The social dance

Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946)

Directed by Maya Deren this film stars Rita Christiani and Frank Westbrook. People move as if in a dance while at a social event.

As with all of Maya Deren's films that I have seen there is certainly something going on here. The images have a nice dance like quality to them but the themes of the film are just slightly beyond the veil, requiring some attention and thought. Another really interesting film from a woman who got far too little attention.

4/5

Let kids be kids

Gifted (2017)

Directed by Marc Webb this film stars Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate and Octavia Spencer. A man tries to raise his genius niece with a normal childhood and out of the clutches of her pushy grandmother.

Touching at times this film never quite fulfils it's promise but is still a good watch through out. Never overly melodramatic the film could be a little more hard hitting but is decent none the less. Chris Evans gives a really good performance that carries the film and is well assisted by his young co-star.

3/5

Not tripping

Girls Trip (2017)

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee this film stars Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish and Jada Pinkett. A successful author reconnects with her three college buddies for a trip to attend the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

Unfortunately this script is a bunch of one note characters stumbling along to predictable story beats that are telegraphed a mile off. Certainly there is potential here but this is just 2 hours of lazy plotting with not much humour to carry it. The performances are fine but the cast has little to work with.

2/5

Les raquetteurs

The Snowshoers (1958)

Directed by Michel Brault and Gilles Groulx this is a short documentary from the Canadian film board. We see a snowshoe running competition and the celebrations around it from Sherbrooke.

As a historical record this film may be of some interest as it captures a unique place and point in time. There is not really a narrative to the piece and the content is fairly gentle, it never challenges the viewer. Pretty well made but not overly remarkable I don't think I would find myself recommending this film to anyone.

3/5

When worlds collide

Sheikh Jackson (2017)

Directed by Amr Salama this film stars Ahmed El Fishawy, Maged El Kedwany, Ahmed Malek, Salma Abudeif, Basma and Dorra. Upon hearing of the death of Michael Jackson an Islamic Cleric struggles with memories of his youth as a pop music fan leading to a crisis of faith.

I really enjoyed this exploration of Islam, masculinity, identity and pop music. Controversial for it's subject matter in it's home country this film manages to delicately balance the issues facing the Islamic world in the face of Western influence. The film is really well made with some nice use of fantasy and dream elements.

4/5

What in the where now?

Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016)

Directed by Sujoy Ghosh this film stars Vidya Balan, Arjun Rampal, Tunisha Sharma and Jugal Hansraj. A woman caring for her disabled daughter returns home to find her daughter kidnapped and as she frantically tries to find her is hit by a car and put into a coma.

Not strictly a sequel in the true sense this is a follow up with all new characters so if like me you haven't seen the original you are fine watching this film first. While the plot does tackle some pretty dark and serious material unfortunately the plot unfolds in such a convoluted way, mostly through flash back info dump, that the plot ends up a bit boring. It is a shame as there is a lot of promise here but the script needs a major rework in my opinion to actually work as a thriller.

2/5

Bland night

Rough Night (2017)

Direcred by Lucia Aniello this film stars Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Kravitz, Jillian Bell, Kate McKinnon and Ilana Glazer. A woman standing for election to the state senate goes on her bachelorette weekend and the girls accidentally kill a man.

The set up to this comedy is not too bad but fairly familiar as are the characters and their relationships. What the script really misses is some more comedy to carry this film as it ends up being a bit bland. Certainly this is a watchable film but it does end up being pretty forgettable despite all the talent involved.

3/5

Music lasts

The Lion and the Song (1959)

Directed by Bretislav Pojar this is an animated short film with musical accompaniment. A travelling musician plays for some animals then gets his instrument eaten by a hungry lion.

It is very easy to see this short as an allegory for living under a totalitarian regime and how the culture, in this case music, will stifle and out last oppression. Short but undeniably enjoyable this film is well worth a watch. The animation style is not revolutionary but is very cute.

4/5

And they all died.

Testament of Youth (2014)

Directed by James Kent this film based on the memoir of the same name stars Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Colin Morgan and Taron Egerton. A young woman's plans to go to Oxford are interrupted by her decision to service as a nurse in WW1.

Occasionally straying from fact this is still a decent adaptation of a somewhat unique look at WW1. A good watch but not an especially revolutionary one this is an enjoyable way to spend 2 hours. The film is well made for the most part and has a solid cast.

3/5

Not the adaptation anyone wanted

The Dark Tower (2017)

Directed by Nikolaj Arcel this film based on the Stephen King series of the same name stars Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey and Tom Taylor. A young boy from New York has strange dreams about other worlds and finds his dreams of the dark tower to be true.

As a stand alone effort this is an average watch that never really capitalises on it's interesting setting, far too many things are left unexplained for the audience to ever really connect with the film. Where this film will probably draw the most ire is in how far it strays from it's source material, which seems to be a really long way. In the end this is some what of a disappointment for both new comers and book readers, no doubt we will see another adaptation in the not too distant future.

