CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE (12A)
CAL Weaver (Steve Carell) is enjoying a meal with his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) who confesses she slept with David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon) and wants a divorce. The cuckolded husband seeks refuge at a bar where Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) takes pity and assures Cal, “I’m going to help you rediscover your manhood.” With expert guidance, Cal seduces teacher, Kate (Marisa Tomei). Jacob pursues law student Hannah (Emma Stone) and back home at the Weaver house, Cal and Emily’s 13-year-old son declares his crush for his babysitter.
STAR RATING: ****
DRIVE (18)
DRIVER (Ryan Gosling) works as a mechanic for his good friend, Shannon (Bryan Cranston). When he’s not working, Driver performs illegal jobs organised by Shannon, which invariably involve getaways from crime scenes. Driver falls for Irene (Carey Mulligan), whose husband Standard Gabriel (Oscar Isaac) has just been released from prison and wants to rebuild bridges with his little boy, Benicio (Kaden Leos). Unfortunately, Standard owes protection money to hoodlum Cook (James Biberi). So Standard plots to rob a pawn shop to settle the debt. Driver agrees to sit behind the wheel of the getaway vehicle but the heist goes wrong.
STAR RATING: ****
KILLER ELITE (15)
RELUCTANT hit man Danny (Jason Statham) is pulled back into the game when his mentor Hunter (Robert De Niro) is taken hostage. His captor is a renegade sheikh, who held Hunter when he refused to take on the mission of avenging the deaths of his three sons, by assassinating the SAS soldiers who killed them. Danny fails to spring Hunter out of his cell and finds he’s been set up to take on the hits. Danny recruits his old team, ex-paratrooper Davies (Dominic Purcell) and American gadget geek Meier (Aden Young). Danny’s crew have to race to bump off their targets, save Hunter and get the money.
STAR RATING: ***
SOUL SURFER (PG)
SOUL Surfer recounts Bethany Hamilton’s inspirational true story. Bethany (AnnaSophia Robb) was born to surf but almost gives up on life when a tiger shark rips off her left arm. Bethany also questions her faith and turns to youth group leader Sarah Hill (Carrie Underwood) who invites Bethany to travel to Thailand, in the wake of the tsunami to help with the humanitarian effort. Surrounded by devastation, the teenager gains new perspective.
STAR RATING: ***
30 MINUTES OR LESS (15)
DWAYNE (Danny McBride) and his pal Travis (Nick Swardson) cower in the shadow of Dwayne’s domineering father, The Major (Fred Ward), who won the lottery and has frittered away most of the cash. Dancer Juici (Bianca Kajlich) suggests a radical solution: pay hit man Chongo (Michael Pena) 100,000 dollars to kill him. Dwayne hatches a scheme to kidnap delivery guy Nick (Jesse Eisenberg), strap a bomb to his chest and then force the fall guy to rob a bank for the hit man’s fee.
STAR RATING: ***
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (15)
CONTROL (John Hurt), the chief of a 1970s British Secret Intelligence Service unit learns that Russian counterpart Karla has placed a mole within the ranks. To unmask the traitor, Control turns to trusted protege, Smiley (Gary Oldman). Soon after, Control takes his own life, leaving Smiley to uncover the intrigues of other unit members.
STAR RATING: ****
WARRIOR (12A)
MARINE Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) arrives home unexpectedly after 14 years of service. He asks his old man (Nick Nolte)to train him for a televised martial arts competition with the biggest purse in the sport’s history. Meanwhile, Paddy’s other son, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), is struggling to make ends meet as a schoolteacher. The bank is threatening to take away his home so Brendan secretly fights in bars for money. Once the school learns of Brendan’s extra-curricular activities, he is suspended and his future rests on winning Sparta, putting him on a collision course with his hulking sibling.
STAR RATING: ****
