New Releases (29/11/12)

In cinemas this week we have The Perks of Being A Wallflower, a wonderful teen drama adapted by Stephen Chbosky's from his own acclaimed novel, Celeste and Jesse Forever, an indie dramedy that offers big laughs while also challenging viewers with some contemplative dramatic impact, and All The Way Through Evening, a music documentary about Mimi Sterne-Wolfe, an elderly New York concert pianist. Also hitting screens are Red Dawn and Fun Size, but they don't sound worth getting excited about.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower follows Charlie (Logan Lerman, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief), a young man anxious about his freshman year at a new school. As is revealed throughout Charlie has suffered a series of traumas in his life, and is emotionally and mentally scarred as a result. Bright but incredibly shy, Charlie finds himself accepted amongst a group of sympathetic, free-spirited seniors, including a stepbrother and sister, Patrick (Ezra Miller, We Need to Talk About Kevin) and Sam (Emma Watson, Harry Potter), who offer up new experiences and guide him through the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence.

Celeste and Jesse Forever - Celeste (Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samburg) have been best friends for a long time, but after six years of marriage they have begun to realise that it’s just not working out. Celeste is a workaholic, a successful trend analyser who runs her own media company with her partner, Scott (Eljah Wood), while Jesse is an unemployed artist who has moved into the studio at the rear of the house. In what can only be described as a peculiar relationship, they hang out regularly, car pool and still mess about like they’re together. However, after some time without any development in their relationship, Jesse decides to start dating. Celeste pretends to be happy for him, but when he proves her pessimism wrong and finds himself in a stable relationship before she does, she spirals into a state of confusion, contempt and self-pity, struggling to accept losing him forever.

All The Way Through Evening - feature length documentary about an elderly New York concert pianist (Mimi Stern-Wolfe) who struggles to perform an annual concert of music written by her composer friends, all lost of HIV/AIDS, during the early wave of the pandemic. It was conceived, shot and directed by Rohan Spong, an independent Australian filmmaker. It is screening exclusively at Dendy Newtown here in Sydney and is an acclaimed and moving film.

Fun Size - a teen comedy centered on a sarcastic high school senior, Wren (Victoria Justice), who is eager to distance herself from her dysfunctional family by going off to college. Before that can happen, Wren's mother, Joy, insists that she watch her little brother Albert on Halloween night, so Joy can go to a rager with her much younger boyfriend. When Wren gets distracted by an invitation to the party of the year, Albert disappears into a sea of trick-or-treaters. Frantic to locate him before their mother discovers he's missing, Wren enlists the help of her sassy best friend April, as well as Peng, an aspiring ladies man and co-captain of the debate team, and Peng's best friend, Roosevelt, a sweet nerd whose crush on Wren clouds his better judgment. This unlikely foursome embarks on a high-stakes, all-night adventure to find Albert, crossing paths with outrageous characters every step of the way.

In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky - shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerrilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.

Weekly Recommendation: Perks of Being A Wallflower, Celeste and Jesse Forever and All The Way Through Evening are the essentials this week.