Best left alone

Charlie's Farm (2014)

Written & directed by Chris Sun this film stars Tara Ried, Dean Kirkright, Allira Jaques and Sam Coward. Four friends head off in search of a farm in the Australian outback rumoured to be haunted by a family that killed backpackers.

Mind numbing might be an apt description for the plot of this slasher which also has some suspect dialogue. It takes too long to get to the gory parts of this film which are the sole reason for the film existing and even then they are not especially interesting. The film lacks any atmosphere or tension and the cast barely give performances.

1/5

I am bored

I Am Wrath (2015)

Directed by Chuck Russell this film stars John Travolta, Christopher Meloni, Amanda Schull and Rebecca De Mornay. A man goes on a killing spree after the cops fail to bring his wife's killer to justice.

Essentially this is a revenge porn film with a silly conspiracy tacked on the end to fill out the running time. The plot is basic and never ones considers the moral implications of it's protagonist over getting some more violence on screen. Originally William Friedkin was supposed to direct this film but I doubt even he could have salvaged something from this script.

2/5

A minute amount of moves

The Pickaninny Dance from the “Passing Show” (1894)

Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is a fragment of an early silent film. We see three men dancing.

Unfortunately the context of this film is pretty racist which is a shame as the dancers have some really good moves. It is surprising how similar the dance moves look to break dancing. This small snip is not really long enough to count as a film but is a cool snap shot of a by gone era.

2/5

The shuffle of the defeated man

Time Out of Mind (2014)

Written & directed by Oren Moverman this film stars Richard Gere, Ben Vereen and Jena Malone. A man living in New York struggles to admit he is homeless while trying to reconnect with his daughter.

Neither action packed or eventful this is a slow moving look at the life of those so often over looked or looked down upon by society. There is not a lot original or revolutionary about this film but the way in which it is told does a great job of reflecting the plight of the protagonist. I really enjoyed the performance of Richard Gere and the tone of the film general.

4/5

Trust issues

The Survivalist (2015)

Written & directed by Stephen Fingleton this film stars Martin McCann, Mia Goth and Olwen Fouere. After the break down of society a man living alone in the woods is approached by an old woman and her daughter.

This is a minimalist tale of survival and trust that is a pretty good exploration of human behaviour. I enjoyed the story even if it explains little about the world or people in it. There are good performances from the cast as well as a couple of nice touches with the direction.

4/5

Kite as in shite

Kite (2014)

Directed by Ralph Ziman this film based on the anime of the same name stars India Eisley, Samuel L. Jackson and Callan McAuliffe. In a dystopian future a girl hunts the man responsible for her father's murder with the help of his former police partner.

Essentially this is a bad spin on the basic plot of Memento (2001) but with a lot more action. The final twist does not really make much sense or work in character terms. Stylistically the film comes off as a poor attempt to be a Luc Besson film.

2/5  

Driver doggy

The Dog Outwits the Kidnapper (1908)

Directed by Lewin Fitzhamon this film stars Barbara Hepworth, Cecil M. Hepworth and Blair the dog. A man kidnaps a girl but her trusty canine companion is on hand to save the day.

Everything about this film is simple and as you would expect it but it does have a dog driving a car so it has that going for it. Similar to the earlier “Rescued by Rover” this might not be the most original film but there is not much wrong with it. The film is mostly well made although there is one moment where the car moves once the dog has got out.

3/5

Family feuds

Black Souls (2014)

Directed by Francesco Munzi this film stars Guiseppe Fumo, Marco Leonardi, Peppino Mazzotta and Fabrizio Ferracane. A young man leaves his father's farm to go to Milan and work in the criminal empire of his uncles.

This is a slow burning crime film that while it has little original to say tells it's tale of generational feuds well. Initially it is a little hard to pick up the story as the early scenes flit between characters but clarity does emerge. There are good performances from the cast and the direction is decent too.

3/5

Confused

The Dressmaker (2015)

Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse this film based on the novel of the same name stars Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving. A stylish dressmaker returns from working in Paris to the small outback town she grew up in.

Something never really sits right about this mix of quirky Australian comedy and really dark tale of small town prejudice. The shifting tones seem to trivialise at times what is some really heavy subject matter. Thanks to the great cast the film is enjoyable but it is a bit of a let down.

3/5

A (barely) moving Turner

Surfacing on the Thames (1975)

Directed by David Rimmer this is a short film. Two boats pass each other on the river Thames.

Taking it's inspiration from the impressionist paintings of J. M. W. Turner this film really captures something of that style in it's look. As to the actual content of the film there is no real narrative and things move incredibly slowly. For my taste this is a bit of a hard watch as not much happens and the copy I saw appeared to be fairly low quality so it was often hard to make things out.

2/5

Women deserve better

Suffragette (2015)

Directed by Sara Gavron this film stars Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Brendan Gleeson. In 1921 a working class English woman is radicalised and joint a terrorist organisation seeking votes for women.

