movie reviews by PvtCaboose91

A war movie from South Korea, 2011's The Front Line is an intimate depiction of the Korean War from a resolutely Korean standpoint. Rather than an American examination of the foreign conflict, this is a Korean flick with Korean actors, with an overwhelming sense of authenticity and a lack of Hollywood bias. Although The Front Line is visibly inspired by modern war movies in terms of its visual approach and narrative structure, there are enough unique twists and new details to make it worthwhile, not to mention it tells an important story about "The Forgotten War." It's a powerful anti-war film from director Hun Jang, packed with visceral combat sequences and thoughtful insights, and it contains some interesting observations about the roles that China and America played in the conflict.

The Front Line is set in the waning days of the Korean War, as the North and the South continue to attempt negotiations to end the hostilities and mutually agree on a border. Intelligence officer Eun-pyo Kang (Ha-kyun Shin) is sent to the front lines to investigate the recent death of a field lieutenant from Alligator Company, as there are fears that a spy is amongst them. Kang heads to Aerok Hills, a strategic location that keeps changing hands amid the fighting. Within Alligator Company is one of Kang's former comrades, Soo-hyuk Kim (Soo Go), whom he had long thought dead. To Kang's shock, Kim has become a fearless commander, relinquishing his humanity to become a ruthless leader lacking a moral compass. As it turns out, the situation at Aerok Hills is far more complicated than Kang could have imagined, confounding Kang as he also has to deal with the ever-present threat of the North Korean soldiers.

Although North Korea is prevalent in the media at present, it's doubtful that many Westerners actually know much about Korea's long history or, indeed, much about the Korean War. The Front Line is a bit hard to follow at times as some facets of the war aren't sufficiently explained, not to mention the structure is confusing, with a few flashbacks that are inadequately clarified. But once the main story kicks in, the film soars. What's especially notable about The Front Line is how it underscores the futility of war and highlights that everyday soldiers have no hatred for their enemies outside of what they're told to do. Aerok Hills changes hands so much that South Korean soldiers dig a small hole to store chocolates, matches, and cigarettes. The other side finds this hole and takes the items but leaves other things, including rice, wine and letters to home that they hope their enemies will post. Later, once the ceasefire is signed and the war is over, a troupe of soldiers are bathing themselves, and their enemies pass by. But they don't open fire on each other, prompting a North Korean officer to comment, "I guess it's really over." Furthermore, I'm not sure how accurate the climax is, but it's heart-wrenching to watch as it sums up the irrationality of war in a potent fashion. The messages are familiar, but that doesn't make them any less impactful.

It's inarguable that Korea has emerged as a moviemaking force to be reckoned with over the past decade or so, and The Front Line is another superlative demonstration of the country's abilities. The flick was produced on a relatively modest budget, but you'd never know it; it has the appearance of a $100 million blockbuster, with large-scale battle scenes and spot-on production values. The reason for this is pretty clear - Koreans don't work for exorbitant sums, nor are they driven by ego, hence the majority of the funding goes towards sets, costumes and locations. The Front Line is a breathtaking cinematic experience, with riveting battle sequences assembled with top-notch skill in every department. The immersive sound design makes you feel in the thick of the action, the film pulls no punches when it comes to gore, and the special effects are seamless, resulting in some of the finest combat scenes in recent memory. Moody lighting design also adds visual interest; one of the battles is lit by sporadic flares. Fortunately, outside of the big battle scenes, director Hun Jang shows a great filmmaking eye. If there's anything to nit-pick, it's that The Front Line was shot digitally on Red Epic cameras when a grainy 35mm aesthetic (like Saving Private Ryan) would have been more effective.

While the characters at the centre of the film are stereotypes, the actors imbue their roles with enough depth to make them believable. The dialogue between the soldiers is unusually strong, and the script shows a proclivity for philosophical discussions, exploring the effects of war on a man's soul. The Front Line is well balanced between character interaction and large-scale battle scenes, emphasising that this is a war drama instead of an exploitative action film. It's a fine line to walk, and Jang nails it. However, the acting from the English-speaking American soldiers is utterly horrendous: stiff, wooden and unbelievable. At least said performers are only present in one scene, though.

The Front Line is not perfect - its opening scenes are clunky and unfocused, it's overlong at almost two hours, and it devolves into some needless melodrama in its third act - but it's a breathtaking motion picture, and its minor flaws are not enough to undo the movie's endless strengths. War buffs owe it to themselves to seek this one out; it's easily on a par with the wildly acclaimed The Brotherhood of War.

7.8/10

"Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity."

It's telling that After Earth is the latest directorial effort of M. Night Shyamalan, but the marketing campaign has made absolutely no mention of this fact. A one-time critical wunderkind, Shyamalan has fallen far from grace, reaching an all-time low with 2010's The Last Airbender, which should've ended his filmmaking career. Although After Earth is not a Shyamalan movie in the typical sense (he only co-wrote, and the story isn't his), it retains the director's eye-rolling trademarks: awkward pauses, muted performances and a subdued atmosphere. Unfortunately, this translates to a lethally boring sci-fi production with flaccid direction, making After Earth a total drag instead of a mind-blowing action-adventure.

In the future, Earth has become uninhabitable, compelling the human race to abandon their home and colonise the distant planet of Nova Prime. Said planet is home to an aggressive race of aliens called Ursas, who are blind but can smell their prey's fear. Military leader Cypher Raige (Will Smith) is the best at battling the Ursas, learning to relinquish his fear and thus become invisible to the predators. Unfortunately, Cypher's son Kitai (Jaden Smith, Will's son) is falling short of his father's expectations, though he wants to prove himself. On a whim, Cypher takes Kitai on a mission into deep space with an Ursa egg in the cargo hold. But the ship crumbles in deep space, causing them to crash-land on Earth, leaving everyone dead except for Cypher and Kitai. They require a beacon to signal for help, but it's in the tail-section of the ship, located about 100 kilometres of dangerous terrain away. Cypher has two broken legs, thus Kitai is their only hope.

