Every film lover has an opinion on director, Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer, To Each His Own Cinema), but no matter what you think of his personal life you can’t say that he isn’t a brilliant film maker. Just to prove it along comes his new film, Carnage which is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece.

Based on the award-winning play by Yasmina Reza Carnage looks at the aftermath of what happens after Zachary Cowan (Elvis Polanski – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly, Oliver Twist) strikes his classmate, Ethan Longstreet (Eliot Berger – newcomer) in the face with a stick during a playground altercation.

Zachary’s parents Alan (Christoph Waltz – The Three Musketeers, Water For Elephants) and Nancy (Kate Winslet – Contagion, TV’S Mildred Pierce) go to the home of Ethan’s parents, Michael (John C. Reilly – We Need To Talk About Kevin. Terri) and Penelope (Jodie Foster – The Beaver, Nim’s Island) in a bid to discuss what should be done about the matter.

Agreements are made and accusations fly, as does the projectile vomit at times, and while both sets of parents are determined to get an outcome they just can’t come to a final solution and the whole meeting turns into a debacle.

Polanski doesn’t attempt to do too much with Carnage. He films it like a play, in the cofounds of the Longstreet home and he smartly lets the dialogue lead the way. Lovers of action will be turned off by Carnage because it literally lets the dialogue do the talking. Luckily, Reza’s script holds up on the big screen and with some immaculate timing Carnage ends up calling on all the things that made films such as Who’s Afraid Of Virgina Woolfe? and Twelve Angry Men such classics.

Also adding to Carnage is some some sensational acting. Kate Winslet in terrific and as you would expect Waltz and Foster are at the top their games. What will come as a surprise to some (but not to those who have seen Terri and We Need To Talk About Kevin) is that John C. Reilly holds his own. Over the last two years Reilly has chosen roles that cement him amongst the best dramatic actors around at the moment, and that trend continues here. He is no longer that comedic actor who seemed to always choose dodgy roles.

Carnage is a sensational watch for the serious movie goer. Great dialogue and brilliant acting make this an absolute gem.

Year: 2012

Director: Roman Polanski

Stars: Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Elvis Polanski, Eliot Berger

Classification: M

Runtime: 79 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

If you loved Girl With The Dragon Tattoo then you’ll also want to sit down and see Headhunters… as it’s the best Scandinavian thriller to surface since The Millenium series. Headhunters will have you constantly trying to guess what happens next and to the filmmakers credit this is a film that leaves you asking no questions.

Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie – Age Of Heroes, A Somewhat Gentle Man) suffers from small-man syndrome. He feels due to his lack of height that the only way he can keep his beautiful wife, Diana (Synnove Macody Lund – newcomer) from straying is to buy her love with expensive gifts. However, his wages as a corporate headhunter doesn’t allow for this so he moonlights as an art thief that has all the local Police scratching their heads.

Then enters Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Blackthorn, At World’s End) a business mogul, who is paying far too much attention to Diana and has an extremely rare art piece in his collection. He is obvious target for Roger but is it wise to steal from a man who is a creator of GPS technology and is trained by the army to find people?

When the team of screenwriters handed director, Morten Tyldum (Fallen Angels, Buddy) the script for Headhunters he must have been licking his lips, because after just one read he would have been able to tell that he was now at the helm of the best suspense-thrillers to surface in a long time.

Headhunters delivers the best of two worlds. The script is calculating and suspenseful and it’s violence doesn’t hold back. There are no ‘nice’ guys here, everybody is willing to kill to get what they want and Tyldum doesn’t hold back from showing graphic ‘after-scenes’ of a car accident or even the odd head-shot.

The script never allows for the audience to get too comfortable. You can never predict what will happen next, and for most of the film you can’t even work out who is friend or foe. Also outstanding is the fact that the writers make Roger such a hero when you already know that he is a adulterous art thief who will lie to get whatever he wants or needs.

Headhunters also showcases two of Scandinavia’s best actors to the world. Aksel Hennie and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are both sensational and either could slot into Hollywood with ease. Synnove Macody Lund can also hold her head up high. She debuts in this film and with her looks and talent I’m sure you will have producers lining up at her door to get her into their films.

This is one terrific thriller that fans of the genre shouldn’t miss. Truly stunning, Headhunters is a film that you will be telling your friends to go and see.

