Mairead Roche
Such is her love of seeing films where they were made to be seen, the Cinema, Mairéad Roche decided to not turn to the loan sharks to keep paying for her love of cinema. Instead she works as a film features writer and reviewer as a means to keep up with her film needs. Sample of Superhero powers include; heightened-audio abilities, remarkable levels of strength, the ability to type really quickly and being Irish. Extra points are awarded to those outside of Ireland who can pronounce her name correctly: 'Merr-Aid-th'
The sixth instalment of the really fast car franchise that could, Fast and Furious 6 (directed by series regular Justin Lin), is set in London with Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto's crew all in multi-million criminal retirement in warm climes. They all still drive their very shiny cars extremely fast but furious natures have been transformed into blissful domesticity with Brian (Paul Walker) married to Mia (Jordana Brewster). They're neighbours to Toretto and his understanding cop girlfriend Elena (Elsa Pataky). What else would tempt them out of their extradition-free happy homes bar Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) arriving with a photo of Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), presumed dead and buried but seeming very much alive and well. Hobbs needs Toretto to catch a new and less family-orientated criminal car gang led by Shaw (Luke Evans) who have apparently recruited the once dead Letty. The stage is set for some revved engines and souped up action.
Hobbs with his new partner Riley (Gina Carano) provide the money and excuses for hugely extravagant car chases and clashes between the opposing crews. Lin stays true to the music video roots of the series and scantily clad girls and immaculately clean cars frequent the film with an unashamed lack of necessity. One need not worry about having missed any or all of the previous instalments as the film's three editors use the opening credits to bring everyone up to speed on the finer points of the characters and plot under three minutes. It could well be argued that without knowledge of the other films Fast and Furious 6 might well be a more textured film. There are layers to relationships and in-jokes that give the sort of nuanced references that any indie film would be delighted to achieve.
However, this is a Fast and Furious film and there are entertainingly astonishing car stunts, some realistic gritty fights provided by Gino Carano and all out ludicrous, joyous and hyperbolic action from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and the gravelly-voiced Vin Diesel. Of the five possible endings contained in Fast and Furious 6 the most pleasing one features an action superstar who is most likely the one to set the stage up nicely Fast and Furious 7.
The title of director Bess Kargman's documentary First Position refers to the first pose or posture of ballet. Kargman's film follows a group of young ballet dancers all competing in the Youth America Grand Prix. The importance of this international dance competition cannot be underestimated within ballet as this is where the top percentile of ballet dancers will be seen, earn scholarships and/or a contract by the leading ballet organisations around the world.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Scarecrow is the type of film that is so rarely made in Hollywood today. Character driven dialogue with the brand of drama where nothing and everything occurs, Hackman and Pacino are allowed to bring real subtly and nuance to their characters.
Director Eduardo Rodriguez clearly has aspirations to rival his namesake Robert Rodriguez's Desperado (1995) and the stylised, punctuated editing of Quentin Tarantino. However, Jonathan W. Stokes' script does little more than play to tried and shredded Mexican stereotypes.
Set in London in 1962 with the threat of nuclear war looming over the world, Ginger & Rosa looks at the life of the 16 year old Ginger (Elle Fanning) and the emotional cold wars and bombs going off in her family life. Ginger and Rosa (Alice Englert, daughter of New Zealand director Jane Campion) are virtual twins with their teenage mothers Natalie (Christina Hendricks) and Anoushka (Jodhi May) giving birth to them side by side in a war ravaged London. Ginger has been raised in the Beatnik home. Her father Roland (Alessandro Nivola) is committed to his anarchist free thinking philosophy which neatly allows him self-permission to shirk the responsibilities of family life with his talented painter wife. Idolising her father and not understanding the stability her mother has provided for her, Ginger has a nearsighted concern of youth for the outside world without the appreciation for the details of adult life.