If nothing else, After Earth is a unique viewing experience since it displays what happens when Shyamalan and a star with a comparably inflated ego collaborate to produce a metaphorical, self-regarding, semi-autobiographical motion picture. After all, Will Smith wrote the story, casting himself as the most awesome and famous dude in the universe who tries to guide his teenage son to follow in his intimidating footsteps. Boy, that's subtle. And let's take a moment to let it sink in that Will's character is named Cypher Raige. Fucking Cypher Raige! What's tragic about After Earth is that this is a boring survival story backed with a potentially exciting mythology. The film does attempt to explore it via voiceover in the opening credits, but it fails to do much else, leaving unanswered questions and untapped potential, especially since a whole lot of literature was actually written regarding this world. Why have humans stopped using guns and projectile weapons of all sorts in the future? They only use blades here, yet firearms would be much more effective against the Ursas.

What's astonishing about After Earth is how small it feels. Here's a story set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, and yet Kitai wanders through endless regular-looking forests and landscapes as opposed to destroyed cities or anything else that would've made for compelling viewing. The fact that the film lacks scope makes me wonder where exactly the $130 million budget went (no doubt Shyamalan and Will Smith took a large portion each). Meanwhile, none of Earth's animals have evolved in any creative way, and the digital effects are seriously terrible. The computer screens and space stuff look okay, but the animals look like a PS2-era video game. Superior CGI has been glimpsed in movies on the SyFy Channel. Furthermore, Shyamalan does not have a firm enough grasp on large-scale action. Despite the deadly scenarios that Kitai becomes entangled in, the movie just isn't exciting. Even the final showdown between Kitai and an Ursa (which lasts all of five minutes) is a bore. The attempts at suspense and tension fall flat, with hindrances (running low on breathing fluid, being stung by a bug) coming off as perfunctory and rote. There's nothing to put you on the edge of your seat. The only surprising thing about After Earth is that it's not in 3D. Whoa.

Since this is a vanity project for Will Smith, his performance is incredibly self-serious. The actor sheds his comedic, light-hearted persona entirely, becoming emotionless and stoic. While it's somewhat commendable for Smith to attempt to stretch his range, he's not playing to his strengths here. Try as he might, Smith is hit-and-miss as a serious performer, and he's dull as dishwater as Raige. And nothing against Jaden Smith, but the young guy is terrible here. Flat, forced, unengaged and unengaging, Jaden does nothing worthwhile with the script. As a result, all of the dramatic scenes between Will and Jaden are boring, destroying all potential for a compelling survival tale. It's pretty unsurprising, though, as the actors in Shyamalan movies are often sombre and sedate. Outside of the Smith boys, there really aren't any other performers worth mentioning, as they all receive what amounts to cameo appearances.

Judged as a father-son survival story, After Earth is dramatically limp and uninvolving. And as a science fiction action-adventure, it's even worse, with barely a handful of set pieces, none of which provide any lasting impact. The film looks decent enough, but the unconvincing CGI is too distracting, and ultimately, there's nothing new to see here. After Earth cannot have been created by the same M. Night Shyamalan who gave us the masterpieces of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs. Where the hell has that artistic, intelligent filmmaker gone? This movie feels like the work of a gun-for-hire who just doesn't care anymore.

4.1/10

"Every human being we save is one less zombie to fight."

Here's the shocker: World War Z doesn't suck. It's been impossible to miss all the bad press about the movie across its production period, most notoriously when it entered a reported seven weeks of reshoots in a bid to salvage the picture. Yet, the finished product is surprisingly good, an enjoyable though not perfect big-budget zombie epic based on Max Brooks' 2006 novel of the same name. In an age full of small-scale zombie stories like Dawn of the Dead and TV's The Walking Dead, it's refreshing to watch World War Z, which is more of a global action-thriller than a simple survival story. Nevertheless, the movie is flawed in several departments. It's serviceable as a blockbuster, but that's pretty much all it is: a well-paced, conventional action film in need of a more robust script.

A former UN researcher, Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is now a devoted family man, looking out for his adoring wife Karin (Mireille Enos) and two daughters (Sterling Jerins and Abigail Hargrove). But a zombie outbreak begins unfolding right in front of them, prompting Gerry's former employers to airlift the family to safety. With a team investigating the outbreak to find a cure, Gerry is forced to offer his services and is sent on a globe-trotting mission to find the source of the disease. Leaving his family on board a military aircraft carrier, Gerry heads off with a small team to start an investigation before it's too late for humanity.

Reports on the budget for World War Z vary wildly, with some publications claiming the flick cost up to $400 million, a staggering sum for a motion picture that looks like it was produced for about a quarter of that amount. Of course, one has to consider that about 40 minutes of the film were outright abandoned in post-production, prompting Paramount and Pitt's production company Plan B to splash out more money to have an entirely new third act written and filmed. The script is still marred by problematic aspects despite all the reshuffling, though. For starters, it's never clear why Gerry's former boss wants him, as he only has a vaguely defined background, and the script lacks meaty character development. Moreover, World War Z fails to explore the intriguing philosophical questions of what happens when society breaks down. To its credit, the script does not turn Gerry into a superhuman, though credulity is stretched when he and one of his comrades are the sole survivors of a plane crash.

Brooks' novel was more or less a satire of today's post-9/11 anxiety and America's foreign policy, and it was told from multiple perspectives without a central protagonist, making it suitable fodder for a television miniseries as opposed to a feature film. The adapted screenplay for World War Z (which was famously written and rewritten by at least half a dozen people) disposes of the satiric slant as well as the multiple perspectives, turning the source material into a simple blockbuster about Gerry and his wife and kids. Following brisk introductory time with the Lane family, the outbreak begins, and the rest of World War Z becomes a succession of set-pieces. Hence, while the book resembled Steven Soderbergh's Contagion, director Marc Forster's film is more like Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds. That said, though, World War Z really soars in its final act when we get into reshoot territory. The seams of the reshoots are visible if you look for them, yet the movie actually gels, with the rewriting (courtesy of Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard) resulting not in an idiotic action climax but an intelligent, taut and tense finale more focused on character dynamics and stealth than endless zombie killing.

