sundayterritorian.com.au REVIEW SUNDAY Movies · 2020-04-29 · movie where Meryl Streep reigns...

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www.sundayterritorian.com.au Sunday, January 19, 2014. Sunday Territorian. 43 PUB: NT NE- WS- DA TE: 19-J GE: 43 C LO- R: C M Y K Movies sundayterritorian.com.au sundayterritorian.com.au SUNDAY REVIEW VERDICT: JACK RYAN: SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELVES Left Pine-ing for any hope Chris Pine and Keira Knightley star in the new action film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT 105 minutes (M) Director: Kenneth Branagh (Thor) Starring: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Costner Reviewer: Leigh Paatsch ★★ Chris Pine and Kevin Costner in a scene from the film ALL that the new Jack Ryan shares in common with the crafty CIA operative in the many best-selling books by the late Tom Clancy is the name Jack Ryan. All those Jack Ryan movies where the likes of Alec Bald- win (The Hunt for Red Oct- ober), Harrison Ford (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) and Ben Affleck (The Sum of All Fears) saved the world from politico psychos? Never happened. Not now that Mr Ryan (played by Chris ‘‘the youn- ger Captain Kirk’’ Pine) has been given a radical reboot up the backside. In Shadow Recruit, our man Jack is still in the employ of the CIA, and destined to smother a super-sinister con- spiracy with just seconds to spare. The rest of the movie, however, rejects the Clancy canon in favour of reposition- ing Ryan as a junior-league James Bond who somehow finds himself in a Mission: Im- possible sequel. The end result is kind of watchable, kind of laughable, and completely disposable: a pulpy pulse-raiser that is al- ways in a hurry to get no- where in particular. Before the opening credits, we are rushed through an all- new backstory for Jack. As a student, he saw the 9/11 attacks on TV. Switched careers to become a Marine. Served in Afghanistan. Air crash left him having to learn how to walk all over again. Long spell in rehab earned him a dish of a doctor as gir- lfriend (Keira Knightley), and a come-be-one-of-us courtesy call from a veteran CIA re- cruiter (Kevin Costner). Smash-cut to a decade later. Jack is working undercover on Wall Street as a financial analyst, looking for terrorists moving money between ban- kers and brokers. Jack gets a whiff of some dodgy dealings coming out of Russia, and is sent in for a clo- ser sniff. Turns out that some rogue Russki cash cowboys are gearing up to profit from an imminent terrorist attack on Manhattan. So Jack moo- ches about Moscow at maxi- mum speed, drowning a would-be assassin in his hotel bath, hosting a surprise visit from his lady love, and get- ting in the face (and on the nerves) of the devious corpor- ate mastermind (Kenneth Branagh) behind the big- bomb investment scheme. Got all that? Good. Doesn’t really matter if you don’t. All you really need to bring along to this clattering pile of cinematic junk is the ability to read the digits on a crummy LCD timer attached to a machine that goes ‘‘kaboom!’’ You won’t miss it because the device gets sev- eral of its own close-ups at the end of the picture. Nevertheless, its perform- ance is still less mechanical than everyone else in the movie (especially the charisma-challenged Pine). VERDICT: NO TURNING BACK FROM A ONE-WAY STREEP Meryl ahead by a County mile AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY 130 minutes (MA15+) Director: John Wells (The Company Men) Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch Reviewer: Leigh Paatsch ★★★ Meryl Streep reigns supreme in August: Osage County MUCH more entertaining than it should be. Far less en- lightening than it thinks it- self to be. You are now entering Aug- ust: Osage County, a dazzling, frazzling schmozzle of a movie where Meryl Streep reigns supreme. The mad majesty of Streep’s performance exerts a powerful force field that of- ten