Exposition and CGI

I, Frankenstein (2014)

Directed by Stuart Beattie this film based on the graphic novel of the same name stars Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski and Miranada Otto. Frankenstein's monster is caught up in a war between the servants of heaven and hell.

There is a ton of potential in the set up of this film but it is all largely squandered as exposition regularly fills in instead of character. It is not surprising that the same writer also created the Underworld series as a lot of the same material is recycled here. Apart from exposition the only other thing on show here is CGI by the bucket load and a suspect growl from Eckhart.

2/5

Age appropriate relationships

Last Vegas (2013)

Directed by Jon Turteltaub this film stars Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen. A group of old men head to Las Vegas for a bachelor party.

There is very little original here and the plot plods along through the predictable beats. What you can say is that this film is consistently average and neither strays too far either way into being good or bad. Most of the cast could sleep through this script and occasionally seem like they are doing so, personality is what is really missing here.

2/5

Not the one with cannibals

La Strada (1954)

Directed by Federico Fellini this film stars Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina and Richard Basehart. A young woman is sold by her mother to be an assistant for a travelling strongman.

The plot of this film is a fairly simple but well told story of redemption. While the film may not be as fantastical as some of Fellini's other films it is filled with charm and the story has a great level of emotion to it. Clearly the best thing about this film is Giulietta Masina's excellent performance, she was perfectly cast in the role but the dubbing of Anthony Quinn is slightly off putting.

4/5

Polar monster

The Thing from Another World (1951)

Directed by Christian Nyby this film based on the novella “Who Goes There?” stars Kenneth Tobey, Margaret Sheridan and Robert Cornthwaite. Something strange has crashed near a science base in the Arctic, military and civilians investigate.

The plot of this film is fairly basic is not much more than a sci-fi B movie. Compared to the 1982 version of this film this adaptation lacks the suspense and tension leaving the film a bit flat. Some of the special effects are not great and the monster is never really scary.

3/5

Being yourself

Daayraa (1996)

Directed by Amol Palekar this film stars Nirmal Pandey, Sonali Kulkarni, Neena Kulkarni and Haidar Ali. The day before her wedding a young woman is kidnapped and raped then travels with a transvestite.

While not perfect this is a surprisingly liberal look at issues of sex, gender roles and transsexual identities. The story follows the journey of a young woman from being closed minded to having much more open views. Not all of the musical interludes were to my taste and while I gather at least one was supposed to be a parody of the traditional Bollywood style it went over my head.

4/5

No spine, no balls

English Vinglish (2012)

Written and directed by Gauri Shinde this film stars Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou and Priya Anand. An Indian woman is made fun of by her husband and daughter for her lack of English and has to go to New York to help with her niece’s wedding.

There are some interesting ideas to be looked at here with the clash between traditional and modern India explored through language but instead this is more of an overly sentimental and simple story. What I really did not like about the film was the ending as promotes the idea of staying with what is essentially a family that does not respect you to prove them wrong. Some of the musical interludes seemed odd as they used a male singer to give insight into the female protagonists feelings which did not work so well in my opinion.

2/5

Because you are a character does not mean you have character

The Five Man Army (1969)

Directed by Don Taylor this film stars Peter Graves, Bud Spencer, James Daly, Nino Castelnuovo and Tetsuro Tamba. A group of stock characters is assembled to rob a train in Mexico during the revolutionary period.

I only checked out this film as it was co-written by Dario Argento and sadly the script and plot are not up to much. This is a standard heist film with paper thin characters and no thematic depth. About the best thing you can say about this film is that it is not terribly made but beyond that it is not a classic of the genre.

2/5

Americans love a criminal

Lawless (2012)

Directed by John Hillcoat this film based on real events stars Shai LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain and Jason Clarke. During Prohibition three brothers from a rural county bootleg moonshine and come up against corrupt law officers.

