Magical Cactus My Arse

Crystal Fairy (2013)

Written and directed by Sebastian Silva this film stars Michael Cera, Gaby Hoffmann and Juan Andres Silva. Two American tourists visiting Chile and three Chilean brothers seek out a local hallucinogen.

If I were to sum up the plot of this film it would be “do a hallucinogen and you will stop being a dick” which is not the most nuanced approach to the topic. It is interesting to watch the change in Michael Cera's character but the film does make things a little too simplistic. Much of the dialogue was improvised which does give the film a realistic if some what plodding feel.

2/5

Of India and things

Kim (1950)

Directed by Victor Saville this film based on the Rudyard Kipling novel of the same name stars Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell and Paul Lukas. A British orphan lives on the streets in India and becomes involved in the world of spies.

As a childhood adventure film this works pretty well although the plot does not really fit the Hollywood model. Most of the changes between the novel and the film appear to be towards the end and I would say that it seems the film lacks the depth of the book's ending. Generally the film is fairly well made with some nice locations but Errol Flynn is a bit wooden at times.

3/5

Smoke and fog

Red Desert (1964)

Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni this film stars Monica Vitti and Richard Harris. A woman in Italy struggles to find meaning in her life against the back drop of an industrial landscape.

The story here is rooted in dialogue and almost alien industrial landscapes which helps highlight the protagonists struggle to find a connection to the world around her. While this is a really well constructed film, doing a good job of exploring it's themes, it was a little slow and dialogue heavy for my taste. There are some great shots of fog and smoke in particular as things disappear or reappear as well as some impressive use of colour.

5/5

The Mercenary, the Bad and the Zapata

The Mercenary (1968)

Directed by Sergio Corbucci this film stars Franco Nero, Tony Mustane, Giovanna Ralli and Jack Palance. A former Polish officer is hired by Mexican miners to help them fight in the Mexican Civil War.

The plot of this film is fairly meandering but full of action set pieces to keep the viewer entertained. Unfortunately the film has little say about either the characters or the Mexican Civil War so has no real depth to it. There is more than a touch of Sergio Leone in at least one sequence but the film never reaches the heights of the master of the genre.

3/5

Not Rounders 2

Runner Runner (2013)

Directed by Brad Furman this film stars Justin Timberlake, Ben Affleck and Gemma Arterton. A Harvard student goes to Costa Rica to work for an off shore gambling site that operates in a legally grey area.

Inevitably this film will be compared to Brian Koppleman & David Levien's earlier cult hit Rounders (1998) and while it is not in the same league that does not make this necessarily a bad film. What the film does well is capture a more realistic snapshot of the online gambling industry that you might think but neither the characters nor the story is as relatable as the one told in Rounders. Part of the problem is the short run time of the film that ends up favouring events over character to the detriment of the film but it is not as bad as some would have you think.

3/5

Un-believe-able

Believe (2014)

 Directed by David Scheinmann this film allegedly based on a true story stars Brian Cox, Natascha Mcelhone, Jack Smith and Toby Stephens. 1984 in Manchester, a retired top level football manager helps coach a group of young working class kids.

 Disappointingly it's hard to find much to like about this film as it is overly sentimental and far too formulaic to in any way believe that it is based on any real events. Perhaps the worst part about this film is the attempt to parley a real life tragedy like the Munich air disaster into cheap emotional currency to prop up the film. Brian Cox and Natascha Mcelhone are both great actors but what they are doing in a film like this is beyond ,me.

 2/5

No chains

Django (1966)

Directed by Sergio Cobucci this film stars Fanco Nero, Loredana Nusciak, Eduardo Fajardo and Jose Bodalo. A former Union army officer dragging a coffin behind him rescues a woman from being killed by bandits.

The plot of this film pretty clearly takes it's inspiration from A Fistful of Dollars (1964) in large parts. What originality the film does offer is that it is more violent than most films made before it but to modern eyes the level of violence is nothing special. This is a pretty entertaining spaghetti western but it is not up to the standard of Sergio Leone.

3/5

A real raising baby

Born Free (1966)

Directed by James Hill this film based on a true story stars Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers. In Kenya a woman and her husband raise a lioness cub.

