The anal girl

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Directed by Marc Webb this film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel and Chloe Grace Moretz. A greetings card writer meets a girl who he falls in and out of love with.

As we all know the path of the romantic comedy is a thoroughly well trodden area and this film does not necessarily have a lot to offer in terms original events. Where this film is better is the non-linear nature of the narrative helps give the film a more interesting tone which is refreshing. There are good performances from the cast and the direction certainly helps create a good atmosphere that stays clear of the usual genre pitfalls.

4/5  

Too little too late?

Johnny English Reborn (2011)

Directed by Oliver Parker this sequel stars Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike and Dominic West. The bumbling English secret agent returns to try to stop a plan to assassinate the Chinese Premier.

It took 8 years for this sequel to arrive and you have to wonder why they bothered after such a long gap. By no means is this a terrible film but it is one of the more pedestrian Bond spoofs out there and there are more Bond spoofs knocking around than you can shake a stick at. The problem with this film is it always takes the easy, predictable option both in plot and comedy giving no surprises or real laugh out loud moments.

3/5

Losing my interest

Losing Control (2011)

Written and directed by Valerie Weiss this film stars Miranda Kent, Reid Scott and Kathleen Robertson. A struggling female scientist rejects her boyfriends proposal as she wants to date other men so she has something to compare him to.

When you have never heard of anyone involved with a film it is not usually a good sign and in this case the film fulfils that prophecy. Starting with a suspect plot and never adding any comedy does not really help. It is hard to find much to like about this film but at least it keeps proceedings fairly short.

2/5

Rich people problems

Ordinary People (1980)

Based on the novel of the same name this is the first film directed by Robert Redford and stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton. An upper middle class family struggles to deal with the deal of the eldest son and attempted suicide of his brother.

Upon release this film was highly praised and went on to pick up Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Hutton) Oscars. The plot of the film is pretty good and fairly subtle, staying clear of melodrama and cliché but is not especially unique compared to a lot of similar films that have followed it. Some of the acting does seem slightly suspect to me for a film that got so much praise but that is mainly the fault of the supporting cast rather than the leads.

4/5

Pitch CGI

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

Written and directed by David Twohy this sequel stars Vin Diesel, Karl Urban and Judi Dench. After spending years hiding on an ice planet Riddick is called back to fight an army of world eaters.

Taking what was originally a sleeper hit and a fairly simply sci-fi monster film the idea was to turn this into a epic franchise based around the anti hero Riddick. There are plenty of big set piece special effects sequences but some of the direction of them is annoying at best with and more likely disorientating rather than cool at times. When it comes to the plot the main problem is that there is no character development or growth for the protagonist.

2/5

Countless

Jennifer 8 (1992)

Written and directed by Bruce Robinson this thriller stars Andy Garcia, Uma Thurman and Lance Henriksen. A big city cop moves out to the country and becomes obsessed with reopening old cases to hunt a serial killer.

At the time this film was largely seen as unsuccessful at the box office but is pretty much a run of the mill thriller. The plot manages not to get too gimmicky which is often the case in serial killer films from the 90s but otherwise there is not much to help it stand out from a number of similar films. Uma Thurman's performance as a blind girl is probably the best thing in the film but her part is sadly little more than the helpless girl that needs saving.

3/5

Same old plot again?

Groundhog Day (1993)

Directed by Harold Ramis this film stars Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. A local TV weatherman gets caught in a time loop while visiting a small town and spends years reliving the same day over and over.

Under the surface of this film the story is a fairly commonly used one, man is a jerk, there is a change in his situation and in learning not to be a jerk he ends up with the girl all of which is a little underwhelming given the film's reputation. Where the film does shine is in the execution, really taking the time to allow a character to change over what must be years rather than the usual rushed narratives, I also like that there is no explanation ever offered for why the time loop happens which is an improvement on the usual attempts to crow bar in some preaching. Billy Murray is decent but a little more of his trademark humour would have really helped finish of the film.

4/5

Tattoo take two

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Directed by David Fincher this American remake based on the Swedish novel of the same name stars Daniel Craigh and Rooney Mara. A disgraced journalist is hired to look into the 40 year old murder of a teenage girl by her rich grandfather.

