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It’s been a while since I caught a season of Bones – I think I missed seasons 3 & 4 which essentially put me on the back foot for season five due to an apparently provocative season four finale. The other thing that not watching Bones for a couple of years has done to me, is make it seem a lot more camp that it used to be.

Bones has always been a deft mix of sly comedy and the otherwise numbingly boring world of forensic crime fighting. It was this subtle humour and carefree attitude towards itself that endeared Bones to me in the first place, and gave it that much needed heft above the flotsam of high action forensic crime TV dramas.

Now however, it seemed like Bones wasn’t being quite as subtle with it’s piss taking humour. Not that this turned out to be a bad thing because season five was a fun way to whittle away an evening every couple of days.

For those of you who don’t know Bones, it’s a show based on Kathy Reichs best selling novels and is based around the life and work of forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan and her FBI Agent sidekick, Seeley Booth.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz team up in this rom-com that to be honest feels like the poor cousin to Killers. Diaz plays the role of a single girl who’s passion (and job) is restoring classic cars to the extent that she flies across the country to find the parts she needs. It’s on one of these trips that she bumps into and pretty much instantly falls in love with Tom Cruise’s character, an apparently rogue CIA agent.

Whilst the story clips along at a decent pace, and the comedic elements are certainly there, it seems that poor scrip direction leaves both Cruise and DIaz high and dry in this run of the mill caper.

They certainly work well together, with the best moments being when they are onscreen together – it’s a running theme that they keep getting separated only to be re-united – and as such kudos should be sent their way for rescuing this film.

Maybe if I’d watched Knight and Day before seeing Killers I’d wouldn’t be so harsh on it, but if I had to pick between the two films I think you know what one I’d recommend.  Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, so I’m not sure what to think about Ben Stiller’s Greenberg. On the one hand I think it’s Stiller’s best film to date – but that’s not saying anything much when you realise that I don’t like any of his previous films. On the other hand, its a depressing nonsensical story that leaves you in a stunned state of stupidity.

But then on a deeper level its a brave tale of two souls who don’t fit into our carefully structured world and who may just be ideal for each other if only they can get past there own issues.

Fans of Stiller will probably be horrified at the sedate pace and serious tone – this isn’t one of Stiller’s so called comedies – it’s a fairly serious look at mental illness and poor self esteem.

On the other hand people who tend to stay away from Stiller seeing him as nothing more that a crass wanna be will probably be pleasantly surprised – especially if they’re people who like going to see slow, story driven films at the Rialto.  Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to the good people at Rialto we have two double passes to A Woman A Gun and a Noodle Shop which opened today at Rialto Cinemas. To go in the draw to win one, just Tweet this < RT 2 WIN - Films are better @rialtocinemas - http://bit.ly/ifYzvJ > anytime before 5pm on Friday. NZ residents only.

Good old Ashton Kutcher – the dude doesn’t seem to age one bit and despite being in his early 30′s he still looks like he could star in a re-make of 21 Jump Street. Along with not aging, Ashton never seemed to learn to act either, not that matters in a film like Killers. The plot is wafer thin and the cheese so thick its almost edible.

But then you don’t buy a Ashton Kutcher DVD for the plot, you buy it because its going to be fun. And fun Killer’s is.

Kutcher plays the role of a US government assassin who bumps into recently dumped rich girl (played by Katherine Heigl who despite being born in the same year comes off looking like a cradle snatcher) and they both pretty much fall head over heals in love with each other.

Cue Kutcher’s early retirement from the killing career and they settle down into martial bliss. That is until someone from Kutcher’s past is activated to kill him.  Read the rest of this entry »