20 WORD MOVIE REVIEWS by Paul Laight

I watch A LOT of films (and TV)! Here are some I’ve watched in the last few months. And for those people with goldfishesque attention spans or really busy lives I’ve summed up my critiques in no more than 20 words!

2 GUNS (2013)

Loud-brash-half-brained-actioner with heightened watchability down to great chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg!

BAD EDUCATION – SEASON 1 (2012)

Jack Whitehall – as overgrown Man-Child-come-Teacher Alfie Wickers – stars and co-wrote this generic but very funny BBC sitcom.

BROKEN CITY – (2013)

Disappointing political thriller with not much politics or thrills. Has its’ moments but wastes a great cast including Crowe, Wahlberg etc.

COMPLIANCE (2012)

Well directed low-budget thriller. Gripping yet difficult to believe people would be so stupid but it REALLY happened. Dumb Americans!

GANGSTER SQUAD (2013)

Beautiful looking yet hollow drama with excessive budget for little narrative satisfaction. Watch LA CONFIDENTIAL instead! Same story; different class.

THE LAST STAND (2013)

Schwarzenegger’s career is more Dutch Elm disease than Austrian Oak now as this fun-but-moronic actioner proves.

LES MISERABLES (2012)

Musical for people, like me, who hate musicals. Crowe, Jackman and Hathaway yank the heartstrings in this sprawling, epic masterpiece!

THE LOOK OF LOVE (2013)

Michael Winterbottom’s surprisingly touching biopic of pornographer Paul Raymond is anchored superbly by Steve Coogan’s best cinematic performance yet.

THE MASTER (2012)

Fun’s NOT a word you’d use to describe this weighty, intense black-belt drama infected by Hoffman and Phoenix’s incredible performances.

OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL (2013)

Raimi’s queer epic updates the OZ universe for modern days. With Kunis, Weisz, Williams starring – witches’ve never been so hot!

PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (2012)

Tri-polar crime drama which throws its’ best asset away 45 minutes but holds dramatic court via fine direction and committed performances.

RUST & BONE (2012)

Cotillard and Schoenaerts fizz with passion and brute sexuality in this opposites-attract adult drama from directorial genius Jacques Audiard.

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (2013)

Fraudulent waste of stellar cast as seven characters search for a plot in this pointless drama. It’s no IN BRUGES!

SIDE EFFECTS (2013)

Neat thriller which wrong foots at every turn. Begins as serio-critique of the pharmaceutical industry but genre-curves into something more sinister.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2013)

Beautiful, crazy, romantic drama with sensational ensemble cast. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence catch fire and burn the silver screen.

SPRING BREAKERS (2013)

Amoral wankfest which has its’ tits and eats them in satirical movie con-trick. James Franco is great as plastic-wigga-gangster though!

THIS IS THE END (2013)

Apocalyptic comedy with Rogen, Franco, Hill, McBride, Baruchal etc. playing themselves! Rollicking, silly, side-splitter full of fun cameos.

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (2012)

Eastwood grizzles and Amy Adams sizzles in by-the-numbers yet appealing sports drama that drifts along pleasantly enough.

THE WEE MAN (2013)

Great little actor Martin Compston is the main appeal in this low-budget Scottish crime drama based on a true story.

WORLD’S END (2013)

Hilarious and touching conclusion to Cornetto Trilogy as Pegg/Frost combat alien marauders on a pub crawl. Spiffing 90s soundtrack to boot!