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The
Aviator
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The
Aviator
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Cellular
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The
Aviator
Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Beckinsale
Rating:
4 stars
Cate Blanchett’s infallible Oscar-winning portrayal of Katherine
Hepburn is so incredibly strong all other actors, although
competent in their own right, are barely noticeable in Martin
Scorsese’s powerful biopic of one of America’s most bold and
influential figures.
Leonardo DiCaprio is gradually more convincing as pioneering
pilot, movie director and aviation tycoon of the early 20th
century Howard Hughes throughout his most successful years
– still more turbulent than much of history has generally
cared to remember.
There are a few glimpses of the obsessive compulsive disorder
that would later consume Hughes – enough to be true to the
story – without diverting from the film’s primary focus.
As a period piece spanning from the 1920s through to the late
’40s, The Aviator brings the era to life subtly and believably.
The flight scenes are intense, but far too reliant on computer
effects, a noticeable flaw that seriously detracts from the
sense of realism.
Although there’s room for improvement, this is a good film
and worth seeing if only for Blanchett’s brilliant performance.
- Pte John Wellfare
Cellular
Chris Evans, Kim Basinger, Jason Statham, Jessica Biel, Noah
Emmerich
Rating:
1 star
Only
see Cellular if you’ve been kidnapped, locked in an attic
and have managed to rewire a smashed DVD player.
No complaint can be made that this film has a slow start.
Within the first five minutes Jessica (Basinger) drops her
son at the bus stop, sees her maid shot dead and is snatched
from her home by burly thugs.
She’s taken to an abandoned house and locked in the attic.
In a show of strength, one of the thugs smashes the telephone
with a sledgehammer.
This is only a small inconvenience for Jess, a high school
science teacher, who gets to work rewiring.
Before long she’s tapping out telephone numbers with the bare
wires and randomly reaches Ryan (Evans).
Ryan’s off doing a job to win back his ex-girlfriend and is
less than happy with the call. Jess convinces him he has to
help her and her family – which he does.
Clearly this movie was made around the mobile phone fad.
To the fad idea it adds a group of dirty cops, a good cop
who thinks too much, a roguish hero who drives fast and a
woman who does too much talking when she should be escaping.
These elements combined with a sadly uninspired script and
average acting are not a winning combination.
– Lt Simone Heyer
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