Less than fantastic

Fantastic Four (2005)

Directed by Tim Story brings the classic Marvel property of the same name to the big screen in this film that stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jesica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis. An accident in space transforms the bodies and lives of four scientists.

Released in the same year as Batman Begins (2005) it is easy to see how this film fell flat in comparison, especially when considering the number of other successful Marvel adaptations round. The problem with this film is that it is little more than an origin story that is fairly slow and comes off as more of a token effort to start a franchise. Despite the weak plot this is not necessarily a bad film but more one that failed to live up to potential.

3/5

Bond goes on a swimming holiday

Thunderball (1965)

Director Terence Young returns for the 4^th film in the Bond series which stars Sean Connery, Claudine Auger and Adolfo Celi. Criminal organisation SPECTRE steals two nuclear weapons and holds the British government to ransom, James Bond investigates.

It is in this Bond film that the special effects really go to town and the climactic underwater battle is the highlight of the film, certainly a sequence that was unique at the time. The plot for the film is not too unrealistic but does rely on too much coincidence for my liking. As always Connery is excellent as Bond and the film seems to be over flowing with Bond girls which is never a bad thing for us male viewers.

4/5

Cinematic fraud

Tower Heist (2011)

Directed by Brett Ratner this film stars Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck and Alan Alda. Disgruntled former employees of an exclusive tower building seek revenge against a fraudster who lives there.

What is surprising about this film is that it has such a large and good cast for what is a very average at best script. Neither the comedy nor the heist elements are really enough to carry this film and while it does little wrong it is hard to point to anything the film does right either. For a script that went through so much development it is a real shame that it seems like it needed another rewrite or two to add some more content.

3/5

Use the force

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Directed by George Lucas this classic film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Alec Guinness. A farm boy on a desert world dreams of leaving the planet to join the rebellion and soon becomes involved in galactic events.

For most people this is one of the classic films of their youth but it is chock full of cinematic and literary illusions. Inspiration for this film ranges from the classic heroes journey in myth and legend, the films of Akira Kurosawa, early sci-fi adventure serials, world war 2 films and a host of other varied sources. What Lucas gives us is an excellent adventure film with good characters and where it has aged slightly the updated in special effects does help (although don't get me started on Greedo shooting first).

5/5

Merchant of Florence

A Room with a View (1985)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director James Ivory stars Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands. During the Edwardian era a young girl travels to Florence and meets a strange cast of ex-pats and tourists before returning home.

As with all Merchant-Ivory films this film looks excellent, capturing a great view of both Florence and rural England. There is good source material from the book which looks at the English culture of the period contrasting the inside/outside with the restricted/open views of the characters. Beyond the lead roles there is a good mix of talented British actors, especially Daniel Day-Lewis in a rather unusual role for him.

5/5

The man with the golden touch?

Goldfinger (1964)

Based on the novel of the same name this is the first Bond film directed by Guy Hamilton and stars Sean Connery, Gert Frobe and Honor Blackman. James Bond investigates the suspicious activities of a gold dealer.

This film has some of the iconic moments from the Bond series and Goldfinger provides a completely ruthless villain. Being so successful this film became a near blue print for many subsequent Bond films but the problem is that they these ideas get flogged to death. For all the praise this film gets there are some elements that do not work as well such as the gimmicky henchman and some seriously problematic attitudes to women.

3/5

Fog, gas lights and murder

The Lodger (1927)

Based on the novel of the same name this film directed by Alfred Hitchcock stars June Tripp, Malcolm Keen and Ivor Novello. Could the new lodger living with a family in London be the serial killer that is on the loose?

By many this is considered the first true Hitchcock film and it covers many of the themes he would go on to visit time and again in his later work. Although this is a silent film the version I watched is a restoration by the BFI that includes an newly commissioned score that fits well with the film apart from the small section that includes lyrics which seemed out of place to me. Silent films are often hard to watch for modern audiences, there is a reason film making moved to sound after all, but there is plenty of interesting direction here to keep the viewer interested.

4/5

Boardering

Like Crazy (2011)

Directed by Drake Doremus this film stars Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence. A British girl falls in love with an American boy while studying in America, international travel law gets in the way of their relationship.

