The movie is out now and basically is about a married couple from New Jersey, who’s life is so routined and boring.

They have two children and every week they have a “date night” at a local steakhouse, where they talk about work and make guesses on each couple’s stories in the restaurant.

They eventually learn that their best friends, Brad (Mark Ruffalo) and Haley (Kristen Wiig), have become bored by their marriage and are getting a divorce due to their lame routines, which mirrors Phil and Claire’s marriage.

In an effort to reignite romance the pair go out and beyond to find excitement and fun again.

Date Night is an uneasy blend of action and comedy, doesn’t quite live up to the talents of its two leads.

Steve Caroll and Tina Fey are good, but they could be better.

I suppose in the end it is not entirely their fault, the script is not amazing, and really does lack the depth you would expect from such a high budget movie.

However, they still manage to shine through most of the movie’s flaws and in the end it turns out to be a half decent movie.

Date Night is out now in most cinemas around the nation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aspBKFz2dBI

While on the search, she stumbles across a 25 year-old who just so happens to be the nanny of her younger child.

From here the movie takes viewers on a fun-loving journey about a couple who just wont let age get in the way of their feelings for each other.

Being a comedy there are plenty of laughable scenes such as the predictable sex scene where the kid busts into the room, and the typical cougar calls and toy boy references.

Directed by Bart Freundlich, The Rebound stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha as the love struck couple, with a solid supporting performance from Steve Antonucci.

In almost predictable Hollywood style, the pair eventually put their differences behind them and manage to live happily ever after with their new combined family.

In case you think I spoiled the end, I didn’t, it is just that predictable that I didn’t feel it was necessary to hold it back as a spoiler.

The Rebound is what it is, a decent romantic comedy that will take most viewers for an enjoyable ride.

The movie is predictable and cheesy at times, but at the same time it does captivate the audience and cannot be criticized for that.

The Rebound is scheduled to screen in selected cinemas around Australia from March 18.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGyLFdzhw-c

Precious is one of these films. With the likes of Avatar, The Hurt Locker and Invictus stealing the limelight, the Lee Daniels release has managed to go by under the radar in recent months.

Set in Harlem in the 80s, Precious is the story of Claireece Precious Jones, a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life of pain.

For starters, she is pregnant for the second time by her drug-addicted father. Her life at home is made a nightmare by her abusive mother, a poisonously angry woman who scars her emotionally and physically.

School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks even though she cannot read or write.

The inspiring story of Precious is that while she may sometimes be down, she is never out. Her story speaks of a courageous woman who overcomes adversity to reach greater heights.

Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, a move that will lead on a journey from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.

There are few movies which leave an everlasting scar on your memory, and Precious is one of these films… for the right reasons.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5FYahzVU44

YouTube currently has partnerships with productions companies who let them rent movies through their site.

The first five films available to rent through YouTube will cost jus under four dollars for a 48-hour viewing period.

But, movie studios will be able to set their own prices, with rental viewing windows ranging from one day to three months.

YouTube will get an unspecified commission from each rental sold.

Currently, YouTube are encourage many studios to rent movies through its site, hoping to eventually create a new financial stream to supplement the internet ads that bring in most of its revenue.

The evolution marks the next step in the quirky, content ridden websites history, and a sign of the way DVD rentals will pan out in the future.

It was only a matter of time before movies were rented, and watched online, but very few thought it would be YouTube who would pioneer the movement.

The new move is also expected to be financially handsome for YouTube with a 50 per cent increase in profit expected over the next six months. Last year the website made 700 million dollars and hopes to eclipse that in 2010.

However, if YouTube still doesn’t tickle your fancy, there are still plenty of places to rent movies that can be downloaded or streamed over high-speed internet connections such as Apple’s iTunes store, Netflix and Amazon.com

The blonde bombshell is reportedly set to play a leading role in George Miller’s hugely anticipated fourth Mad Max film Fury Road.

While the news did not come from Palmer’s mouth, her co-star in her recent movie, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Jay Baruchel, let the news slip during an interview about his own upcoming film.

“She gets to work with him, and she’s [going to be] doing Mad Max 4 with Miller,” Baruchel said.

“She’s the main chick in Fury Road. She’s going to be there for over a year. It’s really, really cool.”

Palmer’s Sydney agency Shanahan’s would not comment on the casting yesterday, nor would production house Kennedy Miller.

And while everyone continues to remain tight-lipped about the news, the media continues to speculate it as being true.

Palmer, who splits her time in Sydney and Hollywood, could not be contacted either about the matter, but seemed to be in good spirits during the week going out with Bingle and boyfriend Nash Edgerton at the Bondi Flickerfest festival.

Mad Max: Fury Road has already signed Charlize Theron to be a leading female in the film, and it is unsure whether the securing of Palmer was made as a replacement for Theron, or just a co-star role.

The latest Mad Max production is scheduled to shoot for 30 weeks this year in and around the Broken Hill area in Australia.

The focus of the movie is around the South African nation, and the problems they had to overcome just to make the tournament.

Clint Eastwood makes his return to the directors list for the film and it is his first piece of work since Gran Torino this time last year.

The word Invictus itself means is Latin for “undefeated” and comes from a poem by William Ernest Henley.

Henley was going through a period of transformation in the mid 90s, much similar to South Africa during the same time.

