I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

A black comedy, I Love You Phillip Morris tracks Steven, a gay con-man who lands in and (repeatedly escapes) out of prison while pursuing the love of his life: Phillip Morris. Occasionally awkward, the film has its own sense of direction as it phases into being a romance, a drama and a comedy. Based on a true story, the unusual tempo is bolstered by a fantastic oldies soundtrack that is prevalent throughout. It's a bit like the love child one would expect from The Boat that Rocked and The Shawshank Redemption but it doesn't succeed as well as either. ILYPM is ultimately missing a binding agent and it feels a little loose towards the end of the story - if not, a little drawn out. Still, it's worth doing time with twice or more. 

7/10

Oranges and Sunshine (2010)

Oranges and Sunshine is a purist drama centred on Margaret Humphreys, a British social worker who uncovers evidence of a historical government policy that shipped thousands of children from England to Australia. It's a story which needs to be told but it gets weighed down by its seriousness while Margaret's personal life is generally too dull to break the monotony. Despite being lifted by some great acting and solid subject matter, the film fails when it comes to peaking and plateauing instead taking a more documentary-style focus. The soundtrack is enjoyable, but under-utilised, and could have been further expanded upon to make the experience seem less of a chore. A focus on more of the emotion of the major characters as opposed to the document research itself would have made this film a lot more rewatchable. A oncer for most.

6/10

Super 8 (2011)

A genre mish-mash, Super 8 is about a group of geeky teenagers who become embroiled in the cover-up of a state secret. It's The Goonies meets War of the Worlds with an old-fashioned twist that felt very much like I was watching a diluted version of The Iron Giant. However, despite Spielberg's involvement and some pretty solid acting it never quite captures that ET spark. The music is well-chosen and befitting and tries valiantly to elevate the film but the lack of cohesion means it definitely drags at times. The thrills generally miss the mark and it seems like there is so much room left for a deeper story or, at the very least, some extra heart. Disappointingly rewatchable, if only to list all the missed opportunities.

6.5/10