A very modern haunting

The Past (2013)

Written & directed by Asghar Farhadi this film stars Berenice Bejo, Ali Mossaffa, Tahar Rahim and Pauline Burlet. An Iranian man travels to Paris to sign the divorce with his French wife but gets caught up in the problems of her current relationship.

As always Asghar Farhadi creates an interesting domestic situation and explores the consequences of peoples actions in an entertaining way. The situation may not be completely universal but it is a good dive into action and consequence as people try to move on with their lives. Well made and with good performances all round this is a decent watch.

4/5

A similar snake

The Black Viper (1908)

Directed by D. W. Griffith and Wallace McCutcheon this film stars Edward Dillion and George Gebhardt. A man protects a woman from a thug who comes back with his buddies and kidnaps the hero.

A simple early film building to an action climax in a method similar to many Griffith films. The image quality of the surviving versions of this film is not amazing but it is just about watchable. Overall this is not a very remarkable early film but not the worst you will see either.

3/5

Jane got more of the same

Jane Got a Gun (2016)

Directed by Gavin O'Conner this film stars Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich and Ewan McGregor. With her husband gravely wounded a woman seeks help defending her family from a gang of outlaws.

I'm always interested to see something new from the Western genre but sadly this film does not live up to it's promise and offer is anything fresh. This is a fairly familiar genre piece that is very much standard fare. The performances and direction are fine but nothing sets the world on fire here.

3/5

Hidden views of Harlem

In the Street (1928)

Directed by James Agee, Helen Levitt and Janice Loeb this is a short documentary. We see street life in Spanish Harlem in the 1940s.

No doubt this is interesting as a historical record, both for capturing people's daily lives but also as an early use of hidden cameras. As a piece of entertainment this is not exactly the most riveting piece you will ever see but it is still watchable. Of the day in the life or city films I've seen this isn't the best but it is still a solid genre entry.

3/5

Not vintage Theroux

My Scientology Movie (2015)

Directed by John Dower this documentary is written by and stars Louis Theroux. Denied access to the Church of Scientology Theroux seeks to interact with it's members by provoking them.

If you are expecting a full and in depth look into the church of Scientology then this is not the documentary for you as it's pretty impossible to make such a film about so closed off of a subject. While this is a somewhat enjoyable look at some of the tactics used by the church it is not really new ground. I really like the style of Theroux's work as he normally embeds himself within his subject matter but this departure, which was forced on him, does not work as well in my opinion.

3/5

A little war weary

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Directed by Matt Reeves this sequel stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn and Amiah Miller. Caeser and his apes face off against a single minded military commander.

While the CGI is outstanding in this film I found the plot to be less so, lurching around and not having the thematic depth I hoped for. As a final film in the reboot series it does tie things off nicely but needed a clearer direction rather than trying to be an amalgamation of inspirations. Enjoyable to watch none the less this is still a decent film.

3/5

What's in a name?

Icarus Montgolfier Wright (1962)

Directed by Osmond Evans this animated short is based on a story by Ray Bradbury. On the eve of his space flight an astronaut worries his name is too ordinary.

Putting together Bardbury's prose and some good animation this is more than a decent watch. Very clearly an adaptation of short story there is still enough going on visually to keep you interested. Certainly unusual but well worth looking out for.

4/5

Hidden horrors of Hasima

The Battleship Island (2017)

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan this film based on historical events stars Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub, Song Joon-ki and Lee Jung-hyun. During WW2 Koreans are forced to work in terrible conditions in a mine by the Japanese.

Showing horrible conditions this Korean film covers a part of history that the Japanese would still prefer to forget. The events and characters appear to be fictional but the setting is not and give a good, if a little long, look into life on Hasima Island. Generally the film is well made although the subtitling for the English version could have been done a little better.

3/5

Montana, snow, hunting and father/son relationships

Walking Out (2017)

Directed by Alex & Andrew J. Smith this film stars Josh Wiggins, Matt Bomer and Bill Pullman. A 14 year old boy goes hunting for large game for the first time in his life with his dad in Montana.

A fairly simple mix of coming of age and survival story this is a good watch that give a real sense of respect for the natural world. While hunting is never going to be for me that did not get in the way of me connecting with the story at hand. There are some good performances and some stunning landscape shots.

4/5

If you go down to the Amazon rain forest in the 1980s

Jungle (2017)

Directed by Greg McLean this film based on real events stars Daniel Radcliff, Alex Russell, Thomas Kretschmann and Joel Koman. Three backpackers are convinced to head off into the Bolivian jungle by a man claiming to know of lost tribes and gold.

It seems this film sticks largely to it's source material and while it does paint it's subjects as naïve idiots it is a fairly decent watch. The script does not really comment on the views of the characters which is a bit of a shame but does at least show an average survival story. Things take a little while to get going but over all this is a fairly well made film.