As with any Fincher film this is a slick and well made film that has retained the feel and themes of the previous Swedish film. Where the film does stray in a from the previous version is mostly in minor ways but despite having a slightly longer run time it seems to have less detail. There are some good performances from the cast in what are obviously tough roles but in the end I find myself preferring the Swedish version of this story even though there is nothing wrong with the execution of this film.

4/5

lies, damn lies and shakespearean history

Anonymous (2011)

Directed by Roland Emmerich this film stars Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson. During the last days of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I a noble man seeks to influence the opinion of the public on the matter of succession through the performance of his plays.

There is a fair amount of controversy around the content of this film because it tries to pass off for history what is a nearly whole departure into fantasy land. The historical inaccuracy will no doubt drive some people completely up the wall but if you can over look those then this is actually a really interesting story that looks at the power of ideas. It helps that there are some good performances and the film looks really good as well but despite all this you may well always find yourself distracted by inaccuracies.

3/5

The Horror, The Horror

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)

Directed by Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper this documentary features input Francis Ford Coppola, Eleanor Coppola and many actors. For two years Coppola struggled in the Philippines to complete filming of Apocalypse Now (1979).

This documentary is very much a story of disaster after disaster on a film set rather than a more technical making of documentary. What works really well is the way the documentary echoes the film in execution and the experience of making Apocalypse Now (1979) echoes it's own plot. About the only real weakness is that there is no contribution from Harvey Keitel who was originally set to star in the film but let go after a week.

4/5

Sub Moby-Dick

The Bedford Incident (1965)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director James B. Harris stars Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier. During the Cold War a journalist visits an American destroyer that is patrolling the Greenland coast for Russian subs.

As with many a naval story Moby-Dick provides a clear inspiration for this story about a captain with an obsession for his prey. The plot is fairly good, if pretty common for a number of similar Cold War films, but some of the special effects are slightly suspect and clearly models. When it comes to the cast it is worth keeping an eye out for early appearances from Donald Sutherland and Ed Bishop.

3/5

Junk plot?

Junkhearts (2011)

Directed by Tinge Krishnan this British film stars Eddie Marsan, Candese Reid and Romola Garai. An alcoholic ex-soldier with PTSD takes in a young run away while a single mother struggles to cope with her life.

The main story line of this film is not bad with some good characters and a decent plot. Where the problems with this film are is the secondary plot which appears to be an after thought tacked on to give an excuse to have the main character's daughter at the end. Probably the best thing about the film is the subtle direction that carries a nice tone through out.

3/5

A storm is coming

Take Shelter (2011)

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols this film stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. A father is haunted by nightmares of an on coming natural disaster and fears he is succumbing to mental illness as his mother did.

At the heart of this film are two good performances from the stars as well as some good direction that keeps a really good tone to this film. For 95% of the film this is an excellent story about a man who may be descending into mental illness and the affects this has on his life. It is hard to say this without spoiling the film but the final scene really destroys a lot of it's own hard work and sort of invalidates the previous good work by going for a cheap twist that is entirely unearned.

3/5

Airy fairy?

Jane Eyre (2011)

Based on the novel of the same name this adaptation from director Cary Joji Fukunaga stars Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender and Judi Dench. A young girl works as a governess and falls in love with the master of the house.

This is a really great adaptation that really captures a great atmosphere and uses some amazing scenery for a backdrop. As someone who has not read the novel I was pleasantly surprised by the plot which contains a number of interesting themes that were well before their time and is more than just a simple romance. There are some good performances from the cast and all in all this is an adaptation well worth watching.

5/5

Everything feels familiar

The Hangover Part II (2011)

Directed by Todd Phillips this comedy sequel again stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis. This time the boys are in Thailand for another wedding and of course things go crazy on a night out.

In the case of this sequel it is pretty much trying to keep to the same formula that made the first film a success over trying anything new. There are funny moments and the plot works fine but essentially being very similar to the original does take a lot of the shine off this film. The biggest omission from this film is any sort of character development, it is just the same guys in the same situations and no one really learns anything or changes by the end.