Year: 2012

Director: Morten Tyldum

Stars: Aksel Hennie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Synnove Macody Lund

Classification: MA15+

Runtime: 100 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

No this isn’t Spielberg’s long awaited film in the Jurassic Park series, in fact there isn’t a dinosaur to be seen. This is in fact a beautifully written and brilliantly acted, confronting film from the U.K. that deserves to pick up a number of awards along the way.

Written and directed by Paddy Considine (Dog Althogther), whom most would know as an actor who has appeared in films such The Bourne Ultimatum and Submarine, Tyrannosaur follows Joseph (Peter Mullan – War Horse, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1) a vile man who succumbs to his anger in violent outbursts. On a chance meeting with Hannah (Olivia Colman – The Iron Lady, See Me) the two begin a strange friendship. Hannah prays for Joseph, Joseph lashes out about her belief her God, but the one thing that Hannah does find is solace away from her aggressive husband, James (Eddie Marsan – Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, War Horse).

Tyrannosaur isn’t a film for everyone as Considine does not hold back. The audience is greeted with an opening that depicts Joseph lashing out and giving his beloved dog enough internal injuries to ensue it won’t live… that is just a taste of what is to come. Bashings, rape and more dog killing is to come yet this is a fine enough film to be a ‘must see’.

Considine’s script is intriguing, characters like Joseph and few and far between on the screen and you really want to know what makes him tick. The same can be said for James, the irony is that James makes Joseph look like a nice guy.

Aside from the writing what else makes this a ‘must see’ is some of the best acting performances you are ever likely to see. Mullan deserves and Oscar for his work while Oliva Colman shows there is more to her than the comedic roles we have come to know her for. Last but not least Marsan puts in an eerie performance that will be long remembered by anyone that sees the film.

Tyrannosaur won’t sit comfortably with everyone but it is one of the best films that you are likely to see in 2012, and if you want to know why it has the name of a dinosaur you’ll have to watch it and find out… because that is just one of the mysteries that it reveals. A classic piece of modern cinema!

Year: 2012

Director: Paddy Considine

Stars: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan

Classification: MA15+

Runtime: 91 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

This looks like an absolute shocker but first views can be deceiving. While this certainly isn’t a film you would describe as great it does in fact generate enough laughs to warrant it as a ‘worthy watch’… just be prepared to suspend your belief a little… well, okay a lot!!!

FDR (Chris Pine – Unstoppable, Smalltown Saturday Night) and Tuck (Tom Hardy – Warrior, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) are both CIA spies who have such a strong friendship that they see each other as brothers. Then one night a mission goes horribly wrong, a man dies and they find themselves out of action for a while. During their ‘down’ time they both decide to take care of their ‘single lives’. Tuck hits an online dating site and finds someone while FDR pursues a woman he meets in a video store… only problem is they are both after the same woman, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon – Water For Elephants, How Do You Know) who after some bad advice from her best friend, Trish (Chelsea Handler – Hop, TV’S Are You There Chelsea) decides to date both men until she can pick one. The two men see it as a competition and try to see who can win over Lauren first… meanwhile they also have the psychotic Heinrich (Til Schweiger – New Year’s Eve, The Three Musketeers) coming after them to avenge his brother’s death.

You do have to suspend belief but believe it or not the screenplay to This Means War does work. It provides some laughs (the highlight being Tuck’s rampage through a paint-balling course) while you are actually left intrigued at whether Lauren will pick FDR or Tuck… and yes it is quite possible that everyone out there will have their fave for whom she should end up with. There are some parts of the script that are cheesy but there are enough good moments to overshadow that.

The massive problem with the film though seems to be director McG (Terminator Salvation, We Are Marshall). It seemed with his recent efforts that his ‘video-clip’ style of storytelling (that plagued Charlie Angels) was over, it creeps back a little bit here, but the more obvious problem at hand seems to be at times that Mr. G forgot that he was directing an action flick and while the comedy worked some of the action sequences seemed really forced… and worse still filmed with obvious green screens. If you’re going to fake something at least make sure it looks real!!! These scenes really standout and drag the film down a lot.

As you would expect the acting isn’t sensational. Reese Witherspoon oozes her way through the film while Chris Pine seems to relish having a mixture of both comedy and action but it’s Hardy who really steps up and shows that he can deliver comedy with the best of them…that’s not something that you would expect to see.

If you can come to terms with the fact that two CIA agents are willing to ‘battle to the death’ for the girl then you’ll cope with this film. Funny in parts, This Means War delivers more than what the poster promised.

