No pearl discovered here

The Oyster Princess (1919)

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch this film stars Victor Janson, Ossi Oswalda, Harry Liedtke and Julius Falkenstein. The spoiled daughter of a rich oyster merchant demands a husband while a broke prince needs a rich wife.

The plot of this film is fairly basic and just about fits in a case of mistaken identity to the 60 minute run time. There are a lot of references to American consumerism and mass production in execution of the film but none of these seem to really go anywhere and really contradict the ending if anything. While there are some funny moments I would not say this film is funny through out.

3/5

Stealing horses

Romance of a Horsethief (1971)

Directed by Abraham Polonsky this film based on the novel of the same name stars Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Jane Birkin and Henri Serre. As Russia goes to war with Japan in 1904 Polish horse thieves find themselves out of work.

The plot of this period film is fairly thin and disappointingly all the big name actors are shifted to supporting roles. There is not really a lot of romance involved and all round this seems like a token effort. Some of the image and sound quality is not always the best making it hard to find much to recommend this film on.

2/5

Marvel's gamble

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Directed by James Gunn this film based on the comic of the same name stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Stuck working together a bunch of space criminals must save a planet from destruction.

It might have been a bit gamble for Marvel to launch a big budget film based on one of it's lesser known properties but this film succeeds and tons of personality. All the way through this is a fun ride that is certainly entertaining but maybe not that deep. I enjoyed most of the action sequences even if they do rely heavily on CGI.

4/5

Cold

Frozen (2013)

Directed by Chris Bruck and Jennifer Lee this film based on “The Snow Queen” stars the voice talent of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. A princess has magic ice powers she struggles to control and shuts herself away after accidentally harming her sister with them.

This film has been a massive smash hit but after watching I found myself struggling to understand why. To me the plot seemed fairly generic of the fairy tale genre with only a slight nod to something different at the end and does not stick that closely to it's source material. Most the animation and musical numbers are fairly decent but my heart was left cold so maybe it has something to do with me not being the target audience of this film.

3/5

Whatever floats your boat

Noah (2014)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky this film inspired by the biblical story of Noah stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson and Ray Winstone. A massive flood to wash the Earth clean is coming and one man is charged with building an ark to save the animals.

This is certainly a biblical epic unlike any you have seen before and could easily be a tale of a post apocalyptic future rather than a mythical past. Inevitably the film has to embellish without source to fill the long run time and while it is always entertaining I am not sure purists will be pleased. For me the plot never really went anywhere interesting with the subject matter but it is mostly well made.

3/5

Dragons be here

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Directed by Peter Jackson this second part of the adaptation of “The Hobbit” stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch and Evangeline Lilly. Our heroes finally make it to their destination and face off against the dragon under the mountain.

There are some changes between the novel and film, most notably the inclusion of a female elf character which works pretty well in my opinion but may upset purists. I found the plot works pretty well but maybe the themes of greed and fathers lives reflecting on their sons are not explored as deeply as they good be. There is a ton of CGI but it does seem that Jackson has curbed some of his excesses here providing a ton of good action sequences.

4/5

Bricking it

The Lego Movie (2014)

Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller this film features the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell and Morgan Freeman. An average construction worker in the Lego world must help save the universe from a bad guy.

This film has tons of personality and with it's irreverent take on standard genre plots is a lot of fun. The ending was a little heavy handed for me but the script really gets both the ethos of playing and creating. You can find loads of great little details hidden in the film but at times it did move a little quickly for me.

4/5

Tarzan Bond and the Goldfinger thief of tribes

Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966)

Directed by Robert Day this film stars Mike Henry, David Opatoshu, Manuel Padilla, Jr. and Nancy Kovack. Now living in the city Tarzan is recruited to stop a villain taking gold from a remote tribe in central America.

This film is an odd mix of James Bond style plot mixed with a transplanted Tarzan who has little to do with the literary character. Mostly the story just about hangs together but certainly this is just a cash in on a name and film style. There is a lot of stock footage used and at times it's clear this film was made on the cheap.