2/5

No more wings for you

Labyrinth (1963)

Directed by Jan Lenica this is an animated short film. A man flies around by himself then gets crushed by the state.

Simple and bizarre this is an effective short film that gives you more than enough to look at. Strange images coalesce into a tail of a strict regime taking away a person's individuality. While the surreal nature of the film might not be for everyone I still found this film really enjoyable.

4/5

Underground hit

Tremors (1990)

Directed by Ron Underwood this film stars Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward and Finn Carter. People living in a small desert town in Nevada are menaced by strange underground creatures.

Probably the most surprising thing about this film is how big of a franchise it spawned from a fairly bland beginning. Nothing is really wrong with this film but it is a very average monster film that does not do much in the way of being unique or special. Some of the effects are a little rough around the edges but for the most part it does a job.

3/5

I think the joke got lost here

Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

Directed by Sam Liu this animated comic book adaptation has voices from Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong and Ray Wise. Eventually the Joker has a plan to prove that anyone can be driven to criminal insanity just like him.

It was always going to require extra material to draw out this one issue story to a full feature length but the writing really bungles it here. The prologue introduces an unnecessary sexual relationship between Batman and Batgirl while the film some how manages to drag despite being just over 70 minutes long. Mark Hamill is the clear highlight of the voice acting but the rest of the casting is pretty uninspired.

2/5

Good but familiar

The Hunters (1996)

Directed by Kjell Sundvall this film stars Rolf Lassgard, Lennart Jahkel, Jarno Makinen and Helena Bergstrom. Following the death of his father a Swedish police detective returns to work in the small town he grew up in and looks into a long running poaching case.

While many elements of the plot of this film seem familiar the are put together well and this is a decent exploration of rural Swedish culture. I do not think this film well ever surprise you but it is a solid watch that shines a good light on the themes of the film. Over all this is well made effort that I am surprised Hollywood never got round to remaking.

4/5

Simple delight

Scenes of Ostend (1929)

Directed by Henri Storck this is a short documentary. We see film of the Belgian port town of Ostend.

Not dense on content or narrative this is a very simple look a the images and moments captured in a small port town. There is something very lyrical about this documentary and it is a fascinating watch. The key to this film's charm is it's simplicity rather than trying to over complicated things.

4/5

A new Godzilla for a new Japan

Shin Godzilla (2016)

Directed by Hideaki Anno & Shinji Higuchi this film has a large cast including Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi and Satomi Ishihara. The political apparatus of Japan struggles to deal with the sudden appearance of Godzilla rampaging round Tokyo.

Taking the original Godzilla this film uses the monster as a way to explore Japan's political machine and the way it responds to disasters. A little confusing at times the film is still a good exploration of Japan and it's place in the world. Some of the CGI is maybe a little on the ropey side but over all it holds up.

4/5

A little too obvious

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Directed by Ridley Scott this film stars Micael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup and Danny McBride. A colonisation ship hit by a solar flare picks up a strange signal coming from an uncharted planet.

Grafting Doctor Moreau on to the Alien franchise provides a twist to keep things some what fresh but otherwise the film sticks a bit too closely to familiar franchise elements. The Alien prequels have always promised to deliver on expanding the lore of the universe and delve into some deeper sci-fi themes but much like Prometheus (2012) I think this film falls short on delivering on those promises. No doubt this is an entertaining watch but a bit too much of a safe entry into the franchise in my opinion.

3/5

Limp biscuit

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017)

Directed by R. S. Prasanna this remake of the director's own earlier film “Kalyana Samayal Saadham” stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pedenkar. With wedding on the way a young couple find the groom is suffering from performance anxiety.

A little bit on the long side for my taste but this is still a fairly fun comedy drama that pushes the envelope for Indian cinema in terms of content. The film has the best use of a biscuit to describe a male medical problem in the entire history of cinema but otherwise is fairly standard. Some weird gender stereotypes still seep through despite the progressive nature of the film but it's a decent watch over all.

3/5

How not to seduce a woman

The Politician's Love Story (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this short film stars Mack Sennett and Marion Leonard. Enraged by a political cartoon about him a politician goes off to kill the cartoonist but when he finds it's a beautiful woman he falls in love with her instantly.

Not exactly the most positive example of a love story I suppose this film is not too badly made. The plot is a little bit questionable but at least easy to follow. Not one of Griffith's best or one of his worst.

3/5

Not really the Me Too generation

The Gibson Goddess (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Marion Leonard, Arthur V. Johnson, George Nichols and Anthony O'Sullivan. A woman is harassed by men at the beach but only one sticks by her when she pretends to have deformed legs.

