Review — Into the Woods
THE man who mastered the musical with Chicago is back with a fractured fairytale film and a cast to die for, including Meryl Streep and Anna Kendrick
Leigh Paatsch
Review: Penguins Of Madagascar
THEY are no longer snarky sidekicks — the penguins from the Madagascar series have got their own movie, and it’s funny-business-as-usual for the most part.
Review: The Imitation Game
OSCAR hopeful Benedict Cumberbatch cracks the enigma of brilliant but blunt code breaking genius Alan Turing in a gripping World War II drama.
Boxing Day: The Hobbit
REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a fitting reward for sitting through the first sluggish instalments of Peter Jackson’s trilogy.
Boxing Day: Big Hero 6
REVIEW: Big Hero 6 is a refreshing mix of American and Japanese cartooning kids will love and parents will find refreshing
Boxing Day: A Night at the Museum 3
REVIEW: The novelty hasn’t quite worn off A Night at the Museum, but the franchise probably should stop with this third instalment.
Boxing Day: The Water Diviner
REVIEW: Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner might change your mind about Australian cinema – for the better.
What Christmas movie suits you?
WHAT festive flick best suits your own particular view of Christmas? Take our interactive quiz, and Leigh Paatsch will come up with a recommendation.
Movie review: Annie
MOVIE REVIEW: The new Annie movie has a sturdy musical plot to draw on that holds up well, but the rearranged songs are mighty shaky.
Best and worst movies of the year
THESE are the best and the worst films that hit our cinema screens this year. While some blew us away, the Transformers won’t be happy.
Movie Review: Mr. Turner
MOVIE REVIEW: Mr. Turner is an engrossing biopic of the famous British painter JMW Turner from legendary UK filmmaker Mike Leigh.
Movie Review: Horrible Bosses 2
MOVIE REVIEW: Like a majority of sequels to hit comedies, Horrible Bosses 2 feels as if it is the result of a compulsory work order.
Movie review: Paddington
MOVIE REVIEW: Paddington is one of the finer family films of this, or any other year. This magnificent movie adaptation is highly recommended.
Movie review: St. Vincent
MOVIE REVIEW: St. Vincent is a delightfully down-in-the-mouth feel good affair dominated by the king of misanthropic mirth himself, Bill Murray.
Movie review: Folies Bergère
MOVIE REVIEW: Isabelle Huppert fronts an unmistakably French comedy of manners that can also be thought-provoking … if you let it.
Movie Review: Love is now
MOVIE REVIEW: Love is Now is a low-budget, mysterious Australian romantic drama which has its head in the right place.
A day and a title to forget
MOVIE REVIEW: Young Australian actor Ed Oxenbould stars alongside Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell — but their star power can’t save this Disney film.
Movie review: Human Capital
MOVIE REVIEW: Human Capital is a potent dose of European cinema following the aftermath of a hit and run car accident that has more than one victim.
Movie review: The Captive
MOVIE REVIEW: The Captive is a bleak and dark drama about the abduction of a child. But can the inclusion of Ryan Reynolds lift the mood?
Thou shalt not fall asleep
MOVIE REVIEW: Christian Bale does a fine job in Exodus: Gods and Kings. And watch out for a pair of Aussies in fake tan and guyliner.
First review: The Water Diviner
RUSSELL Crowe stars, directs, and puts his heart and soul into The Water Diviner. So how does he go? Leigh Paatsch has the lowdown.
One final shot to stay in the game
MOVIE review: Maps to the Stars is a disarmingly haunting portrait of an ex-star actress (Julianne Moore) unable to let go of what little is left of her former celebrity.
The ultimate summer movie guide
WHAT will you be watching at the movies this summer? Leigh Paatsch has the lowdown on what’s on the big screens in coming months.
Movie review: Nightcrawler
MOVIE review: Jake Gyllenhaal channels the best of Robert De Niro in the dark and disturbing Nightcrawler.
Movie review: When the Queen Came to Town
MOVIE review: This dinky, but delightful documentary commemorates the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1954 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
A vampire hit that’s bloody funny
OSCAR-NOMINATED Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi is back with a hilarious vampire comedy, that you’ll want to sink your teeth into for a good laugh.
