This is English TV

This is England '88 (2011)

This 3 part mini series from Shane Meadows is the second sequel to This Is England (2006) and stars Vicky McClure. Haunted by the having killed her father, driven away her long term boy friend and struggling to raise her young child a woman has a bad Christmas.

There have certainly been some big events since the last mini series and the series deals with some dark issues really well. The only real downside is that the sub plot with the original central character from the first film seems a little out of place given the new focus of the series. As always director Shane Meadows provides some nice montages as well.

4/5

The Final Entry

Naked Gun 33 1/3: the Final Insult (1994)

Changes behind the scenes mean that Peter Segal comes into direct this second sequel which was the last film for O.J. Simpson before his legal problems. Frank is now retired but goes undercover as one last favour for his former colleagues.

This is certainly the weakest film in the series and you can tell the material is wearing a little thin when a lot of the gags are just parodies of other recent films, not even anything connected to the series. Of course a number of the good elements from the previous films remain but the flaws they had are much more clearly highlighted here due to the weaker script and lack of plot. There is still some fun to be had here but it misses the heights of the previous two films.

3/5

Bring out your dead (peoples furniture)

Please Give (2010)

This independent film from writer/director Nicole Holofcener stars Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet. A woman that resells dead peoples furniture feels guilty about her business while her next door neighbours grand daughters wait for their grandmother to die.

While this film is supposed to be a dark comedy there are not a huge amount of comedic moments in the film and it is more about how people view death of others rather than how we deal with death itself. Given the topic there are a number of films about similar themes and this film does not do a huge amount to make it stand out from the crowd but is still watchable if maybe not fully realised in execution.

3/5

Renewable energy?

Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)

Three years after the original film Leslie Nielsen returns as bumbling police detectice Frank Drebin. President Bush has hired a professor to advise on the future of US energy policy and the big oil, coal and nuclear companies are out to get him.

It was always going to be hard to keep up with the break neck speed of gags in the original film and while this film still includes plenty of funny moments it does fall short on the quantity. What the film does well is still have a few classic jokes as well as not rely on call backs to the original which is often a problem with comedy sequels. Fans of the first film will certainly enjoy this film even if it does fall slightly short in comparison.

3/5

In tents?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part One (2010)

Splitting the adaptation of the final Potter book into two films all the usual talent has returned. Plans for the rise of the dark lord are well on there way now and only Harry and his chums can do anything about it.

There is a lot of really nice scenery in this film which is a break from previous films in the series which were pretty much all based at Hogwarts but apart from that it is hard to find a lot to say about this film. This really does feel like part one of two and really seems to lack a lot of narrative drive, our heroes spend a fair amount of time sitting round in tents for example. I would say this is probably the most average film in the series and could really have done with a bit clearer structure of it's own.

3/5

By royal command

The King's Speech (2010)

Based on real events this film from director Tom Hooper stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. Prince Albert (the future George VI) suffers from a stammer and seeks help over coming his speech impediment so he can assume a full role with in the monarchy.

There are some really good parts to this film, especially the performance of Colin Firth but also in the growth of the protagonist himself. Unfortunately the script does succumb to diddling history in various places which are not really necessary such as shoe horning in Churchill, changing the reasons for Baldwin's retirement and various other inaccuracies. Where the film does well is hinting at the role of oratory in leadership of a nation and some of the class divide prevalent in inter war Britain.

4/5

Christmas classic

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Directed by Andrew Adamson this is the first in the series of adaptations from Disney and has a cast including Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy and Liam Neeson. Four children are evacuated during WW2 and discover a magic land inside a wardrobe.

There is something about this story that means for a lot of people it will always be associated with Christmas and there are a good number of reasons why which range from the winter setting, the Christian allegory and the references to Christmas in the work itself. Largely faithful to the book this is a good adaptation and probably the best so far in the series. There are a few elements that hint at the film being made in New Zealand rather than England but they are not overly obtrusive.

4/5

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIL

Megamind (2010)

DreamWorks animation stable pumps another one off the production line this time featuring the voice talent of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill. After finally defeating his nemesis a bad guy is left at a loss as to what to do.

Taking a similar tack to several other recent animated films there is not a lot that is especially original about this film but the plot is satisfactory enough. Where the film falls down is that it really lacks the humour that you might find in a Pixar film, there are jokes but they are not as plentiful as you would hope. Everything resolves out pretty much as you would expect and while this is not a bad film it is hard not to compare it to better options out there.