neuters the potent ensem- ble cast employed to keep her company. You want a show? Meryl’s gonna give you one. Based on the epic 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts, August: Osage County certainly comes armed with some seri- ous narrative ammo, but doesn’t always know which way to aim it. Nevertheless, you will of- ten feel the need to duck for cover whenever Violet We- ston (Streep) enters the field of vision. This is not a wom- an to be trifled with. Though she is fighting an advanced stage of cancer, a crippling addiction to pills and some obvious mental health is- sues, it is best not to handle Violet Weston with care. Now that Violet’s long- suffering husband (Sam Shepard) has died — prob- ably by his own hand — everyone must edge closer to the widow in her time of mourning than they prefer. It isn’t long before Violet is tearing verbal strips off any- one who dares express their condolences in a manner she finds unacceptable. As Vi- olet’s rebellious eldest daugh- ter Barbara, Julia Roberts gets the best chances to stand toe-to-toe with Streep. Other supporting players, such as Ewan McGregor (as Barbara’s estranged hus- band), Abigail Breslin (Barbara’s moody teenage daughter) and Juliette Lewis (Barbara’s capricious youn- ger sister) fight a losing bat- tle with their sketchy parts. However, when all is said and done, all roads through August: Osage County lead to yet another dynamic display from its leading lady. CITY 47 RONIN (M) 3D SUN - TUE 4.30, 9.30PM 3D WED 2.50, 9.30PM 2D SUN - TUE 7.00PM 2D WED 6.30PM THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (M) 3D SUN - WED 3.30, 8.45PM 2D SUN - WED 12.20PM JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (M) SUN - WED 1.00, 3.20, 9.00PM SAVING MR BANKS (PG) SUN - WED 10.20, 12.50, 6.20PM THE BOOK THIEF (PG) SUN - TUE 10.10, 3.45, 6.30, 9.10PM WED 10.10, 3.45, 9.10PM THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (R18+) WED 6.00PM AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (MA15+) SUN - WED 10.30AM PHILOMENA (M) SUN - TUE 2.30, 6.40PM WED 12.45, 6.40PM THE RAILWAY MAN (M) SUN - WED 1.00, 4.00, 6.50PM THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (PG) SUN - WED 10.00, 9.20PM FROZEN (PG) SUN - TUE 10.00, 12.15PM WED 10.30AM CASUARINA 47 RONIN (M) 3D SUN - WED 4.15, 6.50PM 2D SUN - WED 1.40, 9.20PM THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (M) 3D SUN - WED 4.10, 7.30, 8.45PM 2D SUN - TUE 11.00 CC AD, 2.15 CC AD, 5.30 CC AD PM 2D WED 11.00, 2.15, 5.30 CC AD PM WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (PG) 3D SUN - WED 11.40AM 2D SUN - WED 9.40AM FROZEN (PG) 3D SUN - TUE 4.30PM 3D WED 2.50PM 2D SUN - TUE 9.30, 11.50, 2.10, 7.10PM 2D WED 9.30 CC AD, 12.15 CC AD PM JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (M) SUN - TUE 12.10, 2.30, 4.50, 7.05, 9.30PM WED 12.10, 2.30, 4.50, 7.10, 9.40PM SAVING MR BANKS (PG) SUN - WED 9.30, 1.10, 6.20PM THE BOOK THIEF (PG) SUN - WED 10.15, 3.45, 6.30, 9.15PM THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (R18+) WED 6.00PM ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (M) SUN - WED 1.10, 9.30PM THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (M) SUN - WED 10.00AM THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (PG) SUN - WED 3.50, 9.10PM FREE BIRDS (G) CC SUN - WED 11.50, 2.00PM CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (G) CC AD SUN - WED 9.40AM birch.com.au NO FREE TICKETS CINE BUZZ MOVIE OF THE WEEK $10 CC CLOSED CAPTIONS AD AUDIO DESCRIPTION CINE BUZZ ADVANCE SCREENING FAMILY PASS AVAILABLE Session times are subject to change without notice. Session Times Copyright © 2014 - EVENT Cinemas. $ 47 * 2 Adults + 2 Kids OR 1 Adult + 3 Kids FREE 3D WHEN YOU BUY A FAMILY PASS *$1.10 online booking fee per pass. $1 for 3D Glasses (ea) if required. Check website for full conditions.

Transcript of sundayterritorian.com.au REVIEW SUNDAY Movies · 2020-04-29 · movie where Meryl Streep reigns...

