Now you see the disappointment

Now You See Me (2013)

Directed by Louis Leterrier this film stars Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Melanie Laurent, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher and Dave Franco. Four magicians are given plans by an unknown benefactor and when they rob a bank in France during a stage show the FBI start to investigate them.

Unfortunately this film is not as clever as it thinks it is and does not really live up to it's potential. I found the twist at the end more convenient than fulfilling and the nature of some of the magicians selected at odds with their supposed fate. It is a bit of a shame how this film turned out to be fairly bland as it has a lot of potential.

2/5

Wick-ed

John Wick (2014)

Directed by Chad Stahelski & David Leitch this film stars Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen and Adrianne Palicki. A former hitman who has just lost his wife returns to killing after his car is stolen and dog killed.

The less time spent thinking about the plot or some of the dialogue the better here, this film exists purely as a vehicle for action sequences. There is some style in the execution of the film with plenty of good action sequences but really a little more time spent on the script would have been nice. Some of the supporting cast is really good but sadly seen all too fleetingly.

3/5

Spiritual child of Fellini

The Great Beauty (2013)

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino this film stars Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli and Carlo Buccirosso. Following his 65^th birthday an Italian writer that lives in Rome reflects on his life and the people he spends his time with.

In the tradition of Fellini this is a slightly dreamy meditation on Rome's cultural elite and their empty, hedonistic and self absorbed life style. Our protagonist floats through a world now seemingly filled with death as his own mortality starts to stare him in the face. I loved the direction and editing of this film which has a slightly ethereal quality to it.

5/5

scratching

Free Radicals (1958)

Directed by Len Lye this short film has music from the Bagirimi tribe of Africa. Wavy lines are scratched into film and dance around to the beat of tribal music.

There is not a lot to this film and compared to some animations set to music it was not one of my favourites that I have seen. The animation is very basic and rudimentary compared to other efforts out there. No doubt there is some style and skill to creating a film like this but it was not to my taste.

2/5

Shoemakers, defenders, communists

Outskirts (1933)

Directed by Boris Barnet this film stars Sergey Komarov, Elena Kuzmina, Robert Erdmann and Alexnader Chistyakov. We follow the people of a small town in tsarist Russia through WW1.

Like many a film from Russia in this period there is more than a hint of communist propaganda about this film as strikers put a side their concerns and enlist to save the motherland. The plot is pretty simple and does not have a ton to it other than suggesting workers of the world should unite. There are some hints of the soviet montage style in some of the editing but this is a much more standard film in it's execution.

3/5

The iron fist agenda

King Boxer (1972)

Directed by Chang-haw Chung this film also known as “Five Fingers of Death” stars Lo Lieh, Wang Ping and Tien Feng. King fu schools in China face off over an up coming tournament that will decide the kung fu king of the country.

The plot of this film is pretty basic and largely an excuse for lots of fight sequences. Mostly the film trots through a simple hero's journey as the protagonist learns the secret of the iron fist to over come the bad guys. I enjoyed the fight sequences but they were not as good as some of the other Shaw brothers films I have seen.

3/5

The tragedy of the proto-Felix

Feline Follies (1919)

Directed by Otto Messmer this animated film is the first outing of “Master Tom” the protoype for Felix the Cat. A cat romances another cat while neglecting his mouse hunting duties.

Mostly this is a pretty average early animated film, what stands out in the film is the surprisingly dark ending for a cartoon. Otherwise this film is not especially remarkable but does have a few funny moments. Nothing about the animation is that impressive and it is on a similar level to other animated films of the era.

3/5

Rita on song

Gilda (1946)

Directed by Charles Vidor this film stars Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready and Steven Geray. An American gambler heads to Argentina where he ends up working for a casino boss, everything goes well till his boss marries an old flame of the gambler.