The apartheid had just been put to an end and Nelson Mandela elected to the office of the President after serving twenty-seven years in prison.

The movie stars Matt Damon who plays Francois Pienaar, a rugby player for South Africa, who leads his nation to a Cinderella victory in the 1995 world cup.

While Invictus is a sporting movie, it really is dominated by drama and a compelling story about a true event.

If you are after some great footage of Rugby Union, prepare to be disappointed.

Invictus definitely falls behind in the area of quality sporting action.

Overall, however, the film certainly captivates the viewers, and the experienced presence of Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela is played out perfectly.

A movie adaptation of the events in South Africa during the 90s was always going to be although task, but Eastwood has done so with style and accuracy.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ovkye6lac

Stars: Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope

In cinemas: 13th August 2009

Directed by newcomer Neil Blomkamp and produced by the almighty Peter Jackson. District 9 is set in an alternate reality South Africa where an Alien spacecraft has landed and its occupants quarantined to the titular District 9. The plot is still somewhat under wraps, but this new trailer sheds a little light on it.
The film appears to be shot in a semi-documentary style, which really helps with the immersion of the special effects and the reality of the world. Here’s hoping for some ultra long shots like we saw in Children of Men.

Review:

Racial segregation is a big deal in South Africa. It has been since colonial times. In 1948 new legislation allowed different racial groups to be segregated and housed in separate residential areas by forcibly removing people from their homes. Black people were given inferior education, medical care and public services to that given to white people. Violent riots ensued. This legalized racism was abolished in 1994 but the country still has a complicated, serious and often violent racial problem… And you thought District 9 was about aliens!

The science-fiction genre has long been the ideal arena to disguise social commentary with fantastical stories. Director Neill Blomkamp has, with his debut feature constructed a science-fiction masterpiece worthy to be stacked alongside Alien, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Bladerunner.

Thirty years ago a giant alien spacecraft came to rest above the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Rather than finding peaceful greys or triangular headed monsters bent on Earth domination, they found malnourished insect-like Refugees. The humans set them up in a large slum known as District 9. Tension between the aliens and human grew over the next few decades until finally the government is pressured into a mass eviction plan to move the aliens to a new area outside the city unimaginatively called District 10. Which is where we come in. Enter funny, flawed and frankly endearing Wikus Van De Merwe (played by newcomer Sharlto Copley who also played a sniper in Alive In Joburg, the short film from which District 9 was expanded), the MNU worker put in charge of the operation. When Wikus is accidentally infected with a DNA-altering alien virus things really get interesting…

All those wonderful flaws are paraded in District 9. Greed, hatred, exploitation. Sharlto Copley is perfect as Wikus, a deeply flawed and very human protagonist. We are made to first question his abilities (for the first 20 minutes Wikus could easily be mistaken for a Chris Lilley character), then question his morals (he delights in the sound of alien babies being burnt alive and popping “like popcorn”). Each of his heroic acts seems to spring from selfish motives. There are no Hollywood good guys in District 9. In fact there’s little sign of Hollywood at all, aside from the occasional homage.

The story weaves in an unconventional way. The style switches freely from documentary to film and back again. The special effects are close to flawless as the aliens blend perfectly with their environment. The action is insane! Alien weapons = enormous body count that would make Johnny Rico wet his futuristic fatigues. People explode, are electrocuted, even smashed in the face with a floating pig. There’s a huge amount of humour to be found, both in the goofiness of Wikus himself, and in the generally insane landscape (including some hilarious moments of interspecies erotica).

District 9’s flaws are few. A handful of small plot holes are left unanswered and it should also be said that whilst Blomkamp goes to great efforts to point out the racial disharmony of the country in which it’s set, it fails to suggest a way to fix the problem; its one thing to fly the flag of protest but another thing entirely to help work toward change… Anyway, I’m going to climb down off my high-horse now and go see it again.

Four stars.

Stars: Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Chris Hemsworth

In Cinemas: 14th August 2009

It’s yet another island film where honeymooners set off to what they think is their dream location, until something goes wrong. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has finally made his way to the big screen- years after slugging away on Aussie soap Home and Away. This could be the big break Hemsworth needs to get Hollywood interested.

Although he is not the main focus of the film- honeymooners Cliff and Cydney (played by Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) are where our attention lies- Hemsworth plays a convincing role as Kale, a mysterious hiker who is travelling with his companion and lover.

A Perfect getaway tells the story of the adventurous newlywed couple Cliff and Cydney who head to one of the most beautiful, yet remote beaches in hawii to celebrate their wedding. The hiking couple think they have found paradise- blue skies, water and some of the most wild, secluded trails on earth. But when they discover a group of hikers discussing the horrifying murder of a couple on the island, they begin to question their paradise island.

Unsure whether to stay on the island or flee, Cliff and Cydney team up with two other couples, but things start to go terribly wrong. The newlyweds are far from civilization and rescue, everyone looking like a threat and nobody knows who is trustworthy. Their beautiful, secluded island becomes a nightmare and the battle for survival begins.

David Twohy’s cleaver direction makes the plot twist, the hunters end up being made the eventual prey. According to his blog, the entire film was shot in just over a month. We’ll have to wait and see if this suspense film will last longer than its filming.