3/5

Royal screw ups

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Directed by Wes Anderson this film has an all star cast including Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston and Gwyneth Paltrow. After many years away a father tries to reconnect with his family of eccentrics to stop his wife marrying another man.

What makes this film is the great cast and the bizarre style of director Wes Anderson. The characters are so strange as to be unbelievable but the world they exist in is intriguing enough to carry you along. It maybe that Anderson's work is something of an acquired taste but this film is quirky, funny and well worth a look.

4/5

Blood on the Volga

Stalingrad (2003)

Directed by Sebastian Dehnhardt this documentary features in put from veterans from both sides as well as civilians. In 1942 at the end of a long supply line the Germans attempt to take the Soviet city of Stalingrad while the Russian dictator draws a line of no retreat in the sand.

This documentary comes in at just under 3 hours and features a host of interviews with eye witnesses and a lot of historic footage to good affect. What the documentary focuses on is the human experience and suffering on all sides during the horrific conflict, providing some harrowing insights into humanity and the depths people can fall to in desperation. Where the film is slightly weaker is in explaining the tactical and strategic points of the battle but this is not really the focus of the piece.

4/5

Full Gosling

Half Nelson (2006)

Directed by Ryan Fleck this film stars Ryan Gosling, Skareeka Epps and Anthony Mackie. At teacher with a drug habit makes friends with a 13 year old girl from the inner city school that he works at.

It is easy to see how this film received so much praise when it was released. The plot is not especially complex but the story is told in a subtle and muted manner which is vastly superior to the usual melodramatic nature of films like this. Ryan Gosling's performance is really good which is pretty important as the film would fall apart otherwise but over all this is a really well executed low budget film.

4/5

Cold as ice

Frozen River (2008)

Written and directed by Courtney Hunt this independent film stars Melissa Leo and Misty Upham. A poor mother with two kids to raise struggles with money and gets involved helping a Native American woman smuggle people across the border.

Winter in Upstate New York provides a great scenic back drop for this low budget film with it's snow and below freezing temperatures. The plot of the film is fairly simple and is supposed to reflect the theme of motherhood as common across cultures which again seems fairly simplistic. One thing I did not like about the film was the tendency towards wobbly camera work for no god reason.

3/5

Sunk

Drunkboat (2010)

Directed by Bob Meyer this film based on a play stars Dana Delany, John Malkovich and John Goodman. A recovering alcoholic veteran returns home to visit his wife and her 18 year old son who wants to buy a sail boat.

The lack of information on this film available online indicates that it was not very successful and it is easy to see why as the plot is a little confused, lacking a clear narrative. There are some interesting characters but the plot never really gets going seemingly content to just drift about. About the best thing in the film is John Malovich's performance but that is not nearly enough to hang an whole film on.

2/5

Yorkshire my arse

One Day (2011)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director Lone Scherfig stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. Over a period of 20 years the friendship of a working class woman and upper class man evolves.

When it comes to the plot of this film there is nothing especially new here, a lot of the plot is similar and predictable. The one gimmick the film does have in it's favour is telling the story by looking at what the characters are doing on the same date every year for 20 years. Execution wise the film is not bad but as much as I like Anne Hathaway her accent in this film does wander a fair amount.

3/5

Sea side escapes

Albatross (2011)

Directed by Niall MacCormick this British film stars Jessica Brown Findlay, Sebastian Koch, Julia Ormond and Felicity Jones. A 17 year old girl that aspires to be a writer upsets the balance of a dysfunctional family when she starts working for them

This is a fairly standard coming of age tale set which offers few surprises for those that have even a passing familiarity with the genre. Despite being set in the South of England in a sea side town the film was shot in the Isle of Man and this does stick out slightly for those that know the geography but does not get in the way of the film. There are some decent performances from the cast but the plot never really goes anywhere special.

3/5

Home run?

Moneyball (2011)

Based on the book of the same name and real events this film from director Bennett Miller stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The general manager of a baseball team with the smallest budget in the league looks for a new approach to compete with the big boys.

