The Ex (2006) Fim Review

When Sofia (Amanda Peet) has their baby, Tom (Zach Braff) is forced to face up to the fact that continuing in life getting fired from one job to the next while attempting to write his second novel – that’s not going to take care of the family. So they return to her home town, to her parents Mum (Mia Farrow) and Dad (Charles Grodin) and he starts to work at the advertising company with her dad. Little does he know that he will be working with Chip (Jason Bateman), the horrible, wheelchair ex of Sofia’s.

The cast goes on – there is Josh Charles, Fred Armisen, Amy Poehler I mean really, the director or casting agent or someone must have had some serious favours owing to them to get such a great cast for such a stinking pile of poo. This is one terrible film. It doesn’t work on a humour lever, it doesn’t work for drama, it just does not work. So disappointing – and I got about three-quarters of the way through before I realised that I have seen it before – so no only is it not good, it’s also not memorable.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Film Review

Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and her actor husband, Guy (John Cassavetes), have moved into a fabulous apartment in New York, in a building with a dubious history – a history of murder and child deaths and all kinds of horrible stuff. Both laugh it off, especially when they meet their neighbours. Minnie (Ruth Gordon) and Roman Castavet (Sidney Blackmer), an eccentric, elderly couple. Guy takes a real shine to them. Eventually, Guy agrees to father a child with Rosemary, though the conception involves drugging and a mysterious ritual that Rosemary is sure she must have dreamt. The pregnancy continues with heavy involvement of the neighbours, though Rosemary is increasingly suspicious of their motives.

I guess from the start, you know this is a horror film, but none the less, the idea of a husband happily admitting to raping his drugged wife because he didn’t want to miss out on baby making night is pretty creepy. Though is this less creepy than him admitting that the child was conceived with a whole lot of creepy naked old people singing ritual chants?

The age of the film does make it far less scary than it could have been; that and Mia Farrow’s appalling acting. Actually, most of the acting in the film is pretty appalling. And much of the direction. Why is this considered a classic? Indeed, is it considered a classic? Or is just the fact that it is often tied in with the horrific events that later took place with director Roman Polanski’s wife that is why it is such a famous film? Either way, I’m not sure it is worth it.

Rosemary’s Baby won Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Ruth Gordon) and was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Roman Polanski)

Arthur and the Invisibles (2006) Film Review

There’s an annoying kid, Arthur (Freddie Highmore). He lives with his nan (Mia Farrow) because his parents are in town trying to earn money. Most of his time is spent reading about and recreating his grandfather’s inventions; his grandfather disappeared on an expedition. But when big business threatens to take the house away, Arthur needs to try to find the fortune his grandfather buried in their garden, but discovers a whole different world.

A lot of kids films are made with some consideration to the adults who take the kids to see them, and have a decent story or some good humour. Not this one. I’m sure a lot of kids love the film, but I found the plot weak, the characters tedious and annoying and essentially, I just hated the film from beginning to end.