The biggest issue with World War Z is director Forster. In the hands of a superior craftsman, the film could've soared to unimaginable heights, but Forster is not cut out for helming blockbusters. Although a handful of action beats do work, multiple sequences are marred by hideous shaky-cam and frenetic editing, turning potentially exhilarating set-pieces into incoherent jumbles. At times, it's difficult to discern the geography of various scenes. However, the camera movement fortunately settles down in the final act, exhibiting evidence that Forster may have indeed been fired (though I can only speculate on the matter) and replaced with a more patient filmmaker. The rest of the picture's technical specs are impressive, with a particularly propulsive score, and the performances across the board are strong. Pitt is the heart of the movie. Having produced the film as well, it's clear that Pitt actually cares here, resulting in one of his most focused performances in a blockbuster to date. He works well as an Everyman, and it's a nicely grounded turn that gives the picture a welcome degree of humanity.

Unfortunately, no matter how you cut it, you simply cannot win with a PG-13 zombie flick, and the docile rating takes its toll on World War Z. The camera awkwardly shies away from capturing the attacks while several wounds are bewilderingly downplayed. A severed hand produces about as much blood as a paper cut, and Gerry forgets to bleed when a piece of shrapnel pierces him. Since these are not "classical" zombies, excessive gore was not necessary, but it is idiotic for R-rated content like major wounds to be watered down. (The unrated extended cut is the superior way to experience the movie.) Do it properly, or not at all. Worse, the walking dead are digital here, denying a tangible quality to make them believable. At times, the CGI does its job well enough, but at other times, it's distractingly obvious, in need of the practical make-up effects that have served the genre well for so long. Also missing is a sense of awe and loss. We see people getting killed, but we don't feel affected by it, and there aren't any moments to give you goosebumps. It's all a bit middle-of-the-road.

Fortunately, the makers took no chances with sequel prospects, leaving room for a possible sequel but not foolishly hedging their bets by closing on a cliffhanger. Hence, the story is wrapped up in a satisfying enough fashion, but more can be done in the potential franchise if this hugely expensive investment pays off for the studio. At the end of the day, World War Z is okay; not great, but by no means horrible. There's nothing here that hasn't been done better before - the science stuff was much more substantive in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the fast zombies were more terrifying in 28 Days Later - yet it remains solid on its own terms. World War Z is not exactly cohesive since it begins as a frenetic actioner before transitioning into a patient thriller, but it comes together in an entertaining enough fashion, which may seem like a hollow victory, but it's more than most of us expected.

6.3/10

"It's not a job job, it's an interview for an internship that...could lead to a job!"

The Internship is one of the safest movies to enter cinemas during the 2013 summer season. Here's an inoffensive, PG-13 comedy that abides by the universal formula for these types of endeavours and incorporates practically every cliché you can imagine. Starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, it's more or less a spiritual sequel to 2005's hugely successful Wedding Crashers, though that film's bold R-rated edge is jettisoned in favour of a more family-friendly tone. While The Internship may be enough to satisfy casual movie-goers due to its pleasant surface sheen, it's rarely laugh-out-loud funny, and its gutless disposition in terms of narrative and humour ensures that you'll forget all about it practically immediately after viewing.

Skilled salesmen Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) suddenly find themselves out of work when their company goes under, leaving them to battle an impossible job market without the necessary skills to land them proper work. With options dwindling, Billy decides to register himself and Nick in the Google Internship program, an intense summer immersion test that may result in the pair getting full-time employment with the prestigious corporation in San Francisco. Billy and Nick soon find themselves the outsiders, with their limited computer expertise and advanced age contrasted against the sea of twentysomethings more in tune with modern technology. The "dinosaurs" are put into a team with similar misfits - among them, geeky team manager Lyle (Josh Brener), uptight techie Stuart (Dylan O'Brien), and token Asian kid Yo-Yo (Tobit Raphael) - as they search for confidence while facing disapproval from Google bosses and standoffish intern Graham (Max Minghella). Nick also takes a shining to Australian executive Dana (Rose Byrne), a workaholic who needs to loosen up. Oh yes, that old chestnut is here as well.

Written by Vaughn and Jared Stern (The Watch, Mr. Popper's Penguins), The Internship is one of the most lazily constructed films in recent memory, re-using the "underdogs competing for a spot" formula that was old when it was new. The film offers no surprises in terms of plot points; the two "old guys" struggle, have false wins, experience a major loss that they may not recover from, and ultimately come out on top. And the other interns that Nick and Billy are teamed up with adhere to every stereotype that screenwriters apparently assume audiences still associate with the tech sector. It's as if the script was written in 1996, making it feel instantly outdated. Plus, The Internship sorely lacks bite in the humour department. The team challenges play out like some reality TV show, and nothing imaginative or overly cinematic is done with them. Many of the jokes are cringe-worthy, including a horrendously prolonged scene in which Billy keeps saying "on the line" instead of "online." Wait, so Billy was savvy enough to job search online and figure out how to apply for the internship program online without knowing the proper phrase? In another scene, a joke hinges on the assumption that Billy and Nick aren't familiar with the X-Men character Charles Xavier. Apparently, neither of them has watched television or been to the cinema since 1999, and apparently, comic books are still niche.

The Google-centric setting represents another key issue with The Internship. While it's nice to see a real brand being used instead of an unlicensed sound-alike stand-in, director Shawn Levy treats Google with utmost reverence. Considering their reputation, the movie could've earned laughs by poking fun at what happens behind the doors of this cash factory and even satirised Google. But no, The Internship instead portrays Google as the best place in the world to work, coming across as a recruitment film. Levy shows them to be the equivalent of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, with free food, nap pods, fun team-building games, slides in the middle of the office, and so on. Google's infamous self-controlled cars are even shown. The company will undoubtedly receive a spike in job applications in the coming months. And outside of Google, the product placement is seriously off the charts; Jibb Jabb gets a look-in, while Match.com and the University of Phoenix are mentioned. The film goes particularly gaga for Google during the end credits, presenting a montage of practically every product known to man. To call The Internship an infomercial would be an understatement.