Much like The Social Network (2010), co-writer Aaron Sorkin has helped turn a really dry subject matter into something very watchable which is the real triumph of this piece. As a story of the struggles of those trying to break the status quo this is a good film and it manages not to fall into the same pitfalls of over sentimentality that many a sports film does. Where there may be problems with this film however are how closely it sticks to reality given that one of the major characters is a composite and the real individual had his name removed from the script.

4/5

Innocence lost

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Based on the novel of the same name this directorial debut from Ben Afflect stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. A private detective and his girlfriend are asked to help in the search for a missing 4 year old girl.

The plot for this film is excellent, seemingly straight forward there it is full of twists and turns so that even when you think the film is done it never is. At it's centre the story does a great job of raising moral questions for the audience without pushing an agenda or answers. What is really good about the execution of the film is the understated nature of the direction that lets the story do the work and the attention to detail that helps build a realistic world to tell the story in. There are also some really good performances from the cast making this a must watch film.

5/5

Universal appeal

The Monster Squad (1987)

Directed by Fred Dekker this horror comedy stars a number of child actors from the 80s, none of whom really went on to make it. The classic line up of Universal monsters face off against a group of kids from a small town in America.

As a stand alone piece this film is no real great shakes and fits right in with the tone of a number of 80s films but is really fun due to the use of and homages to classic monster films. These days genre literate films are all over the place but as one of the earlier efforts this film is fun to watch. Despite probably being made on a smaller budget the effects of this film are not too bad and hold up enough not to get in the way of the fun.

3/5

House of no horrors

The Ward (2010)

Directed by John Carpenter his first film in nearly 10 years stars Amber Heard, Lyndsy Fonseca and Jared Harris. A young woman with amnesia shares a ward in a psychiatric hospital with several other young woman and some sort of monster.

Despite being pretty well executed this film is severely hamstrung by an unoriginal and uninteresting script. The plot follows pretty well trodden ground with out offering anything new or especially scary, what twists there are do not really surprise at all. With such an uninspired script to start with it was really hard for this film to go anywhere and seems at best a lazy effort.

2/5

Super freaks?

Freakonomics (2010)

This documentary is based on the economics book of the same name by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Through a collection of short films we take a look at human behaviour in unusual ways.

It is obviously hard for a 85 minute film to cover all the information of a book but this film does a pretty good job of covering a lot of material in concise and easy to understand way. Despite being billed as a economics book the content ranges far more into sociology than anything else. Some of the details are a little short and the material occasionally controversial but this is still a pretty good watch.

3/5

And Ieieieieieieiieieeieieieie..

The Bodyguard (1992)

Directed by Mick Jackson this film was written by Lawrence Kasdan and stars Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. A former Secret Service agent takes a job as a bodyguard for a music and movie superstar.

It took many years to get this film made, originally Steve McQueen was mooted as a potential star, but when it finally came out it was a smash hit at the box office. When it comes to the script the characters are not bad but there are some real problems in the final third when the plot takes a turn towards the unbelievable. When it comes to the relationship between the two central characters which the film hangs on the romance between them does not exactly sparkle either.

3/5

Problems to wrestle with

Win Win (2011)

Directed by Thomas McCarthy this film stars Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer and Amy Ryan. A lawyer with money troubles takes over legal guardianship of an old man and gets more problems than he expected.

This film fits right in with a lot of others that Paul Giamatti has starred in and the character he plays is pretty similar to many of his other roles. The plot of the film is not bad and certainly has it's funny moments but is not overly original. There is nothing wrong with this film but there are a number of similar ones out there and it does not do enough to stand apart from them.

3/5

Rise Ceaser

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Directed by Rupert Wyatt this film stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow and Andy Serkis. While trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer's disease a young scientist inadvertently creates a super intelligent chimp.

Serving as a reboot rather than a remake this film is a really good point to start the series from again and is littered with references to other films in the franchise. The special effects used for the intelligent apes is now CGI and is a bit improvement on the physical effects of earlier films. While the plot is slightly slow burning it moves along ominously and has some good characters but despite a really smart premise it might lack a little thematic depth.

4/5