3/5

Sour milk

Alien Nation (1988)

This “science fiction” film is directed by Graham Baker and stars James Caan. Aliens have arrived on earth and now live amongst the human population, a human and alien police detective have to work together to solve some murders.

As much as people might like to dress this film up as science fiction it is really just a bland buddy cop film with a gimmick. The plot is pretty similar to every other buddy cop film you have ever seen and fails to capitalise on the unique elements provided by the set up. In the end the problems with the film are more about what it could have been than what it is so we end up with a passable effort at least.

3/5

PAIN

Rocky 3 (1982)

The popular boxing series returned for a third instalment with Stallone in control again and this time introducing the world to Mr. T. Rocky gets soft, losses his trainer and his title and has to make a come back.

In my opinion this film is a vast improvement over the second film in the series. Bringing in a bad guy really helps as the Apollo Creed character never really fit that role and the camaraderie between former rivals Rocky and Creed really helps give the film some personality. Having a plot that is more eventful that then previous instalment is another step in the right direction. This is certainly a return to form for the series.

4/5

Rocky vs Creed 2

Rocky 2 (1979)

After the mighty success of the first film Stallone returns to write, direct and star in this sequel that picks up directly after where the first film ended. Struggling to come to terms with his responsibilities as a husband and father will Rocky return to the ring?

Despite a 2 hour run time this film could really have done with some more plot, it feels like nearly the entire first ¾ of the film is made up of Rocky “rejecting the call” before he has a training montage then fights. It is nice to see the progression of Rocky as a character but the structure of the film is pretty terrible. Obviously after the first film made buckets of money they wanted a sequel but I think more time should have been spent hammering out a coherent script rather than what we get here. In fact if you take out the boxing elements this might have been a better film because they do seem really alien and tacked on the end just to appease expectations.

2/5

Sports film, 1370s style

A Knight's Tale (2001)

History be damned in this jousting film from writer/director Brian Helgeland which stars Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany and Shannyn Sossamon. After his lord dies a young squire takes his place in a jousting tournament.

There are a lot of problems with this film from historical inaccuracies to a rather thin plot but you kind of just have to let that go and enjoy the ride. What does save this film is the support cast as they have plenty of personality and humour to make up for the rather bland protagonist and his predictable love story. In the end you have to take this film as it was meant, which is a fun diversion rather than anything more serious.

3/5

The Winchester

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Cult classic zombie rom-com from Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg that follows on from their work on the TV show Spaced. Shaun is a salesman that wants to win his girlfriend back and survive a zombie apocalypse.

This film is both funny and full of references to other films and those are the corner stones of it's success. It also helps that the film really taps into the lazy but disaffected 20 something generation out look on life as well. Edgar Wright's direction really helps keep the pace of the film going so much so that you probably need to see this film more than once to pick up all the references.

4/5

Ship shape?

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

This is the third instalment in the series of adaptations of C. S. Lewis's series of novels from Walden Media which is directed by Michael Apted. The two youngest Pevensie children return to Narnia with their annoying cousin for an adventure at sea.

For some reason this series has just never quite felt like it captures the magic of Narnia and this film continues in that vein. Despite being well made this film feels decidedly bland and never really engaged me. There are a number of changes from the novel in an attempt to form a more coherent story which will no doubt please and annoy some in equal measure.

3/5

Swan wrestling

Black Swan (2010)

Director Darren Aronofsky takes on the world of ballet with this psychological piece that stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. A young dancer gets her chance in the lead role in Swan Lake but struggles with the role and her inner demons.

This film works really well as both a piece about the pressure on performers and how it affects the protagonists but also as a metaphor for maturing into female sexuality. Even if like me you have no interest in or knowledge of ballet that is no barrier to enjoying this film and in itself is a major achievement. All the elements of the film fit together well and it is easy to see this as a companion piece to Aronofsky's earlier film The Wrestler (2008), about the only bad thing I have to say is that may be the ending of the films is a little too similar.

5/5

Monster marriage

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Following the success of the first film a sequel was ordered up and Boris Karloff returns as the monster. Having survived the end of the previous film the monster wants a “friend” while another scientist wants to replicate Doctor Frankenstein's work.

This sequel is a bit of an odd mix but there are certainly some interesting ideas thrown in there. There is a shaky start and a large section of the monster running around destroying and killing which is not that great but at least the film is not just a rerun of the original plot. The most interesting parts to look out for in the film are the Christian imagery and the speculation of homosexual interpretations to the film.

