Peter Facinelli

An A-list cast goes a long way to making this goofy ensemble comedy a lot of fun to watch. Even if it never quite deals with the bigger issues it raises, the sassy dialogue, twisty plot and full-on performances are so lively that the audience is kept on its toes, at least until it becomes obvious where it's heading. And with a wide variety of themes, something is bound to resonate.

As the extended Wilde family gathers for a wedding, it's clear that none of them are very good at relationships. The bride is matriarch Eve (Glenn Close), a movie star who has fallen in love with sparky novelist Harold (Patrick Stewart). Her three sons are all on hand: smiley musician Rory (Jack Davenport), hopeless romantic Jimmy (Noah Emmerich) and womanising bachelor Ethan (Peter Facinelli). Also around are their actor father Laurence (John Malkovich), as well as Rory's popstar ex-wife Priscilla (Minnie Driver). Their 16-year-old daughter Mackenzie (Grace Van Patton) is documenting the weekend on video, just waiting for the usual family disaster.

Writer-director Damian Harris avoids the obvious black humour that's rife in this situation, instead playing the movie as a warm-hearted American comedy blended with elements of a bed-hopping French farce. Yes, all kinds antics are going on, fuelled by alcohol and Ethan's notorious magic mushroom chocolates. Jealousies are also flaring up, drawing lines between hugely popular stars and struggling artists.

Continue reading: The Wilde Wedding Review

The shift from bright comedy to rather grim drama is gradual enough to carry the audience along, but it's rather startling to end up somewhere so serious after such a cheeky start. Director Anna Mastro and writer Paul Shoulberg set this up as a breezy coming-of-age movie before adding a supernatural twist and quietly moving the goal posts. Fortunately, the strong cast and assured filmmaking carry the audience along. So even if it ultimately begins to feel melodramatic, it's also surprisingly moving and meaningful.

Convinced that he has been called by God to decide who goes to heaven and hell, 18-year-old Walter (Andrew J. West) is a perfectionist who maintains order in his life both at home with his over-concerned mother Karen (Virginia Madsen) and at his job taking tickets in the local multiplex. At work, he has his eye on the smart-sexy Kendall (Levin Rambin), but is too shy to speak to her and is teased mercilessly about this by bullying colleague Vince (Milo Ventimiglia). Then a ghost named Greg (Justin Kirk) starts taunting him as well, and Walter finally agrees to see a shrink (William H. Macy) in the hopes of restoring order to his life.

Of course, the point is that Walter doesn't need order: he needs to face up to the truth about the death of his father (Peter Facinelli in flashbacks). But the more he acknowledges, the more his life seems to unravel around him. This is played beautifully by West, a likeable actor who manages to get even more engaging as Walter falls apart. His interaction with the rest of the cast is pointed and witty, packed with knowing commentary and some sharply funny observations. And all of the actors around him bring layers of emotion and energy to the film.

Continue reading: Walter Review

With a flurry of bonkers action and cross-species bonding, The Twilight Saga surges to a howling conclusion that has more attitude in it than all four previous films put together. There's no time for moping now, as things build to a crescendo of girly emotion, portentous pronouncements and more decapitations than you can count. Even the plot itself gets rather playful.

We pick things up immediately after Part 1 ended: Bella (Kristen) is getting used to her heightened vampire senses and intense lovemaking prowess with her new husband Edward (Pattinson), while their daughter Renesmee (Foy) ages alarmingly from infancy to about 10 in just a few weeks, overseen by soulmate-protector wolf-boy Jacob (Lautner). But the ruling Volturi boss (Sheen) has been misinformed that Renesmee is a feared immortal child, rather than a rare but apparently harmless human-vampire hybrid. As the Volturi army heads to Seattle to obliterate Edward and the Cullen clan (including Facinelli, Reaser, Greene and Lutz), the Cullens draft in an army of their own from around the world.

Essentially the film is a long build-up to a big showdown, as everyone jostles for position. This makes the film feel much pacier than the earlier chapters, as we jump from scene to scene while the Cullens prepare for the onslaught. Many scenes involve the introduction of the vampires who support their effort, and like X-men many have some sort of supernatural ability that can aid the fight. Thankfully, director Condon refuses to take this nonsense seriously, and has quite a lot of fun with the various story elements. He also gleefully ramps up the tetchy interaction between Jacob and Edward, and even makes a joke about the fact that actors playing vampires must wear red contact lenses.

Continue reading: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Review

After an idyllic woodland wedding and Brazilian-island honeymoon, Bella (Stewart) finds herself unexpectedly pregnant by her new vampire husband Edward (Pattinson). But what's growing inside her? Edward's family closes ranks to take care of her fast-growing foetus, watched over by her wolf-pal Jacob (Lautner). The problem is that if Bella dies, as seems likely since the baby is sucking the life from her, the tenuous treaty between vampires and werewolves will be broken, leading to all-out war. This of course puts Jacob in a tricky position.

Continue reading: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 Review

Even though they're now pledged to be together forever, Bella (Stewart) and her dreamy vampire boyfriend Edward (Pattinson) are stuck in a gloomy funk. Not only does she have lingering feelings for Edward's mortal enemy, the hard-bodied werewolf Jacob (Lautner), but vengeful vampire Victoria (Howard) is still after her. Meanwhile, an army of young-blood vampires is building in nearby Seattle, mobilised by the hot-headed Riley (Samuel). And a Vulpari delegation, led by pain-monger Jane (Fanning) is on its way to clean up the mess.

Continue reading: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Review