Taking an important part of British history this film mixes fact and fiction which I found disappointing given the many real stories to be told of suffragettes. The story ends up being a more broad strokes celebration of the movement than an in depth look at the cause and arguments of the time. There is a good cast but really the subject matter deserves much better treatment in my opinion.

2/5

Breaking the Mars curse

The Martian (2015)

Directed by Ridley Scott this film based on the novel of the same name stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. During an emergency evacuation an astronaut is left behind on Mars and presumed dead.

There is a lot of hype surrounding this film and while it is enjoyable I found it to be a bit of a let down. While our protagonist does have some charm to him the film lacks much character or character development otherwise and it shows too many solutions rather than the process of problem solving for my taste. Having a great cast and director helps but at times some of the CGI seemed a little on the weaker side.

3/5

Oats or drugs?

The Runaway Horse (1908)

Directed by Louis J. Hasnier this is an early short film from the silent era. A horse waiting for it's master eats a bag of oats and runs off like it's on cocaine.

The plot of this film is just as the title indicates, a horse on the run causing mayhem and nothing more. Some of the mayhem will cause a chuckle but I would not really consider this film to be a comedy. What makes this film best known is it's early use of cross cutting but to me that did not stand out that much compared to other early chase films.

3/5

An elevated point of view

Eye in the Sky (2015)

Directed by Gavin Hood this film stars Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman and Barkhad Abdi. A British lead military operation in Kenya involves a potential drone strike on terrorists.

This film does a good job of explore the issues and ethics around the use of drone warfare which has become so common in the war on terror. Without moralising the film manages to present many points of views and leaves conclusions to the audience. I enjoyed the cast and while some of the technology shown in the film might push the envelope on what is currently available it did not break the realism too much.

4/5

Signs of greatness

Children of a Lesser God (1986)

Directed by Randa Haines this film based on the play of the same name stars Marlee Matlin, William Hurt and Piper Laurie. An unconventional teacher at a school for the deaf begins a relationship with a deaf woman who has no desire to speak.

There is more than a hint of Hollywood cheese underlying this film but the main romance does stay the right side of melodrama. While I enjoyed the film I am not sure it is as deep as it pretends to be but the look into the world of the deaf is pretty unique in cinema even if the story is mainly told from the point of view of the hearing. Marleee Matlin deservedly won an Oscar for her performances and this is one of the better translations of a play to the big screen.

4/5

To live without constraint

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)

Directed by Isao Takahata this film has voice acting in it's English language version from Chloe Grace Moretz, James Caan and Mary Steenburgen. An old bamboo cutter finds a tiny girl in the forest and raises her with his wife, first in poverty and then as a rich princess.

As always Studio Ghibli deliver with a high standard of both story telling and animation. The plot basic on a classic Japanese story is good with a well tested progression that builds to an emotional end. I really enjoyed the art style especially in the more emotional moments when it is stripped right back to the minimalistic.

4/5

Wonder ring what it means

The Wonder Ring (1959)

Directed by Stan Brakhage and Joseph Cornell this is an experiment short film. Through reflections we see a record of New York's Third Avenue.

This is a non-narrative mood piece attempting to capture a city street about to be torn down. I suppose the use of reflections does have something of the way memories work about the film but otherwise this is a fairly simple film. While I enjoyed it I would not say this was an especially striking or re-watchable film.

3/5

Medicore blood

Wicked Blood (2014)

Written & directed by Mark Young this film also known as “Bad Blood” stars Abigail Breslin, Alexa Vega, Sean Bean and James Purefoy. A teenage girl with a passion for chess seeks to find a way out of criminal underworld she and her older sister are trapped in.

This film went straight to video and it is no surprise really as despite the on screen talent the finished film is pretty weak. The plot lacks tension or real scheming on the part of the protagonist and comes off as a disappointment. Hearing Sean Bean and James Purfoy do American accents is also very strange.

2/5

Panned

Pan (2015)

Directed by Joe Wright this film stars Levi Miller, Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund and Rooney Mara. We discover how Peter Pan made this way to Neverland and first met the man who will become Captain Hook.

As a prequel the plot of this film is no great shakes and somewhat disappointingly never really shows how Hook will turn into a bad guy. The CGI is not the best at times and that is a bit of a problem as the film relies so heavily on it. Casting Rooney Mara as Tiger Lilly also leaves the film open to criticism about white washing as well which does not help matters even if historically the role itself can be seen as racial stereotyping.

2/5

Cinematic sabotage

Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1938)

Directed by Tex Avery this cartoon stars the one and only Daffy Duck. After being rejected as an actor by a studio head our hero goes on to cause mayhem on the lot.

While this might not be the most cutting satire of Hollywood it is still a nice little joke at the industries expense. The plot is pretty simple but has plenty of gags thanks to the mischief making of Daffy. Nothing stands out about the animation style, it fits in very clearly with the style of it's period.

3/5

Failing to take it's own advise

Chef (2014)

Written & directed by Jon Favreau this film stars it's director as well as Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo and Emjay Anthony. The chef at a restaurant is constricted in menu choices by the owner and then gets fired after a big argument with a critic.