At times this film is a little too obvious with it's idea of drawing parallels between raising a lioness and parenthood but generally does a fairly good job of raising the issues of conservation as well as reintroducing animals to the wild. You could read the film as a comment on de-colonisation following the end of the British Empire, which does make the story seem patronising and slightly offensive, but I doubt this was the intended metaphor. Where the film is really impressive is the locations (although the photography is not that spectacular) and the excellent animal work which must have been required for this film.

4/5

Another time traveler's wife

About Time (2013)

Written and directed by Richard Curtis this film stars Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy and Lydia Wilson. An awkward 21 year old man finds out that the men in his family can travel back in time to any point in their own lives and change history.

This film has many of the trappings of other Richard Curtis films but the plot will often be compared to both The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) and Groundhog Day (1993). It does take a long while for the plot to get going, not really hitting the actual drama till well into the second half, and the thematic message seems a bit like an after thought. Generally the film is well made with decent performances but it is a little too pedestrian for my liking and does not really say enough about the situation in my opinion.

3/5

Fantasy vs reality

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

Directed by Norman Z. McLeod this film based on the short story of the same name stars Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Boris Karloff and Fay Bainter. A nervous, downtrodden proof reader for a magazine publisher spends his days day dreaming but has he been caught up in a real adventure?

The plot of this film appears to depart fairly heavily from that of the short story it is based on but in doing so I think it adds more depth to the story. What this film does well is capture the difference between what we fantasises about and how we would really react in those situations. At times some of the fantasy sequences, especially the musical ones, are a little long for my taste but otherwise this is a really well made film with plenty of humour.

4/5

A giallo origin story

Blood and Black Lace (1964)

Directed by Mario Bava this film stars Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Thomas Reiner and Ariana Gorini. A masked killer is stalking and killing models at an Italian fashion house.

Despite this film often being sighted as a key influence in starting the genre to a modern eye it does not come off as that special. The plot is fairly bland and does not offer a lot beyond a reason to kill a lot of barely dressed women. At times it shows that the film was made on a low budget but there are still a couple of nice sequences.

3/5

A Streetcar Named Jasmine

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Written and directed by Woody Allen this film stars Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin and Bobby Cannavale. Following her husband's arrest for a massive financial scam a woman goes to San Francisco to live with her poor sister.

There is more than a hint of Tennessee William's “A Streetcar Named Desire” about this tale of a woman who is mentally unravelling. This is not the funniest Woody Allen film by a long way and maybe not overly insightful but it is certainly entertaining through out. What stands out most is Cate Blanchett who is stunning in the title role and this film is worth watching for that alone.

4/5

Fracking Matt Damon

Promised Land (2012)

Directed by Gus Van Sant this film stars writers Matt Damon and John Krasinski as well as Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt and Hal Holbrook. A man and woman travel to a small farming town in Pennsylvania to buy up leases for natural gas fracking.

For the longest time this film does a pretty good job of staying fairly neutral, showing both sides of the issue, but towards the end it uses a narrative cheat to try and give the audience an answer rather than letting us draw our own conclusions. Watching the battle in the soul of the main character is pretty interesting but does distract slightly from exploring the issue more deeply. Generally the film is well made so it is a shame it ends up being a bit of a biased issues film.

3/5

bloody ballet

Suspiria (1977)

Directed by Dario Argento this film stars Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci and Miguel Bose. An American ballet student travels to Germany to attend a dance academy where strange things seem to happen.

What you have here is a fairly standard horror plot that does not really have a lot to say. Really the film needs something to tie the events together with the direction on a thematic level but that is not present. There is some nice use of colour and some gory sequences but I found this to be a bit of a disappointing genre effort that could have been more.

3/5

Fuck the IRA

The Gentle Gunman (1952)

Directed by Basil Dearden this film stars John Mills, Dirk Bogarde, Robert Beatty and Eilzabeth Sellars. In 1941 a member of the IRA goes to London to see his brother who is rumours to have turned traitor on the IRA.

This film advances the idea that terrorism is not justified but never really gets to grips with the matter, often shying away from showing the true horrors the path of violence leads to. Naturally as the story is British made you could say it was fairly biased but it holds up not too bad even if it never really goes far enough. Despite having two big names leading the film there are some slightly dodgy accents in use here.

3/5

British Paths of Glory

King and Country (1964)

Directed by Joseph Losey this film based on the novel “Return To The Wood” stars Dirk Bogarde and Tom Courtenay. During World War I a British soldier is put on trial for desertion.