Not exactly intelligent in it's humour this is a fairly simple short film that is pretty easy to follow. The subject matter is not exactly enlightened but I have seen far worse from Griffith. Fairly well made and with a good surviving image quality this is not a bad watch really.

3/5

Not much luck to go round

Lucky Jim (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Marion Leonard, Mack Sennett and Barry O'Moore. Gertrude decides to marry Jim over Jack but when Jim dies Jack gets his turn as husband.

The image quality of this short is not the best so it's a little hard to follow at times but you can get the general gist of what is happening. Essentially the joke here is male victims of domestic violence, which is not really funny. All in all this is not one of Griffith's best shorts.

2/5

Rocking around Quebec

Crac (1981)

Written & directed by Frederic Back this animated short has music from Normand Roger. We follow a rocking chair through it's life and the history of Quebec.

Who knew the story of a piece of furniture could be so interesting? This is a really good animated short show casing the changing lives and times of one family in Quebec. Both the animation style and the music fit the narrative really well and it's easy to see how this short won an Academy award.

4/5

Trapped in a flat

Insyriated (2017)

Written & directed by Philippe Van Leuuw this film stars Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bou Abboud and Juliette Navis. Trapped in an apartment in Syria two families struggle to survive with a civil war going on around them.

While it does not encompass all the horrors that civilians trapped in a war zone face this film shows more than enough in the one day in the lives of it's characters that we see. Claustrophobic, tense and mundane at the same time this is a really good look into the every day life for those in a horrible situation. There are good performances from the cast and solid direction that is not over bearing.

4/5

The hurry lame heist

The Hurricane Heist (2018)

Directed by Rob Cohen this film stars Maggie Grace, Toby Kebbell, Ryan Kwanten and Ralph Ineson. As a major hurricane bears down on a US Treasury department facility a group of criminals plan to steal $600 million from it.

There is something to the premise of this film but for it to work it would have to be based on a novel by Alistair MacLean and directed by someone like Michael Bay. Unfortunately what we have here is a paint by numbers effort with a script that stumbles through a bunch of cliches and mind numbing action sequences. Some of the effects are a bit ropey as well and seem to have exceeded what the budget for this film would allow.

2/5

A riddle dipped in a mystery, covered in confusion

The Riddle of Lumen (1972)

Directed by Stan Brakhage this is an experimental short film. We see a serious of different images edited together over 14 minutes.

Some might say this is a riddle, others might call it an impenetrable mess. There are some Brakhage films I really enjoy but sadly this was not one of them. Too far out there for my taste this was certainly not one for me.

2/5

Gambling bad mkay.

The Golden Louis (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Adele DeGarde, Charles Inslee, Anita Hendre and Owen Moore. A young girl falls asleep begging, a man leaves her a gold coin which a gambler takes to spin up at the roulette wheel.

Griffith is often pushing a clear agenda in his film but thankfully in this one it's a fairly relatable, if simplistic idea. There isn't a huge amount to this film but it is a fairly well made period piece. The image quality is not the best but it's not too hard to follow the plot despite the lack of any on screen text or titles.

3/5

Not quite the end of us

Z for Zachariah (2015)

Directed by Craig Zobel this film based on the novel of the same name stars Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Wjiofor and Chris Pine. A young woman fearing she is the last survivor of a nuclear war finds out she isn't.

Deviating from it's source material somewhat this film still provides a good study of human relations and our in built need for them. While my favourite film in this genre is still the Austrian film The Wall (2012) this is very much a good genre entry. The performances from the cast are good and the direction subtle enough to leave us with plenty of questions.

4/5

Failure in Boston

Free Fire (2016)

Directed by Ben Wheatley this film has a large cast including Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy and Michael Smiley. IRA members in Boston looking to buy guns have their deal turn into a shoot out in a warehouse.

As an exercise in film making this is somewhat of an interesting experiment, there is plenty of action and a fair amount of tension. Where this film falls down is that there is not much more to the script than what appears at face value. For the strong cast involved I would have really liked to see a bit more from this film but it is a fun watch.

3/5

Just no.

His Trust (1911)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Wilfred Lucas, Dell Henderson and Clarie McDowell. A Confederate officer goes off to war leaving his wife and child in the care of his black “servant”.

Oh boy. So to start with this film has blackface and a woeful understanding of race relations of the period it depicts. I think it's probably impossible to find anything to salvage this early short film. There is no real reason to recommend this film on any level.

1/5

Limping along

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

Directed by Burr Steers this film based on the novel of the same name tars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth and Matt Smith. The familiar story of Pride and Prejudice set in a period piece England beset by zombies.

Sticking pretty closely to Jane Austin's source material this is a fairly fun watch but never really makes the most of it's genre mash up. The addition of zombies puts a slightly different spin on the familiar narrative but never enough to be more than a gimmick really. Mostly the film is well made but there are points at which the lower budget is noticeable in some of the bigger set pieces.

3/5