Film Happenings 6th February 2015

Every Friday at 12:20 I'm on CurtinFm 100.1 talking films. If you live in Perth, we also share any special film events and news. This Friday I will be talking with Brian Corr live from the studio on the CurtinFm Afternoon Show. You can listen from the website here: http://curtinfm.com.au  Last week I was on a little early, so if you want to be sure to catch the film spot, listen in from around 12:15 p.m.

Come back every Friday if you want to know about all things film. Love free stuff? There's usually giveaways, too. So stay tuned.  

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Here's what I'll be talking about Friday 6th February, 2015.  And for what it's worth, February already!! Seriously!

REVIEWS

The Gambler (opened 5^th Feb) - Screens wide 3/5

Jim Bennett Mark Wahlberg is an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett's future. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance. (C) Paramount

My thoughts

About an hour in to this film, I was about to give up on it. There’s some long scenes that seem to be going nowhere. However, as it began to build toward revealing where the film was really heading, I became more vested. There were some scenes when Wahlberg’s character placed huge bets when the entire cinema audience gasped and hung on the result. Certainly paints a very explicit picture of the dangers of gambling and why it is so addictive. Not a great film, but an interesting one. The director, Ruper Wyatt also directed last year’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (opened 5^th Feb) - Screens wide 3/5 stars 4½ if you enjoy superfluous violence and some pretty crude, unwarranted dialogue.

Stars Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine & Taron Egerton (relative newcomer in lead role) Based upon the comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass, X-Men First Class), Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. (c) Fox

My thoughts

I could have loved this film, and I did for the first hour, then it degenerated into over-the-top violence with some really off comments from the characters. I took my early teen kids to the preview and even the 12-year-old turned to me and said, “This seems rather inappropriate.” Strictly for the young males or if you like the comic book or any of director Matthew Vaughn’s previous work lie Kick Ass.

American Sniper Competition
(opened 22nd Jan) - Screens wide 4.5/5 stars

(Competition- book giveaway  from Harper Collins) – Have already discussed on previous podcast but CurtinFM is giving away two books and two inseason tickets.

SPECIAL EVENT CINEMA

Citizenfour - Snowden Revelations at Luna Leederville opens 12thFeb at Luna Leederville & Luna Outdoor Cinema  TICKETS: www.lunapalace.com.au.

On Feb 14^th a special Q & A panel after the film at Luna Leederville.

Valentine's Day treats - include Blue Cow Cheese Company tastings, a glass of Wine by Brad and Mantra Wine on entry plus other treats from 6.30pm

In Jan 2013, Laura Poitras (recipient of the 2012 MacArthur Genius Fellowship and co-recipient of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service) was several years into making a film about surveillance in the post-9/11 era when she started receiving encrypted e-mails from someone identifying himself as "citizen four," who was ready to blow the whistle on the massive covert surveillance programs run by the NSA and other intelligence agencies. In June 2013, she and Glenn Greenwald flew to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with the man who turned out to be Snowden. She brought her camera with her. The film that resulted from this series of tense encounters is absolutely sui generis in the history of cinema: a 100% real-life thriller unfolding minute by minute before our eyes. Executive Produced by Steven Soderbergh, who is known for Side Effects, Oceans Eleven series & Magic Mike.

Treasure Island National Theatre Live – direct from the UK. National theatre broadcasts. Luna Leederville & SX 14^th-15^th Feb TICKETS HERE

Fringe World CinemaClassics @ The Backlot Perth  TICKETS HERE

This Sunday 8^th Feb, 1:30pm, Francis Ford Coppolla’s APOCALYPSE NOW

OUTDOOR CINEMA

Lotterywest Festival Films Somerville & Joondalup Pines

Visit  http://www.Perthfestival.com.au

Currently showing:

Winter’s Sleep (Turkish & English Film) and

Love is Strange (USA) stars John Lithgow & Alfred Molina

LUNA Outdoor Cinema (opened Thursday)  Visit: http://camelot.lunapalace.com.au

BIRDMAN

CITIZENFOUR

CAMELOT Outdoor Cinema) http://camelot.lunapalace.com.au

IMITATION GAME

ST. VINCENT

VALENTINE’S DAY: WHEN HARRY MET SALLY special screening

McDonalds Community Cinema Burswood  www.communitycinemas.com.au

CINEMAS are also at Mandurah, Murdoch, Bassendean and Curtin

Best Picks showing at Burswood: PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR this Saturday for the family, THE WATER DIVINER, THE IMITATION GAME, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 3, THE HOBBIT

CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY'RE GONE...

Most of the school holidays family films are on their way out of the general cinema. This weekend, you might like to catch:
PADDINGTON 
BIG HERO 6
THE HOBBIT