Marvel’s little film is a big success (★★★★ Directed by Peyton Reed) Ants are amazing little creatures. Creative, industrious and strong, yet all but invisible – it’s hardly surprising that one of Marvel Comics’ superheroes would draw his powers from little old Lasius niger, the black garden ant. One of the first Avengers, Ant-Man is the latest Super … More REVIEW: Ant-Man
Human stories have always been at the heart of disaster films, but a recent release questions whether humans deserve heroic status next to mighty monsters. Hollywood likes to play fast and loose with our irrational fears in its big budget blockbusters. In the 1990s it was asteroids (Armageddon, Deep Impact) and aliens (Independence Day). In … More FILM: Monster mash
I adore The Embassy cinema in Wellington. Such a beauty, a real Temple of Movies. I particularly love finding little gems like this brass seat plaque. Tonight my seat for Ant-Man is sponsored care of Sir Ian McKellan. Thank you, Mr The Grey. I’ve had some of my favourite film experiences here in the Embassy.
With Mother Nature is playing fast and lose with the weather and the School Holidays upon us, it pays to have a couple of rainy day options to keep the kids amused. The Girl In Row K checks out some moving options. It’s jolly old Easter and that means the first school holidays of the year. … More FILM: Cinema a holiday retreat
One for hopeless romantics and 8-year-olds (★★★★ Directed by Kenneth Branagh.) Loathe though I am to admit it, I might just be a little too hard-hearted to really enjoy this new version of Cinderella. Fair enough too, since director Kenneth Branagh’s target audience is at least half (OK, an eighth) of my age, which is … More REVIEW: Cinderella
From the ancient legend of lady-maker Pygmalion, to 80s classics The Terminator and Blade Runner with it’s ‘‘more human than human’’ killing machines, artificial people, have titillated and terrified us in equal measure. Robots can be anything from comic sidekicks to apocalyptic threats, often telling us more about what it means to be human than to … More FILM: Mechanical family
Warrior woman loses the battle (★★ Directed by Robert Schwentke. With so few female-lead action films around, and having been pleasantly surprised by the first film in the series, I looked forward to Insurgent, part 2 of the Divergent trilogy, with some anticipation. Sadly – because it’s always sad when potential is squandered – this … More REVIEW: Divergent
Insane space opera a candy shop of delights (★★★★ Written and directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski.) Moderation is good, it’s true, but even the most hardened health nut needs a little indulgence from time to time. So it is with cinema. Film fans can be as virtuous as they like right now with all the … More REVIEW: Jupiter Ascending
If you thought 2014 was a big year for cinematic spectacle, you ain’t seen nothing yet. In January it’s all about the Oscars as we start getting the big hitting contenders for the Academy Awards. (A word to International readers – these are Kiwi release dates, sometimes much later that the rest of the world!) … More PREVIEW: Big names vie for 2015 box office
The best thing about traveling by yourself is you can pretty much do what ever you want, when you want. Want to lie in your hotel room, sweating in the 30+ degree heat like the only wildebeest at a lion convention, do it. Want to race to the corniest tourist trap in Hollywood (aka Mel’s … More TRAVEL: LA LA Land