Year: 2012

Director: McG

Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Chelsea Handler, Til Schweiger

Classification: M

Runtime: 98 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

At a quick glance The Vow looks like it is going to be one of your average run-of-the-mill romantic comedies, but it is actually a little better than that. The word comedy is wrong to being with as this is a romantic drama… think along the same vein as The Notebook and while it isn’t brilliant it does offer more than you would expect.

Leo (Channing Tatum – Haywire, Ten Year) and Paige (Rachel McAdams – Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, Midnight In Paris) are a happily married ‘hipster’ couple. She is an artist and he is a music producer. However after an accident one night she is left with memory loss that means she no longer knows about her new life or even knows who Leo is. To make matters worse her parents, Bill (Sam Neil – The Hunter, The Dragon Pearl) and Rita (Jessica Lange – Grey Gardens, TV’S American Horror Story) and her sister. Gwen (Jessica McNamee – The Loved Ones, TV’S Packed To The Rafters) use the situation to end a divide between them and because of their dislike for Leo and her new life decide that she should go back to law school and try to patch things up with her ex.

The screenwriting team has created a somewhat impressive script. Yes the romantic drama element of it holds it back (it has to fit the genre) but the film does generate some truly suspenseful moments regarding whether or not Paige and Leo will reunite, however unfortunately some of the dramatic moments are lost by the fact that Tatum does have a limited acting range. But the one thing that does work in the film’s favour is that you do care for Leo and Paige, so much so that you find yourself despising Paige’s parents.

Tatum’s acting is the film’s only major problem. He seems to ‘dope’ his way through the film like a star-quarterback who has been forced into a school play. It’s surprising that director, Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens) didn’t raise the fact that Tatum is horribly miscast as a ‘hipster’ because it is obvious throughout the film. On the other hand McAdams is good and once again she shows everyone that she is above a lot of the rom-coms she has done throughout her career. It is also good to see Aussie, Jessica McNamee getting a good role, she does herself proud and seems to be the next Aussie on the rise in Hollywood.

The Vow does have some substance… well at least enough to keep you occupied for the 104 minutes that it runs for. Better than expected!!!

Year: 2012

Director: Michael Sucsy

Stars: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange, Sam Neil, Jessica McNamee

Classification: PG

Runtime: 104 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

It would be good if this could be a review of a new Star Wars film but alas George Lucas still hasn’t put pen too paper, instead he sees fit to re-jiggle this film from 1999. At least he has done more than just silly little things, like making characters blink, this time around… but still the question must be raised – did fans of the series really want to see The Phantom Menace in 3D or is it just a grab for new cash.

Everyone by now probably knows the story of The Phantom Menace but in case you don’t… here goes. Two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson – The Grey, Unknown) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor – Beginners, Haywire) are called to the Planet of Naboo to help broker a deal surrounding a blockade. However, they soon learn that this is just the front of something more sinister and realise that Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman – Thor, Your Highness) and her people are under threat. The resulting journey sees them come into contact with Jar Jar Binks (voiced by Ahmed Best (TV’S Star Wars: The Clone Wars & Easy To Assemble) and Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd – Madison)… the latter who becomes one of the most important characters in the Star Wars universe.

You must wonder whether or not Lucas thought the idea of re-releasing all the Star Wars movies in 3D. As most serious film goers will tell you the bottom is about to fall out of the 3D market (people are choosing to see films in 2D rather than pay the high 3D prices) and my releasing The Phantom Menace first people who are new to the series are going to be pretty confused. Simple things like character development for characters such as Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz (Zathura, TV’S Sesame Street) don’t happen to much later in the series (due to the fact that Eps 4,5,6 were released first originally) and you don’t even really get told what ‘Jedi’ is until episode 4.

To be even blunter the 3D does nothing to enhance the film. If the film had been originally shot in 3D then yes scenes such as the pod races would look amazing but by adding 3D in post-production (even if it is 12 years later) you never really get that same look… in fact you soon forget that you are even watching it in 3D.

While it is good to see The Phantom Menace back on the big screen (and maybe for the first time for some) the fact that it is in 3D doesn’t really do anything…although you might find that seeing Jar Jar Binks jump around is even more annoying in 3D.

As far as sci-fi films go The Phantom Menace is okay (it’s nowhere near as good as the original Star Wars films, the story and characters are a lot weaker), but don’t get conned into thinking that seeing it in 3D will make the film-going experience any better.

