Eleanor Reviews

**** DVD release/Available to stream When a rebellious teen and his foster uncle disappear into the New Zealand wilderness, a countrywide search begins to track down this mismatched pair.   A film that had been on my list ever since I missed it in the cinemas, I finally got round to watching Hunt for the Wilderpeople whilst bedridden and intoxicated on a plethora of cold-curing medication. And it certainly appealed to my frazzled state. An undeniably quirky film, Taika Waititi's latest is a heartfelt and often funny coming of age tale, based around a recently adopted obese child and his gruff foster 'uncle'. Essentially a buddy movie about two individuals shunned by society, this charming tale (fronted by Sam Neill and Julian Dennison) is awash with moments of humour as well as sadness. Disappearing into the Bush after an early tragedy, the film segments their adventures into chapters, some which work, others which fall a little flat. Showcasing the beauty of Ne

    **** Desperate to beat Russia in the race to the moon, NASA look to the previously unrecognised talents of the African-American women in their employ, namely Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and brilliant mathematician Katherine G. Johnson.   Maybe it's do to with my morbid choice in film, or possibly because every movie is somewhat downbeat at the moment, but I can't remember the last time I came out of a cinema with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. That is, not until I saw Hidden Figures . With the odds stacked against them, this is the story of three exceptional women (played by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae respectively) who take on a discriminatory world and win. Packed with fist-pumping moments, tear-inducing scenes and a script that walks the difficult line between portraying racism and providing jolts of humour, director Theodore Melfi has created an entertaining and educational film that all age groups can enjoy. With thre

  ***/**** (3.5 stars)    In 1950s Virginia, a married interracial couple face prejudice and discrimination at every turn. When they decide to challenge the rulings that have been made against them, they have no idea that their case will end up in the US Supreme Court. To say that Loving is an understated film would be something of, well, an understatement. This is the opposite of a Hollywood drama, filled with dramatic declarations and quotable lines that will stretch the eons of cinematic history. It is without explosions, shootouts, car chases and steamy sex scenes. Instead, it is the quiet, sophisticated story of two people who love each other and want to raise their family in their home state. From the very opening, where our two lovers (Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton) sit together on the veranda, you know this will be a low key affair - more about what is unsaid than what is spoken. At the very heart of the film are Negga and Edgerton - they feature together in alm