2/5  

No real ghosts

The Haunted Castle (1921)

Directed by F. W. Murnau this film based on the novel of the same name stars Arnold Korff, Lothar Mehnert, Olga Tschechowa and Paul Bildy. Aristocrats meet for a shoot at a castle in Germany when a Count suspected of killing his brother turns up uninvited causing problems with his brother's widow.

While the titles suggests a horror film and the presence of F. W. Murnau makes you hope for an expressionist film we get neither here. The plot is a fairly bland murder mystery where we do not even get to see the murder take place. There are the smallest hints of what was to come from Murnau in the direction but not enough to make this film stand out.

3/5

A bad time for a trip to the woods

Antichrist (2009)

Written and directed by Lars von Trier this film stars Willem Dafe and Charlottte Gainsbourg. Following the accidental death of their child a husband who works as a therapist tries to help his wife over come her grief.

This film is beyond dark and contains images that are pretty much impossible to watch. That being said this is a really interesting exploration of grief and it is full of symbolic depth. There are some beautifully shot sequences that contrast with the grim stuff leaving an usual horror film that will stay with you.

5/5

To rise above self interest

Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan this film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, David Gyasi and Bill Irwin. Planet Earth is dying, to survive humanity must look to the stars.

Without doubt this film is standing on the shoulders of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and while I do not think it hits the heights of that film or Nolan's own earlier film Inception (2014) I do still think this is a great film in it's own right. There are elements of the story I was not entirely convinced with but they ultimately ended up working. The films is a really good of study of human nature, especially our instinct for survival and how that may help or hinder our chances for survival as a species. I thought both the special effects and heavy use of science were handled really well while Hans Zimmer delivers another outstanding sound track.

5/5

The old switcheroo

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Directed by James Bobin this film features the Muppets, Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell. As the Muppets go on a world tour Kermit is replaced by an evil doppleganger.

While the previous Muppets film came across a bit like fan fiction at times at least he had personality which this film seems to lack. Having an average plot and being filled with cheap cameos does little to make this an interesting film. Bringing in Gervais and Fey was a great idea but maybe both should have been allowed a run at the script as well.

3/5

A bloody tomorrow

A Better Tomorrow (1986)

Directed by John Woo this film stars Ti Lung, Leslie Cheing and Chow Yun-Fat. One brother and his best friend work for the triads while the younger brother becomes a policeman, guess how things turn out.

The plot of this film is fairly simple and has some nods to film noir as well as Jean-Pierre Melville. Pretty much the story does it's job and holds together but that is never what you come to a John Woo film for. What you want from this film is the director's trademark action sequences and while this is one of his earlier films that action is still there with some over top the gun fights.

4/5  

Does what it says on the tin

Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

Directed by Jason Eisener this film stars Rutger Hauer, Molly Dunsworth, Brian Downey and Gregory Smith. Arriving in town on the train a hobo dreams of buying a lawnmower but ends up cleaning up the streets with a shotgun.

There is some personality to this over the top violent homage to exploitation cinema which just about carries the film. While there might be some interesting things to say about homelessness and peoples attitudes to them as well as inner city crime this film always takes the easy route rather than having anything interesting to say. Some of the film is funny and it always keeps you entertained at least.

3/5  

The poor and the oil

Miracle in Milan (1951)

Directed by Vittorio De Sica this film stars Francesco Golisano, Emma Gramatica, Paolo Stoppa and Guglielmo Barnabo. In post war Italy an orphan that was found in a cabbage patch has grown up and helps run a shanty town for the poor.

There is plenty of Christian allegory in this story but it is not done in such a way as to beat you over the head with a theist agenda. The story covers classic neorealist subject matters such as poverty but has a Capra style fantasy level to it. It is really interesting to see the fusion of styles and the special effects hold up pretty well given the era and budget this film was made on.

5/5

Cold

Winter's Tale (2014)

Directed by Akiva Goldsman this film based on the novel of the same name stars Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Jessica Brown Findlay and Jennifer Connelly. In 1916 a thief falls in love with a dying girl and the forces of darkness try to stop him using a miracle to save her.

