Son of Man
[ 2006 ] [ Hits:7088 ]
Review: Son of Man is the story of Jesus Christ told in the form of an African fable. The film carefully juxtaposes the Christ figure’s revolutionary message of faith against an unstable political climate in Africa. Son of Man could have fallen into the Apartheid trap by confusing the gospel message and white-black race relations, but chooses to ignore this in favour of an Afrocentric approach. This take on more contemporary issues is refreshing and works for the continent as a whole. Mark Dornford-Ma...
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Felix
[ Hits:4039 ]
Review: Felix is a feel good family comedy drama that you will cherish for it's fun, exuberant and sweet-natured tone. This delightful underdog story arrives in the wake of Spud and has been dubbed "Billy Elliott with Cape Jazz". It's wholeheartedly entertaining and difficult not to like, owing to a positively charming ensemble, a spirited story about a boy with a dream and lively local jazz.
When young Felix Xaba enrolls at an elitist private school in Cape Town on a scholarship, his dream of becoming...
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Sing Street
[ Hits:2440 ]
Review: Sing Street is the third film from the passionate and prolific John Carney, and he makes it difficult not to notice with his name appearing again and again in the opening credits. All three of his films have been coming-of-age dramas that infuse music and romance, using a central romantic relationship to drive the characters and catchy music to reinforce the heart of the story.
Once, his first film, was a low-budget love affair between a vacuum cleaner turned busker and a immigrant pianist. The...
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Whiplash
[ Hits:2980 ]
Review: Whiplash is an intense music drama about a promising young drummer, who enrolls at a music academy where he's pushed to breaking point by a tough instructor. This is a film from writer/director Damien Chazelle, who has established his name with this dark stick of dynamite and its trail of awards.
This is an intense, powerful and passionate music drama about sacrifice and the quest for perfection. We're entertained by a young drummer's rise from obscurity and trial by fire, in which he must list...
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Begin Again
[ Hits:3517 ]
Review: Begin Again comes to us from Once writer-director John Carney. He captured the independent spirit, heart and mood quite effortlessly in Once, and repackages some of that unassuming indie charm with a bigger budget in Begin Again.
Instead of a soulful busker and an immigrant, we have both in Gretta, a reluctant British musician living in the shadows of her rock star boyfriend in New York. She crosses paths with Dan, a down-on-his-luck deadbeat father and irrepressible record company founder. T...
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Jersey Boys
[ Hits:2986 ]
Review: Jersey Boys is a film adaptation of the Tony award-winning musical about Franki Valli and The Four Seasons. While The Four Seasons have a rich history of chart-topping singles, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were a Vivaldi tribute band. Their story may not be as well-known as that of The Beatles, but after the long-running and wildly popular musical inspired Clint Eastwood to commit it to celluloid, their legacy will live on...
It's not unlike any rock band story. Four guys get together, m...
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Inside Llewyn Davis
[ Hits:3189 ]
Review: Inside Llewyn Davis is a Coen brothers film that captures the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961 through the eyes of a fictional character, who was inspired by the memoirs and music of Dave Van Ronk. This beautifully shot music drama truly takes us there as we experience a week in the life of a struggling folk singer. This Coen brothers film resonates most strongly with A Serious Man, delivering intelligent New York drama on the back of soul-searching music and cinematography that is so in tun...
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Song for Marion
[ Hits:3341 ]
Review: Song for Marion, also known as Unfinished Song, is a beautiful portrait of humanity in all its bashful inadequacy and soulful hilarity. Films about someone ailing are often difficult to watch as we suffer through the pain, anguish and anticipation of the end. Yet, Song for Marion is one of those gems that sparkles, despite being encrusted in all the dirt of life and death.
The story follows the journey of Arthur (Stamp), a grumpy old man, whose gloom has sucked the joy out of his marriage and f...
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Rock of Ages
[ Hits:5737 ]
Review: If you always wanted to be a rock star when you grew up, Rock of Ages is your movie. Just like Guitar Hero gave disenchanted closet rock stars the ability to play guitar like a rock god without strumming a single chord, Rock of Ages gives you the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll without having to smash up a hotel, serve time or leave your seat.
Rock of Ages picks up in Los Angeles, 1987 as a small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip in front of the Bourbon Room. As you may have guessed...
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Glee 3D: The Concert Movie
[ Hits:13921 ]
Review: As an avid closet Gleek (the name assigned to fans of the Glee TV series) I was simultaneously sad and excited when I heard the news of yet another cash cow milking 3D concert movie. Justin Bieber's concert movie did brilliantly (not surprisingly) and I was curious to finally experience this strange substitute for an actual concert (and movie) myself.The first thing that I should probably warn you of is that if the TV series itself didn't appeal to you, there is little to no chance that the fi...
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The Runaways
[ 2010 ] [ Hits:5645 ]
Review: Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Sandy West, Lita Ford and Robin were The Runaways, a 1975 American all-girl band that set the stage alight with their no-holds barred punk glam rock performance and titillating outfits. The film condenses the story of The Runaways into a form-fame-dissolve, partly for dramatic appeal and partly because some of the members refused the use of their life stories in recreating this music biography. The position of bass guitarist changed several times of the years and so it ...
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Nine
[ 2009 ] [ Hits:7143 ]
Review: There are plenty of musicals that have found their niche on stage and film like Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Shop of Horrors and yes, even Grease. However, that doesn't stop me from cringing when I hear the word 'musical'. For heaven's sake, they're meant for Broadway not Hollywood... and if you're not examining the behind-the-scenes gravity like in Hamlet 2 or Every Little Step, then the only point of adapting to film is making the musical more accessible to those that don't live ...
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This Is It
[ 2009 ] [ Hits:7390 ]
Review: This Is It is a special tribute to Michael Jackson, the undisputed King of Pop, which was originally intended to be screened for 2 weeks after its world premiere last week. However, the This Is It "show" has been extended by another two weeks in countries like South Africa to give everyone a chance to go out and see it.I can't say I'm a die hard Michael Jackson fan. I've never seen him live, owned a Michael Jackson album, worn white socks with black shoes, "moonwalked" or grabbed my crotch inten...
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Fame
[ 2009 ] [ Hits:8952 ]
Review: Fame (2009) is a remake of the 1980 Oscar-winning musical drama by the same title, which chronicled the lives of several teenagers through a performing arts academy. The 1980 version was original and performed by a talented ensemble of dancers, singers and actors. The film migrated to television as people realised the endurance potential for a TV drama based on the lives of art students. This is where the new Fame slips up. American Idols and talent shows have taken the airwaves by storm as the ...
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Once
[ 2006 ] [ Hits:5664 ]
Review: A young guy busking in Ireland, meets a young immigrant girl and they start to rehearse and record music together, which tells their love story. Once is a modern day musical drama that follows in the footsteps of Before Sunrise, except the language of love is expressed through music. John Carney writes and directs the film with the help of 2 digital camcorders, and a cast of real musicians. Glen Hansard stars as Guy, and could easily be mistaken for the reincarnation of Cat Stevens. He’s suppo...
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Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
[ 2009 ] [ Hits:5415 ]
Review: The Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience is to tween girls today, what the Beatles were to teen girls in the ’60s. They’re worshiped, adored and treated like idols to the point of hilarity. Girls between the ages of 9 and 15 cry, swoon and revolt in the hopes of touching or getting a glimpse from their precious Jonas Brothers. It’s not New Year’s eve, but it sure looks like it when the Jonas Brothers arrive to “purchase” their first copies of their new album. They’re young, co...
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