Year: 2012

Director: George Lucas

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, Frank Oz

Classification: PG

Runtime: 136 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

The term ‘intelligent action flick’ may be an oxymoron to some people. Normally an action flick is a shoot ‘em up style of film with some explosions thrown in for good measure. Storyline and characterization just aren’t that important. Luckily Safe House changes all that. Yes there are explosions and lots of gun-play but the screenwriter also threw in a few things commonly known as storyline and suspense.

Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds – The Change-Up, Green Lantern) is a CIA agent who feels he is trapped looking after a ‘safe-house’ in South Africa that is never used. He really wants to be in an exciting job in Europe so he can relocate to be with his girlfriend, Ana (Nora Arnezeder – The Words, La Croisiere) but it seems his boss, David Barlow (Brendan Gleeson – The Cup, Albert Nobbs) can’t do anything to help him.

Then Matt’s world is turned upside down when wanted-fugitive and former spy Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington – Unstoppable, The Book Of Eli) hands himself in and turns up at Weston’s safe-house, much to the excitement of Barlow and fellow agent, Catherine Linklater (Vera Farmiga – Source Code, Higher Ground). But when the safe-house is attacked Matt finds himself on the run with Tobin while trying to protect him, unsure of who is attacking them.

Director, Daniel Espinosa (Easy Money, Outside Love) allows this film to deliver on both levels. He assaults the sensations of the audience with some full-on action and enough suspense to make sure that you are on the edge of your seat for nearly the entire 2 hours running time. But together with his screenwriter, David Guggenheim (Exit Strategy) he also remembers that one of the key things to this working is the relationship between Frost and Weston. The film doesn’t skim over that fact and instead explores the fact that these two end up having to trust each other in an extraordinary situation… and once again that leads to our old friend, suspense!

Guggenheim also needs to be congratulated for being brave enough to touch on some pretty gritty topics. Rendition raises it’s ugly head as does the fact that it seems that the CIA believe they are above the laws of other countries worldwide. Luckily the script works and never becomes preachy.

Safe House also works due to some great performances from Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds really steps up and announces himself as an unlikely action hero. He is perfectly cast here as the naïve guy who is forced to become gun-ho, while Denzel Washington just seems to get better and better with age. The guy is now 57 and as the chase in the slum-area showed can still move like a 20 year old…amazing.

Safe House is surprisingly good. It’s an action film for the intelligent cinemagoer and won’t disappoint.

Year: 2011

Director: Daniel Espinosa

Stars: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Nora Arnezeder

Classification: M

Runtime: 115 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

So slick and fresh is Chronicle that you could be forgiven for thinking that is something new from J.J. Abrams. Chronicle is the sci-fi film that fans of the genre have been waiting to see for a long, long time. The concept is new and this is one time where the hand-held camera actually enhances the film rather then distracts from the story… dare we say it – this is the best handheld film since Cloverfield.

Andrew (Dane DeHaan – TV’S True Blood & In Treatment) is always the kid that gets pushed around at school (and punched around by his Dad at home) but when he starts carrying a camera around to document his life for his dying mother life becomes interesting. When his cousin, Matt (Alex Russell – Halloween Knight, The Best Man) forces him to go to a rave he is there when Matt and Steve (Michael B. Jordan – Red Tails, TV’S House) discover a mysterious hole and decide to investigate. What happens next leaves Andrew, Matt and Steve with power that they could not have dreamt off, now they must really find out what they are capable of.

This really is the kind of film that director, Josh Trank (TV’S The Kill Point) could have lost control of so badly that it ended up being a B-Grade film found in any $2 Shop bargain bin. Instead, thanks to some great screenwriting from Max Landis (The Death And Return Of Superman, Ghost Closet ’07) this really becomes a film that studies what can actually happen to people when they discover they have super-human abilities. For some it is fun, for others it is the beginning of an anti-hero story.

Trank keeps the film looking natural all the way through and to his credit he doesn’t seem to falter with the all the special effects that are going on either. So natural is the film that at first the climatic ending seems a little far-fetched but when you relax you realise that this had to happen. You may even realise that Tranks does an amazing job making the climax so dramatic and suspenseful while never once falling away from the hand-held technique.

Finally something new and fresh has landed in the sci-fi field. Chronicle by far outweighs expectation and this sneaky little sci-fi is a film worthy of blockbuster status. A must for sci-fi fans.

