Margaret Pomeranz Movie Reviews & Previews

Critics » Margaret Pomeranz

Margaret Pomeranz

Agrees with the Tomatometer 70% of the time.

Biography:: Margaret is a Sydney girl from birth, which she admits was many years ago, way before there was an Opera House on Bennelong Point. After abandoning a degree in Economics at Sydney University she was embraced by the newly established Macquarie University, who she says must have been desperate for students at that time. There she gained an Arts degree in German and Psychology. In the middle of her studies, she spent two and a half years in Vienna where she had her first taste of working in the media. She was a stringer for the Bulletin and for ABC Rural Radio, where she supplied gripping stories about the sale of Aussie hoses to Hungarian farmers and the implications of the success or failure of the Russian wheat crop. The years in Europe were significant ones. Back in Australia, she met and married filmmaker Hans Pomeranz and became involved with and enthusiastic about the ?new wave? of Australian filmmaking that was happening during the 1970?s. Margaret attended the Playwright?s Studio at NIDA and began writing for television, radio and film. She regards herself as an escapee from screenwriting. When given the chance to work with the newly established Special Broadcasting Service soon after it began in October 1980, the joy of being producer as well as writer was a very satisfying experience. She produced and wrote a number of programs for SBS before establishing The Movie Show with David Stratton in 1986, which they fronted until 2004. During that time Margaret was Executive Producer with SBS for such programs as Front Up, Subsonics, the AFI Awards and the If Awards. Margaret is currently the co-host with David Stratton of At The Movies on ABC TV, where they moved in July 2004. Margaret has served as a member of the Advertising Standards Board, is a past President of the Film Critics Circle of Australia, and is a past President, currently vice-President of Watch on Censorship. She is also a member of the inaugural board of the Australian Writers? Foundation. More importantly she is the mother of two sons whom she likes and loves very much.
Publications:: At the Movies (Australia) , Baltimore Sun
Critics' Group:: Film Critics Circle of Australia