3/5

To live and dream in the UK

Housing Problems (1935)

Directed by Edgar Anstey and Arthur Elton this is a short documentary. We look at the lives of people living in slums in urban England.

While this documentary does come across as a bit stiff and stilted it is still a pretty interesting historical record. The subject matter is part of an evolving question on housing in the UK which is nearly 200 years old now and still some what relevant. I did find this enjoyable even though it is clearly rooted in it's time.

3/5

Weak shot

Shot Caller (2017)

Directed Ric Roman Waugh this film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell and Jon Bernthal. A stock broker gets sent to jail for causing death by drink driving and joins a white power gang for protection.

I found that this film falls down on never really convincing me over the protagonist's transformation from family man to vicious killer. No doubt the prison environment can change a man but this film failed to sell it's premise. The other thing I'm not sure about was the casting of Coster-Waldau in the lead role either, he didn't seem powerful enough for it.

2/5

And on that bombshell

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Directed by Davide Leitch this film based on the graphic novel “The Coldest City” stars Charlize Theron, James McAvoy and Sofia Boutella. A British spy is sent to Berlin in 1989 to recover a list of secret agents.

Fairly enjoyable as an action adventure spy film the images and music combine well to keep you entertained. The plot does not have a lot to say really and the final twist was not really to my taste. Overall this is a fun watch but never one that will last long in your memory.

3/5

Do what now?

An Andalusian Dog (1929)

Directed by Luis Bunuel this film stars Simone Mareuil and Pierre Batcheff. A bunch of weird stuff happens including, famously, an eye being cut by a razor blade.

I have watched this film twice now and to be honest whatever meaning might be behind the film escapes me. As a collection of bizarre images it's certainly hard to watch and no doubt has an effect on the viewer. Even to modern eyes the most famous part of this film is a challenging watch.

3/5

How to lose an audiences respect in one easy step

Basmati Blues (2017)

Directed by Danny Baron this film stars Brie Larson, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Saahil Sehgal and Donald Sutherland. A scientist is sent from America to promote a company's new type of rice in India.

Previous to seeing this film I would watch anything that Brie Larson is in but this film is not only bad it's also got a lot of worrying stereotypes in it. Pretty much on all levels this is a poor effort and even the musical numbers are bland. Someone must have thought this was a good idea but I have no idea how they could have.

1/5

Get the lads in

Mr. Jones Has a Card Party (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this short film stars John R. Cumpson, Florence Lawrence and Linda Arvidson. While his wife is away at a temperance meeting a man gets the lads in for a proper session.

Unfortunately it's a bit hard to actually follow what is going on in this film and without having read the plot it can be a bit confusing. There isn't actually a lot of humour here despite the film being billed as a comedy. I would give this film a miss, it's not really a note worthy film.

2/5

Disappointing all round

The Stolen (2017)

Directed by Niall Johnson this film stars Alice Eve, Jack Davenport and Richard O'Brien. An English woman that moved to New Zealand has her husband killed and her son kidnapped.

This film went straight to DVD and that is not really a surprise as it's fairly weak through out. The script is pretty bland, with little to surprise or entertain here. About the only highlight of the piece was a rare appearance on screen of Richard O'Brien.

2/5

Uplifting?

The Bridge (1928)

Directed by Joris Ivens this is an early documentary from the Netherlands. We see a newly constructed vertical-lift railroad bridge in Rotterdam.

Exploring it's subject matter in paint staking detail over 15 minutes this might be one more for engineering enthusiasts than the rest of us. While the film is well made I found it to be a little too long. Maybe with some more interesting editing this film would go to the next level but for now it's just a decent historical record in my opinion.

3/5

Hybrids gone wrong

Men & Chicken (2015)

Written & directed by Anders Thomas Jensen this film stars David Dencik, Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Soren Malling and Nicolas Bro. Upon the death of their father two men find out they are not brothers but half brothers that were adopted so they go in search of their biological family.

Bizarre and using dark humour through out this is certainly an unusual film. No doubt there may be some sort of commentary on society or the nature of being human here but I think it gets a bit lost under the weird nature of story. Whatever the case this is a good watch with an almost unrecognisable Mads Mikkelsen.

3/5

Come back in another 5 drafts please

Anon (2018)

Written & directed by Andrew Niccol this film stars Clive Own and Amanda Seyfried. In a future where everyone has bionic eyes with the authorities can monitor a policeman is on the hunt for an anonymous hacker suspected of murder.

Taking an interesting premise this film unfortunately fails to live up to it's promise, like much of Niccol's recent films. The story plods a long to a twist that comes out of nowhere and makes no real sense. If the script of this film had gone through a few more drafts there might have been something really good here but sadly this film is way under developed.

2/5

The accidental drunk

Max Takes Tonics (1911)

Directed by and staring Max Linder this is an early short film. Max drinks down a big glass thinking it's medicine but instead it's alcohol and he gets into some mix ups.

