Saved by the dog flap

The Battle at Elderbush Gulch (1913)

Directed by D. W. Griffith this film stars Mae Marsh, Lillian Gish and Lionel Barrymore. Two orphaned sisters are sent to live with a relative, then Native Americans attack.

This film is typical of early Griffith action films in it's form and a standard example of suspect views towards Native Americans. Not much stands out about this film but it is a fairly decent watch if you can ignore how the Native Americans are treated. The action is decent but on par with Griffith's other films of the period.

3/5

In the beginning

Batman: Year One (2011)

Directed by Sam Liu & Lauren Montgomery this film has voices from Ben McKenzie, Bryan Cranston and Eliza Dushku. We see the arrival of Jim Gordon in Gotham as Bruce Wayne returns to the city for the first time as an adult.

Sticking pretty closely to the comic of the same name this is a fairly faithful adaptation. A little on the short side this is a decent but not amazing entry into the Batman canon. If I have any real quibble it is that some of the animation is a bit weak at points.

3/5

Farming Canada style

The Back-breaking Leaf (1959)

Directed by Terence Macartney-Filgate this film is narrated by Stanley Jackson. We see the life of the seasonal workers who farm tobacco in Ontario.

Fairly simple on the surface level this is a decent look at the back breaking work involved in harvesting a crop. The film shows the daily life of people well but I am not sure it connects it to anything larger. Certainly of some interest but not something that will stick in the memory.

3/5

George of the jungle on space roids

Rampage (2018)

Directed by Brad Peyton this film based on the arcade game of the same name stars Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman and Jeffery Dean Morgan. Animals get infected by a super growth and aggression virus leading to them going on a, well, rampage.

No one is going to accuse this film of being smart so best check your brain out before you start watching this one. As big dumb action movies go this one is not too bad and it does have a little heart to it. Some of the action sequences could have done with having a bit more scale to them but in general this is not a terrible genre piece.

3/5

Not your daddy's Beatrix Potter

Peter Rabbit (2018)

Directed by Will Gluck this film stars Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson and the voice of James Corden. A rabbit and his friends get into scrapes when a new owner moves into the house they steal vegetables from.

This is no the Beatrix Potter any of us are familiar with and to be honest I'm not sure the level of humour fits the age group of children a film like this would appeal to. There is a bit of a cruel tone to a lot of the jokes and to be honest this is an uncomfortable marriage of elements on nearly all levels. If you can take the film for what it is then it is not too bad but it is a bit of a head scratcher on how it ended up this way.

2/5

The woman they don't like to talk about

Mary Magdalene (2018)

Directed by Garth Davis this biblical drama stars Rooney Mara, Joaquin Pheonix and Chiwetel Ejiofor. In 33AD a woman decides to follow Jesus against her family's wishes.

Taking it's cue from gnosticism and feminism this is a rather slow moving religious film. While there is some fantastic scenery and settings used ultimately that is really the only impressive part of the film. I am not sure that the film really has much to wow or entertain the casual viewer with.

3/5

The sound of nature

Anima Mundi (1992)

Directed by Godfrey Reggio this film is scored by Philip Glass. We see various clips of the natural world set to music.

Combining some fantastic photography with music this film is certainly a visual feast. While the film may not be driving to an obvious, larger point it is still a fascinating watch. Maybe a little on the long side for some this is a really good watch for nature lovers.

4/5

Laugh blockers

Blockers (2018)

Directed by Kay Cannon this film stars Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, Kathryn Newton, Grealdine Viswanathan and Gideon Adlon. Three parents attempt to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night.

I think I laughed maybe twice during this comedy as the script is sorely lacking when it comes to jokes. The plot veers between being trying to have feminist views to not really seeming to being kind of mean about some of the characters. As sex comedies go this is neither smart or funny really.

2/5

Ready, willing but not able

Ready Player One (2018)

Directed by Steven Spielberg this film based on the novel of the same name stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn and Lena Waithe. In the future young people try to find an Easter egg in a VR world to save it from being taken over by an evil CEO.

On the superficial level there is plenty to enjoy here but oddly for a Spielberg project the film ends up lacking a true emotional core. I found the plot itself, especially towards the end, to be juvinille and predictable. There are too many unearned character moments hidden behind dazzling special effects and pop culture references.

3/5

It's all fake

Wrestling (1961)

Directed by Michel Brault, Claude Fournier, Claude Jutra and Mracel Carriere this is a short documentary. We see professional wrestling from Montreal.

Taking a reverent look at the sport of pro wrestling this short documentary aims to celebrate rather than deride. Personally I have never been a fan of this sort of entertainment but the film makes have enough skill to highlight what the audience gets from wrestling. Decently made and a good watch.

