Showing posts with label film critic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film critic. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Review of the Week: The Maze Runner

0 comments Posted by Katina at 8:26 PM

I feel I need to express what I can of my sadness at the announcement Margaret and David will be no more after this year. At The Movies has been an institution for longer than I've been alive, something many (including myself) have at some point taken for granted.

Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton are two of the reasons I would love to be recognised within the film industry as a critic. Their incredible depth of knowledge of film, their brutal honesty and genuine love for the art form give Australians worthy reason to respect them so highly, in much the same way Americans did for the late Roger Ebert. It's something for anyone who writes about film to aspire to.

I guess it's fitting that I forgot to put my review of the week up yesterday (or last week for that matter, which I will put up shortly). Here's what I thought of this week's new release.

The Maze Runner (M)

AS puzzles that manage to both work the mind and body, mazes are a healthy challenge to some. But in truth, they are a nightmare to most as claustrophobia sets in – where then the only mind game at play revolves around personal sanity. There are mazes in all our lives, but none quite on the scale of what this group finds themselves faced with. It is their only way out from an artificial world made for them by an unknown force.

Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) is the newest of the all-male group to arrive to the Glade, and his curious mind goes straight to exploring new escape plans. His actions are reckless but brave, inspiring the group to consider rocking the boat of authority. Enter token female Teresa (TV's Skins' Kaya Scodelario with a wavering American accent), who has a connection with Thomas no one can piece together. As things begin to change more questions emerge than answers, and it's a fight to keep everyone working for the same team.

It's Survivor meets The Hunger Games as this post-apocalyptic story blends the struggle for survival with villains that are aren't as obvious as what meets the eye. Survival of the fittest stories have become all the rage since The Hunger Games exploded into cinemas, and this adventure fits right in there with targeting the young adult market. It's an adrenaline rush with action and drama befitting the story.


Author James Dashner, who released the first novel of his Maze Runner trilogy in 2007, was not involved in writing the screenplay. That fell to Noah Oppelheim, Grant Pierce Myers and TS Nowlin, who provide a script that gives room for the main players to grow. The film retains a serious overtone that doesn't give way to love or friendship dramas. It keeps the focus squarely on kids beating the physical and mental monsters that stand in their way.

In his first feature film, director Wes Ball leaves things unexplained to good effect about the characters' past lives and who subjected them to their fate. Set up for a sequel (already slated for release next year), this tale does manage to finish on a tidy note, concluding with anticipation for what's in store for the group.

O'Brien and Scodelario are not quite the leading pair you would expect, O'Brien given much of the film to hold it all together. But with a good young cast, also including Will Poulter (We're The Millers) and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually), the film will give young adults a story of wicked proportions. Its intensity also serves other watchers, who will appreciate the characters' mental fight.

Rating: 3.5/5
To be published in the Darwin Sun on Wednesday 17/9/2014.
MISSED THE LAST REVIEW? See what I thought of Magic In The Moonlight.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, August 09, 2013

The Sapphires in the spotlight. Or not.

0 comments Posted by Katina at 8:00 PM

I wrote earlier this week about feeling as if I'm back in the film critic game.

But to cap a good week off, on top of now having my Daily Liberal reviews recognised on Rotten Tomatoes, I am now also a contributor to American film site Movie Mezzanine.

I'm one of a number of contributors from around the world, all of us I'm sure there to hopefully gain that little bit more exposure and continue crafting our film-writing talents.

Photo: tonedeaf.com
My first piece is on the big news out of the Australian entertainment industry this week, the change in US DVD cover for The Sapphires.

If you would like to have a read and share your love please do, and any comments are appreciated as always.

The idea is that I'll be an opinion/feature writer on the site and bring my views on news in the film industry from around the world.

***

Quality rather than appearance... ethics rather than rules... knowledge rather than achievement... integrity rather than determination... serenity rather than acquisitions.

 Intention is the energy of your soul coming into contact with your physical reality.

Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Getting serious about film criticism. Again.

0 comments Posted by Katina at 8:00 PM

Today marked the end of nearly five months of wonder and speculation.

I'm back on Rotten Tomatoes as an official critic!

I had been registered as a critic from my time at Moviedex (which is different to being a regular member/reviewer), but decided to make a go of putting my reviews from the Daily Liberal up.

There was a bit of a process. Then I never heard back about whether it had all be done.

Turns out on looking today, it had. WINNING.

 You can see reviews new and old from me on Rotten Tomatoes whenever you like!

***

Try viewing everyone who comes into your life as a teacher.

 In Zen they say, "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." You've got to chop and carry. That's just part of the human condition.

 Anything that bothers you is only a problem within. Only you can experience it, and only you can correct it.

 Instead of judging others as people who should be behaving in certain ways, see them as reflecting a part of you, and ask yourself what it is you're ready to learn from them.

 It's intelligent to have a plan, but neurotic to fall in love with it.

Labels: , , , ,

Saturday, April 06, 2013

Roger Ebert: thumbs up no more

0 comments Posted by Katina at 9:32 PM

I was a bit late in finding out about the death of Roger Ebert yesterday... I went to bed last night in a really sad state.


The influence of Roger Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, wasn't felt in Australia in the same way as him homeland of the United States or elsewhere (the wonderful Margaret and David of At The Movies fill that spot).

But that didn't matter. His name was enough. His name was synonymous with greatness. Anyone who knows film knows Roger Ebert. Anyone wanting to be a critic held his view with in the highest regard. And it is the world that will rightfully mourn him.

Read the Sun-Times obituary. And see the reactions from the public below. I was that intrigued by the reactions that I created a Storify account to collate some of them:




RIP Roger.

Labels: , , , , ,

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)