Not dancing in the moonlight

Moonlight (2016)

Directed by Barry Jenkins this film based on an unpublished play stars Travante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Andre Holland and Naomie Harris. At three different periods in his life we see an African American struggling with his sexuality.

Fascinating as a study the intersection of homosexuality and masculinity in an oppressed community this is a great watch. Never melodramatic the script treats its subject matter with care and skill. There are some good performances and interesting choices of music.

4/5

Spielberg and feminism?

The Post (2017)

Directed by Steven Spielberg this film based on real events stars Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Sarah Paulson. With the Washington Post about to go public it faces a tough choice on publishing classified material.

You can see the finger prints of Spielberg's story telling all over this script in both good and bad, slightly heavy handed ways. No doubt this is an enjoyable and well constructed film but at best you could say it is skirting the truth when building up the roll of the Post in the affair of the Pentagon Papers. Another solid effort from Spielberg but a bit pedestrian as some of his other recent efforts have been.

3/5

Slick but empty

Ocean's 8 (2018)

Directed by Gary Ross this film stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway. Straight out of prison Danny Ocean's sister puts together a team for a jewellery heist.

Fairly slick as a heist film the problem here is that most of the characters lack the personality to bring the script up a level. I would also say that some of the non-white characters are stereotypical enough to raise an eyebrow. Not a terrible watch but ultimately a bit on the bland side.

3/5

By the numbers

By Indian Post (1919)

Directed by John Ford this film stars Pete Morrison, Duke R. Lee and Magda Lane. A cowboy falls in love with his boss's daughter but his boss is not impressed with the idea.

This is a simple early western that does not have a huge amount going on for it. Decently made for the period but ultimately unremarkable. Probably not worth seeking out unless you are a completionist.

3/5

They're here

Arrival (2016)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve this film based on the novella “Story of Your Life” stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker. When aliens arrive on Earth a linguist is tasked with trying to help communicate with them.

Impressively dealing with concepts in both hard science-fiction as well as on a more personal level this is a film that will really challenge the viewer. Told with a slow, almost lyrical pace the film is well constructed giving a real emotional connection. Beautiful to watch and challenging of thought it is impossible not to recommend this film.

5/5

women at work

Women in Defense (1941)

Directed by John Ford this short film is written by Eleanor Roosevelt and narrated by Katherine Hepburn. We see women taking up various jobs to help with the war effort.

A simple piece of propaganda this film is notable for those involved with its production. No doubt more interesting as a historical record this is still a fairly decent watch. Somewhat dry but fairly entertaining.

3/5

Those we lost

Torpedo Squadron (1942)

Directed by John Ford this is a short documentary. We see film of the members of Torpedo Squadron 8 all but one of whom were later killed at the Battle of Midway.

A sombre memorial for men who were lost during the war there is not much to this film but it is still very human and touching. There is little narrative to this short piece but it is well worth a watch. Certainly propaganda but on a very personal level.

3/5

Not that bad really

Bad Samaritan (2018)

Directed by Dean Devlin this film stars David Tennant, Robert Sheehan and Kerry Condon. A petty thief finds a woman chained up in a rich serial killer's house, will he do the right thing?

I suppose this film poses something of an interesting dilemma but it is a pretty average thriller in the end. Nothing really surprises as the plot unfolds and there are no major twists. Decently made but not overly remarkable.

3/5

That's a problem

Unlovable (2018)

Directed by Suzi Yoonessi this film stars Charlene deGuzman, John Hawkes and Melissa Leo. A young woman with a sex and love addiction hits rock bottom so tries to get help.

This is a pretty simple tale of someone trying to quit their addiction cold turkey. Some elements are a little unusual and the plot is fairly gentle but this does add up to a decent watch. Not overly challenging at any point what is best about this film is the way it stays clear of any over sentimentality.

3/5

Dirty laundry

The Devil's Doorway (2018)

Directed by Aislinn Clarke this film stars Lalor Roddy, Ciaran Flynn and Helena Bereen. Two priests head to a Irish home for fallen women where a statue of the Virgin Mary has been reportedly seen weeping blood.