Total Reviews:: 315

Location:: Sydney, Australia

Listing Of All Reviews & Articles

Showing 1 - 50 of 315

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Rating	T-Meter	Title \| Year	Add Date
3/5	60%	Any Questions for Ben? ()	" The problem with the film, apart from it being only sporadically funny, is the character of Ben himself, there's too little development and a lot of repetition. But there's a lot to enjoy here." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Feb 10, 2012
3.5/5	67%	The Women on the 6th Floor (2011)	" It is enjoyable on a certain level but the simplistic representation of these warm-blooded women cracking open the frigidity of the French middle class becomes a bit hard to swallow after a while" — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Dec 1, 2011
2/5	53%	Albert Nobbs (2012)	" There is such an interesting subject but the creation of this character, played by Glenn Close, it's almost like she is mentally challenged." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Dec 1, 2011
5/5	78%	Melancholia (2011)	" I found the film magnificent." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Dec 1, 2011
4/5	79%	The Skin I Live In (2011)	" It's not one of Almodovar's more emotionally involving films, it's actually quite chillingly cold but Antonio Banderas is just fabulous as the Frankenstein character and Elena Anaya is exquisite as his creation. " — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Dec 1, 2011
4/5	54%	The Iron Lady (2012)	" It's a fascinating film. I just really wanted more than the stuff I already knew." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Dec 1, 2011
4/5	80%	We Need to Talk About Kevin (2012)	" This is a stunning film; it's not an easy one, it's confronting and tragic, but it grips you and won't let you go from the quite bizarre opening scene." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 17, 2011
4/5	71%	Burning Man ()	" It packs such an emotional wallop this film." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 10, 2011
4.5/5	100%	The Tall Man ()	" Tony Krawitz is a fine filmmaker and he has dealt with this tragic story with skill, delicacy and artistry. It's an important story, an important book, an important film." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 10, 2011
4/5	76%	The Debt (2011)	" The moral dilemmas posed by events in the past impacting on the present are dealt with rather superficially, but THE DEBT is really solid entertainment." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 9, 2011
4.5/5	94%	Moneyball (2011)	" Of course it's a story of the little guys taking on the giants but it's so much more. Even if you don't like sports movies you'd be hard pressed not to enjoy this one." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 9, 2011
4/5	100%	Autoluminescent: Rowland S. Howard ()	" For anyone interested in Rowland's career and life, or in the music scene of those times, this is absolutely a must-see film." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 3, 2011
4/5	98%	Bill Cunningham New York (2011)	" It is both insightful and strangely moving." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 3, 2011
4/5	68%	Our Idiot Brother (2011)	" Charming and at times very funny." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 3, 2011
4/5	47%	Anonymous (2011)	" I felt absolutely drawn along in this film. I had a really boisterous, Elizabethan good time." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Nov 3, 2011
3.5/5	93%	Midnight in Paris (2011)	" The most acceptable Woody Allen film in a long time." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 20, 2011
4/5	84%	Contagion (2011)	" This almost documentary-like film is dramatic without being melodramatic. I was impressed with the almost existential approach of Soderbergh and screenwriter Scott Z. Burns. " — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 20, 2011
4/5	92%	Take Shelter (2011)	" It explores something deep in us which is our anxiety in the world today from so many different angles and I think it's a very unsettling film for that reason." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 13, 2011
2/5	36%	The Thing (2011)	" There was not very much subtlety at all. I thought those fine Scandinavian actors looked distinctly uncomfortable and it wasn't because of the Thing." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 13, 2011
3/5	31%	The Cup ()	" The problem is that everyone is so nice. It's as if the film has to pussyfoot around not to offend any of the people depicted in the film because they are mostly still alive, so the tension is really all internal, " — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 12, 2011
3.5/5	24%	What's Your Number? (2011)	" There is something really attractive about Anna Faris as Ally, she has that mesmerizing mobile mouth that distracts but her presence is actually totally winning. She's a klutz but a loveable one." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 12, 2011
2.5/5	70%	Footloose (2011)	" This is a squeaky clean teen movie, really. I was amazed at how people don't know how to direct dance these days." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 5, 2011
3.5/5	81%	Higher Ground (2011)	" All the performances are totally believable, no-one is satirised, the true faith of the believers is seen in a way as enviable. " — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 5, 2011
3.5/5	59%	Real Steel (2011)	" Think Rocky, think Karate Kid. No, there's not much new with Real Steel but I still had fun." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Oct 5, 2011
4/5	78%	Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)	" The timing of the comedy is great, it's a smart and talented effort that only falters slightly at the end." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 29, 2011
2.5/5	20%	The Sorcerer and the White Snake ()	" The director has pulled out all stops to impress, perhaps a bit too excessively, so that the fragile emotions of this love affair are undermined." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 29, 2011
3/5	38%	Johnny English Reborn (2011)	" It struck me with this take on the hapless hero that Johnny English is perhaps taking himself more seriously this time around. There are occasional laughs but the wild silliness is missing." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 21, 2011
2/5	37%	Monte Carlo (2011)	" Performances are generally twee, there's not a believable moment in the film -- it's like we're watching children dress up in adult clothes, and that's pretty much how they act." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 21, 2011
4/5	87%	Submarine (2011)	" It just hits an eccentric, wry gorgeous note." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 8, 2011
4/5	68%	The Eye of the Storm (2012)	" I'm not sure that the depths of the novel have been plumbed in the film... But it is time that an attempt was made on Patrick White and the array of talent in and around this film makes this a grand effort" — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 7, 2011
4/5	90%	Face to Face ()	" But, apart from an excess of hugging, which Hakim objects to too, this is a really riveting piece of drama which barely tests the talents of Michael Rymer as director, but my goodness he does a good job here. " — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Sep 7, 2011
3.5/5	78%	Chalet Girl (2011)	" This is a very benign comedy that is elevated by the completely natural performance of Felicity Jones." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 31, 2011
3/5	76%	The Help (2011)	" It irks me when a film deals with issues that are actually important in an unsubtle and sentimenalised way." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 31, 2011
3.5/5	36%	One Day (2011)	" There's not really a chance to go very deep here, but the two leads are so strong that they make us believe in them anyway." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 31, 2011
3.5/5	84%	Beginners (2011)	" Veers between being at times rather tedious and at others very moving." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 25, 2011
4/5	69%	Horrible Bosses (2011)	" Everyone is having a good time making this film and, unlike some, they're able to share that with the audience." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 25, 2011
3.5/5	71%	Friends With Benefits (2011)	" Will Gluck does his best with a predictable formula. It doesn't hit the heights but it doesn't sink under the predictability either." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 17, 2011
3/5	44%	Cowboys & Aliens (2011)	" Jon Favreau made a really good comic book adaptation out of the original Iron Man but like every director he's dependant on a good screenplay and this one relies on clich�s and having taken on this mix of genres it actually isn't wild enough conceptually." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 17, 2011
4/5	92%	Senna (2011)	" Even if you are not an aficionado of motor racing this very good documentary is the story of high drama and the young star at the centre of it." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 11, 2011
3.5/5	61%	The Beaver (2011)	" Mel Gibson is quite wonderful as Walter and it's to Foster's credit that she is able to balance the serious with the bizarre so convincingly." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 3, 2011
3/5	67%	Love Crime (2011)	" The elaborate schemings which occupy the second half are really quite implausible. It's enjoyable enough on a certain level, but not a very high one." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Aug 3, 2011
3/5	71%	Hanna (2011)	" While you enjoy much of where Hanna is taking you, the destination is both bewildering and frustrating and, in retrospect, the path taken is extremely brutal." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 27, 2011
3/5	79%	Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)	" The film does have its thrilling moments and iconic images, but, as directed by Joe Johnston, it's very much a storybook film." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 27, 2011
3.5/5	34%	5 Days Of War (2011)	" I think this is sort of quite an impressive film and it just sort of makes you angry all over again about this sort of unfairness of the politics in the world." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 19, 2011
2.5/5	38%	Beautiful Lies (Full Treatment)(De vrais mensonges) (2011)	" I'm sure a lot of people will go along with the stupid premise of the film and enjoy it hugely. I wish I'd been able to." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 19, 2011
1/5	73%	Mozart's Sister (2011)	" The music is indeed lovely and it's about, for me, the only lovely thing about this film." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 7, 2011
5/5	84%	The Tree of Life (2011)	" Some people have called the film pretentious, as if having a grand aim in making a film is somehow embarrassing. I was incredibly moved." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 7, 2011
2.5/5	35%	Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)	" I quite liked the first film in this series but this one lacks heart, it is just two hours of major destruction." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jul 5, 2011
3.5/5	81%	Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)	" It doesn't soar like the best of animation these days but it's an entertainment, particularly for the younger set." — At the Movies (Australia) Posted Jun 22, 2011

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