Fight night fright

Snake Eyes (1998)

Directed by Brian De Palma this thriller stars Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinsie and Carla Gugino. A corrupt cop in Atlantic City witnesses a political assassination during a boxing a match and tries to get to the bottom of what happened.

Plot wise there is not a lot that makes this film unique or even particularly believable, what makes this film is the direction. There are some classic De Palma trademarks used which work really well with the nature of multiple points of view on the assassination and the really long tracking shot at the start is excellent. Nicolas Cage starts out with his usual over the top performance which mellows during the film and actually works pretty well with his character for once as he tends to either hit or miss by a pretty wide margin.

4/5

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the cinema

Jaws 2 (1978)

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc this sequel to the classic shark film stars Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary and Murray Hamilton. Police Chief Brody and a bunch of teenagers are once again menaced by a shark during the summer season on Amity Island.

Taking a turn in to much more traditional horror film clichés this film relies on a bunch of teenagers as the bait and it makes the adult protagonist seem pretty out of place. After having saved the town from one super shark you have to wonder why again the local politicians do not want to believe Brody, the only explanation seems to be because that was what they did in the first film. Despite being Universal's most expensive film to date the special effects on the shark and the dead whale that washes up are not that great either.

2/5

The rodeo gang

The Man from Utah (1934)

Directed by Robert N. Badbury this early western stars John Wayne and Polly Ann Young. A young man goes under cover for a US Marshal to infiltrate a gang of crooks.

Coming in at just under an hours run time this film is a little on the short side so you should not expect a lot of content. The plot such as it is does not really seem to make much sense, if this gang is running rodeos that make so much money for the local town why do they need to resort to cheating and robbing stagecoaches on the side? Given how long ago the film was made some of the direction is pretty rudimentary and the best parts of the film are the stock footage used for the rodeo sequences.

2/5

Rambling man (and boy)

The Road (2009)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director John Hillcoat stars Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Charlize Theron. In a post apocalyptic world a man and his son travel across North America heading south.

What this film does best is capture a great tone of sadness, haunting desperation and slow death of the world as well as the characters with in it. The plot focuses fully on the relationship between the father and son over trying to explain the world they exist in and this works really well but maybe leaves the film without a little depth. There are some good performances from the main cast as well as those actors that only have small roles such as Robert Duvall.

5/5

Reflections of the past

Dead Again (1991)

Directed by Kenneth Branagh he also stars in this film alongside Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia and Derek Jacobi. A young woman with amnesia is haunted by the past and is helped by a private detective.

Clearly influenced by film noir this psychological thriller does a good job of capturing the tone of film noir in the sections set in the past and does have a hint of Hitchcock about it. The plot is pretty much mystic rubbish but does have an interesting twist towards the end. It is strange to hear Branagh and Thompson affecting American accents but they do so pretty well, it is the make used to make Andy Garcia old that is the only real let down in the execution of the film.

4/5

13 Samurai

13 Assassins (2010)

Directed by Takashi Miike this remake of the 1963 Japanese film of the same name has a loose historical basis and stars Koji Yakusho. The heir to the shogun is an evil sadist so a group of assassins are sent to kill him.

Despite being based on another film there are a number of story and character elements clearly lifted from Seven Samurai (1954) for this film. Having 13 members of the team does make it hard to give them all decent characters and some end up with very little screen time. What is best about the film is the final action sequence which is a full on 40 minute battle that does not let up but the direction does nothing especially to stand out and some of the CGI is a little ropey at best. In the end this film probably could have done with a little more originality and depth.

3/5

Cut up

Zorro Rides Again (1937)

Directed by William Witney and John English this film stars John Carroll in an edited down feature version of a popular serial. Railway workers are menaced by thugs in the employ of a banker that wants to take over the railway, only the grandson of the original Zorro can save the day.

With an original run time of 212 minutes a fair amount of material has been cut out to get this down to a 68 minute feature and the this puts the plot decidedly on the light side. Some of the action sequences are not too bad but it is clear this film was made on a budget which combined with the lack of plot does not leave a lot to praise. It is also disappointing that this version of Zorro does not use a sword at all.

2/5

Stupid, stupid, stupid

Love, Wedding, Marriage (2011)

This romantic comedy from director Dermot Mulroney stars Mandy Moore, Kellan Lutz, Jane Seymour and James Brolin. Shortly after getting married and starting her job as a marriage counsellor a young woman's parents separate.

Given the genre and star of this film you could well say that there are two potential strikes against this film before you even start watching it and you would not really be wrong. It is hard to find the protagonist likeable as she is self centred and seems to have no regard for anything other than what she wants while the plot is fairly contrived, reaching the usual happy ending with little thought to how that reflects on the previous set up. There was some potential in the set up of this film but sadly it misses the mark and wastes the more experienced supporting cast.