About the only thing interesting this film adds to the found footage genre is placing it in a historical settling. The plot takes the sins of the Catholic church and in this instance blames them on Satanists which does not sit entirely right with me. There are some decent performances but this is a pretty standard horror film at the end of the day.

3/5

Raising sheep

Crofters (1944)

Directed by Ralph Keene this is a short documentary. We see like in a Scottish crofting community in Sutherland.

Not exactly challenging to the viewer this is still a fairly interesting look at rural life. Painting a bit of an idyllic picture of life in what is essentially rural poverty this film skirts around being propaganda. As a slice of history and with some great backdrops this is a good watch.

3/5

Racing to race

Williams (2017)

Directed by Morgan Matthews this is a documentary featuring archive footage and modern interviews. We see the life of Frank Williams and his wife in Formula One.

I really liked the personal direction this documentary takes, being more about a relationship between two people than racing history. There was a part of me that was slightly worried that this would just be a promotional film for the Williams team but while there are elements of that this documentary tells a very human story. Well made this is certainly worth a watch and not just if you are a Formula One fan.

4/5

Not the life of any party

Life of the Party (2018)

Directed by Ben Falcone this film stars Melissa McCarthy, Molly Gordon, Gillian Jacobs and Maya Rudolph. On finding out her husband is divorcing her a middle aged woman returns to college to finish her degree at the same time her daughter is in her final year there.

There is some promise to the premise of this film but it never capitalises on the potential it has. The script stumbles through some predictable beats with out being especially funny or having much to say. At times the film is a little cringe heavy for my taste as well.

2/5

I'd rather not see

The Act of Seeing with One's Own Eyes (1971)

Directed by Stan Brakhage this is somewhere between a documentary and an experimental film. We see extended sequences of autopsies on people.

This is one of the few films I have actually turned off rather than watch all the way through. The content seems to be shocking and gory just for the sake of it. There is no plot, just an ongoing parade of images.

2/5

No shock, no awe

Shock and Awe (2017)

Directed by star Rob Reiner this film also features Woody Harrelson, James Marseden and Tommy Lee Jones. Journalists at Knight Ridder investigate the Bush administration as it puts together a case for war in Iraq.

Despite having the talent of Rob Reiner at the helm this film falls far short of standards set by a film like All the Presidents Men (1976). Too short and too superficial this film fails to get across it's important subject matter in a compelling way. Unfortunately it is hard to recommend this film on any point.

2/5

Sneezes

Mountain Fever (2017)

Written & directed by Hendrik Faller this film stars Julien Caplan, Anya Korzun and Julien Michel. Trying to escape a fatal flu epidemic a young Englishman becomes trapped in his parent's French holiday home with unwanted visitors.

As post apocalyptic films go this is not a very interesting one, nothing much happens and the script has little to say. Clearly made on a budget the limitations on the film makers are a little too obvious rather than providing the basis for a claustrophobic setting. There is not much to recommend this one on sadly.

2/5

Life goes on

Anything (2017)

Written & directed by Timothy McNeil this film based on a play stars John Carroll Lynch, Matt Bomer and Maura Tierney. Following the death of his wife and a failed suicide attempt a man moves to LA where he begins a relationship with his neighbour who is a transwoman sex worker.

The plot of this film is fairly gentle and while it deals with some major issues it only ever really skims the surface of them. I would have really liked to see a longer and deeper version of this film but as it is it is not a bad watch. Both the performances and direction are decent but not amazing.

3/5

A tourist advert

Waverley Steps: A Visit to Edinburgh (1948)

Directed by John Eldridge this short film is made up of a series of scripted vignettes. We see various people going about their lives in Edinburgh over a 24 hour period.

Well constructed the stories here are not overly interesting but do show a slice of life in a busy city. Working better as a tourist film than a piece of entertainment this is still a decent look at history. Not overly remarkable but watchable.

3/5

Predictable

Beirut (2018)

Directed by Brad Anderson this film also known as The Negotiator stars Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike and Dean Norris. In 1982 a negotiator returns to Beirut to try and save a former colleague who has been kidnapped.

Decently made but a little on the predictable side this is a pretty average spy thriller. The plot has little special to say about the Middle East but does stay fairly grounded at least. Nothing is overly special about the film but it is not a bad way to kill some time.