The plot of this film is a classic American mythologising of it's criminal past that fits in well with the tradition of romanticising the illegal and ruthless. Not a lot makes the story stand out from the slew of similar films that come out from Hollywood. John Hillcoat has directed some really impressive films but this is probably his more average and while I am a big fan of Guy Pearce his performance tends towards camp and is a bit out of place really.

3/5

SEAL recruiting film

Lone Survivor (2013)

Directed by Peter Berg this film based on real events stars Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster and Eric Bana. A four man Navy SEALs team goes on a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan but are discovered by the Taliban.

It seems the events of this film stick fairly closely to real events even if there are a few changes here and there. What disappoints me about the script is that it focuses on the brotherhood of being a SEAL rather than the more interesting relationship between the survivor and the locals that aid him. There is plenty of realism in the execution of the film and it is really well made but I am not sure it does a lot to stand out against many similar films out there.

3/5

A civil war

Shame (1968)

Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman this film stars Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow and Sigge Furst. An apolitical couple living on a small island get caught up in a long running civil war.

Much like other Bergman films the focus of this film is psychological and a lot of the conflict internal. This is not my favourite Bergman film but did explore some interesting ideas about what people would do to survive. I like the way the story keeps the larger events fairly ambiguous and in general the film is pretty well made.

4/5

Mailing it in

You've Got Mail (1998)

Directed by Nora Ephron this film based on the play “Parfumerie” stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Two New Yorkers that communicated anonymously through email unknowingly become business rivals.

I found the previous collaboration between Ephron and these stars to be a bit worrying and there is some really odd behaviour in this rom-com too. Essentially the protagonists start out having emotional affairs and towards the end the male character tricks the female one by playing off his online and real identity which is pretty messed up. There is some charm to the film and it does seem ahead of it's time but the more you think about the plot the worse the central characters look.

2/5

Marrying off your daughter

An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

Directed by Yasujiro Ozu this film stars Chishu Ryu, Shima Iwashita, Keiji Sada and Mariko Okada. A widower is convinced by his friends that it is time to help his daughter find a husband.

I enjoyed Tokyo Story (1953) and this is another dialogue heavy, slow moving drama by the same director but I found it to be less enjoyable. The milieu of the Japanese social structure of the period when it comes to marriage is not exactly universal so at times I found it hard to connect with the story. Ozu is famous for his style of direction which is present here but is not really always to my taste.

3/5

Disaster drive

Getaway (2013)

Directed by Courtney Solomn this film stars Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez and Jon Voight. A former racing car driver discovers his wife has been kidnapped and he must follow the kidnappers instructions.

I wish I could say this was a shit version of Drive (2011) or the Transporter series but this film is beyond terrible. The plot is stupid and the script has plenty of suspect dialogue. For an action film the direction and editing are terrible, completely getting in the way of any impressive stunt.

1/5

They wants our white women

King Kong (1933)

Directed by Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack this film stars Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot and Robert Armstrong. A famous filmmaker charters a ship and hires a young woman to play the lead role in a mysterious project.

The story of this film is well known by now but most watching will quickly pick up the underlying racism in the plot. Apart from the distasteful undertones this is a fairly average action plot that goes a long at a nice pace. What keeps people coming back to this film are the impressive set pieces and the special effects that hold up surprisingly well as they combine to make some iconic sequences.

4/5

Rotten romance

Lootera (2013)

Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane this film partly inspired by the short story “The Last Leaf” stars Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. West Bengal 1953, the daughter of a rich man falls in love with a handsome young archaeologist.

There is about half an hour in the middle of this film where it threatens to get interesting but otherwise is it is a pretty interminable love story. What really broke the story apart from it being fairly cliché was that I found it nearly impossible to summon up any sympathy for the lead male role after the reveal. It is a shame the plot of the film is so weak because the cinematography is actually really beautiful and captures the landscapes well.

2/5

Rocky meets Raging Bull too late

Grudge Match (2013)

Directed by Peter Segal this film stars Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin and Kim Basinger. Two ageing boxers are convinced to stop back into the ring after thirty years to settle a long running grudge.