To their credit, Vaughn and Wilson are a pleasing pair. They both play their typecast personas (Vaughn being outspoken and fast-talking, while Wilson is more soft-spoken and eager to please), but they play their roles confidently and remain watchable throughout. In fact, Vaughn and Wilson keep the film afloat during its worst patches. Meanwhile, Rose Byrne (I Give it a Year) is fairly decent as Wilson's love interest; it's a perfunctory role, but Byrne is endearing. As to be expected from a film like this, there are a few cameos from well-known stars that are too delicious to spoil.

The Internship should have been Old School on the Google campus, but instead, it's just a generic comedy that is not about to amaze anyone. Nevertheless, it is a lot of fun to watch, terrible jokes notwithstanding. It runs almost two hours, but it goes down surprisingly easily despite its length and conventional nature, which is a credit to Levy's good-natured handling of the script. The film is at least amiable enough to avoid provoking outright fist-clenched anger. Don't mistake that for a hearty recommendation, though; it's still wholly middle-of-the-road and desperately needs more laughs. There are better comedies out there.

5.8/10

"I ain't in no mood to die tonight."

1985 was a banner year for zombie films, as two "Dead" flicks hit cinemas within two weeks. George A. Romero's third zombie effort, Day of the Dead, came first, closely followed by The Return of the Living Dead, which was written and directed by Alien scribe Dan O'Bannon. Return is based on the novel of the same name by John Russo, who worked with Romero on Night of the Living Dead in 1968 before the pair parted ways, leading Russo to desire a franchise of his own. Tobe Hooper was initially slated to direct the adaptation of Russo's book but was replaced with O'Bannon, who promptly rewrote the script to change the tone to comedy-horror and retool the story to avoid similarities to Romero's flicks. It's hard to dislike the resultant picture - it's a completely unpretentious and devilishly enjoyable zombie comedy that delivers thrills and laughs in equal measure.

Following a botched army experiment that resulted in a zombie outbreak, barrels containing preserved zombie remains are mistakenly sent to the Uneeda Medical Supply Company in Louisville, where they're stored in the basement. When the company employs Freddy (Thom Matthews), his superior, Frank (James Karen), begins showing him the ropes of the job and decides to show the young lad the barrels of zombies. Frank unwittingly releases a gas from one of the barrels with the power to reanimate dead things, leading to cadavers and split dogs being resurrected. Fretting over the situation, their boss Burt (Clu Gulager) is brought in, who suggests they burn all the zombies with the help of mortician Ernie (Don Calfa). Unfortunately, however, the gas from the burning bodies spreads to a nearby cemetery, giving rise to an army of superhuman un-dead with a taste for human brains.

Not long into The Return of the Living Dead, O'Bannon actually acknowledges that Romero is the zombie maestro - Frank explains that Night of the Living Dead was based on true events, but some of the details were changed. Furthermore, O'Bannon pretty much ignores Romero's previously established zombie mythology. The similarities start and end with walking dead; as for the rest, O'Bannon does his own thing. A shot to the head doesn't stop these zombies - they must be entirely obliterated with fire, acid, or a nuke. The zombies can speak, too, and retain some semblance of human logic. It's refreshing to watch something as creative as Return, which remains unique in the heavily populated zombie subgenre. It helps that O'Bannon's treatment of the premise is so thoroughly fun, turning what could've been an undistinguished low-budget zombie pic into a genuinely memorable orgy of campy awesomeness. The script is a complete hoot, full of witty bantering and funny dialogue, not to mention a wonderful penchant for off-the-wall mayhem (there's a dwarf zombie, for crying out loud). Running a scant 85 minutes, O'Bannon infuses Return with fantastic narrative velocity, making the experience all the more satisfying.

O'Bannon has expressed disappointment in some of the special effects, as he could only do so much with the tiny budget, but Return of the Living Dead stands the test of time. The make-up and sets look impressive, and the prosthetic and animatronic effects bestow the undead creatures with a tangible quality that cannot be replicated on a computer. Sure, some of the zombies look like extras in tattered clothing with a dab of make-up, but this adds to the charm of the flick, reinforcing that nothing is being taken with a straight face. This was O'Bannon's first directorial outing, and while he doesn't attempt anything visually audacious, his work is effective and efficient, displaying a gift for storytelling and pacing. The excellent soundtrack (including a few nice songs and a flavoursome original score) is another standout, adding the finishing touches to this delightful romp.

The colourful and fun ensemble of characters also warrants a mention. O'Bannon recruited a great selection of actors, each of whom plays their respective roles to perfection. Matthews displays side-splitting comic delivery as Frank, while Gulager is both convincing and hilarious as the boss who's in over his head. But the film belongs to Calfa, who plays a goofy embalmer. Miraculously, nobody in the movie is called upon to do silly things for the sake of the plot; they all remain likeable and possess the right amount of campiness.

Perhaps this review has lavished Return of the Living Dead with more praise than some of you think it deserves. Sure, it's no Best Picture winner or any monumental achievement, but the film deserves respect and adoration for being the endlessly entertaining and witty extravaganza that it is. Pitched at the right tone, Return is a total hoot, and it closes with one of the most surprising and darkly comic endings in film history. Its four sequels may be of inferior quality, but they cannot diminish this original film, which is essential viewing.

7.8/10

"That's Michelle. She's mental. We all are."

As the title implies, 2012's Mental is completely mental and all over the shop, a wild mishmash of goofy humour, psychological exploration and bleak drama. The picture comes from writer-director P.J. Hogan, who was responsible for 1994's cult hit Muriel's Wedding before moving to America, where he directed My Best Friend's Wedding, Peter Pan and Confessions of a Shopaholic. Mental marks Hogan's return to his Australian roots, crafting a semi-autobiographical tale that won't work for everyone. It's an endearing film but a complete tonal mess, and it's probably best consumed by less conservative viewers willing to sit through the peculiar chaos.