3/5

As badly written as the book it focuses on

Book Club (2018)

Directed by Bill Holderman this film stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen. Four older women have a book club and sex lives that none of them are satisfied with.

Essentially this is like The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) but with old women and Fifty Shades of Grey instead, so not funny or smart. There are not a lot of geriatric sex comedies out there and even less from the point of view of women but I have to imagine they are all better than this. Not only is this film boring it's pretty dumb too.

2/5

Mississippi problems

The River (1938)

Directed by Pare Lorentz this is a short documentary. We see the great Mississippi river and how it fits into the lives of the people living around it.

Essentially a government information film this film shows how human activity damaged the environment and the plans to fix it. Not very deep but clear and well laid out this is not a bad watch. Very much in the vein of Lorentz's earlier The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936).

3/5

He cometh

Iceman (2017)

Directed by Felix Randau this film stars Jurgen Vogel, Susanne Wuest, Andre Hennicke and Sabin Tambrea. A neolithic man returns home to find his family killed and their village burnt to the ground.

Presented without subtitles it is an interesting choice to keep the viewer at arms length to reflect the fact we can never really know the full story of a person from so long ago. The plot is a simple revenge piece and is pretty easy to follow despite not knowing what people are saying. There are some great landscape shots to look at as a backdrop for the film.

4/5

Returning to the source

Dark River (2017)

Written & directed by Clio Barnard this film stars Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley and Sean Bean. After 15 years away a woman returns home to the family farm after her father dies but is haunted by the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father.

This is a really well told tale of rural life and abuse which is not easy to watch and will be upsetting to some. About the only part of the film I did not like was the ending which is a little too familiar and forced for my taste but otherwise this is a very good watch. Well made and well acted this film definitely captures the location it is made in.

4/5

Lazy all round

Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High (2018)

Directed by Elsa Garagarza this animated film has voices from Grey Griffin, Anais Fairweather, Ashlyn Selich and Tara Strong. Lex Luthor's sister has a plan to trick a bunch of super powered girls into working for her.

Both a step down in animation quality and writing quality compared to the films in the main Lego series it is no surprise to see this was a direct to video effort. It is really hard not to draw the conclusion that the minimum of effort has been put in here to churn out another entry in the franchise. I am not even sure that very young children would find the plot here entertaining.

2/5

Of Greeks and wooden horses

The Fall of Troy (1911)

Directed by Giovanni Pastrone and Luigi Romano Borgnetto this is a silent film based on the legend of the same name. After his wife is stolen a Greek king and his brother go siege Troy to get her back.

Plot wise this film very much as you would expect with little to remark upon. Where this silent film comes into its own is the really impressive sets for the period. The art direction manages to achieve a really good level of scale and grandeur.

4/5

The past in colour

They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

Directed by Peter Jackson this documentary features the voices of World War 1 veterans. We see footage from World War 1 that has been colourized and had sound added to it.

A fascinating experiment in film making brings to life the horrors of the trenches in WW1 in a way never seen or heard before by audiences. The actual content is not exactly all encompassing or exploring new ground but is certainly shocking. For breaking new ground in film making alone this film is well worth watching.

4/5

To come out or not to come out, that is the question

Love, Simon (2018)

Directed by Greg Berlanti this film based on the novel “Simon vs, the Homo Sapiens Agenda” stars Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford and Alexandra Shipp. A 17 year old high schooler struggles to come to terms with being gay and if he wants to come out or not.

Pretty much excellent from start to finish the only blemish on this film is that the ending gets a little self indulgent but otherwise this is a really good story about teenage insecurity and sexuality. There is plenty to enjoy here, especially second hand cringe at some of the character actions. Well made and well acted this is a good watch.

4/5

Not a stand up piece

Statues Also Die (1953)

Directed by a trio of Alain Resnais, Ghislain Cloquet and writer Chris Marker this is a short documentary. We see various pieces of African art and history.

Banned in France for it's criticism of colonialism to modern ideas there are some problematic elements to the way the film treats Africans. Very much a watch only for those that like very arty cinema this may be a bit boring to others. Certainly there is something going on here but the film has not aged very well.

3/5