While the plot of this film is not that revolutionary or different from other genre films there are a couple of really interesting elements to the production of the film, specifically the use of a improvised dialogue. Hands down the best thing about the film is Felicity Jones's performance which has a touch of immaturity about it that adds to the realism of her performance and is not often seen in a genre of idealised characters. Despite the interesting elements in the execution of this film it does struggle to above being more than a curiosity of execution.

3/5

Military discipline

The Lords of Discipline (1983)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director Franc Roddam stars David Keith, Robert Prosky and Mark Breland. In the 1960s a cadet with an anti establishment leaning is asked to make sure the first black cadet at a southern military academy is treated fairly.

There are some changes between the novel on the plot of the film but the film has the same general thrust. As the content of the film is fairly critical of the nature of military academies most of the film was shot at a school in England but it is hard to tell this from watching the film. Ultimately this is a fairly average coming of age tale but it is worth watching to spot a number of early roles for actors that later became bigger stars such as Bill Paxton.

3/5

So money

Swingers (1996)

Directed by Doug Liman this film is written by and stars Jon Favreau alongside Vince Vaughn and Ron Livingston. An out of work actor struggles to over come the end of a long term relationship with the help of his friends.

Shot on a low budget this film fits in well with a number of other low budget 90s indie films and gets a surprising amount of production quality out of a fairly guerilla style of film making. The plot is pretty universal even if it is rooted heavily into 90s culture and slang. There are good performances from the cast and plenty of laughs in the script as the protagonist bumbles round the LA dating scene.

4/5

Fear and loathing in Puerto Rico?

The Rum Diary (2011)

Based on the novel of the same name this film from director Bruce Robinson stars Johnny Deep, Aaron Eckhart and Amber Herd. A struggling novelist travels to Puerto Rico to work on a failing news paper during the 1960s.

It is hard not to compare this film to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) as it functions as a quasi-prequel and in comparison this film does lack the crazy, funny nature of the first film but does fit as an origin story. There is the occasional location in the film that does not fit the period which is slightly annoying but nothing sticks out too bad. Unfortunately this film will always suffer in comparison and as such seems fairly pedestrian but is not the worst film you will ever watch.

3/5

A horse and his boy

War Horse (2011)

Directed by Steven Spielberg this film based on the novel of the same name has an ensamble cast which includes Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. The life story of a horse that is raised in Devon and experiences the First World War.

This film is excellently shot with the best of Spielberg's talent, some great landscape and excellent sets that give a real feel of a John Ford film. The plot is a bit more wandering than I expected, shifting between the human characters that feature in the protagonists life. It does seem to show through that the original book was written for children and some of the story does in the end come off as a little simplistic.

4/5

Tierra bull

Tierra Brutal (1961)

Also known as The Savage Guns this film from director Michael Carreras stars Richard Basehart, Paquita Rico and Don Taylor. A gunfighter stumbles into a conflict over land in Mexico between ranchers and a protection racket.

It is pretty clear from the get go that this film was shot on a low budget with everything from the actors on down looking cheap. Some how what is a fairly simplistic plot that owes a lot to Shane (1953) manages to end up dragging despite only an 80 minute run time. The script is pretty poor with some suspect dialogue and characters lacking much depth.

1/5

Giving life

Mother and Child (2010)

Directed by Rodrigo Garcia this film stars Naomi Watts, Annette Bening and Kerry Washington. Three women's lives are affected by adoption in different ways in a story that eventually connects all three.

Beyond the three main stars there is an excellent supporting cast in this film that includes Samuel L. Jackson and Shareeka Epps that certainly helps make this film watch-able. The plot manages to tackle the issue of adoption without taking a heavy handed or preachy approach but by side lining all the fathers it does feel like the film fails to show the complete issue. My other criticisms of them film are that it may be a little on the long side and Washington's character lacks the depth of the other leads.

3/5

Kirk's direction

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Directed by William Shatner who also provided the story for and stars in this film it also features Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelly. After some diplomats are held hostage the USS Enterprise and her crew are sent to investigate.

This film is one of the more maligned entries in the franchise but despite that the story raises some interesting questions and ventures into pretty anti religious territory for a Hollywood film. The problems with this film all stem from the special effects just not being able to live up to Shatner's vision for the film which is a real shame as the opening sequence in particular showed a lot of promise. Ultimately this film is not as bad as some would have you believe but is no where near as good as it could have been due to poor execution.