In suburban Australia, housewife Shirley Moochmore (Rebecca Gibney) has lost her mind, suffering a complete mental breakdown in front of her judgmental neighbours. This catches the attention of her neglectful husband, town mayor Barry Moochmore (Anthony LaPaglia), who sends Shirley to a mental institution and covers up the truth by telling everyone she's on holiday. Barry is left to care for his five frenzied daughters but is not interested in bonding with them. In a panic, he brings hitchhiker Shaz (Toni Collette) into the house while he continues his electoral campaign. Barry's daughters each have their own quirks, with Coral (Lily Sullivan) believing herself to be schizophrenic while Michelle (Malorie O'Neill) keeps seeing aliens from Lost in Space, but the knife-packing, dog-owning Shaz begins bestowing her own brand of therapy on the girls.

Although the fundamental set-up sounds unbelievable, it actually has a basis in reality; Hogan's mother was, in fact, sent to a mental institution by his politician father, who feared that his wife's illness would harm his electoral chances. And Hogan's father indeed recruited a random hitchhiker from the street to babysit the family. During the filming of Muriel's Wedding, Hogan told Collette stories about the real-life Shaz, and Collette expressed interest in playing her in a film if ever such a production got off the ground. It's a personal story for Hogan, and he translates it to the screen with genuine panache. Mental is a colourful motion picture, exuberantly shot by director of photography Don McAlpine, who takes advantage of the picturesque Australian locales.

As soon as Shaz enters the film, Hogan threatens to pursue a conventional story of heart-warming family healing, which would've resulted in disposable PG-rated entertainment. But Mental carries its adult rating for a reason, as Hogan's vision is much darker than expected. He continually takes the film in unexpected directions, abandoning clichéd character arcs as Shaz lets the girls run wild while identifying the neighbours as the insane ones. The final act is particularly unexpected, which is a credit to Hogan. Mental is not a sentimental movie, as its views on contemporary society are pretty bleak, and the characters here all retain their flaws and foibles at the end of the story. This is also the furthest thing from a family movie, as it provides non-sequiturs inappropriate for kids: use of the c-word, a lot of profanity in general, toilet humour, suicidal tendencies, a lesbian Aboriginal, and even a scene of girls menstruating all over the white couches and walls of an obsessive cleaner's house. The final scene even depicts a fart being set alight, which becomes a flamethrower.

Mental exhibits the same fundamental flaw as Muriel's Wedding: the picture's tonal shifts are too jarring and uncomfortable. Hogan often frolics around in goofy, borderline slapstick humour, but this is contrasted against darker moments, and the merger never gels. Certainly, it's understandable that Mental is probably meant to be schizophrenic since the film is, well, mental, but it never comes together as a coherent whole, nor is it entirely satisfying.

Fortunately, the acting ensemble is marvellous, committing to the madness with gleeful abandon. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Collette is the standout, running with the chance to play the off-the-wall Shaz. It's a showy performance by Collette, and she's hard to fault - she's often highly amusing, and she handles the film's dramatic moments with sincerity. Also of note is the beautiful Rebecca Gibney, who reportedly packed on a considerable amount of weight to play the unhinged Shirley. This is the type of performance that steals awards; Gibney turns a potentially shallow character into a three-dimensional human, making Shirley Moochmore vulnerable and believable. Meanwhile, young Lily Sullivan is a real find as Coral, evincing a naturalism and maturity that you'd expect to see in veteran actors. The rest of the young performers are equally good, selling their individual quirks without devolving into cartoon. Liev Schreiber even shows up here with an Aussie accent, and he's pretty good, while Deborah Mailman also pops in for a few scenes as an unbalanced old friend of Shaz's. Mailman is a riot, infusing Mental with wonderful comedic energy, and she interacts extraordinarily well with Collette.

A few big set pieces fall flat (the climax is botched and feels astonishingly out of place), and the storytelling is undeniably messy, but Mental benefits from Hogan's sincere direction and the game cast. Australian viewers will probably connect with this one the best; it's unclear how international audiences will respond to it. Mental is not a great film, nor is it completely coherent, but it has enough scenes of greatness, and it's made with such a smooth sleight-of-hand that it's worth checking out.

6.5/10

"That's right, baby! Gru's back in the game with cool cars... gadgets... and weapons!"

According to The Big Book of Hollywood Economics, every successful animated feature needs a sequel. Even the low-budget Hoodwinked got a sequel that nobody asked for, and there is no end in sight for the Ice Age or Kung Fu Panda sequels. 2010's sleeper animation hit was Illumination Entertainment's Despicable Me, which racked up an impressive gross of nearly $550 million despite competing with Toy Story 3 for box office dollars, guaranteeing a sequel. But despite the return of Despicable Me's writers (Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio) and directors (Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin), Despicable Me 2 is an oddly underwhelming follow-up that only works in drips and drabs instead of as a cohesive whole. It comes up short in terms of laughs, loses the original film's heart, and lacks the thematic complexity of a high-quality Pixar production. Despicable Me 2 is still bright and relatively fun, and spending more time with these characters is entertaining, but it is not unreasonable to expect a stronger sequel to such a standout movie.

Retired supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) is now domesticated and has firmly adapted to the lifestyle of a father, diligently looking out for his adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Agnes (Elsie Fisher), and Edith (Dana Gaier). Meanwhile, a mysterious aircraft steals a highly potent chemical agent from a research station in Antarctica, and the responsible criminal now possesses a serum capable of creating an unstoppable army of mutants. This theft draws the attention of the ultra-secret Anti-Villain League, who send agent Lucy Wilde (Kristin Wiig, who voiced an entirely different character in the first film) to forcibly recruit Gru, requesting that he track down the culprit and recover the mutagen. Although Gru is reluctant due to his fatherly responsibilities, he decides to work for the AVL after Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) leaves to assist another villain. Gru and Lucy partner up to go undercover at a local shopping mall to investigate the shop owners, hoping to find who stole the dangerous mutagen. Additionally, Gru's daughters hope to have a mother one day, believing that Lucy is the perfect wife for him.

