot to give them personalities or anything for the audience to care about! The script was weak at best (& at times simply confusing in its empty/fast-forwarded-ness), the acting was mostly unconvincing & the characters so badly stereotyped that they couldn't have any credence at all. Add this to some been there, done that, attempts at comedic moments & you have a deeply vapid experience that laughs at the audience for staying the course. As you can tell, i found nothing redeeming in this movie at all & cannot understand why it has 7 stars. There was nothing new or clever or interesting or emotive in this film...so what's the point?

Hobbit

Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness.

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers:

Fran Walsh (screenplay), Philippa Boyens (screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars:

Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage |  

Storyline

After the Dragon leaves the Lonely Mountain, the people of Lake-town see a threat coming. Orcs, dwarves, elves and people prepare for war. Bilbo sees Thorin going mad and tries to help. Meanwhile, Gandalf is rescued from the Necromancer's prison and his rescuers realize who the Necromancer is.

User Reviews

In this film you will see: Animated fights containing dwarfs. Animated fights containing elves. Animating fights containing humans. Animated fights containing orcs. Superlarge animated worms which digs through unnoticeable through the ground. Characters you don't care about dieing. Plot devices everywhere. Eagles saving the day... once more... for no reason. Animated animations doing animated things. Legolas breaking even more laws of physics (seriously, that dude must be a god or something.. He jumps like... 30 meter, onto a giant troll which is about 7 meters tall, sticks a knife in his brain, mindcontrols him to knock down a tower which later on becomes a bridge which he will fight another giant orc which will almost die like 123 times and then at the end die once and for all.... lol jk he survived but noes, now he did die and lol we're happy ohno he survived anyway OK now legolas killed him). A love story which feels awfully forced and pointless (srsly... who cares???). Countless forced references to lord of the rings (also sersly... we get it... the hobbit is a prequel, okay, let it go.).

And lots more. I can go on forever. This film was awful, i feel cheated in so many ways.

The Water Diviner

An Australian man travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to try and locate his three missing sons.

Director:

Russell Crowe

Writers:

Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios

Stars:

Jai Courtney, Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko |  

Storyline

After the Battle of Gallipoli, in 1919, an Australian farmer, Connor (Russell Crowe), travels to Turkey to find his 3 missing sons. While staying at a hotel in Istanbul, he meets Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), the hotel manager. And tries to find a way to Gallipoli.

User Reviews

The new film from Russell Crowe's new production company "FEAR of GOD Films" is remarkable. Truly the BEST film Russell has ever made.

In The Water Diviner the characters were real, with a depth of emotion and feeling not seen in many films today. The choice of actors was spot on and I could not find fault with any of their acting, from the young boy to the love interest. The parts of the Turkish sergeant and commander were played by men who gave their all and it showed.

The roles played by the English and Australian officers was also commendable and their portrayed anxiety for the man wanting to visit Gallipoli, was done with a true sense of feeling and concern, even though this concern was misguided in this case.

The locations for Gallipoli (near Pt. Lincoln)and other areas (Burra) were well chosen and apart from some scenes, were filmed at the South Australian Film Corporation on Greenhill Road, Adelaide, South Australia.

The story is wonderful and who ever wrote the script is to be commended.

If Russell and others in the cast are not recommended for the Academy and other Awards I will be most surprised. The film should be nominated for best film 2014 and best director. Many of the cast should be nominated for Awards in each of the relative roles.

A Great film, a very commendable film, Russell's best and to date Greatest film. My belief is, that "The Water Diviner" is in the category of being one of the very best films made since WW2.

A great film, made and directed by an Aussie too! The love interest between the farmer and the girl was tender and Russell's treatment of this was brilliant, whereby even a look between a man and a woman conveys all that is needed.