While this film attempts to mix reality and magic it ends up being more a mix of piffle and bad dialogue. For all the talent involved here this is a decidedly weak effort that leaves me wondering how it all went so wrong. The plot is a bit cliché and offers little beyond thin melodrama.

2/5

One man and his dog

Umberto D. (1952)

Directed by Vittorio De Sica this film stars Carlo Battisti, Maria-Pia Casilio and Lina Gennari. An old man struggles in poverty with a land lady that wants rid of him and only a young maid that shows him any kindness.

This is one of the classic films on the neglect of old age with the title character suffering on as a burden to those around him. Unlike a lot of other films in the neorealist movement despite the seemingly sad end the film moves towards there is a hint of hope at the end. Using non actors and plenty of location shooting keeps the film grounded in the real world and this is a good watch.

4/5

Blank pages

The Book Thief (2013)

Directed by Brian Percival this film based on the novel of the same name stars Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Ben Schnetzer and Nico Liersch. Germany 1938, a girl is adopted by a poor couple and they struggle to live through WW2.

While this is a really well made and told story I am not sure it ever has anything interesting or new to say. There is plenty of realism and the story captures life in Germany during the war well but as much as I enjoyed the film I felt like it was a little empty or too easy. I really liked the cast and there are some good performances but again nothing much stood out.

3/5

Love and the future

 Her (2013)

Written and directed by Spike Jonze this film stars Joaquin Pheonix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara and Chris Pratt. In the near future a letter writer falls in love with his artificial intelligence operating system.

Exploring some really interesting ideas this film is more relevant than you might think and creates a classic romance in a non tradition way. While the film does not fully explore all the possible ramifications the areas it does look at leave a full fleshed out and thought provoking tale. I really enjoyed the cinematography, vision of the future and the performance of Scarlett Johansson which uses just her voice.

5/5

The perils of love

Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Directed by Federico Fellini this film stars Giulietta Masina, Francois Perier, Amedeo Nazzari and Franca Marzi. After being robbed and nearly drowned by her boyfriend a prostitute slowly opens up to the idea of companionship again.

The plot of this film is a great tale about the human desire for love and the cycle of disappointment it can bring. Without spoiling things too much you can see the ending coming a mile off and have to watch in horror as events slowly march to their inevitable conclusion. Compared to some of Fellini's other films maybe the direction here is a little more standard but this is still a film well worth watching.

4/5

Blame god

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Directed by Rob Reiner this film with a script from Nora Ephron stars Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher. We follow a man and a woman from when they first meet over twelve years of their lives and how they become friends.

The plot of this film is surprisingly insightful and does a good job of exploring the relationships between men and women. What I like most is that the script is not overly melodramatic, has plenty of humour and never feels like it is giving in to cliches. There is one scene that is obviously very famous now but the whole film is well made and an enjoyable watch.

5/5

All star, no quality

Breakthrough (19179)

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen this sequel to Cross of Iron (1977) stars Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger and Curd Jurgens. A German sergeant and his unit are transferred to France ahead of the allied invasion.

Despite having a solid cast this is a low quality sequel that wants to trade on star power alone. The plot is some fairly basic stuff that involves the July 7^th plot and the clash between average soldiers and fanatics in the German army. Production value is pretty low here and it is hard to find much to recommend this film on.

2/5

No taste

Jungle Man-Eaters (1954)

Directed by Lee Sholem this film in the Jungle Jim series stars Johnny Weissmuller, Karin Booth, Richard Wyler and Bernie Hamilton. Our jungle expert helps protect a tribe against a man that wants to smuggle diamonds.

Much of the plot here is fairly simplistic and the short run time does not allow for much depth. There is the same suspect stereotypes and despite the title there are actually no cannibals in the story at all. Unlike the last film in the series I saw there is no blacking up at least but does not make this a much better film.

