Leigh Paatsch's guide to movies

THIS compact and comprehensive movie guide gives you an an idea of what to expect from the films now showing.

Sarah Polley gets behind the camera in Stories We Tell.

THIS compact and comprehensive movie guide gives you an an idea of what to expect from the films now showing.

* THE BEST OFFER (M) A tough sell, but meets its reserve, Italy, 122 min

You heard the one about the obsessive-compulsive old auctioneer and the beautiful young agoraphobic? Didn’t think so. While it does read as the set-up for a joke, this Italian-made, English-language drama takes itself very seriously indeed. Perhaps too much so, but never at the expense of an intrigued audience. Geoffrey Rush is in fine form here as the toffy art dealer Virgil, a cultured control freak who drops his guard when he falls for the mysteriously mercurial shut-in Claire (Sylvia Hoeks). The film is not without its share of flaws - the intentionally stilted dialogue will get on some folks’ nerves - but does just enough to deliver upon expectations. Co-stars Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland. Rating: 3/5

* BLUE JASMINE (M) From high society to an all-time low, US, 96 min

A career-best performance by Cate Blanchett is the most obvious reason to catch one of the year’s best releases. But there is so much more to savour here, including the opportunity to witness veteran writer-director Woody Allen recapture the greatness many thought was long-gone. This is a film about the way things used to be. If you cannot let go of the past - or at the very least, learn from it - then the way things are right now will swallow you whole. Blanchett plays Jasmine, a former socialite who has fallen heavily on hard times after her husband (Alec Baldwin) is exposed as a swindler. Like all of the finest Woody Allen films, Blue Jasmine is at once funny, sad, bright-eyed, dark-hearted and, last but not least, incredibly astute about human nature. The hand-picked ensemble Allen has gathered to flesh out this bittersweet tale of woe is flawless. However, the film belongs to Blanchett in so many different ways, all of which could see her accepting a Best Actress statuette at the next Oscars. Rating: 4.5/5

* THE EAST (M) Getting in with the outlaws, US-UK, 99 min

Fascinating drama set in the shadowy world of eco-terrorism. Brit Marling stars as a corporate spy who infiltrates an anarchist group that regularly takes drastic action against companies they believe are harming the public. The film is at its strongest tracking the extreme lines of thought that go into mounting an organised attack on commercial interests. Some of the source material is too rigid to yield to the demands of a thriller format that kicks in during the final act, but remains a compelling and informative experience throughout. Definitely worth tracking down if you’re after something with a little substance. Co-stars Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson. {Now showing in Melbourne. Opens Sep 26 in Sydney. Other states to follow.} Rating: 3.5/5

* GROWN UPS 2 (PG) There comes an age where you must act your shoe-size, US, 101 min

No real point in turning up your nose or turning down your thumb here. You’re in Adam Sandler country now. The normal laws of comedy no longer apply. This soft-headed sequel had to happen after the first Grown Ups became the highest-grossing film in Sandler’s highly gross career. That was the one where Sandler played a fortysomething dude reliving the glory days of his youth with some other fortysomething dudes (Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, etc.). This time around, the boysy BFFs now all live in the same town, and their kids are going through the same stuff they did back in the day. It all ends rather politely with an 80s costume party, and rather worryingly with the possibility there might be a Grown Ups 3. Rating: 2/5

* I’M SO EXCITED (MA15+) High altitudes, low attitudes, Spain, 95 min

A forgettably frothy return to comedy for the prolific Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar (Talk to Her, Volver). A plane bound for Mexico strikes trouble soon after takeoff, and may crash before it reaches its intended destination. Enter a trio of flamboyant male flight attendants to hold the fort - or at least, drug the passengers to prevent widespread panic - until everyone’s ultimate fate is known. With real wit and good jokes rarely to be found, Almodovar and his cast spend much of the film floundering from one self-indulgent set-piece to the next. A weak effort from a strong talent. Rating: 2/5

* LOVELACE (MA15+) A naked ambition uncovered, US, 93 min

A flimsy, yet fascinating biopic, tracking 70s porn star Linda Lovelace’s swift rise to infamy, and a long, slow journey to the bottom of the barrel. The title role is played by Amanda Seyfried, a surprising casting choice considering she is still remembered in most quarters as Meryl Streep’s nice young daughter in Mamma Mia. Seyfried acquits herself well, in spite of spending the entire picture outside her usual comfort zone. While the production as a whole turns out to be a bit of a B-grade Boogie Nights, Seyfried keeps hustling for a better outcome throughout. The main story arc tracked by Lovelace follows Linda’s fraught and fractious relationship with husband Chuck Traynor (a convincingly sleazy Peter Sarsgaard). Rating: 3/5

