Film Reviews
By Rama Gaind
Friends with Benefits: No strings attached; can that really happen in any relationship?
It doesn’t take long for Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) to discover that sex without commitment does lead to complications.
Director/co-writer Will Gluck, together with writers Keith Merryman and David A. Newman, have delivered a lighthearted, humorous package with lead stars who share an infectious chemistry.
Jamie has head-hunted Dylan from Los Angeles, to go to New York to work as art director for GQ Magazine.
Their bedroom experiment is anything but sensual, with both of then declaring their likes and dislikes in a relaxed manner.
Supporting cast is exceptional as well. As Jamie’s mother, Patricia Clarkson is a plus as is Richard Jenkins as Dylan’s father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s and has a tendency to take off his trousers.
Jenna Elfman is Dylan’s insightful sister and Woody Harrelson is transparent as the loud gay sports editor.
What makes the film work so well is the convincing interaction and a sense of craziness conveyed by Timberlake and Kunis.
Red Dog: A heart-warming tale about man’s best friend unfolds in this winning film that stars Josh Lucas, Luke Ford, Noah Taylor and Rachael Taylor.
A stray kelpie had the knack of binding the remote mining town of Dampier in WA in the ’70s and ’80s. So much so that they built a statue in his honour. Directed with vigour by Kriv Stenders (Lucky Country) who had a fondness for the Pilbara region and the people who called it home.
Green Lantern: Our audio-visual senses are assailed by exaggeration from director Martin Campbell in this mind-blowing film.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong and Tim Robbins are surrounded by whopping special effects. Hal Jordan (Reynolds) sets out on a mission to join the fight against Parallax (Clancy Brown’s voice), a giant evil monster.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes: An unwary world is set upon by an army of intelligent apes that opens the flood gates to a few moral dilemmas. An imprudent scientist (James Franco) is behind some evil moves that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Captain America: The First Avenger: An enjoyable, well-written Marvel Comics’ movie that sees a weak (Chris Evans) become the ultimate pumped-up World War II hero.
Larry Crowne: An appealing film about mid-life reinvention that sees Tom Hanks as a mature-age student under the tutelage of Julia Roberts.
The Beaver: As a depressed toy company executive, Mel Gibson rediscovers himself through a beaver hand puppet. Disappointing effort by director Jodie Foster that’s miscarried by Gibson.
Hanna: A classy thriller which sees a teenage girl, trained to be a killer, (Saoirse Ronan) being pursued by a CIA operative (Cate Blanchett).
Bad Teacher: Bad comedy directed by Jake Kasdan, featuring Cameron Diaz, about a teacher cruising her way to happiness by over-indulging – with help along the way.