Review: What We Do in the Shadows
HERE comes the mockumentary the vampire world has been crying out for. This very funny low-budget film explores the everyday – or, everynight – lives of four vampires.
Movie review: Into the Storm
A BAD case of wind makes the latest disaster movie Into the Storm well worth seeing for weather watchers – the more extreme, the better.
Movie review: Boyhood
THE coming-of-life movie? Now this is something new. The achingly accurate chronicle of a child growing up over 12 years puts the film Boyhood in a class of its own.
Joel’s Felony is worth the wait
REVIEW: Joel Edgerton’s latest film Felony is a gripping piece of storytelling that pays punishing dividends for him and its stars.
What’s on at the movies
A HANDY guide to all the films currently showing in Australian cinemas
Locke and load for a stunt hit
REVIEW: One man, one car and very little action, yet Locke is one of the year’s most successful film experiments.
Is Predestination believable?
REVIEW: In the new film Predestination, Australia’s Sarah Snook is extraordinary – but Ethan Hawke can barely summon any interest.
Firth and Stone are an odd couple
REVIEW: Woody Allen’s latest film Magic in the Moonlight stars Colin Firth who is 53. His co-star, Emma Stone is 25, and the romantic plot will keep you guessing.
Small, grotty universe lands in Australia
THE Inbetweeners 2: Defenders of all things Inbetweeners will say the derogatory manner in which women are spoken of is all of a bit of a lark. It is not.
Cautionary tale skilfully told
ALL This Mayhem: Australian skateboarders Tas and Ben Pappas crashed the US pro circuit as if it was a party that could use some livening up, then burned their way out of the sport for good.
Ego soars as Cameron takes a dive
DEEPSEA Challenge 3D: IT ain’t easy being James Cameron. But it is sure is fun. And dangerous. And expensive. And don’t you ever forget it.
‘Forrest Gump’ gets old and blows things up
THE 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of the Window and Disappeared: One of the strangest films that will be released in 2014.
Bacall far more than Bogart’s widow
LAUREN Bacall will be remembered for being Laurel Bacall, a part she played to perfection on her own singular terms.
Mirren’s French feast really satisfies
THE Hundred-Foot Journey: Acclaimed actress Helen Mirren cooks up a storm, but it’s another veteran that takes the cake in this serving of feel-good fare.
Stars muscle in on road to Assmanistan
THE Expendables 3: Leigh Paatsch rates the new old guns — and talks a pop at Sly Stallone — as Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes join the fray.
Rom hard to love, Com hard to find
AND So It Goes: The directorial mojo that resulted in crowd-pleasing classics When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Stand By Me and This Is Spinal Tap is gone forever.
Python stars relive their greatest hits
MONTY Python Live (mostly): As an exercise in giving the people what they want, the Python’s last hurrah cannot be faulted.
Is Keira’s woe-is-me warbling worth a listen?
BEGIN Again: Keira Knightley supplies her own vocals as an unknown British musician who catches the ear of a troubled talent scout in New York.
Eccentric heroes deliver full-on fun
GUARDIANS Of The Galaxy: The story is “complete balderdash”, the special effects definitely hit and miss, so why does Leigh Paatsch love Marvel’s latest adventure?
We need more Australian films like this
THESE Final Hours: A brave, brash apocalyptic Aussie drama achieves an instant impact, and also leaves a lasting mark.
When doing the right thing can be murder
THE Keeper of Lost Causes: A cold case detective becomes obsessed with what was thought to be an open-and-shut case of suicide in this engrossing Danish crime drama.
Keep that frown upside down: D’movie is d’pits
MRS Brown’s Boys D’Movie: At least on the small screen, the pain from Brendan O’Connell’s crass-quipping cross-dresser is confined to a relatively merciful half-hour.
Acting maestro takes his final bow
A MOST Wanted Man: The late, great actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is captured at the very peak of his powers in his leading-role swan song.
Surprising feat: Strongman saga no turkey
HERCULES: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is every bit the right fit for a lighter, brighter and swifter take on the legend in a film that refuses to take itself seriously.
Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/movies/leigh-paatsch/page/30