Rango
Cast Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ray Winstone
Director Gore Verbinski
Rating 4/5
Boasting character-creating genius, Johnny Depp – as well as the distinctive tones of Brit actor, Ray Winstone – this original animated comedy-adventure, follows the sweet, funny and transformative journey of Rango (Depp), a sheltered chameleon who’s kept as a family pet, but is suffering a major identity crisis. When Rango accidentally winds up in the lawless, outback town of Dirt, he finds himself standing out as a naive babe in the woods among the desert’s wily inhabitants. But pretty soon, he’s the last hope to save the town from disaster, and ‘Sheriff’ Rango is forced to step up!
e+ says For kids and adults alike, we love this animated twist on the classic western.
Sucker Punch
Cast Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens
Director Zack Snyder
Rating 2/5
An action fantasy that revolves around the tragic life of Babydoll (Browning), who’s locked up in a mental institution by her wicked stepfather. Soon discovering that when she dances she’s transported to another world where a mystical guru urges her to fight for her freedom, Babydoll enlists her pals, Rocket, Blondie, Amber and Sweet Pea in her quest.
e+ says Sucker Punch didn’t go down at all well with film critics. Give it a go, if you’re okay with fractured narratives.
The Hit List
Cast Cuba Gooding Jr, Cole Hauser, Jonathan LaPaglia
Director William Kaufman
When Allan Campbell (Hauser) heads out to drown his sorrows after a bad day, he meets a mysterious man called Jonas (Gooding Jr) and in his stupor reveals to him a list of five people he wishes were dead. But when the bodies of the people he listed start turning up dead, all fingers point to him, and he must race to stop the killing.
e+ says It’s an intriguing premise, but didn’t Gooding Jr once win an Oscar? Hmm...
Rating 3/5
That's What I Am
Cast Ed Harris, Chase Ellison, Alexander Walters
Director Michael Pavone
Rating 3/5
Set in California against the backdrop of the mid-sixties, That’s What I Am, is a coming-of-age story that follows the life of 12-year-old Andy Nichol (Ellison), a bright student who, when he’s paired with the school outcast Stanley (Walters) on a project, fears for his social status. But after an incident in which the school principal suspends a bully for beating up a classmate – leading the vindictive father of the bully to spread malicious rumours about teacher Simon (Harris) – and sees Stanley confront the bully, Andy starts to appreciate that it’s our differences that make us
all unique.
e+ says Sweet flick about how our childhood discoveries shape us.