There is nothing really remarkable about this short although it does have a couple of decent moments of slapstick. The plot is serviceable but nothing to write home about. Generally this is an average early comedy.

3/5

A killing murdered

Rustom (2016)

Directed by Tinu Suresh Sesai this film inspired by real events stars Akshay Kumar, Ileana D'Cruz, Arjan Bajwa, Esha Gupta and Pawan Malhtra. Returning home early from a posting an Indian naval officer finds his wife is cheating on him and kills her lover.

Inspired by a real life case this film seems to miss the important context and instead get caught up in some uncomfortable patriarchal views. The added twists about espionage also serve to detract from the human story. Unfortunately at times the sound track makes it seem like this is a parody rather than supposed to be a serious film.

1/5

Lazy money

Easy Money III: Life Deluxe (2013)

Directed by Jens Jonsson this film based on the novel of the same name stars Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dejan Cukic, Martin Wallstrom and Malin Buska. JW searches for his lost sister, Jorge plans a robbery and a policeman attempts to infiltrate the Serbian gang.

By the point the franchise has pretty much lost what made the original great and descended into standard genre fare. The relies far too heavily on coincidence attempting to wrap everything up nicely and has an ending that is far too contrived. I am glad this is the last film in the series because by this point the quality has really slipped.

2/5

Not really needed

Easy Money 2: Hard to Kill (2012)

Directed by Babak Najafi this film based on the novel “Aldrig fucka upp” stars Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dargomir Mrsic and Fares Fares. After serving his time JW is released from prison but quickly slips back into a life of crime.

Not exactly straying into the territory of unnecessary sequel this film still feels a bit too close to the original. None of the characters have really moved on or changed for their experiences in the first film despite how it may initially seem. Still a decent watch and fairly well made if nothing else.

3/5

Could do better

Getting Even (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Billy Quirk, Mark Pickford and James Kirkwood. Excluded from hitting on a pretty woman by his buddies a young man plans revenge on them.

I found this silent film a little hard to follow as it lacks titles and the editing could have been a bit sharper. The plot is no great shakes and not especially funny either. Overall this is not what I would term a classic of the period.

2/5

Real and tense

Kajaki: The True Story (2014)

Directed by Paul Katis this film based on real events stars David Elliot, Mark Stanley and Scott Kyle. In 2006 a group of British soldiers find themselves in a minefield suffering casualties.

Both documentary like and dripping with tension this is a really good look at life on the front lines. The script really captures the nature of both British and British soldier humour as well as attitudes. I thought this film was really well made and well worth a watch.

4/5

Not so easy money

Easy Money (2010)

Directed by Daniel Espinosa this film based on the novel of the same name stars Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic and Lisa Henni. Three men's lives intersect over the same drug deal in Sweden, all looking to make money for different reasons.

There are some really interesting characters in this film but it does tread fairly familiar ground. Polished and well made as a crime film it is a familiar tail of the self destructive nature of greed. Cast well the performances are the highlight of this film.

4/5

Carried

Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958)

Directed by Roman Polanski this short film stars Jakub Goldberg and Henryk Kluba. Two man emerge from the sea carrying a wardrobe and proceed to get treated poorly by all those they run into.

If there is a deeper meaning to this film it was beyond me. Certainly there is an element of entertainment in this short but it's just a little too abstract for my taste. For an early effort in the director's career it's pretty well made but hard to recommend.

3/5

To pain and love in Nova Scotia

Maudie (2016)

Directed by Aisling Walsh this biographical film based on the life of folk painter Maud Lewis stars Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke. A woman that has suffered with physical disability from a young age goes to live with a rough fish seller as his house maid.

Touching and an unusual look into the world of art the highlight of this film is Sally Hawkins physically demanding performance in the title role. While this film is enjoyable and touching there are elements that make you question how authentic it is. Whatever the case this is a good watch none the less.

3/5

Buried in there

The Sealed Room (1909)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this tilm stars Arthur V. Johnson, Marion Leonard and Henry B. Walthall. A Count creates a special room for having it off with his bit on the side but when he catches her with another lover in there he bricks them both up in the room.

Stretching out it's material a little too thinly I'm not sure this film catches the real horror inherent in the scenario. This is an average watch that could have learnt something from some of the more evocative pieces of the period. Not badly made this is more a film that doesn't reach it's potential.

3/5

If not happy at least not disappointed

Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016)

Directed by Mudassar Aziz this film stars Diana Penty, Abhay Deol, Ali Fazal and Moaml Sheikh. Attempting to run away from her wedding to be with the man she loves an Indian woman accidentally ends up in Pakistan.

This cross border farce is fairly entertaining if a little long when it's stretched out to two hours. A little more comedy would not have gone amiss but overall this is a decent watch even if it does not have much of interest to say about India-Pakistan relations. With a bit more polish this could have been an excellent film but the version we are left with is not bad.

3/5