While the plot of the film is not especially remarkable in my opinion the script and dialogue in particular is amazing. The film is littered with sexual tension and characters implying much more lured content than the censors would allow at the time. Rita Hayworth is obviously the best thing in the film and her performance elevates the whole film.

4/5

Outsourcing old age & the script

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

Directed by John Madden this sequel stars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel and Richard Gere. On the eve of his wedding the young Indian hotel owner looks to expand his empire by acquiring a second hotel.

Much like it's characters the plot of this film shuffles through some tired old cliches and never offers to be anything original. At times Dev Patel's character starts to get a little too close to becoming a racial caricature for my taste but I suppose there is still a modicum of charm in the characters. I suppose at least the film does not just retread the plot of the original with another set of characters which is something.

2/5

Not good

Good (2008)

Directed by Vicente Amorim this film based on the play of the same name stars Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs and Jodie Whittaker. In the 1930s a literature professor who is generally agnostic on political matters slowly becomes involved with the Nazis.

As an exploration of the decent into darkness that Germany went through I am not sure this is the most convincing or in depth look at the issue. At times it seems more like a look into ultimate naivety and selfishness. What the film does well is not seem like it is just a play on screen at least.

2/5

Too foreign

In Another Country (2012)

Directed by Hong Sang-Soo this film stars Isabelle Huppert, Yoo Jun-sang and Kwon Hae-hyo. To kill time a film student writes a screen play about the visits of three French women called Anne to a coastal town in Korea.

I found this film to be slow moving, a little repetitive and a bit impenetrable. Some of the dialogue seemed suspect to me and it did not help to have it played through three times as all the protagonists go through similar discussions. There is something interesting about seeing Isabelle Huppert play three different roles in one film but this film never worked for me.

2/5

Birth of a killer

Alleluia (2014)

Directed by Fabrice Du Welz this film stars Lola Duenas, Laurent Lucas, Helena Noguerra and Setphane Bissot. A middle aged single mother falls in love with a con man who holds a strange sway over women and she quickly becomes deranged.

If you like the bizarre and the macabre then this is a film for you, if not then it might be best to stay clear. I really enjoyed the dark, ambiguous nature of this film and there is something very off putting about watching the protagonist slip into childish jealousy. There are good performances from the cast and the direction holds a slightly off tone through out without going over the top.

4/5

Crossing the world for cures

The Physician (2013)

Directed by Philipp Stolzl this film based on the novel of the same name stars Tom Payne, Ben Kingsley, Emma Rigby and Stellan Skarsgard. In 11^th century England the apprentice of a barber is frustrated with the lack of medical knowledge and heads to Isfahan in search of training.

It seems this film departs from it's source material and I am not sure it is very historically accurate either. At times the plot is a little bit cliché and there is the odd line in the script that really grates. I was not a fan of the lead actor's performance either but there are some nice locations and scenery at least.

2/5

Detail in the random

2/60: 48 Heads from the Szondi-Test (1960)

Directed by Kurt Kren this is an experimental short film. Exploring 48 different pictures we get short bursts of images as they are rotated and zoomed in on.

While there is no narrative to this film it certainly has some kind of structure that appears from the seemingly random nature of the images in display. There is something interesting about the way the images distort and change through the course of the film. Compared to a lot of experimental films I have seen this was one of the ones I liked more.

3/5

Wells's work wronged

The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

Directed by Orson Wells this film based on the novel “If I Die Before I Wake” stars it's director, Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane. An Irish sailor is attracted to the wife of a rich lawyer after a chance meeting one night and ends up working on the yacht owned by her husband.

Unfortunately thanks to re-shoots and re-editing we will never get to see this film as Wells intended. What we get is a pretty standard noir film with plenty of potential that never really delivers or convinces. The climax of the film could have been great but was sadly cut to ribbons, I really hope there is a director's cut out there waiting to be salvaged at some point.

3/5

The war on racism

Selma (2014)

Directed by Ava DuVernay this film based on real events stars David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo and Andre Holland. In 1964 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his movement head to Selma, Alabama to fight against racists obstructing the right to vote for African Americans.