* NOW YOU SEE ME (M) Taking the money with no need to run, US, 116 min

This slick’n’slippery heist movie might get more ridiculously illogical by the minute, but there can be no denying it is serious escapist fun throughout. An A-team of maverick illusionists has been assembled for a magic show that takes Vegas by storm. Their signature trick? Robbing a bank live on stage, in full view of their audience. Huh? You have to see it to believe it. When the troupe is held responsible for millions missing from a Paris bank vault - without ever setting foot in France - the FBI and Interpol take a forensic interest in the workings of the act. Of course, the magicians refuse to reveal a single trade secret. Though continually in the spotlight and under the microscope, their stunts become all the more audacious and inexplicable. A well-cast ensemble including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Isla Fisher and Morgan Freeman are clearly having a grand time having a lend of us all. Allow yourself to be completely duped, and you are certain to be highly entertained. Rating: 3.5/5

* ONE DIRECTION:THIS IS US (PG) This is them ... kind of., US, 92 min

A piffling 3D concert doco about five young men who have temporarily harnessed the power to make many millions of young women scream. Filmed during the final phase of a punishing global touring schedule that only wrapped a few months ago, This is Us hosts a predictably sanitised celebration of One Direction’s extraordinary success to date. You want deep and meaningful insights into life as it is lived at the eye of the One Direction hurricane? Not gonna happen. You want the lads gabbing about how much they owe it all to their mums, their dads and their fans? Would you mind ever so much if they took their shirts off every now and then? Is gonna happen. Rating: 2/5

* PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS (PG) Minor commotion in the ocean, US, 106 min

In the first Percy Jackson movie, this oh-so-modern teenage son of an ancient Greek god seemed like too much of a home-brand Harry Potter for his own good. As played by Logan Lerman - now 21 years of age and looking a little too old to be a demigod still in high school - Percy remains as blandly charisma-challenged as ever. However, the second set of adventures ripped from the books of best-selling author Rick Riordan offers far more fun and fizz than before. Though you’ll never be hanging on the edge of your seat, Percy and his posse of earthbound higher beings - hunting for the fabled Golden Fleece in the Bermuda Triangle - are quite OK to hang out with for a while. Rating: 3/5

* PLANES (G) A struggle to wing you over, US, 91 min

So-so cartoon that looks like a Pixar offering, but is not. Like the comparatively superior Turbo, the tale is that of an unlikely hero (in this case, a lowly cropduster named Dusty) who wants to realise an impossible dream by winning a famous race (the Wings Around the Globe Rally). There are naysayers to be proved wrong, and nefarious rivals to be bested with honour. Oh, and Dusty must also overcome a fear of heights. The sole recommendation for Planes is that at least it is better than the sub-standard Smurfs 2. Perhaps best enjoyed by very young children hitting the cinema for the very first time. Rating: 2/5

* RIDDICK (MA15+) A return to Vinning ways, US, 118 min

Vin Diesel’s character of Riddick, an intergalactic outlaw with night-visiony eyes and steroidy muscles, stole the show in the very good Pitch Black (2000). Then stole our dough in the very bad Chronicles of Riddick (2004). In terms of entertainment value, the new movie sits smack-bang between the previous two. The wonky excesses of Chronicles have been ripped up. The last-bad-man-on-a-last-bad-planet stylings of Pitch Black have been stitched back together. In this passable affair, Riddick is stuck on a far-flung world with just 11 bounty hunters that want him dead for company. Will he survive to fight another day (and star in another sequel)? No answers please. Co-stars Matt Nable, Katie Sackhoff. Rating: 2.5/5

* THE ROCKET (PG) We have liftoff, Australia, 98 min

A tough-skinned, yet tender-hearted coming-of-age drama, The Rocket effortlessly launches itself in viewers’ affections, and remains there throughout. Filmed in the war-ravaged nation of Laos by Australian filmmaker Kim Mourdant, this is the story of a young lad named Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe). A resourceful child, Ahlo was born a twin, a status which has cast a long shadow over his short life (in Laotian culture, it is believed one twin is good and the other is evil). This one little boy must prove the fates wrong, and The Rocket (which takes its name from a fireworks festival which forms a key element of the movie) offers an irresistible ground-level view of the mountainous quest before him. Rating: 4/5

* RUNNER RUNNER (MA15+) The bettor’s the devil, you know, US, 91 min

A middling online gambling thriller works up a fairly predictable tangle of double-crosses and triple-threats. Ben Affleck delivers his portrayal of a corrupt betting kingpin with a non-committal shrug. It is such a static performance that the film around him rarely gets moving. Which is a shame, as the material covered here does have the potential to be quite compelling. It is left to Justin Timberlake, a moderate actor at best, to make the pace here, and though he battles valiantly throughout, the task remains ever so slightly beyond him. The exotic setting of Costa Rica sweetens the deal somewhat, as does the occasional shock insight into the shonky world of virtual casinos. Co-stars Gemma Arterton. Rating: 2.5/5