3/5

Disputed

Irreconcilable Differences (1984)

Marking the first substantial screen role of Sharon Stone this film stars Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long and Drew Barrymore. An eight year old girl wants to divorce her parents as they are more wrapped up in their own lives.

To me it feels like this film has the same problem that the characters have, it becomes to obsessed with the lives of the adults involved rather than telling the story of a neglected child. Of course this obsession with their own lives is what leads to the neglect of their daughter but it does not provide an especially interesting point of view to tell the story from and at times feels like it is wandering from the point. I was also not a fan of the ending which implied better relations and a possible future reconciliation which makes it seem like the horrid behaviour of the parents goes unpunished.

2/5

Slick?

Local Hero (1983)

Written and directed by Bill Forsyth this Scottish film stars Peter Riegert, Burt Lancaster and Denis Lawson. An American oil company wants to buy up a small Scottish village so they can demolish it and build a refinery.

What is good about this film is that it does not take the overly done path of villagers not wanting to sell and the outsider being seduced by the local charm. This film is more about human nature with the villagers plotting to get as much cash as possible out of the oil company. There is something very 80s about the film and it certainly reflects the financial greed of the period.

4/5

Olden times

The Court Jester (1956)

When made this was the most expensive comedy of it's time and stars Danny Kaye, Basil Rathbone and a young Angela Lansbury. The throne has been usurped and a former carnival performer tries to help rebels restore the rightful heir to the throne.

While this film does have some funny moments it really has a whole host of problems. Despite having so much money spent on the film the costumes and some of the props are decidedly poor. When it comes to the plot what we get is a mish-mash of different legends based on a fake medieval England which has little going for it. This is probably not the sort of film that will appeal to modern audiences and does not have a lot of redeeming features in the end.

2/5

Conflicted

Miral (2010)

Based on real events this film comes from the novel of the same name, stars Freida Pinto and is directed by Julian Schnabel. A young Palestinian girl is raised at an orphanage during the 1980s and becomes involved in the conflict with Israel.

Touchy subjects ahoy here (Israel/Palenstine and fact/fiction) but I think the major problem with the film comes from the fact that the narrative wanders far too much in the first half before settling on the character of Miral. There are some interesting stories in here but it really would help if they had picked one to focus on rather than the muddle we get here which is a shame as the film has some nice cinematography. While the film does have some hope for the future in terms of the next generation being more likely to solve the problems of the region it does take a fairly one sided view of the problems and does not really attempt to explore complex issues properly.

2/5

Fockers

Little Fockers (2010)

This is the third film in the series of comedy film staring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller which adds Jessica Alba to the previous cast. Son in law and father in law face off again, this time over who will take over leadership of the family.

Did this franchise need another film? At some point you have to wonder why Stiller's character does not just tell his father in law to get lost given all the suspicion and accusations. It would help if this film was funny but the jokes are few and too predictable when they do show up. Maybe it is time to stop rehashing the same film over and over again.

2/5

Which witch is which?

Season of the Witch (2011)

Directed by Dominic Sena this film stars Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman. A plague lies across the land in the 14th century and two knights that have deserted the crusades have to help transport a woman accused of witch craft to a monastery.

This film is unremarkable in a lot of areas, the plot is fairly basic and a lot of the characters are left under developed. There is some nice scenery but there seem to be a number of historical mistakes that stick out in the buildings used. As Nicolas Cage films go this is not the worst by a long way, if you just want to see some stuff get hacked up then it's not a bad film but lacks anything more.

3/5

Say hello to my old friend

Scarface (1932)

Long before Brian De Palma and Al Pacino there was this original gangster film which was directed by Howard Hawks and produced by Howard Hughes. A young man looks to take control of the bootlegging business in his city by any means necessary.

Loosely based on the live of Al Capone this film had a terrible time trying to get by the censors for the realistic violence it showed which while ground breaking at the time does not seem overly violent to modern eyes. While the film is not the most nuanced example of story telling it does hold up even if it could have done with some more character depth in places. In the end this is one of the classic gangster films that highlighted the rising issues with organised crime.

4/5

Not spell binding

Warlock (1959)

Not a fantasy film as the title might suggest, this western stars Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn. A small town wants an end to violence on the streets but is bringing in a hired gunman the answer?