What I really like about this film is the warts and all approach it takes, every character has their flaws and divisions with in the civil rights movement are shown with real balance. President Johnson may get the short end of the stick when it comes to accuracy but largely this is an accurate film that puts some shocking events on the screen. Some of the shots are really nicely framed and the film captures the period it is set in excellently.

4/5

Idiots, idiots everywhere

Charade (1984)

Written & directed by John Minnis this animated film has all voices also done by John Minnis. A man attempts to play charades with people unable to guess what his obvious clues mean but instantly get the obtuse clues of his rival.

There is a pretty simple premise to this short animated film that works well but maybe is stretched out a little too long. Anyone who has ever played charades or a similar game can easily identify with the protagonist. Interestingly this is the only student film to date to win an Academy award.

3/5

Cagney, agent of O77

13 Rue Madeleine (1947)

Directed by Henry Hathaway this film stars James Cagney, Annabella, Richard Conte and Frank Latimore. During WW2 American spies attempt to feed false information through an unsuspecting German double agent.

Not as historically accurate as it claims to be this film is still a pretty decent spy film even if it is not overly remarkable. The later parts are the ones that stretch credibility the most but the plot does hold together at least. Some of Cagney's fight scenes are a little questionable but otherwise this is not a badly made film.

3/5

Mafia on the run, problems

The Family (2013)

Directed by Luc Besson this film based on the novel “Malavita” stars Robert De Niro, Micheel Pfeiffer, Tommy Lee Jones, Dianna Agron and John D'Leo. An American mobster and his family move to Normandy as part of the witness protection program.

This film is pretty much as you expect and while fun is never as fun as the premise and talent involved would lead you to hope for. At times it does feel a bit like it is just plodding through expected beats but it is not a boring watch. Disappointingly the film lacks any of Besson's usual style but Michelle Pfeiffer gives a performance way better than a pedestrian film like this deserves.

3/5

Get some better material

Get Hard (2015)

Directed by Etan Cohen this film stars Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Alison Brie and Craig T. Nelson. A rich white man gets convicted of white collar crime and hires a black man he believes to be a former convict to toughen him up for prison.

Essentially this is just one long prison rape “joke” stretched out to fill a feature length film which is not funny or clever. There really is not much more to this film and it barely has the odd funny moment. It is actually pretty disappointing to see so much talent wasted on a film like this.

2/5

Bucking Broncho, static shot

Bucking Broncho (1894)

Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. We watch one of the acts from Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, a cowboy trying to stay on a horse.

There is little more to this short than what the title suggests, a man on a horse trying to throw him. As a historical record this is no doubt valuable but as a piece of film making it is not overly entertaining. The film is a single static shot and at times the action moves out of frame with no attempt to follow it.

2/5

Katniss: First Blood part 2

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Directed by Francis Lawrence this film based on the novel of the same name stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson and Donald Sutherland. With rumours of rebellion spreading in the land our heroine is forced back into the area for a tournament of champions.

While this is not a complete repeat of the first film in the series it does feel like it has a lot of the same problems. Again it feels like most of the time the protagonist is just a passenger to events and rarely has any control over or choice as to what happens. It takes a little while for events to get going but otherwise this is a fairly entertaining sequel.

3/5

Restitution struggles

Woman in Gold (2015)

Directed by Simon Curtis this film based on real events stars Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl and Tatiana Maslany. In the late 1990s an Austrian Jew that escaped to America before the Second World War seeks the return of paintings stolen from her family by the Nazis.

While this is a good watch it unfortunately strays from real events in disappointing ways. As a piece of fiction it works well but I am not sure it adds any new understanding to the way we view the Holocaust. Ryan Reynolds is a bit of an odd fit for his role here but otherwise the casting is good.

