There are so many films out this weekend to coincide with the school holidays, we are spoiled for choice. I never thought I'd say this, but I've been so looking forward to the holidays. Two weeks of no sport, no running the kids around to places they need to be, and no lunch making or snacks to organise for after school.
If you have high school-age children, you will know what I'm talking about. If you don't, it's all ahead of you. I don't want to scare you, but being organised is a skill you will need to develop to survive. Oh, and get accustomed to driving a lot. The taxi driver label is very apt for my stage of parenting.
I'm looking forward to relaxing and enjoying quality time with the children. Somewhere in there, I'm also going to stick to my writing schedule. At the moment, I'm half way through writing The Troubles Keeper, a real supernatural thriller that I think will please any Dean Koontz fans. According to my self-set deadline, I'm finishing it on the 18th April. So lets see if I can be a mum and keep up the pace. If you are looking for a good read over the holidays, skip over and maybe grab Back Again or one of my other books for the price of an Easter egg, and then I can afford my coffees to keep me going.
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday, although I'm going light on the chocolate after watching That Sugar Film and reading That Sugar Book.
REVIEWS
FAST & FURIOUS 7 ✪✪✪✪
(opens 26th March) – Screens at most cinemas
My Thoughts
The Fast &
Furious franchise has certainly come a long way. They sure don’t let reality or
I wasn’t a
great fan of the franchise originally; I’m not even close to the young male
demographic, but this one really hit the spot or multiple spots (with loud
bangs and much debris) with dozens of cool cars and crazy breath-holding action
scenes and stunts.
Somehow the
film’s creators have managed to balance not taking themselves seriously with
staying true to the original concept. Even if you’ve never seen one of the
films, I suggest you go along and see what all the fuss is about. Trust me, you
don’t need to have seen the previous films, the plot won’t test your thinking
skills. It’s about the cars and the incredible stunt driving, not the dialogue.
Nice scene tribute at the end to Paul Walker who tragically died during the filming. I loved it.
Film Blurb
Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable
franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the
returning cast of Fast & Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the
hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez,
Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa
Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to
the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey
and Kurt Russell.
The Book of Life ✪✪✪ ½
(opens 2nd April) Screens at most cinemas
(opens 2nd April) Screens at most cinemas
My Thoughts
This film is a glorious looking animation
with a nice little story based on a Mexican myth. There’s enough in here for
adults to enjoy as well as the kids. I love Channing Tatum’s voice. The
littlies should really enjoy the colors and simple storyline. My boys didn’t
mind it either, and the husband, who really doesn’t love being dragged to the
kid movie previews on a Saturday or a Sunday, commented it was quite good. So,
all round, a good family film with some lovely life lessons in there.
Film Blurb
THE BOOK OF LIFE, a vibrant fantasy-adventure, tells the
legend of Manolo, a conflicted hero and dreamer who sets off on an epic quest
through magical, mythical and wondrous worlds in order to rescue his one true
love and defend his village. (c) Fox
The Sponge Bob Movie:
Sponge Out of Water ✪✪✪
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at most cinemas
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at most cinemas
My Thoughts
To be fair I need to give full disclosure, in the bits where I was
awake, I did think it was quite fun and well done. For some reason if I see a
film on a Sunday morning, I just can’t stay awake all the time. The week just
wipes me out, and Sunday is meant to be my sleep-in. So it’s probably not the
film’s fault I nod off for ten minutes.
I’ve never watched a Sponge Bob show, but my kids adore the
show and have watched it for years, and they were very excited to see this.
However, they went expecting the intermix of animation and real life to play a
larger role than a couple of scenes, so they were disappointed. They’re also
now twelve and fourteen, so they might be sneaking out of the demographic
range. I tapped a few young ones on the shoulder afterward and asked them what
they thought, and the consensus was that the younger kids enjoyed it very much.
If your kids are fans of Sponge Bob, then I think they will
enjoy. Although it’s up against a lot of quality competition with Cinderella, Book of Life, and I’ve heard
Shaun the Sheep Movie is good, too.
Film Blurb
SpongeBob
SquarePants, the world's favorite sea dwelling invertebrate, comes ashore to
our world for his most super-heroic adventure yet.(C) Paramount Pictures
While We’re Young ✪✪✪
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at most cinemas & LUNA cinemas
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at most cinemas & LUNA cinemas
My Thoughts
For the first half of this film, I
was so thrilled. It’s so Woody Allen, and I LOVE Woody
Where I fell out of love with it
was in the third act where it becomes some kind of stalker mystery and attempts
to be too clever. I felt let down because it had set itself up so well in the
first acts. However, I think it will be a film that divides opinion. It’s a
small film, so don’t expect the grandeur of Ben Stiller’s last film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and you might walk out happy.
Film Blurb
Noah
Boaumbach's comedy While We're Young
stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as Josh and Cornelia, a childless New York married
couple in their mid-forties. As their other friends all start having children,
the couple gravitates toward a young hipster couple named Jamie (Adam Driver)
and Darby (Amanda Seyfried). He's an aspiring documentary filmmaker, a vocation
Josh already has. Soon the older couple begins enjoying the energy they feel hanging
out with the younger generation, but eventually Josh begins to suspect his new
best friend might not be as straightforward and trustworthy as he thought.
Samba ✪✪✪ ½
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at Luna Cinemas
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at Luna Cinemas
My Thoughts
Unfortunately, we had a technical
problem at our screening, so I’ve only seen half the film. However, what I did
see, I enjoyed. It’s by the makers of the fantastic Intouchables, so I expected it would be a good watch. Showing
currently in Perth at the French Film Festival and then general release, if it
looks good to you, then go along. Let me know what you think.