3/5

Living in a Watson shaped shadow

Beauty and the Beast (2014)

Directed by Christophe Gans this film stars Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel. Following the bankruptcy of her family and her father stealing a rose a young woman ends up prisoner of a beast.

Unfortunately about 10 minutes into watching this film I realised that having recently seen the Emma Watson version I was really not in the mood to see another bland version of this fairy tale. The visuals here are nice but the story telling is pretty weak, the script feels very bare bones and the romance not convincing. Maybe it is unfair for this adaptation to live in the shadow of the more recent Hollywood one but that is how it breaks.

2/5

No rules

The Exception (2016)

Directed by David Leveuax this film based on the novel “The Kaiser's Last Kiss” stars Lily James, Jai Courtney, Christopher Plummer and Janet McTeer. In 1940 a German officer is sent to guard the Kaiser living in exile and root out a British spy in his household.

Playing fast and loose with both history and accents this is somewhat of a questionable film. Given there is some decent acting talent in this film the outcome is fairly disappointing. Some of the character actions also left me scratching my head as they seemed rather forced.

2/5

To infinity AND beyond

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo this film has a huge cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans and many others. Intergalactic warlord Thanos searches for the infinity stones and comes up against our heroes.

In the past I have criticised Marvel for being more interested in what they were building up to rather than some of the films they were currently putting out but on the results of this film it was all worth it. Capturing the essential of a comic book crossover event and balancing so many moving parts is in no way easy but it is carried off here really well. The film does a great job of bringing both some heart and a ton of great action to the screen.

5/5

Love and chess

Chess Fever (1925)

Directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin & Mykola Shpikovsky this film stars Vladimir Fogel and Anna Zemtsova. A young man obsessed with chess finds it getting in the way of his relationship with the woman he loves.

A fairly simple comedy looking at the Russian obsession with chess I found the ending of the film a slight disappointment but otherwise not a bad watch. Maybe not as funny as it could be the film certainly captures something of the chess fever though. Decently made and acted this is worth a watch.

3/5

Best not to look too deeply

Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

Directed by Robin Swicord this film based on the novel of the same name stars Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman and Hugh Dancy. Six people struggling with their love lives get together to read all Jane Austen's books.

On the surface this is a pretty generic romantic comedy with some light Jane Austen references. Underneath this film has kind of a lot of characters that are not that nice and do some really questionable things which are never properly addressed. I am sure there is a really decent version of this film in there somewhere but this script is just a bit too light for my taste.

2/5

Woman meets fishman

The Shape of Water (2017)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro this film stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones and Octavia Spencer. In 1962 a mute cleaning lady falls in love with a sea monster being experimented on in a government facility.

Bizarre to say the least this is probably the oddest love story you will ever see and while not as good as Pan's Labyrinth (2006) it is a good example of del Toro's aesthetic. Ultimately this is a story of a group of social outcasts finding solace in each other at a time of repression. Well made and well acted this is well worth a watch for its uniqueness if nothing else.

4/5

Mysteries of the plot

The Mysteries of the Chateau of Dice (1929)

Directed by Man Ray and Jacques-Andre Boiffard this is a silent short film. After rolling some dice a couple head off to explore a weird chateau.

This mix of the bizarre is a little hard to follow in all honesty. I struggled to find what connected the seeming random events of the film. Some of the images are nice but the plot is just too obscure for me.

2/5

How to get young men to go and die for their country

Sergeant York (1941)

Directed by Howard Hawks this film based on real events stars Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie and Walter Brennan. A rural farmer from Tennessee becomes a good Christian and then a war hero in WW1.

Essentially this is a propaganda film released on the eve of the US's entry into WW2 and it is clear the film seeks to wipe out any arguments young men might have about going off to fight. Straying from history to create an idealistic story it does take the film a little too long to get to the meat of the story in my opinion. Sadly for a film with such a big reputation I am not sure this one has aged very well.

2/5

Goodbye to all that

Katie Says Goodbye (2016)

Directed by Wayne Roberts this film stars Olivia Cooke, Christopher Abbott, Mireille Enos and Mary Steenburgen. A 17 year old girl working as a waitress and a prostitute to support her mother falls in love with a mechanic just out of prison.

This tale of small town America is not very original but is well told and comes to the inevitable sad conclusion. Without melodrama the slow moving film rises to a decent climax. There are good performances and decent direction.

3/5

Not playing a blinder

In Darkness (2018)

Directed by Anthony Byrne this film stars Natalie Dormer, Ed Skrein and Emily Ratajkowski. A blind pianist overhears a struggle before her neighbour falls to her death.