3/5

Database gone wild

An Alternate Reality: The Football Manager Documentary (2014)

Directed by Louis Myles this documentary has contributions from game makers, football professionals and fans of the game series. We look into the history and affect of the Football Manager game series.

At times this is a bit too much of a corporate promotional video for the makers of the game series but it is still a nice look into a large fandom. Most interesting is seeing the affect a game series has had on the professional world of football and there are some good contributions as well as anecdotes on this. I would have liked the documentary to have been a bit longer and had more depth but as a fan of the series it was a good watch.

3/5  

Totally not Tarzan

The Lost Volcano (1950)

Directed by Ford Beebe this film in the “Bomba the jungle boy” series stars Johnny Sheffield, Donald Woods, Marjorie Lord and Elena Verdugo. A young boy is kidnapped by two men looking for riches of a lost civilization.

There is not a ton of plot to this film and frankly the story is pretty simplistic. Our hero is totally not a young Tarzan and none of the characters or events show much originality. Clearly this film was made on the cheap and some of the special effects leave a lot to be desired.

2/5

Gold digging 101

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

Directed by Jean Negules this film based on two plays stars Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Cameron Mitchell. Three gold diggers set themselves up in New York and seek to marry millionaires.

Despite seeming a bit light hearted there is a slightly grim underbelly to this film and I don't think it helps that the central characters bad attitude essentially ends up getting rewarded. On the surface this is a pretty fun film but closer inspection makes it hard to sympathise with any of the characters. It is notable that this was the second film shot in cinemascope but is not really the sort of film that can exploit it well.

2/5

Eye see problems

I Origins (2014)

Written and directed by Mike Cahill this film stars Michael Pitt, Brit Marling and Astrid Berges-Frisbey. A scientist seeks to prove there is no god through studying the evolution of the eye while dating a woman that believes in reincarnation.

At times this film becomes a bit heavy handed for my taste in it's dealing with the “battle” between science and faith. The ending in particular is overly melodramatic and ends up forcing itself to lean too heavily towards theism/spirituality. Having a mash up of genres keeps the film entertaining but thematically I think it losses it's way too much.

2/5

Shaping up nicely

Composition in Blue (1935)

Directed by Oskar Fischinger this is an animated film made using stop motion techniques. Coloured shapes move around in time to music against a blue background.

While this is no plot to this short film it is still an entertaining watch. It is hard not to admire how well the animation fits the music and the progression of shapes/movements used. Despite it's simplicity this is an enjoyable short film.

3/5

When the party stops

Top Five (2014)

Written & directed by as well as staring Chris Rock this film also features Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union and Cedric the Entertainer. On the eve of his wedding to a reality television star a comedian trying to promote his new film about a slave uprising spends the day being interviewed.

There is plenty to enjoy about this honest insight into the world of celebrity and it contains many funny moments through out. Towards the end the story might nudge a little towards the sentimental but otherwise it's a fairly well told story with a hint of Richard Linklater's before trilogy about it. All the cast are good and there is a great depth in the supporting roles.

4/5

Saving the world and other things

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn this film film based on the comic “The Secret Service” stars Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine. A young man from a poor back ground with his life going off the rails is offered the chance to follow in his father's footsteps and become a secret agent.

While this film departs a fair amount from it's source material it is another really good collaboration between Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn. Some where between a gentle send up and loving homage to the genre of spy films this is always entertaining and occasionally poking at something deeper. There are some really funny moments and performances from the cast that indicate they are having a lot of fun.

4/5

Mountain problems

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Directed by Peter Jackson this sequel stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage and Evangeline Lilly. A dragon is unleashed on a town of men and armies duke it out for the riches of the mountain.

Essentially this entire film is cleaning up matters left over from the last film then fully about the title battle. Clearly the battle is spectacular and of the standard we have come to expect from Peter Jackson in Middle Earth but at times it does descend into a bit too much CGI for my taste. A little more character development would have been nice but the film does round out a trilogy well.

4/5