If I had to pick one word to describe this film it would probably be “safe” as it neither challenges it's makers or the audience. The plot is a little on the slow side for my taste as it takes a bit too long for events to be set in motion but largely this is not a bad film. There is a really good supporting cast so it is a bit of a shame that the film never really takes any chances.

3/5  

Children playing at violence

Sixteen (2013)

Written & directed by Rob Brown this film stars Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Rosie Day and Rachel Stirling. A sixteen year old refugee now living in England struggles to come to terms with his past as a child soldier and witnesses a stabbing.

This is a really good low budget British film that deals with some serious issues very well. Instead of over doing things this is a subtle slow burner that does not get melodramatic. The highlight of the film is the excellent performance from young star Roger Jean Nsengiyumva who really captures the conflict in his character during pivotal moments.

4/5

Wolf shit

Wolves (2014)

Written as well as directed by David Hayter this film stars Lucas Till, Jason Momoa, Merritt Patterson and Stephen McHattie. A high school senior who is the star quarter back finds out he is a werewolf and has to go on the run after killing his parents.

There is a lot to be explored with using werewolves as a metaphor for male sexuality and toxic masculinity but this film has none of that instead being completely mindless. The twists at the end of the film are massive cop outs and there is far too much telling rather than showing. Considering some of the projects David Hayter has been involved in before I was really disappointed with this film, even the special effects are suspect.

1/5

A platform for ideas

Balance (1989)

Directed by twin brothers Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein this is an Oscar winning animated short film. Men living on a floating platform survive by moving together to maintain balance but things fall apart when they discover a music box.

Despite it's fairly simplistic nature this film is a great criticism of greed or putting individual wants above the group. The action works well as a metaphor for societies desire for things at the expense of others. I enjoyed the animation style even if it is not especially unique but it is easy to see why this film won an Oscar.

4/5

Between Gareth and Shane

Blackway (2015)

Directed by Daniel Alfredson this film based on the novel “Go With Me” stars Julia Stiles, Anthony Hopkins, Alexander Ludwig and Ray Liotta. A woman enlists the help of two loggers in dealing with a man who has been harassing her but the whole town it too scared to confront.

While the novel this film is based on is inspired by the Arthurian legend of the “Tale of Sir Gareth” it has more than a hint of Shane (1953) about it. The simple plot never really gets into depth with the issues at hand but is a good watch. I enjoyed the direction which has some atmosphere if not becoming a fully stylised vision.

3/5

UNCLE's nephew

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Directed by Guy Ritchie this film based on the television series of the same name stars Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander. During the Cold War an American and Russian spy are forced to work together.

Clearly the best thing about this film is the way it captures it's 1960s setting so well. The plot is fairly basic and while there is some charm to the characters it is not enough to really carry the film. I was not completely convinced by the accents or performances of the two leads but Alicia Vikander does a good job as always.

3/5

Inexplicable dimensions

Slow Bob in the Lower Dimensions (1991)

Directed by Henry Selick this short film stars Mark Steger and Hannah Sim. We follow a very odd stream of events mixing live action and animation in a bizarre world.

Created as a pilot for MTV that was never picked up this is an entertaining if unfathomable short.

There is more than a hint of Terry Gilliam's work on Monty Python about this film and it keeps you bemused if nothing else. The animation and live action work together really well for when the film was made.

3/5

Oh Canada.

Hyena Road (2015)

Written, directed by and starring Paul Gross this film also stars Rossif Sutherland as well as Christine Horne. Canadian forces in Afghanistan trying to build a new major road through Taliban territory struggle to deal with the locals.

While this film takes a decent stab at framing the conflict in Afghanistan as much more complicated than we understand it in the West it never really nails it. Some of the dialogue is a little wobbly at times and the romantic sub plot does not really add to the story. This is a decent attempt but ultimately a bit too familiar and lacking polish.

2/5

Another world

Berlin Horse (1970)

Directed by Malcom Le Grice this is an experimental short film with music by Brian Eno. We see film of two different horses transformed and distorted.

There is certainly something fascinating about the use of editing and colour in this film even if it does run a little long. The images create a unique world that is really fun to look into. While it was hard to find a deeper meaning to the film it was certainly something to look at.

4/5

Kids just wanna dance

Footloose (1984)

Directed by Herbert Ross this film stars Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest. Moving from the big city to a rural town a teenager finds that the local council has banned dancing and modern music.

Coming with a heavily slice of 80s cheese this is a fairly simple film about kids that just want to dance and have fun. The film does have some heart to it but deals with the deeper issues only on a pretty superficial level. I enjoyed the performances from the cast but the music used was not especially to my taste.

3/5

Advanced buzzing!

How a Mosquito Operates (1912)

Directed and animated by Winsor McCay this is an early animated short film. A man trying to sleep is harassed by a mosquito that wants to feast on his blood.

This is a pretty simple cartoon but the animation style is surprisingly advanced for when it was made. I enjoyed the battle between man and mosquito which raises a few chuckles a long the way. As a mile stone in animation this is clearly an important film.

3/5