Page 1: sundayterritorian.com.au REVIEW SUNDAY Movies · 2020-04-29 · movie where Meryl Streep reigns supreme. The mad majesty of Streep’s performance exerts a powerful force field that

www.sundayterritorian.com.au Sunday, January 19, 2014. Sunday Territorian. 43

PU

B:

NTNE-WS-DA-TE:19-JGE:43 CO-LO-R: C-M Y-K

Moviessundayterritorian.com.au sundayterritorian.com.au SUNDAY REVIEW

VERDICT: JACK RYAN: SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELVES

Left Pine-ingfor any hope

Chris Pine and Keira Knightley star in the new action film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT

105 minutes (M)

Director: Kenneth Branagh

(Thor)Starring: Chris Pine, Keira

Knightley, Kenneth Branagh,

Kevin Costner

Reviewer: Leigh Paatsch

HH

Chris Pine and Kevin Costner in a scene from the film

ALL that the new Jack Ryanshares in common with thecrafty CIA operative in themany best-selling books bythe late Tom Clancy is thename Jack Ryan.

All those Jack Ryan movieswhere the likes of Alec Bald-win (The Hunt for Red Oct-ober), Harrison Ford (PatriotGames, Clear and PresentDanger) and Ben Affleck (TheSum of All Fears) saved theworld from politico psychos?

Never happened.Not now that Mr Ryan

(played by Chris ‘‘the youn-ger Captain Kirk’’ Pine) hasbeen given a radical reboot upthe backside.

In Shadow Recruit, our manJack is still in the employ ofthe CIA, and destined tosmother a super-sinister con-spiracy with just seconds tospare. The rest of the movie,however, rejects the Clancycanon in favour of reposition-ing Ryan as a junior-leagueJames Bond who somehowfinds himself in a Mission: Im-possible sequel.

The end result is kind ofwatchable, kind of laughable,and completely disposable: apulpy pulse-raiser that is al-

ways in a hurry to get no-where in particular.

Before the opening credits,we are rushed through an all-new backstory for Jack.

As a student, he saw the9/11 attacks on TV. Switchedcareers to become a Marine.Served in Afghanistan. Aircrash left him having to learnhow to walk all over again.

Long spell in rehab earnedhim a dish of a doctor as gir-lfriend (Keira Knightley), anda come-be-one-of-us courtesycall from a veteran CIA re-cruiter (Kevin Costner).

Smash-cut to a decade later.Jack is working undercoveron Wall Street as a financialanalyst, looking for terroristsmoving money between ban-kers and brokers.

Jack gets a whiff of somedodgy dealings coming out ofRussia, and is sent in for a clo-ser sniff. Turns out that somerogue Russki cash cowboysare gearing up to profit from

an imminent terrorist attackon Manhattan. So Jack moo-ches about Moscow at maxi-mum speed, drowning awould-be assassin in his hotelbath, hosting a surprise visitfrom his lady love, and get-ting in the face (and on thenerves) of the devious corpor-ate mastermind (KennethBranagh) behind the big-bomb investment scheme.

Got all that? Good. Doesn’treally matter if you don’t.

All you really need to bringalong to this clattering pile ofcinematic junk is the abilityto read the digits on acrummy LCD timer attachedto a machine that goes‘‘kaboom!’’ You won’t miss itbecause the device gets sev-eral of its own close-ups at theend of the picture.

Nevertheless, its perform-ance is still less mechanicalthan everyone else in themovie (especially thecharisma-challenged Pine).

VERDICT: NO TURNING BACK FROM A ONE-WAY STREEP

Meryl ahead by a CountymileAUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

130 minutes (MA15+)

Director: John Wells (TheCompany Men)Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia

Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris

Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch

Reviewer: Leigh Paatsch

HHH

Meryl Streep reigns supremein August: Osage County

MUCH more entertainingthan it should be. Far less en-lightening than it thinks it-self to be.

You are now entering Aug-ust: Osage County, a dazzling,frazzling schmozzle of amovie where Meryl Streepreigns supreme.