Inevitably this film will live in the spectre of Paths of Glory (1957) and while it does not reach the level of the Kubrick film it is still a decent effort in it's own right. The plot is a fairly standard piece about the nature of war in the trenches and the failure to understand Shell shock by the officers of the time. While the film is well made the thought in your mind is that this is always a cheaper version of Paths of Glory which never helps matters.

4/5

Southern Women

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Directed by Herbert Ross this film based on the play of the same name stars Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirely MacLaine, Daryle Hannah and Julia Roberts. Women living in the same neighbourhood in the South prepare for a wedding.

The basic plot here is a fairly average drama that mixes in comedy from time to time. While the overall story is fairly decent and stretches over a number of years I think it lacks real impact by getting caught between two stools when it comes to the tone. There is a really good cast and what the film does best is not seem just a play filmed for the big screen by not getting bogged down in one location.

3/5

A slice of Argento

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Directed by Dario Argento this film based on the novel “The Screaming Mimi” stars Tony Mustante and Suzy Kendall. A down on his luck American writer in Rome gets embroiled in the the hunt for a serial killer.

When it comes to the plot this is a fairly average story that does not have a huge amount of thematic depth really. Where this film really shines is in the direction that is both tense and captures violence in a way not really seen before in cinema. It is a bit of a shame that the script is not a little stronger but this is well worth a watch and you can see why it inspired so many imitations.

4/5

Not your usual road trip

Bad Grandpa (2013)

Directed by Jeff Tremaine this film stars Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Greg Harris and Georgina Cates. Following the death of his wife and his daughter going to prison an old man has to take his grandson cross country to be with his father.

Unlike previous Jackass films this film mixes a fictional plot with stunts involving the unaware public. No doubt this film would not be as funny without the non-actor reactions but it sort of loses any emotional depth to the story by constantly reminding you of it's fakery. Some moments in the film are really hilarious (although the finale is disappointingly straight out of Little Miss Sunshine (2006)) and this is an interesting attempt at something different.

4/5

yyaaaarrrr off Africa

Captain Philips (2013)

Directed by Paul Greengrass this film based on real events stars Tom Hanks and Barkhad Adbi. A container ship travelling past Somalia is attacked by pirates.

It seems this film does a fairly good job of presenting events truthfully and realistic manner. The story does have some vague allusions to the wider situation but never really becomes more than a recreation of events. Numerous award nominations were showered on this film and while it is really well made inevitably some of the tension falls flat because you know the outcome of the film going in.

3/5

Indie dreams

Stranger than Paradise (1984)

Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch this film stars John Lurie, Eszter Balint and Richard Edson. A young woman arrives in the US from Hungary, stays with her cousin for a week, moves to Cleveland with her aunt then visits Florida.

Severing as a predecessor to the 90s indie film movement there is a lot to like about this film and what sets is apart from the big Hollywood cheese-fest that was the 1980s. The story is very much a tale of slackers and shows the slightly more empty, mundane side of the American dream. While the plot does not exactly go anywhere the film is still well shot and contains enough to keep you interested.

4/5

Alcoholics in waiting

Drinking Buddies (2013)

Written and directed by Joe Swanberg this film stars Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston. Two co-workers at a small brewery drink and hang out with their respective relationships go through rocky ground.

Thanks in part to the improvised nature of the dialogue this is not your standard romantic comedy but by the same token it does seem to drift along a little at times. To me the ending seemed like a non-ending where the central characters had not really managed to re-define their relationship and would still have the same problems going forward. I enjoyed the cast but I would have liked to see a little more of Ron Livingston and Anna Kendrick.

3/5

Naming a name

Fair Game (2010)

Directed by Doug Liman this film based on real events stars Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Noah Emmerich and Ty Burrell. A covert CIA agent has her identity exposed by the US government after her husband suggests they mislead the public on the case for the invasion of Iraq.

When dealing with this sort of material there is always going to be a question of accuracy and it does seem like this film does have a bias in mind. It is a shame that the plot takes what is an important issue and only shows one point of view rather than exploring the issue properly. As a spy film this is well made and well grounded but unfortunately is a bit more of a propaganda piece than it needed to be.