Film Blurb
Samba
migrated to France ten years ago from Senegal, and has since been plugging away
at various lowly jobs. Alice is a senior executive who has recently undergone a
burn-out. Both struggle to get out of their dead-end lives. Samba's willing to
do whatever it takes to get working papers, while Alice tries to get her life
back on track until fate draws them together.
Mommy ✪✪✪ ½
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at LotteryWest Film Festival in Perth
(opens 2nd April) – Screens at LotteryWest Film Festival in Perth
My Thoughts
This film makes you feel as if you
are the best parent in the world. Die (Dianne) is a free-spirited middle-aged
woman who isn’t great at looking after her son. She now has to care for him
full time because he can no longer be institutionalized. He is a charming
teenager until his mood changes, and he becomes violent and aggressive.
However, the film also aims to be a feel good story, and I think this is its
downfall
The director should have decided
whether he was going to show us the dark side of parenting a troubled teen or
find some solution to it all, and let us all go home happy. The ending doesn’t
tie any of it up, which is terribly French. Fabulous performances all round,
and a reasonably fascinating film. I just think it could have done a little
more with the concept. In any case, I do now feel as if I can claim to be
mother of the year. So on that count, it did very well.
Film Blurb
A widowed
single mother, raising her violent son alone, finds new hope when a mysterious
neighbor inserts herself into their household.
OTHER FILMS TO CATCH
I haven’t
seen these films yet, but with school holidays, Easter, and Anzac holidays,
I’ve included them here so you know some of your other choices. These first two
have just opened, and I’ve listed all the other films I’ve already reviewed
with a quick comment about them.
THE DUFF
Bianca (Mae
Whitman) is a content high school senior whose world is shattered when she
learns the student body knows her as 'The DUFF' (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to
her prettier, more popular friends (Skyler Samuels & Bianca Santos). Now,
despite the words of caution from her favorite teacher (Ken Jeong), she puts aside
the potential distraction of her crush, Toby (Nick Eversman), and enlists
Wesley (Robbie Amell), a slick but charming jock, to help reinvent herself. To
save her senior year from turning into a total disaster, Bianca must find the
confidence to overthrow the school's ruthless label maker Madison (Bella
Thorne) and remind everyone that no matter what people look or act like, we are
all someone's DUFF. (C) CBS Films
TINKERBELL & THE LEGEND OF THE NEVER BEAST
When the scout fairies grow fearful that the mysterious NeverBeast will destroy Pixie Hollow, friendly Fawn must convince Tinker Bell and the rest of the locals that the creature is in fact a gentle giant.
SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE
When Shaun
decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than
he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan and a very steep hill
lead them all to the Big City and it's up to Shaun and the flock to return
everyone safely to the green grass of home.
FILMS ALREADY OPENED
CINDERELLA Loved it. Go see it. A magical experience. 5/5
HOME Cute, good for the very littlies.
3/5
INSURGENT Very enjoyable #2 of the Divergent
series 4/5
RUN ALL NIGHT A much better thriller than I
expected 3/5
CHAPPIE I enjoyed this Sci-fi. Ignore
the critics. It’s good. 4/5
THAT SUGAR FILM You know I love this doco. Go see it
5/5
SPECIAL EVENT CINEMA
The 26th
Alliance Française French Film Festival
To 7TH APRIL Showing at Luna
Leederville & Luna SX & Windsor
A highlight this weekend for Asterix fans would be: ASTERIX-THE MANSIONS OF THE GODS
Look out for: 3 HEARTS, GEMMA BOVERY
CLOSING NIGHT
PARIS JE T'AIME Tuesday 7th April @ Cinema Paradiso
(6:30pm)
Live entertainment and macaroons
provided by Maison-Saint-Honoré to be immersed in the magic of Paris. A roving
magician will perform prior to the screening because Paris is magic! 7PM Film
Screening
OUTDOOR CINEMA
LOTTERWEST FESTIVAL FILMS - Somerville & Joondalup Pines
For Tickets and Times: CLICK HERE
Coming to a close on the 12th
April
CURRENTLY
SHOWING:
THE MAFIA KILLS ONLY IN SUMMER 23RD
March to 5th April
PHOENIX 30th March-12th
April
MOMMY 6th to 12th April
LUNA OUTDOOR CINEMA LEEDERVILLE
For Tickets and Times: CLICK HERE
THAT SUGAR FILM Friday 3rd
April
A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE TONIGHT (Iranian Vampire Movie)
CAMELOT OUTDOOR CINEMA
For Tickets and Times: CLICK HERE
KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
BIRDMAN
THE IMITATION GAME
PADDINGTON
LOVE IS STRANGE (FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL TASTER SOUL MUSIC Wed April 8)
Stars John Lithgow and
Alfred Molina.
McDONALDS COMMUNITY CINEMA
CINEMAS are at Burswood, Mandurah, Murdoch, Bassendean and Curtin
For Tickets and Times: CLICK HERE
Burswood Highlights
THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC
MARIGOLD HOTEL (Saturday 4th April)
THE IMITATION GAME
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
FOCUS
25/03/2014 - 19/04/2014
Gates open 5:30pm with film
screening strictly at 6:15pm
Bring the kids and the kids at heart
for these special early evening screenings on Saturdays during the Easter
school vacations
PADDINGTON –
4th April
PAPER PLANES –
11th April
HOME – 18th April
HOME – 18th April
If you find value in my reviews and film blurb, then buying an ecopy of any of my books is a great way to say thanks, and keep me in coffee. My latest, Back Again, is only $3.99, less than a coffee. Click here to choose.
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