May 26
Directed by David Gordon Green, The Sitter is probably the movie you’re expecting. It is a big ol’ slice of R-rated clichés, of course, and there are no surprises. It packs a pile of 80s babysitting movie platitudes into its relatively slim form, too, giving it a sort of predictable sweetness that actually makes it somewhat endearing in the end. Somewhat.
Steven Spielberg’s War Horse is essentially a fable. It is an adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s children’s novel of the same name. The book was turned into a play in 2007 and eventually reached Spielberg’s hands. Having already done several films with a World War II foundation, the director was game to work within a World War I framework. War Horse presented that opportunity.
Directed by Heitor Dhalia and written by Allison Burnett, Gone is a satisfying psychological thriller. The film has sadly been panned by critics, but there are layers at work in this picture that make it significantly more captivating than standard thriller fare. While it may well be tempting to dismiss this as another clichéd thriller, Gone has a lot more to offer than immediately meets the eye.
Despite a slew of terrific performances, Rodrigo Garcia’s Albert Nobbs is a convoluted wreck. Based on a short story by Irish author George Moore, the picture has all the makings of something spectacular and could’ve really been something great. The tale is compelling, when it’s allowed to shine on its own, but the subplots and side characters become staggeringly unbearable.
This Means War is one of the most abrasive, frustrating, mind-numbingly terrible films of 2012. It presents itself as a romantic comedy action flick, but it fails on all fronts and winds up a blubbing mess “highlighted” by foolish characters, awkward lightning and set design, and Chelsea Handler’s nauseating attempts at humour.
You can check out the rest of this review at This Means War DVD Review: A Blubbing Mess at Cinema Sentries