Year: 2012

Director: Josh Trank

Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan

Classification: M

Runtime: 84 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths

It’s been a long time between Working Dog having a film on the big screen and after viewing Any Questions For Ben? all I can say is it was certainly worth the wait. This is what a romantic comedy (or should that be romantic drama) should be like! Three dimensional characters (and believable), a good storyline and real enough that you know it hasn’t just been dreamed up by some screenwriter that has read too many Mills & Boon novels.

Ben (Josh Lawson – Crave, TV’S House Of Lies) seems to have everything you could ever dream of. His friends Nick (Daniel Henshall – Snowtown, Bars And Tone) and Andy (Christian Clark – Scumbus, TV’S Home & Away) watch on enviously as he drifts from dream girl to dream girl while doing a job they feel most would kill for. But it takes an embarrassing incident in front of a bunch of school kids for Ben to realise his job isn’t that interesting and worse still he never seems to be able to see anything through… a point that another friend, Emily (Felicity Ward – TV’S Laid & Sleuth 101) is only too happy to point out. Ben’s confusion is only made greater when he meets Alex (Rachael Tayor – The Darkest Hour, Red Dog).

Director Rob Sitch (The Dish, The Castle) along with his fellow Working Dog co-workers Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner have yet again done what they have been doing since The Late Show and that is create a near-perfect script that has you laughing all along. Yet like The Castle they also remember that you have to feel for these characters. At a first glance Ben might be an unlikable character, but by the end of the film you really are hoping he can pull his life together and get the girl.

The big winners with Any Questions For Ben? are Josh Lawson and the City Of Melbourne itself. Sitch has captured Melbourne in a way that no other filmmaker ever has. He showcases the fact it is a cosmopolitan heaven and as a result it equals London and New York on the big screen. Meanwhile, the screen allows Lawson to prove what fans of The Librarians have known for a long time – that he is one of Australia’s most genuine and best performing comedic actors.

Lawson is well supported by Felicity Ward and Daniel Henshall who also show that they have more strings in their bow. Ward really steps up from her Ronnie Johns Half Hour days and shows that she belongs on the big screen while Henshall backs up his fine performance in Snowtown with a worthy comedic performance.

If you’re looking for a fluffy romantic comedy you won’t find it here. Instead Any Questions For Ben overcomes a slow start to become a well written romantic drama that shows the rest of the world just how this genre should be done.

Year: 2012

Director: Rob Sitch

Stars: Josh Lawson, Rachael Tayor, Felicity Ward, Daniel Henshall, Christian Clark

Classification: M

Runtime: 114 mins

Rating6:

Dave Griffiths

There are going to be some people out there who will be quick to judge this film as ‘just another action film’, but they really need to lighten up because while Underworld: Awakening is top-heavy with action is does do what it sets out to do – entertain it’s audience.

When the humans conduct a Nazi-like blitz on Vampire and Lycan alike the two species now find themselves the hunted. When Selene (Kate Beckinsale – Contraband, Everybody’s Fine) is captured she finds herself waking up years later in a facility run by Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea – Stella Days, Roadkill) who is conducting experiments left, right and centre. When Selene escapes she finds that both Vampires and Lycan have gone underground and in a bid to survive she must protect Eve (India Eisley – Headspace, TV’S The Secret Life Of An American Teenager) (who will be a big surprise for fans of the series) and work with Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy – Margaret, Uncoditional), a detective who knows that vampires and Lycans aren’t extinct and David (Theo James – The Inbetweeners Movie, Room At The Top), a young people who wants Vampires to once again rise to the top.

Directors, Mans Marlind (Shelter, Snapphanar) and Bjorn Stein (same) make this film work but not trying to make out it is something that it isn’t. The story is enough to keep action junkies happy (and fans of the series) but certainly isn’t strong, therefore Marlind and Stein allow the film to shine by making it look good on the big screen. The special effects and action sequences look spectacular and are more than enough to keep your eyes peeled as you wait to see what happens next.

Once again Beckinsale shines in this role and it is during this film that you realise that she has overtaken Angelina Jolie as the number one action-actress. The other winners here are Michael Ealy who gets enough screen time to show some attitude and Theo James, who could well be the next Hollywood hunk about to make it big.

If you’re a fan of the series you’ll love Underworld: Awakening, if you’re new to the series though this isn’t the film for you. An above average action film!!!

 Year: 2012

Director: Bjorn Stein, Mans Marlind

Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, India Eisley, Michael Ealy, Theo James

Classification: MA15+

Runtime: 88 mins

Rating:

Dave Griffiths