There are plenty of decent elements to build on in this film but sadly the script always seems to be a token effort. It is like the film makers thought they could live off the legacy of Rocky (1976) and Raging Bull (1980) but this film is 30 years too late and in needed of a rewrite or two. Even the boxing match at the end seems tired and lazy like it's stars.

2/5

So much interest in class it could be British

Grand Illusion (1937)

Directed by Jean Renoir this film stars Jean Gabin, Marcel Dalio, Pierre Fresnay and Erich von Stroheim. During the First World War French officers of different class are thrown together as POWs.

This film is really the father of all POW films which follow and you can see elements that have reappeared in numerous other films. Primarily the film is interested in ideas of nationality and class that change thanks to war which is does a good job of exploring. The film is well made and has the occasional decent location but is mostly shot in a studio by the looks of it.

4/5

Boom goes the H bombs

Aftermath (2012)

Directed by Peter Engert this film stars C. J. Thomason, Monica Keena, Edward Furlong and Andre Royo. A group of stranger in Texas try to survive the aftermath of an all out nuclear war.

The plot of this film is fairly simple and does little more than show case the affects of radiation poisoning. With a really short run time this film adds nothing to the genre and does not have any character progression to speak of either. There is some suspect acting, annoying editing in the main action sequence and the odd dodgy line as we head towards an ending that just makes you feel like you wasted your time.

2/5

Indian gigolo

B.A. Pass (2012)

Directed by Ajay Bahl this film based on the short story “The Railway Aunty” stars Shadab Kamal, Shilpa Shukla and Dibyendu Bhattacharya. An Indian college student starts a relationship with a married woman and she helps him become a gigolo.

It is interesting to see the usual genders of characters reversed in this tale of sex work and disaster. The plot is fairly good but not especially unusual or original. There are some decent performances but there is not a huge amount to celebrate here.

3/5

Reflections

Persona (1966)

Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman this film stars Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann. A young nurse is asked to look after an actress who refuses to speak.

This is a really intriguing film but one that is certainly not to the tastes of everyone as the experimental nature of some of the direction can be off putting. The plot involves two characters that are the mirror opposite of each other and poses many existential questions to the audience. There is also a strong theme of the gender roles forced on women that runs through the film. While some of the direction was a little annoying in my opinion there are some excellently composed shots and the film is riveting through out.

5/5

100% not the IRA

 Odd Man Out (1947)

Directed by Carol Reed this film based on the novel of the same name stars James Mason, Kathleen Ryan and Denis O'Dea. Members of an IRA like group rob a bank but things go wrong with one of the gang injured and on the run.

The plot of this film takes a fairly even handed look at the terrorism of the period and maybe for my money is a little too sympathetic to the point of view of the republicans. What the film does well is keep a decent level of tension and show plenty of different points of view so we get the full spectrum of people trapped with in the conflict. Compared to The Third Man (1949) this film lacks the stark film noir cinematography but is still a really good watch.

4/5

Struggle for the soul of Australia

Walkabout (1971)

Directed by Nicolas Roeg this film based on the novel of the same name stars Jenny Agutter, David Gulpill and Luc Roeg. A teenage school girl and her younger brother from England become lost in the Australian outback.

This film is a classic tale of the clash between Aboriginal Australia living with nature and modern the urban preconceptions of white settler Australia. There are a number of changes between the source material and the plot of this film but it appears to keep the themes largely intact. You really get the sense of culture clash between the English children and the Aboriginal youth that helps them as well as there being a strong sexual under current in the film. There are some good performance and the editing which harks back to Soviet Montage really helps emphasise the themes of the film.

5/5

Too much the highlight reel

Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom (2013)

Directed by Justin Chadwick this film based on Nelson Mandela's autobiography stars Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. We follow the life of Nelson Mandela from young boy to President of a free South Africa.

The main problem with this film is that it tries to show a little bit of everything rather than showing any of the key moments in any real depth. There are plenty of parts of Mandela's life that could have been the focus but get short shrift, for example I would have like to have seen a lot more on the decision to go from peaceful protest to violence. Idris Elba is the best thing in this film and gives and impressive performance in the lead role.