3/5

Once upon a time in Russia

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

Based on the book of the same name this film is directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, it features Michael Jayston, Janet Suzman and an all star supporting cast. We follow the last Tsar of Russia and his family from the birth of the Tsar's son to the families execution.

As with any historical film there are some minor deviations from fact but the film largely sticks to what really happened, especially in terms of the major events. The production quality of the film is excellent mixing great locations with impressive sets in what is clearly an epic undertaking. There are some great performances from a host of British actors in supporting roles as well as that of those in the main roles.

5/5

Turkey shoot

From Russia with Love (1963)

Directed by Terence Young this sequel is based on the book of the same name and stars Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi and Robert Shaw. Bond is despatched to Turkey to help in the defection of a Soviet communications clerk.

The plot of this film is probably that the closest any of the Bond films come to reality and fits in as a very neat Cold War espionage piece. Compared to the previous film you can see that the extra budget has been spent on more locations and action sequences which put the film a notch above it's predecessor. As a villain Robert Shaw is an excellent addition to the cast and Daniela Bianchi provides one of the Bond girls with the most depth.

5/5

Bond, James Bond

Dr. No (1962)

Directed by Terence Young this film based on the novel the same name stars Sean Connery, Ursula Andress and Joseph Wiseman. Following the disappearance of a British agent in Jamaica gentlemen playboy and spy James Bond is sent to investigate.

This film was such a success it launched numerous sequels, imitations, parodies and helped create one of the iconic characters of pop culture. The plot sticks largely to the novel and while not as silly as some of the later Bond films it does edge slightly into the direction of the unbelievable. What the film does well is use some great locations and get across the sense of style and cool that has kept Bond interesting to more than one generation.

4/5

Problem in the work place

Horrid Bosses (2011)

Directed by Seth Gordon this film stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and a whole host of acting talent in supporting roles. Three men are frustrated by the behaviour of their bosses and seek to do something about it.

There is plenty of comedic potential in the set up for this film but the end result is that this is probably a good idea that was wasted by mediocre execution. With so much great supporting talent as the evil bosses it is disappointing how little screen time they get in roles an actor could really go to town on. When it comes to our trio of protagonists it just does not seem like they hate their bosses enough or get into crazy enough situations to carry the film.

3/5

No grass

Swinging with the Finkels (2011)

Written and directed by Jonathan Newman this film stars Mandy Moore, Martin Freeman and Melissa George. A couple have hit a rut and look for ways to save their marriage.

What this film boils down to is an attempt to use a racy title to get people to watch a pretty standard relationship story. There is very little new or funny about this film as it lumbers towards an inevitable conclusion that offers little insight and gives little closure to the events of the film. The performances of the cast are not bad but they really have very little to work with.

2/5

Bond goes to Afghanistan

The Living Daylights (1987)

Directed by John Glen this Bond film stars Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Ado and Jeroen Krabbe. Bond helps a Soviet general defect but becomes suspicious of his motives and investigates further.

Despite being one of the more over looked Bonds star Timothy Dalton is not bad in the role and brings a lot more seriousness to the part following the Roger Moore era. The plot of the film is fairly common cold war era stuff but is a bit more grounded in reality than some of the plots that you find floating around in the Bond cannon. Given more recent world events it is also interesting to see how much like Rambo 3 (1998) the Mujahideen in Afghanistan are used as allies to the hero.

3/5

Titanic reputations

Titanic (1997)

Written and directed by James Cameron this film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane. A rich girl falls in love with a poor boy on the doomed first voyage of the famous ship.

Without doubt this film is a massive technical achievement in film making and a step forward in special effects. When it comes to the plot of the film I found the story decidedly average, with the modern framing not adding much but it is hard to watch this film without having seen endless parodies and spoilers. At times it did seem like the main plot got in the way of trying to show the tragedy that was unfolding on the ship.

4/5

On the line

Hell is for Heroes (1962)

Directed by Don Siegel this film stars Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin and Fess Parker. A small group of American soldiers are left to defend a long stretch of the front during World War 2.

The plot of this film is a fairly standard tale of war weary soldiers towards the end of the war with some anti war sentiments that are expressed in a number of similar films. Despite reported budget problems the film does not look too bad, being in black and white certainly helps for the large amount of night scenes. As always Steve McQueen is a good performance in the central role and James Coburn has a supporting role.

3/5

Final, final destination?