What makes Despicable Me 2 interesting is the mystery at the story's core. The movie keeps the villain shrouded in secrecy until the end, providing a hook and allowing the film to toy with audience expectations. Unlike its predecessor, this sequel is more of an adventure than a fun family comedy, establishing a light-hearted tone but, unfortunately, failing to deliver a steady stream of laughs. In fact, there are only a few memorable comedic moments in the 98-minute picture, including an admittedly funny 21-fart-gun salute to farewell Dr. Nefario. Moreover, most of the best gags are only in the final third, and the only scene to make me laugh out loud (the Minions dressing up as the Village People and performing a rendition of "YMCA") occurs right before the end credits. Despicable Me 2 desperately needs more of the sly and even dark humour that made the original feature so special. Furthermore, this follow-up suffers from a lack of heart, making it feel empty and disposable. Despicable Me had a clichéd but effective character arc for Gru as he warmed up to the girls, but here we get a romantic angle that lacks the sincerity to make it soar. Additionally, the movie essentially forgets about the Anti-Villain League about halfway through; Gru solves the mystery and saves the world, but we do not see the repercussions on the AVL. It's baffling.

With a bigger budget and a longer production period, Despicable Me 2 is a more attractive visual experience than its predecessor, boasting improved animation that thankfully retains the franchise's simple but effective character designs. Composer Heitor Pereira and musician Pharrell Williams return to provide more playful music, keeping the franchise's recognisable theme and contributing another two enjoyable original songs, "Happy" and "Just a Cloud Away." However, the 3D does not add much to the experience. It is one of the most rote uses of the format in recent memory, with only a few moments taking full advantage of 3D's possibilities. For most of the movie, you will forget you are watching the picture in 3D. Trust me, it plays just fine in regular old 2D. On a more positive note, the film fares best while observing the Minions up to their usual mischief. Since the Minions only speak in gibberish, it is up to the animators to make them interesting by giving them amusing slapstick humour in the vein of the Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Luckily, the Minions have a few moments of brilliance here, and their antics are as amusing as ever. Unfortunately, when the Minions are not on-screen, the rest of the humour is a mixed bag.

Of course, Despicable Me 2 is not an actor's movie, but the always-delightful Carell is still a perfect Gru. The crafty supervillain is a wonderfully quirky visual creation, and Carell voices him with a hilariously indeterminate accent that, in the actor's own words, mixes Ricardo Montalban and Bela Lugosi. Wiig is also good here, giving Lucy a spark of brightness and charisma. Al Pacino was initially slated to be part of the picture but dropped out at the 11th hour over "creative differences," and Benjamin Bratt came in to replace him. The fact that he was so easily replaced shows how interchangeable the voice acting is, though Bratt is still serviceable. Unfortunately, the movie criminally underuses Russell Brand's Dr. Nefario, who receives barely any screen time. Although Nefario is a supporting presence and works in small doses, his decision to leave Gru's service does not sit right.

Despite its flaws, Despicable Me 2 is still entertaining, with a few standout sequences and a nice sense of energy that rarely falters. It is not that the film is unwatchable; it just feels lazy, as if the animators were the only ones who put in a genuine effort. The filmmakers all had something to prove for the first Despicable Me, as it was Illumination's debut movie, and it had to make a positive impression. But for this sequel, it appears that everyone was operating on autopilot, which is a shame. Unsurprisingly, the movie grossed even more money than its predecessor, guaranteeing further sequels and spinoffs.

6.2/10

"These tapes only affect you if you play them in the correct sequence."

While this reviewer personally enjoyed 2012's found footage horror anthology V/H/S, it received a mixed critical reception and undeniably left room for improvement. Its cult following guaranteed a sequel, which arrives less than a year later. Despite its ostensibly rushed nature, V/H/S/2 is a rare case of a follow-up that surpasses the original. It's a slicker, brisker and more thrilling anthology of horror shorts, making the initial V/H/S look like an amateurish warm-up. Backed by solid production values, strong acting, and a selection of remarkable creative visions, V/H/S/2 is a big success, showing how good an omnibus can be in the correct hands.

Private investigators Larry (Lawrence Michael Levine) and Ayesha (Kelsy Abbott) are assigned to look into the disappearance of a young student. Breaking into his house at night, the pair only find his television blaring white noise, a large collection of VHS tapes, and a laptop. As Larry searches the house, Ayesha begins to watch the video cassettes. On the first tape, "Clinical Trials," a patient (Adam Wingard) receives an artificial eye that films everything he sees for the doctors. But the man begins witnessing malevolent ghosts around his home and realises that this ability is the result of the surgery. On the next tape, "A Ride in the Park," a biker (Jay Saunders) attaches a GoPro camera to his helmet as he rides through the local woods but is confronted with a zombie outbreak. The third segment, "Safe Haven," concerns journalists travelling to an Indonesian compound to report on a troublesome cult. However, the observers soon find that things are far more sinister, with the cult's leader (Epy Kusnandar) looking to unleash pure evil onto the world. And finally, "Slumber Party Alien Abduction" follows a bunch of kids left home alone for a weekend. Using cameras to capture their acts of tomfoolery, the young ones are visited by vicious extraterrestrials.

While V/H/S/2 retains two directors from its predecessor (Wingard and Simon Barrett), the roster is otherwise filled with newcomers, introducing fresh filmmaking blood and permitting the sequel to venture off in new and exciting directions. Naturally, the big thing with anthologies is that certain shorts are better than others, which was a relevant criticism for the first film. V/H/S had some dead weight and ran too long, but part deux is superior, with strong shorts across the board. Admittedly, the wraparound narrative feels a bit forced, and there's still not enough of a compelling reason to provide a central plot as an excuse to showcase the shorts, but the other segments range from very good to great.