2/5

Sheltered relationships

Being Flynn (2012)

Written and directed by Paul Weitz this film based on “Another Bullshit Night in Suck City” stars Robert De Niro, Paul Dano, Olivia Thirlby and Julianne Moore. A man in his twenties works at a homeless shelter where he runs into his estranged father who is now homeless.

There is a lot to enjoy about this film that looks at both homelessness as the protagonist seeks to over come a number of issues relating to his parents. I liked the idea of the father and son fighting over narrative control of the story and the way it reflects how things often are in real life. Robert De Niro gives a really good performance as does Paul Dano but it would have been nice to see a little more of Julianne Moore.

4/5

What he did to Shakespeare...

To Be or Not to Be (1943)

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch this film stars Carole Lombard, Jack Benny and Felix Bressart. In Poland during the Nazi occupation a stage company ends up working to stop a German spy.

This film walks a very thin line managing to be a really funny film about a dark time in history. Beyond all the jokes, of which there are plenty, this film does a good job of not losing sight of the real situation and sending up the Nazis. There are some decent performances as the hammy actors with delusions of grandeur as well.

4/5

Integrating Baseball

42 (2013)

Directed by Brian Helgeland this film based on real events stars Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nichole Beharie and Andre Holland. In 1947 the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers seeks to make Jackie Robinson the first African American to play top level baseball.

Despite being a film about an interesting subject and having a substantial budget this comes across as a television film of the week effort. While there are some historical inaccuracies it does not appear they are too egregious but the story did seem a little self congratulatory rather than focusing on the actual struggle of the situation. It is a shame that this is such a weak effort for what was an important moment in American sport and civil rights.

2/5

Simple Millers

We're the Millers (2013)

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber this film stars Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts and Will Poulter. A small time pot dealer gets in debt to his boss and has to make a drug run to Mexico with the help of other misfits.

There is plenty to enjoy with this film but it always takes the easy route and never really fulfils what is actually a lot of potential. What we really needed here is a bit more time exploring the characters to give the film some depth but the focus is too often on the easy jokes. Most of the cast could sleep walk through this film but Ed Helms has a pretty good cameo as the drug dealer boss.

3/5

Not muppets in space

The Dark Crystal (1982)

Directed by Jim Henson & Frank Oz this film features the voice talent of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell and Billie Whitelaw. A young Gelfling goes on a quest to fulfil a prophecy and return balance to this alien planet.

This is a fairly standard fantasy inspired heroes journey type story that takes place on another planet. Nothing much unusual comes up in the story and it does not have a lot going for it beyond the superficial layer. Where the film is at it's strongest is in the excellent creatures and puppets created by by Henson and co.

4/5

In ability

In Security (2013)

Written as well as directed by Adam & Evan Beamer this film stars Ethan Embry, Michael Gladis and Clea DuVall. With a failing home security business in one of the safest towns in the country two men go on a crime spree to drum up business.

The basic plot of this film is fairly paint but numbers but the script really lacks any jokes to make this a comedy. There is a belated attempt to make this a second rate Shane Black film but that is too little too late. While there are some big name cameos in this film none of them go anywhere and there is some really hammy acting from Cary Elews as the bad guy.

1/5

Back stage, back stabbing

All About Eve (1950)

Directed by Joseph L. Makiewicz this film stars Bette Davis, Anne Baxter George Sanders and Celeste Holm. We find out how a young woman went from adoring fan to winning the top award for a theatre actress in less than a year.

The plot of this film features some nice scheming characters as well as a turn or two that may catch the audience unawares. Where the film works really well is looking at both the role of women in society (especially in the post-war environment) as well as how the ageing process affects those gender roles. There are some decent performances and it's worth watching out for an early Marilyn Monroe performance in a supporting role.

4/5

No dogs here

Cry 'Havoc' (1943)

Directed by Richard Thorpe this film based on the play “Proof Through the Night” stars Margaret Sullavan, Ann Sothern and Joan Blondell. 1942, a group of civilians volunteer to work as nurses at a US army hospital on Bataan with Japanese forces closing in.

Considering when this film was made if offers a pretty balanced and realistic view of the role of nurses. Events are not really sugar coated and even the odd bit of criticism of the powers that be appears to have been subtly snuck in. It is refreshing to see a war film that essentially has an all female cast (blink and you might miss a young Robert Mitchum) even if at time it is a little obvious this is a film based on a play.

4/5