For much of this film it is a pretty decent thriller but I think a few too many twists at the end undo a lot of the good work of the early portions of the film. It may be a little bit predictable where the film is going and sadly the ending does not hold together but there is still some enjoyable things here. There is plenty of tension and the direction and performances do a good job of holding the film together.

2/5

Not exactly money

Money Box (2014)

Written & directed by Muzappar Osman this film stars Auro Tosi. A man finds a vending machine gives out more cash than you put in and becomes greedy.

Listed as an award winning short I found the plot of this film rather simple. Decently filmed but really lacking a way of building on the premise this was a bit of a disappointment. There is some potential here but it is kind of wasted.

2/5

Can you hear the bells ring?

The Polar Express (2004)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis this film based on the book of the same name has voices from Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara and Nona Gaye. A young boy unsure if he believes in Santa or not any more is invited to take a journey on a magic train to the North Pole.

Putting together a simple Christmas movie this film does a good job of layering in some hints of darker stuff under the surface. At times it does feel a little bit like the plot has been padded out to fill the run time but the film does have some charm to it. The computer animation is decent but does show it's age a little bit as techniques have moved on.

3/5

No cure, slight bore

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)

Directed by Wes Ball this film based on the novel of the same name stars Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Rosa Salazar. Our heroes head towards the last city in the world to find their missing friend.

At times contrived and a little on the bloated side this film is not really for those that were not huge fans of the series. As big budget blockbusters go this is not too bad but the film never connected with me emotionally. With a little work this could have been a better film.

2/5

Not so lonely?

Lonely Boy (1962)

Directed by Wolf Koenig and Roman Kroitor this is a short documentary. We see what it is like to be a teen idol as the cameras follow pop star Paul Anka.

As documentaries go I would not say this one is especially insightful due to its brief nature. Very much a surface level look at the subject matter there is still some interesting stuff here. I would have preferred the questions put to the subject had a little more push to them.

3/5

How to play nicely with others

Western (2017)

Written & directed by Valeska Grisebach this film stars Meinhard Neumann, Reinhardt Wetrek, Syuleyman Alilov Letifov and Vyara Borisova. German construction workers head to rural Bulgaria to build a hydroelectric plant but only one of them really tries to fit in with the locals.

As a study of relationships between Germany and poorer countries in the EU this is certainly an interesting film. The minimalist, realism of the film might not be to everyone's taste but I certainly enjoyed the slow burn nature of the film. Well made and with some stunning scenery this is a good watch.

4/5

Kids, booze and prejudice

Bomb City (2017)

Directed by Jameson Brooks this film based on real events stars Dave Davis, Glenn Morshower, Logan Huffman and Lorelei Linklater. Tensions between the punk and jock communities in Amarillo Texas rise to tragic consequences.

I really enjoyed this film, the way it contrasted the two cultural subtypes, how they are treated and the way it obscures the climax for those unfamiliar with the events. Certainly this film leaves the viewer with plenty to think about. Well made and largely well acted this film is well worth a watch.

4/5

Consider my daisy unpulled

Pull My Daisy (1959)

Directed by Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie this film has narration from writer Jack Kerouac. We are told the story of a railway brakeman's wife inviting a bishop to dinner.

To be honest I found this film a little hard to follow and difficult to get to the point. The style is that of Beat poetry but was not really to my taste. I am sure some will find this an interesting experiment but sadly I did not.

2/5

A poor man's Tennessee Williams

Wonder Wheel (2017)

Written & directed by Woody Allen this film stars Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Juno Temple and Justin Timberlake. During a 1950s summer on Coney Island a married woman starts an affair while her step daughter is on the run from the mob.

It is clear the style that Allen is going for here but that seems more fitting of a play at times and some of the dialogue/performances are a bit obvious. At least the plot offers a bit of variety compared to the usual Allen film of a neurotic older man chasing a younger woman. The most interesting thing here is the striking use of coloured lighting in some of the scenes.

3/5

Flim flam and hogwash

The Greatest Showman (2017)

Directed by Michael Gracey this musical based on real events stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya. A poor man aspures to become rich by entertaining the public.

Despite all the hype I found this to be a very bland musical with little plot or respect for history. The musical numbers are the generic modern pop songs and I doubt will stand the test of time. Clearly there is a lot of production value that has gone into the film but everything else seems to have been an after thought.

2/5

Life, growth and others

Lady Bird (2017)

Written & directed by Greta Gerwig this film stars Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts and Beanie Feldstein. In her final year of high school in 2002 a Sacramento teen regularly clashes with her mother.

Covering plenty of familiar ground this is still a very good coming of age drama. Despite being slightly over hyped by critics this is still a really interesting look at the usual themes but from the less seen female perspective. Well made and constructed it is very easy to recommend this film.

4/5