Change Your Image
jane_dutoit
Reviews
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Is it a good movie? Yes. Is it Oscars good? Not even close.
In essence, Silver Linings Playbook was a good movie. The actors were good, the script was good... But really, that's all it was. It didn't move me to tears, or even any sort of heightened emotional plane. It just.. was.
I thought by not seeing the trailer I would avoid over-hyping and then being disappointed later on, but alas, this was not the case. The rather lacklustre trailer pretty much echoed the film in its entirety.
First of all, I'm baffled as to why the movie is even called Silver Linings Playbook. He mentions Silver Linings a handful of times.. And doesn't speak anything of a playbook. So. That confused me. I at least thought it might have been about writing down his "Silver Linings" moments, but no. Even the notion or symbolic nature of a playbook or anything wasn't even present... So whatever. It was just him muttering about it now and then. If anything the film should have been called "Excelsior".
The acting was good. Bradley Cooper went further than he has before and Jennifer Lawrence was consistent as usual. Their performances were good, and the whole cast was too, as a whole. But did any of them really move me? Make a connection with me? No. Honestly, the best cast members were the supporting roles, and I was left feeling underwhelmed by the leads. The only one that came close to being interesting and who really BECAME his character was Robert De Niro. In my opinion, that's the only Oscar the film deserves - his supporting.
Also, as an editor I find it ridiculous that this film is even considered for an Editing Oscar. The editing is alright, but nothing to write home about. There were multiple continuity errors that took me out of the moment.
The story, apart from being a bit confusing in terms of the whole silver linings/excelsior stuff and a few plot points that fizzled into nothing, was good. It was a sweet and simple, touching story. The ending was a bit rushed and lame (I would have preferred it to have just ended at the concert at the end), but eh.
Also, as someone with mental health problems, I did expect to have more of a connection with the film. Alas, I didn't.
All in all, I did enjoy it. But would I see it again? Probably not.
Burning Man (2011)
Movies like these give Australia a bad name.
Seriously. This movie was beyond bad.
I understand that some movies are non-linear and do that whole fragmented thing, but this literally just was so embarrassing to watch. It was like it was trying to be Adaptation or P.S. I Love You but it just failed miserably. And there was an incessant and unnecessary amount of nudity.
Everything about this movie sucked - the acting, the cinematography, the scriptwriting, the directing, the music.... I couldn't find one good thing about it. The storyline went nowhere and the characters were extremely annoying and unlikeable.
Just don't waste your time. I have no idea how this movie got a 6.something on IMDb because it is honestly one of the most badly executed movies I have seen in my entire life.
L!fe Happens (2011)
You know what happens in this movie? Nothing.
It's literally just watching nothing happen for an hour or two. The girl "friends" are all horrible to each other and the characters are completely uninteresting.
I pretty much only wrote this to say to stay away from this movie.. It was terrible.
And the worst bit of all was Rhys Coiro doing the most horrible "Australian" accent ever. As an Australian myself, he failed worse than abysmally. He sounded like a really odd Kiwi if anything. UGH. Cringeworthy. All of it.
Don't bother.
Insidious (2010)
Three reasons to see this movie:
1) I haven't logged into my IMDb account in about a year and a half. I did today just to give this 9/10.
2) I have never yelled like a little bitch in a movie before. In cinemas or watching at home. I did in this. I am still so on edge and feeling physically ill from being in panic mode for so long I fear I might not sleep tonight. Or, ever again.
3) Go see this movie. If you want a jump out of your seat, "I won't be able to sleep tonight" film, (a more old fashioned screeching violins horror) that you wish they would keep making, go see it now.
Filmmakers need to keep making horror movies like this.