* THE SMURFS 2 (G) Falling far short of Smurfection, US, 105 min

Here comes another one just like the other one. Only not as good. And the other one wasn’t much good to begin with. To no-one’s great surprise, the makers of The Smurfs 2 have brought nothing new to the table aside from a fresh digit at the end of the title. If you were feeling particularly generous, you could also factor in a change of general locale to Paris as a change for the better. But really, when it’s all about the squeaky blue freaks eeking away in the foreground, the background just doesn’t matter. Nor do those lining up for an easy pay cheque here. Katy Perry provides the unoiled-door voice of Smurfette, who has been abducted by the villainous Gargamel (Hank Azaria) to bring on what he calls “Smurf-A-Geddon.” 1.5/5

* STORIES WE TELL (M) Sifting out the facts from the friction, US, 129 min

A unique and dynamically rendered documentary with a difference. Actress Sarah Polley steps behind the camera to tell the life story of her late mother Diane, who died of cancer in her early 40s. The plurality of the movie’s title is intentional: Polley invites a vast array of family members and friends to relate Diane’s biography as they remember it. The disparities between the recollections of each interviewee become quite pronounced are varying stages in the film, and Polley bravely examines all of them. Sometimes she pays a heavy emotional cost for doing so. At other times, those involved in the project are forced to confront (and perhaps, forever change) their own interpretation of the ever-mysterious Diane. The doco is narrated by Michael, Diane's second husband, an intriguing and solitary presence who could have been a worthy subject of a similar film himself. See this extraordinary project with as little advance knowledge as possible, and one of the most lasting film experiences of the year awaits. Rating: 4.5/5

* TIM WINTON’S THE TURNING (MA15+) Many lives, one mystery, Australia, 186 min

With characteristic frankness, Australian author Tim Winton says he is “still trying to make sense of the damned book” he wrote in 2005, many stories from which serve as the basis for this unusual movie experience. How unusual? Well, 17 different local directors, casts and crews have been summoned to interpret different sections of Winton’s award-winning tome The Turning. The variety of styles on display is dauntingly diverse. The overall running time is three hours, including a welcome intermission break. Some instalments breeze by with little impact. Others stun by deploying short, sharp stabs of great emotional power. Sometimes, the whole thing can be a drag. Then The Turning can suddenly hit you with some of the best Australian filmmaking seen in years. The push-me-pull-you nature of the production will definitely prove to be a challenging experience for most viewers. A commitment is demanded to go with the erratic, elliptic flow of it all. The choice is yours: respond or resist. Stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Rose Byrne, Miranda Otto. Rating: 3.5/5

* TURBO (G) Zooming out of his shell, US, 96 min

Here we have the stirring story of Theo (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), the fastest snail to ever contest the Indianapolis 500. As you may have gathered, Theo is no ordinary snail. A freak accident has left him with a 300 km/hr surge of acceleration. This genial animated adventure is, quite simply, one very cruisy joy ride for younger viewers. The standard of animation is probably a few cylinders shy of Pixar’s V8 visuals for their Cars movies, but still convey the motion-blurred adrenalin rush of racetrack conditions with great aplomb. Not exactly a classic, but still effectively entertaining enough to leave all other animated vehicles trailing in its wake this school holidays. Rating: 3/5

* WE’RE THE MILLERS (MA15+) Small crack-ups in a grass menagerie, US, 110 min

Middling comedy lacking the smarts to capitalise on a clever premise. Jason Sudeikis stars as a low-level pot dealer forced to participate in a high-stakes drugs deal to get rid of a crushing debt to his supplier. In order to smuggle a major marijuana haul across the Mexican border, he gathers a motley bunch (including Jennifer Aniston as a stripper) to pose as his fake family to avoid suspicion. There are just enough laughs to be had to allow this sketchy, smutty affair the benefit of the doubt. There are never enough laughs to be had to extinguish any doubt it is not as funny as it might have been. co-stars Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman. Rating: 2.5/5

* WHITE HOUSE DOWN (M) The hunt for a weapon of mass distraction is over, US, 131 min

There is some magnificent trash to be treasured in White House Down. Action fans who want nothing more than a rush, a laugh and a lot of cartoonish collateral damage should book their tickets now. Resistance is useless. Logistics are irrelevant. It’s all about the bang-bang-bang, the boom-boom-boom, and Channing Tatum getting his Die Hard groove on. Tatum plays a low-ranking Congressional bodyguard who somehow finds himself the sole protector of the US President (Jamie Foxx) when the White House comes under a frightening terrorist attack. There is no other apt way of putting it: this is big, dumb fun. You may never be intellectually challenged by its contents, but you will never, ever be bored. Rating: 3/5