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The Weekend Sun ' 9 ' 0 2 9 , ( 6
With Winston Watusi
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ALAN PARTRIDGE ALPHA PAPA
Dallas Buyers Club
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meeny, Phil Cornwell - Dir: Declan Lowney The cinematic world is full of TV characters who made it onto the big screen only to go down in flames. Being the star of a thirty minute episodic TV show is a million miles away from making it through a plot-driven ninety minute film that requires things like character development and proper secondary players. So it’s with great pleasure that I can say Steve Coogan, with his long-running creation Alan Partrdge, has absolutely nailed it. Alan Partridge has a twenty year
history behind him, starting as a clueless sports reporter on The Day Today before going solo as a talk show host in Knowing Me Knowing You With Alan Partridge. Since then there have been many ups and downs for the inspired creation, but even if none of that means a thing to you the pleasures of watching Alpha Papa will still be manifold. Here we have Partridge working at a radio station which is about to be “rebranded” as hip and commercial. Threatened with dis-
Writer/director Richard Curtis attracts both praise and opprobrium for his very English rom-coms, the likes of Notting Hill and Love Actually. About Time is the same, to an even greater degree since it throws into the mix that most dubious of romantic devices – time travel. It's the story of Tim (Domhall Gleeson) who, on his twenty first birthday, finds that the men in his family can travel back in time. It's a great advantage in his romance with Rachel McAdams. As much as anything this is a celebration of father-son relationships, not a bad thing if dad is Bill Nighy in full charm mode. Sweet, funny, filled with clever lines and rip-yer-heartout sentimentality. Richard Curtis at his expert best. It really should have worked. Robert De Niro as a mobster hiding under witness protection in France, Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife, Tommy Lee Jones as his “minder”. What's not to like? Unfortunately The Family just wastes the whole thing, director Luc Besson unable to locate any of the expected comedy. And, what with the fish out of water culture clash potential of the family living in France, the character humour potential as De Niro gets delusions of grandeur and starts writing his memoirs and the mob humour potential as old Mafia colleagues send in the the troops, there was plenty. What a shame. is Mystery Road a well-made if slightly selfconcious Australian thriller. The fact that it attracted such a high-class cast is testament to its intentions, with Hugo Weaving, Ryan Friday Feb 21 to Wed Feb 26 131 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke. PLAYING THIS WEEK
Fantastic Not bad at all Dreadful
Info line 573 8055 www.tepukecinema.co.nz
NEW THIS WEEK
DRAMA, HISTORY. Golden Globe winner (Best Film, Drama), based on the true story of a free black man who was taken from his home in upstate I, FRANKENSTEIN (2D) (M) Fantasy Violence 5L^ @VYR HUK ZVSK PU[V ZSH]LY` Fri 1:10, 8:25pm. Sat 1:00, 6:05pm. ACTION, SCI-FI. Fri 3:45. Sat 6:00pm. Sun 1:45. Mon 8:30. Tue 3:40. Wed 3:30 Sun 2:30, 7:45pm. Mon 3:10, 5:50pm. Tue 1:00, 8:25pm. Wed 5:50pm.
Fri 1:45, 6:05. Sat 11:30, 3:45, 8. Sun 11:30, 1:40, 5:50. Mon 6:00. Tue 1:30, 6:05, 8:00. Wed 3:20, 6:00
& Sexual Violance. BIO,
FINAL DAYS
PHILOMENA (M) Off Lang & Sexual References. ARE WE OFFICIALLY DATING?
(R16) Off Language & Sex Scenes. COMEDY, ROM. THE BOOK THIEF (PG) Viol. War, Drama. Zac Efron. Fri 3:55, 8:30. Sat 1:15, 6:10. Sun 1:30, 6:05. Mon 3:50, 8:30. Fri 6:00pm. Sat 1:10pm. Mon 5:50pm. Tue 1:00, 6:00. Wed 3:50, 6:10.
Fri 1:30. Sun 3:50. Tue 1:20. Wed 6:00.