2/5

Jungle rubbish

Jungle Manhunt (1951)

Directed by Lew Landers this film in the “Jungle Jim” series stars Johnny Weissmuller, Bob Waterfield, Shelia Ryan and Rick Vallin. An expert jungle guide helps a woman reporter hunt for a missing American and investigates strange attacks on the local tribes.

As you might expect this film is filed with ugly stereotypes and a fair amount of white actors “blacked up”. The plot is paper thin and barely has any character development as the film runs just over an hour long. If you can get past all those problems you still have the wooden acting of the lead actor to contend with.

1/5

So near yet so far

Cheap Thrills (2013)

Directed by E. L. Katz this film stars Pat Healy, Sara Paxton, Ethan Embry and David Koechner. Two men down on their luck run into a rich couple in a bar who offer to pay them to do increasingly crazy things.

This is one of those films that seems to constantly teeter on the edge of doing something really interesting but never quite gets there. While there are some funny moments you would not say this film is funny through out and I do not think that the characters ever really fit the dark conclusion of the film. Maybe another couple of drafts would have helped the script fulfil it's potential but as it is this is not the worst way to spend 90 minutes.

3/5

The summer heat

Labor Day (2013)

Directed by Jason Reitman this film based on the novel of the same name stars Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and Gattlin Griffith. A teenage boy and his mother spend labor day weekend in their house with an escaped convict.

Initially this film is incredibly ominous but settles into a story of frustrated sexual urges and coming of age for the protagonist. Nothing about the plot is that impressive and in some areas you could say it's a little worrying but it does the job. Where this film excels massively is the direction and acting which keep the film constantly moody as well as rife with sexual tension.

4/5

Christian rubbish

Black Nativity (2013)

Directed by Kasi Lemmons this film based on the musical play of the same name stars Jacob Latimore, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson and Jennifer Hudson. A single mother sends her teenage son to stay with the grandparents he has never met before.

Every opportunity is taken to ram home the Christian message here but the heavy handed preaching just show cases what I find so disturbing about religion at times. There is plenty of hypocrisy from supposedly Christian characters and all of the terrible behaviour is just forgiven at the end because Jesus. Before I watched this I was not aware it was a musical and I have to say I do not really think that the music added much, more just turned this into a 90 minute church visit.

2/5

No doubt it's shit

Reasonable Doubt (2014)

Directed by Peter Howitt this film stars Dominic Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson, Erin Karpluk and Gloria Reuben. A district attorney kills a man in a hit and run while drink driving then finds himself stuck as prosecutor for the case.

Initially the film starts off as a fairly interesting moral dilemma then chucks all that out for a pretty average 90s style thriller. In retrospect there are some parts of the film that make no sense at all and in the end this film is a real disappointment. It seems like there are a couple of missing scenes but the problems appear to stem mostly from the script rather than the execution of this film.

2/5

No Panic

Panic in the Streets (1950)

Directed by Elia Kazan this film stars Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes and Jack Palance. A military doctor and a police captain work together to try and hunt down the first cases of plague in New Orleans.

There is not much panic involved in the plot of this film as the characters actually do a pretty good job of stopping a potential disaster. In the end this is a pedestrian effort that does not really get carried away with things or have very high stakes. The direction is not exactly impressive and all in all this is a very middle of the road film

3/5

Crossings

Frontera (2014)

Directed by Michael Berry this film stars Michael Pena, Ed Harris and Eva Longoria. A former cop investigates the death of his wife that was witnessed by two immigrants trying to get into the US.

This is a fairly even handed look at the problems of the US's southern border but does focus more on the plight of Mexicans attempting to enter the US. There is not much of a mystery here but the plot of the film moves along fairly well. While the film may offer some possible solutions to the problems face they are simplistic at best.

3/5

No one is innocent

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Written and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville this film stars Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonte and Yves Montand. A man just released from prison meets up with an escaped convict and plans a heist.

It may take a while for this film to get moving but it is a good slow burning crime film that builds up to an impressive robbery sequence. Much like Le Samourai (1967) there is minimal dialogue and the script focuses on the nuts and bolts of the action. The silent robbery sequence is really impressive and while this film is not to everyone's taste it is a really well made film.

4/5