The mad majesty ofStreep’s performance exertsa powerful force field that of-ten neuters the potent ensem-ble cast employed to keep hercompany. You want a show?Meryl’s gonna give you one.

Based on the epic 2008Pulitzer Prize-winning playby Tracy Letts, August:Osage County certainlycomes armed with some seri-

ous narrative ammo, butdoesn’t always know whichway to aim it.

Nevertheless, you will of-ten feel the need to duck forcover whenever Violet We-ston (Streep) enters the fieldof vision. This is not a wom-an to be trifled with. Thoughshe is fighting an advancedstage of cancer, a cripplingaddiction to pills and someobvious mental health is-sues, it is best not to handle

Violet Weston with care.Now that Violet’s long-

suffering husband (SamShepard) has died — prob-ably by his own hand —everyone must edge closer tothe widow in her time ofmourning than they prefer.

It isn’t long before Violet istearing verbal strips off any-one who dares express theircondolences in a manner shefinds unacceptable. As Vi-olet’s rebellious eldest daugh-ter Barbara, Julia Robertsgets the best chances to standtoe-to-toe with Streep.

Other supporting players,such as Ewan McGregor (asBarbara’s estranged hus-band), Abigail Breslin(Barbara’s moody teenagedaughter) and Juliette Lewis(Barbara’s capricious youn-ger sister) fight a losing bat-tle with their sketchy parts.

However, when all is saidand done, all roads throughAugust: Osage County lead toyet another dynamic displayfrom its leading lady.

CITY47 RONIN (M) ●3D SUN - TUE 4.30, 9.30PM 3D WED 2.50, 9.30PM

2D SUN - TUE 7.00PM 2D WED 6.30PM

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF

SMAUG (M) 3D SUN - WED 3.30, 8.45PM

2D SUN - WED 12.20PM

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (M) ●SUN - WED 1.00, 3.20, 9.00PM

SAVING MR BANKS (PG) ●SUN - WED 10.20, 12.50, 6.20PM

THE BOOK THIEF (PG) ● SUN - TUE 10.10, 3.45, 6.30, 9.10PM WED 10.10, 3.45, 9.10PM

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (R18+) ● ▲WED 6.00PM

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (MA15+) ✚SUN - WED 10.30AM

PHILOMENA (M)

SUN - TUE 2.30, 6.40PM

WED 12.45, 6.40PM

THE RAILWAY MAN (M)

SUN - WED 1.00, 4.00, 6.50PM

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (PG)

SUN - WED 10.00, 9.20PM

FROZEN (PG) ■

SUN - TUE 10.00, 12.15PM WED 10.30AM

CASUARINA47 RONIN (M) ●3D SUN - WED 4.15, 6.50PM

2D SUN - WED 1.40, 9.20PM

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (M) 3D SUN - WED 4.10, 7.30, 8.45PM

2D SUN - TUE 11.00 CC AD, 2.15 CC AD, 5.30 CC AD PM

2D WED 11.00, 2.15, 5.30 CC AD PM

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (PG) ■3D SUN - WED 11.40AM 2D SUN - WED 9.40AM

FROZEN (PG) ■3D SUN - TUE 4.30PM 3D WED 2.50PM

2D SUN - TUE 9.30, 11.50, 2.10, 7.10PM

2D WED 9.30 CC AD, 12.15 CC AD PM

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (M) ●SUN - TUE 12.10, 2.30, 4.50, 7.05, 9.30PM

WED 12.10, 2.30, 4.50, 7.10, 9.40PM

SAVING MR BANKS (PG) ●SUN - WED 9.30, 1.10, 6.20PM

THE BOOK THIEF (PG) ●SUN - WED 10.15, 3.45, 6.30, 9.15PM

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (R18+) ● ▲WED 6.00PM

ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (M)SUN - WED 1.10, 9.30PM

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (M)SUN - WED 10.00AM

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (PG)SUN - WED 3.50, 9.10PM

FREE BIRDS (G) ■ CC SUN - WED 11.50, 2.00PM

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (G) ■ CC AD SUN - WED 9.40AM

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