By far, the best short is "Safe Haven," directed by Timo Tjahjanto and The Raid mastermind Gareth Evans. It's a horror masterpiece that excels due to its inventive premise, intriguing build-up, and bursts of tension and foreboding. All hell eventually breaks loose (literally), which is a sight to behold. Evans goes bonkers, employing a level of blood and gore on the same level as Ichi the Killer, and the short continually manages to top itself in terms of insanity and gore. Additionally, the found footage presentation amplifies the experience rather than serving as a hindrance, which is the mark of a sound creative team. Also brilliant is "A Ride in the Park," which treats your typical zombie premise with refreshing ingenuity. The unique hook is that most everything is recorded via a GoPro attached to a zombie's head, allowing us to see zombie carnage from the perspective of one of the walking dead. Its inventive cinematography and seamless special effects make this a real winner, and its short runtime generates welcome briskness. The creators behind the segment, Gregg Hale and Eduardo Sánchez, were involved in 1999's The Blair Witch Project. How appropriate.

All the praise for "A Ride in the Park" and "Safe Haven" in no way implies that the other two segments are subpar in any way; on the contrary, "Clinical Trials" and "Slumber Party Alien Abduction" are very good as well. The imaginative photography of director Wingard's "Clinical Trials" is particularly laudable, as we see everything from the first-person perspective of the main character. Although it does rely on a few cheap shocks, it's an effectively atmospheric piece of work, and the climactic moments are especially intense. Similarly, "Slumber Party," which was directed by Jason Eisener (the mind behind Hobo with a Shotgun), is a beautifully orchestrated short. Most of the footage is derived from the kids' dog, which has a camera attached to its head, making sure that nobody can ever ask why characters would keep recording as the shit hits the fan. The only thing holding V/H/S/2 back from perfection is the wraparound narrative, hence it's fortunate that it only takes up such a small amount of time.

It's hard to imagine horror buffs or fans of the first V/H/S walking away disappointed with V/H/S/2, which left this reviewer hungry for further sequels. A horror omnibus franchise may seem like a flimsy idea, but this series provides an excellent outlet for budding indie filmmakers to experiment with horror and found footage tropes. And if the standard is as good as this, further sequels seem very enticing indeed.

7.7/10

"This gun is clean, no serial number. So if I blow out what's left of your brain and chuck it in the East River, your case is closed. The people downtown are gonna file you under DSAF. "Did Society A Favor." Got it?"

Blue Jean Cop, or Shakedown as it's known in the United States, is exactly the type of cheesy '80s action entertainment you would expect to find in old VHS bargain bins. If this appeals to you, there's a good chance you'll have a good time with Blue Jean Cop, but if you prefer sophistication with your action...look elsewhere. The flick was written and directed by James Glickenhaus, who was also responsible for such movies as The Exterminator, The Soldier and The Protector, which gives you a good idea of what you're in for. And for what it is, Blue Jean Cop is fun enough, with some notable set pieces and a few surprisingly strong actors. It's flawed, but it's by no means unwatchable.

In Central Park, drug dealer Michael Jones (Richard Brooks) shoots a corrupt police officer, which leads to his arrest. Although Jones admits he killed the cop, he pleads self-defence, claiming that he felt threatened and was simply trying to protect himself. Brought in to defend Michael is Roland Dalton (Peter Weller), who's convinced that his client did not fire first. As he delves into the case, he finds that the incident is the tip of an iceberg of widespread corruption in the police department, and his investigation puts him in the line of fire. Dalton's friend Richie Marks (Sam Elliott) teams up with him to help him crack the case, working inside and outside the law to expose the corrupt cops. Complicating matters is the fact that Dalton's former flame Susan Cantrell (Patricia Charbonneau) is the attorney prosecuting Michael.

Although Blue Jean Cop apparently wants to be taken seriously since it spends long stretches in a courtroom, the embellished idiocy of the action set-pieces says otherwise. It is a bit of a jarring mishmash since it's not straight-faced enough to be a profound drama and not fast-paced enough to be straight-up awesome as action junk. Nevertheless, it is watchable, and the attempt to do something more serious is definitely appreciated. However, the third act is one big jumbled rush, barrelling through the proceedings as quickly as possible to reach the credits. As a result, the ending feels too simplified, quick and easy, as if the director was sick of his own film and wanted to sprint to the finish line without any thought towards coherency or logic. As a matter of fact, bits and pieces of the film seem to be missing, as if the flick had a torpedo taken to it in the cutting room. Then again, the home video version of Blue Jean Cop (which I viewed) runs 95 minutes, whereas the original cinema cut was apparently 112 minutes. Of course, I cannot be certain, and I'm not sure if this information is accurate, but the reported additional material might rectify these problems; as it is, the film feels wildly incomplete.

From a historical perspective, it's fascinating to view Blue Jean Cop. In an early scene, Marks is in a cinema screening 1982's The Soldier, one of writer-director Glickenhaus' earlier movies. Minutes later, Marks and Dalton wander past cinema marquees that display titles like Death Wish 4, American Justice, Steel Dawn and Deadly Illusion. Gosh, they just do not make movies titled with such gusto anymore. Blue Jean Cop embodies the type of cheesiness we have come to expect from the '80s, as well; Glickenhaus orchestrates several entertaining action set pieces pushing the boundaries of plausibility. In one scene, Marks even uses his bare hands to destroy the controls of a rollercoaster, causing it to fly right off the track. In another scene, Dalton is in a taxi, and a crane accidentally snags the car, lifting it right over a police barricade and onto the front steps of the courthouse. To the credit of Glickenhaus and his crew, such scenes were pulled off competently, and it's easy to appreciate the stunt work that must've gone into the shoot. That said, there is a scene towards the end with Marks holding onto the underside of a plane, which does look fake, but such phoniness adds to the cheesy charm of the flick.

Blue Jean Cop holds a lot of appeal due to its cast, which contains a few recognisable names. At the centre of the film is underrated RoboCop star Peter Weller, who's suitably charismatic in the role of Dalton. It's a business-as-usual performance for Weller, but he's good at what he does, and he's eminently watchable. Ditto for Sam Elliott, one of the manliest actors you will ever see, who leans on his usual shtick as Richie Marks. Elliott and Weller are a terrific on-screen pair, bantering with ease. Also notable is a painfully underused John C. McGinley, while Patricia Charbonneau is a top-notch pick for Susan; she's sexy, and her acting is unusually strong.