2/5

Not normal

The Conformist (1970)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director Bernardo Bertolucci stars Lean-Louis Trintignant and Stefania Sandrelli. In 1930s Italy a man seeks to find himself a normal life amidst the rise of fascism.

From the start this film looks excellent with some great period sets and good cinematography which capture the feel of period film making. The main themes of the plot are the universal desire to want a normal life but set in abnormal times the protagonist gets drawn into a world he is not comfortable with. What the film does well is show how a generation that were not true believers may have got caught up in the dark ideologies of the time.

4/5

See through?

The Invisible Man (1933)

Loosely based on the H. G. Wells novel of the same name this film from director James Whale stars Claude Rains and Gloria Stuart. A scientist that has turned himself invisible looks for a cure, goes bonkers and kills a bunch of people.

As part of the classic collection of Universal horror films from the 30s the special effects in this film were ground breaking and still hold up to modern viewing. Where the film is a bit weak is that the plot itself is nothing to write home about and includes a few changes from the book such as the introduction of a love interest who for some reason stays commit to the protagonist even when he has become a raving lunatic. The character of the invisible man alongside the special effects that create him are probably the best part of the film and he is wonderfully crazy at times.

3/5

The Cornwall triangle

Twelfth Night (1996)

Adapted from the Shakespeare play this film from director Trevor Nunn stars a collection of British talent including Imogen Stubbs, Toby Stephens, Helena Bonham Carter and Ben Kingsley. A young lady dresses up as a boy and tries to help the lord woo a lady.

Following a common theme of Shakespeare's work the comedy here revolves around mistaken identity leading to a love triangle. Shot largely in Cornwall the film does a good job of adapting the play to a quasi Napoleonic or Victorian setting and there are decent performances from the cast. Unfortunately there is nothing to help the piece rise above the fairly light nature of the play and while well executed is not more than average.

3/5

Dark of the Bay

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

For the third entry in the franchise Michael Bay returns as director with most of the same cast, the exception being Megan Fox who is replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Having graduated college Sam struggles to find his place in the world while the Autobots discover a crashed ship on the moon.

So this film comes with a truck load of problems which range from it being a bit too long to sexist undertones but some how it still managed to be a good film. For once Michael Bay manages the worst of his directorial tendencies in check so the action sequences in the film are really great, which is important as that is 90% of what the film has going for it. I really enjoyed the Star Trek references in the script as well as the initial scenario offering a lot of promise but there is certainly a lot of room for improvement. When it comes to the performances of the lead actors a lot is left to be desired but the film manages to retain enough personality without them to hold the audiences attention.

3/5

The Bodyguard

Yojimbo (1961)

Inspired by the writings of Dasniell Hammett this film from director Akira Kurosawa once again teams him with star Toshiro Mifune. A lone samurai plays off two rival crime lords against each other for his own profit.

This film is especially interesting not just because of all the other films it has influenced but also because of the films that influenced it. Obviously the plot works well given the number of times it has subsequently been reused but maybe lacks a little more depth to make this a truly great film. The main draw of the film is some of the excellent wide shots that were inspired by the western genre and the work of John Ford in particular.

4/5

Murder, eh?

The Scarlet Claw (1944)

Directed by Roy William Neill this is the eight film in the series of Sherlock Holmes films which star Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. While visiting Canada our heroes try to solve the case of a murder in a village which the locals blame a monster for.

Despite being an original story the plot for this film shares a number of similarities with The Hound of the Baskervilles. This is one of the better made efforts in the series but the mystery does sort of unravel towards the end as there is only one character left that the killer can be which does rather hamper the ending being a surprise. It is also interesting to note that while not a direct propaganda piece like some of the other films in the series made during WW2 the epilogue does take the opportunity to extol the virtues of Canada in reference to the war effort.

3/5

Stolen plots

Stolen Lives (2010)

Also known as just “Stolen” this film from director Anders Anderson stars Josh Lucas, Jon Hamm, Rhona Mitra and James Van Der Beek. A police detective tries to solve the disappearance of his own son 8 years ago and the murder of a child 50 years ago.

This film does have it's problems in terms of weak make up for ageing one of the actors 50 years as well as relying on a fair amount of coincidence for the plot and not ever really explaining the motivations of the killer. The film is pretty average for it's genre but lacks any real polish of execution to have any depth, coming in at only 90 minutes long the film probably could have done with another half an hour to flesh things out properly.