3/5

Confusion of red & white

 The Red and the White (1967)

Directed by Miklos Jancso this film stars an ensemble cast of Hungarian and Russian actors. Communist Hungarian volunteers are caught up in the chaos of the Russian civil war of 1919.

This is a really surprising film that despite being commissioned to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the revolution is actually a strongly anti war film that pretty much condemns both sides. Both the direction and the plot always keep us at arms length, never settling on a central character with events often happening in the distance so much like in a real war we are often uncertain of what is happening and to who. There are some really nice uses of the camera and you have to say it is a bold choice to make a film about the futility of war set during the communist revolution behind the red curtain.

5/5

All the President's lions

A Lion Is in the Streets (1953)

Directed by Raoul Walsh this film based on the novel of the same name stars James Cagney, Barbara Hale and Anne Francis. In a Southern state a roving peddler marries a school teacher and tries to launch a political career.

There are inevitable comparisons between this film and All the King's Men (1949) which frankly is a better version of this type of story. While this is a serviceable effort the plot sort of goes through the motions rather than exploring the protagonist and his decent into corruption in detail. The film is well made thanks to it's veteran director and experienced star but really needed to be longer to get more detail in.

3/5

Burn them all!

Witchfinder General (1968)

Directed by Michael Reeves this film based on the novel of the same name stars Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy and Hilary Dwyer. During the English Civil War a lawyer takes advantage of the chaos going from village to village hunting witches for money.

This film has something of a cult following but I found it to be pretty average. It might be seen as violent for it's time but the story never really gets to grips with the misogyny or jealousy of the set up like say Day of Wrath (1943). About the only surprise I had from this film was that it was not a Hammer Horror production as it feels like it would fit right in with their films.

3/5

No shame

Shame (2011)

Directed by Steve McQueen this film stars Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale and Nicole Beharie. The life of an emotionless sex addict is upset when his sister forces her way back into his life.

This is an interesting film but in my opinion it ended up ultimately being unfulfilled, much like the life of the protagonist. For me the film never really manages to draw a clear line between the problems of the protagonist and the unhelpful puritanism of the world around him. I really enjoyed the direction and performances that keep the film moody through out.

3/5

A dream case

Sherlock, Jr. (1924)

Directed by and staring Buster Keaton this film also features Kathryn McGuire and Joe Keaton. A young cinema projectionist who dreams of being a detective falls foul of his rival for the love of a girl.

The best part of this film is the long dream sequence which dominates the film and leaves you wondering why the framing narrative was really necessary. Once we do hit the dream sequence there is plenty to enjoy with the usual stunts and comedy. Transitioning between the real and dream sequence actually uses some pretty impressive special effects and camera tricks that are worth watching for.

4/5

The well

Vihir (2009)

Directed by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni this film stars Madan Deodhar, Alok Rajwade and Mohan Agashe. Two teenage cousins reconnect at a gathering for their extended family but find they both have different out looks on life.

If you do not like art films then this film is not one for you, the second half in particular is slow moving, minimal on dialogue and becomes increasingly ambiguous which can be a bit tedious. The plot has some interesting philosophical depth but sometimes the mundane tasks of the day to day life of the characters seems to get in the way of exploring the themes of the film. Being beautifully shot certainly helps the film and I think there is plenty to gain from it but this is not one for all audiences.

4/5

To seek a great perhaps

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Directed by star Ben Stiller this film based on the short story of the same name also features Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine and Sean Penn. A fantasist that works in the negative lab for Life magazine has to go on an adventure to find a missing negative.

Much like the previous adaptation this film departs heavily from it's source material and has little in common with the earlier adaptation either. While this version is enjoyable and has some charm of it's own I think it lost a little of depth of exploring the role fantasies play in our lives. The film looks really great and captures some of the more interest landscapes really well but never really becomes more than average.

3/5