There is not much more that can be said about Blue Jean Cop, which is enjoyable enough in the moment but provides no lasting impact, nor is it overly distinguishable from similar efforts. It's a movie designed to consist of action and stunts, providing images of explosions, gunfire, shattering glass and impossible acts. It's a niche film, so it will only appeal to those who like this kind of thing. Everyone else need not apply.

6.2/10

"Your name is Kal-El. You are the only survivor of the planet Krypton. Even though you've been raised as a human, you are not one of them. You have great powers, only some of which you have as yet discovered."

In many ways, 1978's Superman ushered in the superhero movie subgenre, demonstrating that filmmaking technology had finally advanced far enough to convincingly realise comic book heroes on the big screen. Superhero movies are all the rage these days, but Superman was the very first of its kind. Certainly, there were cheap serials and cartoons before it, but this movie generated a new wave of multiplex-rocking live-action superhero flicks, paving the way for the likes of Batman, X-Men and Spider-Man. Directed by Richard Donner (best known at the time for The Omen), Superman remains not just a historically iconic movie but also an eminently enjoyable and well-made adventure. It's an epic motion picture full of grand spectacle, benefitting from strong storytelling, a wonderful selection of actors, and an unforgettable score. But Superman ultimately soars thanks to Donner's dedication to the spirit and style of the comic books, giving us an inspiring portrait of a man fighting for truth, justice and the American way.

With the distant planet of Krypton on the brink of destruction, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) places his infant son in a spacecraft bound for Earth, where his dense molecular structure will give him superhuman abilities. He's swiftly adopted by kind farmers Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), who name the boy Clark (Jeff East) and raise him as their own. Following his father's death, Clark (now played by Christopher Reeve) learns of his origins, powers and responsibilities, and moves to the city of Metropolis, where he decides to use his incredible talents to become the world's protector, Superman. To hide his true identity, Clark disguises himself as a mild-mannered newspaper reporter working for the Daily Planet. Kent develops romantic feelings for fellow reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), who's in love with the Superman side of him. Meanwhile, diabolical criminal mastermind Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) has developed a scheme that will kill millions for his own profit and pleasure.

The original script by Mario Puzo (who wrote The Godfather novel) was deemed too long and ambitious, prompting financiers Alexander and Ilya Salkind to recruit Robert Benton, David Newman and Leslie Newman for rewrites. When Donner was hired to direct, he wanted to start from scratch and pursue another direction, bringing in Tom Mankiewicz to perform further rewrites. The final result is a screenwriting masterclass that shines in terms of structure and dialogue. Superman clocks in at a mammoth 140 minutes, allocating ample time to explore the Last Son of Krypton's origins before he's positioned as humanity's saviour. The film feels long in the tooth, yet nothing feels inessential, as Donner merely takes his time to develop the characters and work through the narrative. Superman is also full of wit and contains its fair share of pathos. Indeed, the death of Jonathan Kent hits extremely hard. What's also refreshing about the film is that it's not deadly serious; whilst Donner handles the ridiculous aspects with sincerity, there's a healthy sense of humour that doesn't feel out of place. Unfortunately, however, the script does crumble towards its climax; no matter how you portray it, Superman turning back time is too cheesy and naff.

This was not the first time Superman had stepped out of the pages of his comic books and into other media. There was a radio show in the 1940s, followed by a full-colour cartoon series, a film serial starring Kirk Alyn, and a television show featuring George Reeves as Superman. However, technical limitations continually hindered such efforts, preventing a believable representation of a live-action Superman. Until 1978, that is, when Donner and his team could finally achieve it. A teaser poster was even released before shooting had even begun, which announced, "You'll believe a man can fly." And, indeed, you do believe it, with state-of-the-art special effects giving credible life to the inimitable Man of Steel. Whenever Superman emerges to save the day, the results are glorious, with Donner showing a keen eye for staging coherent set-pieces. Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography is also skilful, with gorgeous shot composition and use of lighting. But it's John Williams' heroic score that catapults the film to another level. The extremely memorable theme grabs your attention during the lengthy opening credits, and the set pieces are much more stirring thanks to Williams' musical accompaniment. It's one of the all-time great film themes, the type of which we never hear today; it perfectly captures the sense of heroism and high-flying adventure that Superman is all about. Everyone involved in the production set out to make the best film possible, and Warner Bros. spared no expense; Superman was their most expensive motion picture when it was released.

The casting of Clark Kent/Superman presented the production's biggest challenge. The producers considered many prominent actors, including Robert Redford, James Brolin, Paul Newman, Nick Nolte, James Caan, Sylvester Stallone, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Donner wanted an unknown for the role to avoid the perception of "a movie star in tights." Reeve was definitely the best choice, as it's hard to imagine anyone else playing Supes. His physique is spot-on, but it's the actor's charisma that makes him so ideal. Moreover, Reeve creates fully-rounded personas for both Clark and Superman, making it easy to distinguish one from the other. Meanwhile, as Lois, Kidder is merely decent. She has nice chemistry with Reeve, but she lacks charm, and it's hard to see why Clark falls for her so quickly. Faring much better is Hackman, who's an ideal Luthor, while Ned Beatty is brilliant as Lex's dim-witted accomplice Otis. Brando was paid a then-unheard-of $4 million to appear in only a handful of scenes, and he lends gravitas and regality to his role of Jor-El. Jeff East is also solid as young Clark (whose voice was actually dubbed by Reeve), while the great Glenn Ford provides warmth and heart as Pa Kent.

Looking back at Superman in the 21st Century, it does show its age. A few special effects shots look dated, with obvious model work and a few never-quite-believable flying scenes. Donner's direction is also on the stilted side from time to time. Then again, it's hard to begrudge the film of this, as nothing like it had ever been attempted before. Superman is terrific despite its flaws; it's tremendously exciting as a comic book movie (it will work like gangbusters for children), but it also has a sense of sophistication and cinematic maturity that will appeal to adults. If only the sequels could have maintained this high quality.

7.9/10