2/5

Professional execution

The Professionals (1966)

Based on the book “A Mule for the Marquesa” this film from director Richard Brooks stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Claudia Cardinale, Robert Ryan and Woody Strode. Four men travel to Mexico in the last days of the Mexican revolution to rescue a woman that has been kidnapped.

Despite having a really good cast and some decent action sequences this western does not really add up to anything more than an average genre piece. There is a decent twist in the plot as well as some mumblings about the nature of revolution and how people become attracted to fight in one but none of this really goes deep enough. Having picked up three Oscar nominations I did expect a little more from this film but it is still a fine watch if not much more.

3/5

For sale

Everything Must Go (2010)

Based on the short story “Why Don't You Dance?” by Raymond Carver this film from director Dan Rush stars Will Ferrell and Rebecca Hall. A relapsing alcoholic loses his job and his wife on the same day.

It is nice to see a film with Will Ferrell is which he gives a much calmer performance than his usual over the top comedies and he carries this film really well. The plot is fairly simple but the underlying metaphor which it is based around works really well and helps gives us an insight into the journey of a man struggling against his problems. What the film does well is side step all the usual clichés of a fairly cluttered genre and stays well clear of being preachy.

4/5

Messing about on the river

Deliverance (1972)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director John Boorman stars Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox. Four friends from the city go on a canoe trip down a river that will soon be turned into a lake when a new dam is built.

With a number of sequences that are not easy viewing consider yourself warned before watching this film. The plot to this film seems fairly simplistic but has some deeper themes such as the relationship between modern man and nature explored through the actions of the characters. There are some good performances from the cast and the sequences which involve canoeing through rapids are well directed as well.

4/5

Bunk

Bunraku (2010)

Directed by Guy Moshe this action film stars Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, Gackt, Ron Perlman and Demi Moore. In a post apocalyptic future two strangers arrive in a city run by a powerful crime boss and his gang of killers.

Visually this film is a crazy mish mash of styles that is certainly unique but I am not sure the sum of all the various parts add up to anything more than something that is trying too hard to be cool. The plot is pretty bland and unoriginal, the less said about Demi Moore's role the better as it does seem to indicate a slightly sexist attitude from the writers. For once it was nice to see action sequences that did not just decent into CGI over load but ultimately like the rest of the film they are not enough to carry the piece.

2/5

Nostalgic

Super 8 (2011)

Written and directed by J. J. Abrams with the influence of Steven Spielberg as producer this film stars child actors Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning. While trying to make a zombie film to enter into a film festival a group of young teenagers witness a train crash.

You can really see the similarities between this film and the work of Spielberg in a number of his own films so what we get here is a really good coming of age story wrapped up in a monster picture. Where the story falls down slightly is in the ending which does feel like it is pushing it's agenda just a little too hard and could have done with a little more subtlety. Of the cast Elle Fanning in particular gives a really good performance and the only real down side to the direction is that of the excessive use of lens flare in nearly every shot.

4/5

Suspect City

Street Kings 2: Motor City (2011)

With none of the previous cast or crew involved this sequel is directed by Chris Fisher and stars Ray Liotta and Shawn Hatosy. A policeman gets killed and it turns out he was a dirty cop, our heroes are sent to find the killer.

You do not have to have seen the original to watch this film as it is a sequel in name only (read cash in) and it also went straight to DVD which does not bode at all well for the level of quality. Despite reservations this film is not that bad but I did set the bar pretty low for it. Nearly every cliché and predictable out come is wheeled out for this film so it really has very little to offer, it also stretches believability at times as well.

2/5

Are you my mummy?

The Mummy (1932)

Directed by Karl Freund this classic Universal monster film stars Boris Karloff and Zita Johann. An ancient Egyptian priest comes to life again thousands of years after his death and seeks out the reincarnated soul of his lover.

The plot of this film is fairly similar to the other Universal monster films of the time and you can see the foundations the 1999 remake was based on. Not being based on a classic Gothic novel as the other Universal monster films were this film does lack some of the depth in comparison but otherwise is a decent monster film although one that will probably only scare young children these days. When it comes to the special effects used in the film they are fairly minor so mostly hold up to a modern viewing.

3/5

The poor shall inherit the house?

Howards End (1992)

Based on the novel of the same name from E. M. Forster this Merchant Ivory production stars Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson. In Edwardian England after an old woman dies the ownership of her house becomes a concern for three different families.

It is class warfare with the usual reserved British nature as the central theme of this film with the question of which class will become the dominant one in Britain studied through the metaphor of who will inherit the property that gives it's name to the film. This film has all the excellent execution you would expect from a Merchant Ivory production although this type of film may not be everyone's taste it works well even if we are living in a world where class is becoming less and less of an issue.