Damn fine Dubious
Thanks to Video Ezy Brookfield for the DVDs
THE RAILWAY MAN (M) Viol. True Story 12 YEARS A SLAVE (R16) Graphic Violence Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman.
missal a fellow DJ cracks and takes the station hostage. AP is brought in as a somewhat reluctant hostage negotiator. It’s sterling stuff, very funny and comfortably coming to grips with its filmic structure and length. It also stays true to the Alan Partridge we love to hate, allowing him a generous quota of unwittingly vacuous dialogue and plenty of space to riff.
Kwanten, Jack Thompson, Tony Barry and other top Aussies heading an impressive ensemble. The story centres on Aborigine detective Jay (Aaron Pedersen) returning to his isolated home town to investigate the death of an indigenous girl, which leads towards a web of drug-related corruption. It's good stuff, beautifully shot, slow and thoughtful, if occasionally a little heavy-handed in its cultural examination. was once a sparkling sixties heist Gambit comedy starring Michael Caine and an effervescent Shirley MacLaine; now it's a heavy-handed retread with Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz. He's an art curator, she's a Texas cowgirl he enlists to help sell an obnoxious wealthy collector (Alan Rickman) a fake Monet. The script is from the Coen brothers but, as far as I'm aware, was an old commission job that sat on a shelf for a long time. With good reason.
Capitol Cinema 4
movies PLAYING NEW THIS THIS WEEK WEEK ININ 3D3D
I, FRANKENSTEIN (3D) (M) Fantasy Viol.
Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy. Fri 8:40pm. Sat 3:55. Sun 8:10pm. Mon 3:35. Tue 8:30pm. Wed 8:20.
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION
OF SMAUG
(M) Violence.
HIGH FRAME RATE 3D SCREENINGS:
FINAL DAYS! Saturday 8:00pm.
FROZEN (3D) (G) Animation. Sun 11:30. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 (3D) (G) Sat 11:00am. PLAYING THIS WEEK
LAST VEGAS (M) Off Lang & Sexual References. SAVING MR. BANKS (PG) Tom Hanks, ROBOCOP (M) Viol. on MEGA. Morgan Freeman. Fri 3:50pm. Tue 3:40. FINAL WEEK!
Emma Thompson. Walt Disney’s pursuit of ACTION, CRIME, SCI-FI. ÄST YPNO[Z [V UV]LS 4HY` 7VWWPUZ Fri 6:00pm. Sat 3:40, 8:45pm.
LABOR DAY (M) Sexual References. ROM, DRA. Fri 1:20, 6:00. Sat 3:20, 8:15. Sun 6:00. Sun 12:00, 5:15pm. Mon 8:30. Kate Winslet. Sun 3:40pm. Tue 3:00.
Mon 6:00pm. Tue 8:00pm. Wed 8:10pm. Tue 6:00pm. Wed 3:20, 8:30pm.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: (R16) FROZEN (2D) (G) Saturday 10:45am. THE PA BOYS (M) Drug Use & Off Lang. NZ DRAMA. THE MARKED ONES Horror, Off Lang, WALKING WITH DINOSAURS(2D) Fri 4:00, 8:30. Sat 1:45, 6:05. Sun 3:55, 8:00pm.
Violence & Drug Use. FINAL DAYS!
Sun 8:30pm.
(PG) Scary Scenes. Sat
With Rialto
11:00am. Sun 11:30am. Mon 3:30, 8:15pm. Tue 3:45, 6:00. Wed 8:15.
(R16) 1hr 56mins
If you’re a fan rejoice; if not, prepare to become one. The light frothy formula for movies of this sort is devilishly tricky to nail and this film almost completely fails to do so.
True story drama, with Matthew McConaughey, as Ron Woodroof; an ordinary Texan electrician who was given 30 days to live after a shock HIV diagnosis. Acquiring drug treatment through legal and illegal methods, Ron sought to help out others who were HIVpositive by starting a ‘buyers club’, allowing them access to non-approved medicines and supplements – a deed that drew the attention of the medical establishment and pharmaceutical companies. From filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Café de Flore, C.R.A.Z.Y.), McConaughey, who reportedly lost more than 17 kilograms for his role, is joined by a cast that includes Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Steve Zahn and Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox in his film debut. The Weekend Sun has two double passes to Dallas Buyers Club for lucky readers who can tell us who Matthew McConaughey plays. Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz under the competitions section. Entries must be received before Wednesday, February 26.