MOVIES FRONTIER 39
SUNDAY APRIL 3 2016
The flicks
ALSO
SHOWING
Sadly for fans of the first outing — and there were plenty — MY BIG FAT GREEK
WEDDING 2 is a much slimmer, dimmer version of the rom-com that melted hearts
Joey Fatone, Louis Mandylor, Gia Carides and Stavroula Logothettis in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
leigh
paatsch
movie review
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2
(PG)
Director: Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee)
Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael
Constantine, Lainie Kazan, Elena Kampouris,
Andrea Martin
Rating : *1/2
FOURTEEN years have passed since an
unheralded actor-writer named Nia Vardolos
beat the system with My Big Fat Greek Wedding,
one of the biggest sleeper hits of all time.
Three hundred million-plus of box-office in
2002 dollars remains an impressive feat for
what was essentially a nice, warm little romcom.
Yes, it was unashamedly corny — and not
above using Greek gags so ancient they made
the Acropolis look like a brand new condo
complex — but it undeniably worked.
Now, finally, here is the obligatory sequel.
The polite thing to say would be that Vardalos
clearly didn’t use the intervening time to come
up with any new material.
The honest thing to say is that My Big Fat
Greek Wedding 2 is as lazy, lightweight and
lacklustre as any comedy conspiring to cash in
on former glories can be.
The same jokes just aren’t as funny the
second time around.
Or in some cases, the seventieth.
Whether drawing desperately on ethnic
eccentricities for laughs, or merely settling for
dud punchlines blurted in semi-mispronounced
English, Vardalos has delivered an
exceptionally weak effort here.
While any movie wedding is mighty hard to
stuff up, the shonky excuse for the naff nuptials
of MBFGW2 (Toula’s elderly parents Gus and
Maria forgot to sign their marriage licence
properly many moons ago!) makes it look
effortless.
The huge support cast from the original
movie all return to chime in with the
catchphrase or behavioural tic you (kind of)
remember them for.
Everyone’s performance level is as broad as
a nine-lane freeway, a grotesque masterclass in
rolling eyeballs, exaggerated sighs, and hand
gestures that can be seen from Mars.
BATMAN V SUPERMAN:
DAWN OF JUSTICE (M)
This is half spectacular superhero smackdown
we had to have, and half a powerplay by DC
Comics to gain lost ground on their Marvel
rivals. In the wake of growing unrest over the
collateral damage of Superman’s cavalier
heroics, Batman declares enough is enough.
Fireworks ensue.
KUNG FU PANDA 3 (PG)
A lack of originality is unlikely to bother the
littlies, as Po’s odyssey sees him battle a war lord
from the spirit realm.
ZOOTOPIA (PG)
A lively and universally accessible story set in an
idealised, human-free future where animals of all
species have learnt to live as one. But a vast
conspiracy threatens to divide society across
long-abandoned instinctive lines.
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (M)
A young woman, Michelle, ends up as the ‘guest’
of lifelong survivalist Howard in an underground
bunker. He tells her he saved her from a
perishing chemical attack. But is she, along with
fellow ‘guest’ Emmett, a survivor or prisoner?
THE LADY IN THE VAN (M)
This delightful comedy-drama tells the true story
of Mary Shepherd, a woman who lived in her van
around Camden Town until council by-laws
changed. Local man and acclaimed playwright
Alan Bennett let her park on his drive until she
worked out what to do — 15 years laters, she was
still there.
HOW TO BE SINGLE (M)
A bitsy, ditzy rom-com that improves halfway
through. It focuses on the story of Alice, who is
on the NYC dating scene after breaking up with
her boyfriend. Her mate Robin is an expert at
this. Kind of. Her sister Meg is perfectly happy
being single, thank you very much. Cue some
hilarity and many awkward, cringeworthy
moments.
DEADPOOL (MA 15+)
This is a laugh a minute and like no other
superhero movie you’ve seen. It follows the
story of Deadpool, last seen in X-Men Origins:
Wolverine. Transformed by botched surgery into
a disfigured mutant, he wants revenge — and the
love of his life back.