The main thrust of this film is clearly about how to achieve law and order in a town out of control but it does not delve particularly deeply into the subject but is more interested in the relationship between the characters. As a whole the film works pretty well if a little on the long side and as usual for a western the female characters are not the strongest point, we get both the hooker with the heart of gold and school teacher archetypes here.

3/5

Underdogs

The Verdict (1982)

Based on the novel of the same name this film is directed by Sidney Lumet and stars Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling and Jack Warden. A down on his luck lawyer takes a medical malpractice case to try and make enough money to retire on.

While this film is nominally a court room drama it is more about the protagonist seeking redemption through a case no one cares. This is really more of a character study than anything else and on that level it works really well, the court case itself may be a little on the weak side but otherwise the plot is decent. Overall this is a well made film and it is easy to see how it picked up five Oscar nominations.

4/5

Anonymity

Middle Men (2010)

“Inspired by a true story” this film is directed by George Gallo and stars Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi and Gabriel Macht. A businessman is brought in to help two degenerates run their online payment processor company and has to deal with organised crime as well as the FBI.

There is a fairly large cast in this film which acquits itself well but that is probably the high point of the film sadly. When you get an “inspired by” title you know that vast liberties have probably been taken with the truth and the plot here does not really function as a cautionary tale as in the end the protagonist comes up smelling roses by dumb luck despite his various crimes. In the end it is hard to tell what the point of this film is which is a shame as it is well enough made.

3/5

Broadsword calling Dannyboy

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Based on the book of the same name from Alistair MacLean this WW2 based action film is directed by Brian Hutton with stars Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. An American General who has important plans needs to be rescued from a castle full of Nazis in Austria but all is not as it seems.

This is not the most nuanced film about war but it is unabashed in what it is and really achieves what it sets out to be, a rip roaring action film. Both the castle and snowy mountains of Austria provide a great back drop for the film. What the film does well is build up the tension (particularly in the final half of the film), keeps the audience guessing as to what is really going on for the first half and makes decent use of the female characters who are not just there as window dressing as is often the case in these types of films. Interestingly this was one of the first films to use a front project effect which eventually evolved into what we know as green screen technology.

4/5

Hybrid?

The Dilemma (2011)

Returning to comedy for the first time in ten years Ron Howard directs Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder and Jennifer Connelly. A man finds out his best friends wife is cheating on him and does not know how to break the news.

There are some funny moments in this film but they mostly derive from physical comedy or slapstick rather than the film being chock full of jokes. I actually thought the drama element of the film worked much better than the comedy part with the main character being a recovering gambling addict and his erratic behaviour being mistaken for a relapse adds some depth to the film. In the end I think this film would have probably been better either as a full comedy or a drama rather than trying to mix both elements but it is still not a bad watch.

3/5

Fluffy

Morning Glory (2010)

English director Roger Michell helms this film staring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton. A young woman gets the opportunity to revitalise a morning news program that has long been a disappointment to it's station.

The accusation levelled at morning news programs in this film is they lack real substance and you could easily say the same of the plot of this time which is pretty simplistic and unoriginal. Only token thought is spent on the nature of the type of media the film is involved in which does not help matters either. Given the lack of real plot the film has to live or die on it's characters and there is just not enough time create characters with proper depth, I think this concept would have worked better as a television series rather than a film. In the end this film is fluff but at least the execution is pretty decent.

3/5

Bah humbug

Four Christmases (2008)

Seth Gordon directs his first studio film with this Christmas based romantic comedy which stars Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. A couple that have spent three years avoiding their families at Christmas have no way to escape that now and have to live through their nightmare senario.

There are two major problems with this film. Firstly this film is just not funny which is rather a big issue for a supposed comedy, there might be a couple of chuckles in the film but where all the jokes at? When it comes to the plot the problem is that the message behind the film is that having different desires to the social norms, such as not wanting to get married and have kids, is wrong and you must learn the error of your ways. Even if you accept the concept of the film the execution is just a case of going through the motions in a highly contrived and predictable manner.

2/5

You know where I eat lunch

Brick (2005)

First time director Rian Johnson made this independent film for less than $500,000 with a cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Nora Zehetner. A high school student's ex-girlfriend is mixed up in some sort of drugs dealing problem and he wants to help her out.

This high school drama is very clearly shot through the lens of film noir and contains many of the usual plot and character elements but in an unusual setting. What could have been a gimmick does work fairly well even if the film is a little fast talking and the plot gets a little exposition heavy at times. In general this is a good first film if not without it's flaws and not especially original.

3/5