4/5

Red Twilighting hood

Red Riding Hood (2011)

Based on the classic folk tale this film from director Catherine Hardwicke stars Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman and Virginia Madsen. A village in the woods is terrorised by a werewolf while a young woodcutter's daughter desires a different life.

There is actually a lot of depth and potential in the original story but unfortunately all the interesting themes are chucked out in favour of your standard teen love triangle rubbish. It is a double or treble shame that the plot is not up to much as the film actually looks really good and Amanda Seyfried provides a great protagonist. What we end up with here is not a terrible film but one that wholly misses the point and leaves a vast chasm of potential unfulfilled.

2/5

Tragedy

The 5^th Quarter (2011)

Based on real events this film from writer/director Rick Bieber stars Ryan Merriman, Aidan Quinn and Andie MacDowell. A family loses their youngest son in a car crash while the eldest son plays college football.

Films based on real life tragedies need to be dealt with sensitively but this film is anything but sensitive and just goes for over the top sentimentality in place of any real content. From a narrative point of view the film struggles to decide if it is a college football film or a family tragedy film and so ends up being really unclear on the story it is telling. At best this is a TV issue of the week film which is a shame as it ends up trivialising what is no doubt some series issues.

2/5

Pyramid schemes

Land of the Pharaohs (1955)

Directed by Howard Hawks this historic epic stars Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins and James Robertson Justice. In ancient Egypt a Pharaoh wants a tomb for his gold that cannot be robbed while his second wife schemes to get her hands on the Pharaoh's gold.

With literally a cask of thousands there is a real sense of scale in this film and what it does best is give an impression of what it took to build these great monuments of the ancient world. When it comes to the plot that is fairly standard fair and does at times run in second place to the pyramid building sections. The performances from the browned up cast are not bad so this film is certainly work a look.

4/5

The general, the princess and the peasants

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

This is Akira Kurosawa's first film made in widescreen and once again he teams up with actor Toshiro Mifune. Two peasants down on their luck get caught up with gold, a fugitive general and the princess he is protecting.

Moving to widescreen definitely helps this film look even better than the previous Kurosawa pictures I have seen and in general this is a really good looking film. The plot for the film provided some elements of inspiration for the first Star Wars film but you should not expect too many similarities. Over all this is a really well made film and certainly worth a watch.

4/5

Monster, monster

Stan Helsing (2009)

Written and directed by Bo Zenga this horror parody stars Steve Howey, Diora Baird, Kenan Thompson and Desi Lydic. A video store employee tries to deliver some videos on Halloween with his friends on the way to a party but is menaced by some recognisable monsters.

Despite having a script littered with “jokes” this comedy is never actually funny at any point. The problem seems to be always going for the easy and obvious joke and this is nothing like the intelligent genre literate parodies we have become used to. When it comes to the plot for this film there is one but shallow even with an 81 minute run time.

2/5

GI Lassie and the Korean adventure

The Young and The Brave (1963)

Directed by Francis D. Lyon this film stars Rory Calhoun, William Bendix and Richard Jaeckel. During the Korean war a group of escaped American POWs are helped to find their way home by a Korean boy and his dog.

It's pretty clear that production costs on this film were kept pretty low so this is not the best looking film you will ever come across. The plot is pretty simplistic and is not particularly subtle at times but otherwise is not too bad even if it seems more like what you would expect to see from a Disney produced TV film. In the end this is not what you would call a serious film really and is maybe more suited to the younger viewers.

2/5

Spoiler alert: this film went straight to dvd

Abandoned (2010)

Directed by Michael Feifer this was the final film of Brittany Murphy and also features Dean Cain, Mimi Rogers as well as Peter Bogdanovich. A young woman's boy friend goes missing during surgery at the hospital, is she nuts or is there something more sinister going on?

This film has everything including a poor script, dodgy dialogue, suspect props, weak performances and direction that gives no atmosphere or tension. In the first half of the film the major problem is that there is no reason to suspect anything other than the protagonist is crazy and there is no reason to care about her character anyway. When the film kicks into the second half the plot is a complete fudge that will leave you rolling your eyes and make you wonder why you ever bothered to watch this film.

1/5

Born to be bad

Bad Teacher (2011)

Directed by Jake Kasdan this comedy stars Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch and Jason Segel. A gold digging woman who does not care about her job as a teacher is dumped by her fiancée and has to raise the funds to get a boob job to ensnare another rich guy.

What I like about this film is that the protagonist is an unabashed arse hole which is something you rarely see films willing to go with. There are certainly funny moments through out the film with both Diaz and Punch giving good performances as the main adversaries in the piece. Where the film falls down is that the plot does not really have any depth and the protagonist never really has to face up to what are probably pretty series problems in her life involving drink and drugs.

3/5