Final Destination 5 (2011)

Directed by Steven Quale this horror sequel stars Nicholas D'Agosto, Emma Bell and Miles Fisher. A group of mostly young, attractive, twenty somethings survive a disaster and death catches up with them.

Anyone with even a passing idea of how this franchise works will know how the plot of this film will unfold, it also does not help that the characters are not especially interesting. What the film relies on is building up suspense when you know someone will die but not how, sadly there is only one such sequence that is really good and that is the gymnastics sequence pretty early in the film. In the end what we have here is a rather pedestrian entry in a series that borders worryingly closely to being just death for entertainments sake.

2/5  

Peking into Chinese history

55 Days at Peking (1963)

Directed by Nicholas Ray this film stars Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and David Niven. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 international diplomats are besieged in the Chinese capital.

As a spectacle this film has some great sets, locations and impressive battle sequences which form the back drop for the story. Despite being based on real events the characters are largely fictional, replacing real people to give a story that fits the studio. When it comes to the question of imperialism and outside influence in China the film tends to leave the morals of the situation somewhat forgotten.

3/5

The circus is in town

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Directed by Simon Curtis this film stars Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh and Eddie Redmayne. A young graduate gets his first job working on a film staring Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe.

Based on real events the plot of this film really comes across as a bit of an indulgence for Monroe fans. While there is nothing wrong with the plot it shows only a snap shot into the life of Monroe rather than being a more in depth biopic. What I did enjoy about the film was the large cast of great actors, Branagh is a little out of place physically but makes up for it vocally.

3/5

A house too empty

Wreckers (2011)

Written and Directed by Dictynna Hood this British film stars Claire Foy, Benedict Cumberbatch and Shaun Evans. A young married couple living in the village the husband grew up in get an unexpected visit from his troubled brother.

The low key execution of this film is really good, with some excellent shots and a great tone through out. When it comes to the plot of this film it is really hard to evaluate as so much appears to be left out or go unanswered, while I admire the attempt at subtle story telling you can always go too far one way. There are some really good performances, especially from Claire Foy and I really liked the slightly menacing turn in the final scene from Cumberbatch.

3/5

Baja bother

Miss Bala (2011)

Directed by Gerardo Naranjo this Mexican film stars Stephanie Sigman, James Russo and Irene Azuela. A young woman that aspires to win a beauty pageant gets caught up the drug war that rages on the Mexican border.

This film claims to be loosely based on real events but it seems more the case that real events were the inspiration for a fictitious plot. What the film does well is firmly route itself in a realistic world, showing how innocents get caught up in a war they want no part of. Had this film been made in America I think the tendency would have been to over play the action sequences but the low key nature of this film really works well.

4/5

Echos of Ford

Hombre (1967)

Based on the Elmore Leonard novel of the same name this film from director Martin Ritt stars Raul Newman, Diane Cilento and Martin Balsam. A white man raised by Apaches enters white society and travels on a stagecoach with people that do not trust him but end up having to rely on him.

There are elements of the plot of this film which could come directly from stagecoach (1939) but the film has the anti racist tones of Ford's later The Searchers (1956) and fits in with the genres re-evaluation of it's attitude towards native Americans. Maybe the film lacks a little of the visual flair of Ford but there are still some great scenery shots and good performances from the cast. A few of the characters sub plots go a little under developed but otherwise this is a good film.

4/5

A whale of a time

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Directed by Leonard Nimoy this film also stars William Shatner, DeForest Kelly and the usual gang. Our heroes travel back in time to the 1980s to find a pair of humpback whales to bring to the future and pacify an alien problem.

Carrying off from where the previous films left off this film is a departure in tone from early films in the series as it has many more light hearted elements. While the tone of the film is lighter it still looks at the themes of what it means to be human and the comedy is not over played so that it takes you out of the world the films exist in. There are some good performances from the cast and the “fish out of water” nature of the story really works well.

4/5

Prequel problems

Butch and Sundance: The Early Years (1979)

Directed by Richard Lester this prequel stars Tom Berenger and William Kitt. Two young outlaws meet and form a partnership as they get to grips with a life of crime.

It is hard not to compare this film with the original Newman/Redford film and the comparisons do not go well for this prequel. The stars of this film lack the charisma of the originals and the script is on the weak side which does not help matters. Historical events seem to have gone largely out the window when crafting the plot which makes it hard to find a lot to recommend this film on.

2/5