SAVE!
KUNG FU
PANDA 3 (PG)
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NOW SHOWING
49
FAMILY $
PASS
^
ZOOTOPIA
(PG)
NOW SHOWING
2 Adults + 2 Kids or 1 Adult + 3 Kids
^2D pass $49. 3D pass $61. Plus $1.20 online booking fee per pass. Check website for full terms and conditions.
CASUARINA
ZOOTOPIA (PG) ■
3D SUN - WED 1.00PM
2D SUN/MON 9.30, 10.20, 11.50, 2.15, 4.40, 6.00PM
2D TUE/WED 9.30, 10.20, 11.50, 2.15, 4.40, 7.00PM
BATMAN VS SUPERMAN DAWN OF
JUSTICE (M) ●
3D SUN/TUE/WED 4.00, 6.10, 9.15PM MON 4.00, 9.15PM
2D SUN/TUE 10.15, 12.00, 1.20, 3.00, 7.30, 8.30PM
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (PG) ●
MON
WED
10.00, 12.00, 1.00, 3.00, 6.20, 7.30, 8.30PM
10.15, 12.00, 1.20, 3.00, 7.30, 8.40PM
WED
KUNG FU PANDA 3 (PG) ● ■
3D SUN - WED
2D SUN - WED
2.40PM
9.30, 10.20, 11.40, 12.30, 1.50, 7.20PM
CITY
BATMAN VS SUPERMAN DAWN OF
JUSTICE (M) ● CC AD 3D SUN/MON/WED 12.00, 6.15,
8.10 PM TUE 12.00, 8.10 PM 2D SUN/MON/WED 10.00,
3.10, 9.00 PM TUE 10.00, 3.10, 6.10, 9.00 PM
LONDON HAS FALLEN (MA15+)
SUN - WED
3.00, 4.45, 9.30PM
9.45, 12.20, 2.30, 6.50, 9.00PM
9.45, 12.10, 2.15, 6.30, 9.00PM
SUN - TUE
ALLEGIANT (M) ● ▲ MON 6.30 PM
EDDIE THE EAGLE (PG) ● ▲ WED 7.00 PM
AMBARSARIYA (M) ✖ SUN - WED 9.20 PM
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (PG) ●
9.50, 12.55, 2.30, 5.10, 7.10, 9.25PM
9.50, 12.55, 2.30, 5.10, 7.10, 9.20PM
TUE 9.50, 12.55, 2.30, 5.10, 7.10, 9.15PM
DEADPOOL (MA15+)
SUN
MON
4.25PM
3.30, 9.30PM
ZOOTOPIA (PG) ■ CC AD
10.40, 1.05, 3.30, 5.50PM
10.30, 1.05, 3.30, 4.25, 5.50PM
10.30, 1.05, 3.30, 3.50, 5.50PM
WED 10.30, 1.05, 3.30, 4.25, 5.50PM
MON
9.45, 11.55, 2.10, 4.25, 6.45PM
9.45, 11.55, 2.10, 6.45PM
TUE 9.40, 11.40, 1.45PM
TUE/WED
4.40, 7.00, 9.30PM
4.40, 9.30PM WED 4.20, 9.15PM
SUN - WED
SUN
MON/WED
4.00, 7.00PM
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE FORCE
AWAKENS (M) SUN - TUE 9.40AM WED 9.30AM
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE (M)
MON/WED
SUN
MON
SUN/TUE
SUN
KUNG FU PANDA 3 (PG) ● ■
4.25, 7.00PM
HOW TO BE SINGLE (M) SUN - WED 5.00 PM
LONDON HAS FALLEN (MA15+)
TUE
THE LADY IN THE VAN (M)
SUN - /WED
9.55, 12.15, 7.15PM
DEADPOOL (MA15+) SUN - WED 9.20 PM
FOR UPDATED SESSIONS & TO BUY TICKETS VISIT birch.com.au
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