In need of cash

The Belly of the Whale (2018)

Directed by Morgan Bushe this film stars Lewis Macdougall, Pat Shortt and Michael Smiley. A teenage boy and an old man both in need of cash decide to stage a robbery.

Made on a low budget this Irish crime farce is a fairly good watch. If you are expecting big action and thrills you are in the wrong place but there are a few chuckles along the way of this one. Not the greatest film you will ever see but it does fill 90 minutes well.

3/5

Run overly sentimental

Run Wild, Run Free (1969)

Directed by Richard C. Sarafian this film based on the novel “The White Colt” stars John Mills, Mark Lester, Sylvia Syms and Gordon Jackson. A young boy who will no speak befriends a white colt with blue eyes.

Pretty simplistic in plot this is a fairly good watch of a slightly dated film. The music is massively over the top in places but otherwise this is a decently made film. A bit sentimental in places it is still nice to see a countryside based film when so few of those get made these days.

3/5

No grace

The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018)

Directed by Diederik van Rooijen this film stars Shay Mitchell, Stana Katic, Grey Damon and Kirby Johnson. A recovering addict takes up a job overseeing the night intake at the city morgue.

As horror films go this one is pretty bland, especially when it comes to the scares. The protagonist at least has some depth to her but it does not really resonate with the plot. In the end this is a pretty weak effort that is easily forgotten.

2/5

Not so blind after all

The Turn-of-the-Century Blind Man (1898)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. A man pretending to be blind begging for money tries to get one over on the police.

I am not sure what the point of this film is but it seems to imply that the protagonist isn't blind at all. The plot ends up not really being funny and maybe a little offensive. Not one of the best from Guy-Blache.

2/5

Lazy

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)

Directed by David Kerr this third instalment in the franchise stars Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko and Emma Thompson. Our protagonist is called out of retirement to investigate cyber attacks against the UK.

Pretty average in terms of James Bond parodies this is a limp effort that is really phoning it in at times. There are a few chuckles but mostly this is a predictable film that is just going through the motions. Rowan Atkinson is a master of physical comedy but only gets to show it off very occasionally.

2/5

I submit this is not good

Submission (2017)

Directed by Richard Levine this film based on the novel “Blue Angel” stars Stanley Tucci and Addison Timlin. A writer working as a professor of literature has sex with one of his creative writing students, shockingly it turns out badly.

To be honest I thought this film added nothing to the familiar subject matter, especially in a post #MeToo era. Everything was far too familiar and predictable. I suppose the performances are fine but that does not carry the film.

2/5

What green fairy?

Wonderful Absinthe (1899)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. We see a misunderstanding over some absinthe at an outdoor cafe.

It is easy to see how the characters could have a misunderstanding because it is pretty hard to tell what is going on here. It is nice to see an attempt at a narrative here but I found it impossible to follow. Not the best of the films I have seen from Guy-Blache.

2/5

Always about class

The Little Stranger (2018)

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film based on the novel of the same name stars Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter and Charlotte Rampling. In the 1940s a doctor visiting a run down noble estate tries to help a family that thinks something evil is in the house.

There are elements of this film that are really well done but the protagonist is kind of pushy and I am not sure the story ever really has a resolution. A decent watch with plenty of familiar British stiff upper lip. Very much a period piece which means it might not be for everyone.

3/5

Not in distress

Damsel (2018)

Written & directed by Nathan and David Zellner this film stars Robert Pattison and Mia Wasikowsa. A young man heads off with a preacher to rescue his beloved.

This is a slightly unusual western in that it quickly becomes a farce where little is as it seems. On the surface level this is a pretty entertaining piece. Well made but not amazingly deep.

3/5

One small step

First Man (2018)

Directed by Damien Chazelle this film based on real events stars Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy and Jason Clarke. We follow Neil Armstrong on his path to becoming an astronaut and the first man to walk on the moon.

No space film has ever put the viewer in the cockpit like this one has, it really is a breath taking achievement in cinema. I really love the way the script makes a personal story from such a world wide historic event. If I have one criticism of the film it is that we never see how Armstrong became the type of person he is.

4/5

Flowing dress, made to impress

Danse fleur de lotus (1897)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. We see a woman in a large dress doing a flowery dance.

Very simple in concept this single shot of around a minute captures a portion of a dance performance. There is not a huge amount to this film but it does give an idea of the nature of the act. Similar to a number of other films of the period but not bad.

3/5

Well made but familiar

Overlord (2018)

Directed by Julius Avery this film stars Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier and John Magaro. On D-day paratroopers find Nazis carrying out terrible experiments and the radio tower they need to blow up.

This World War 2/horror movie mash up is a pretty decent watch even if a little calculated in some of the more obvious jump scares. The plot is decent but I do not think there is anything of great depth going on here. A fun watch but probably forgettable in the long run.

3/5

More like sinking

The Rise of the Vikings (2018)

Directed by Roel Reine this film also known as “Redbad” stars Gijs Naber, Jonathan Banks and Loes Haverkort. Poor innocent Frisians have their human sacrifice ceremony interrupted by evil Christians.

Overly melodramatic and filled with historical inaccuracies there are a lot of problems with this film. Stretching out far too long and with a number of silly action sequences this is more spectacle than story. Maybe impressive for the budget it was made on but that is about all I would say in favour of this film.

2/5

Above us all

The Burglars (1897)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. We see burglars chased across roof tops by the police.

What stands out most here are the great sets, the action and plot less so. It is a bit hard to make out exactly what is going on at times and there is not really much of a plot here. I did enjoy the setting if nothing else.

3/5

Not on the side of this one

The Flip Side (2018)

Directed by Marion Pilowsky this film stars Emily Taheny, Eddie Izzard, Luke McKenzie and Vanessa Guide. An Australian woman's boyfriend unwittingly reunites her with her ex-boyfriend who is a major movie star.

As romantic comedies go this one is a little different than the usual formula but still not that great. Obviously the main draw here is Eddie Izzard but he seems out of sorts as an upper class English actor. There is really only one funny line in the whole film, otherwise it is a bit of a mission to get through this film.

2/5

Nothing to obey

Obey (2018)

Written & directed by Jamie Jones this film stars Marcus Rutherford, Sophie Kennedy Clark and Sam Gittins. A 19 year old living with his alcoholic mother struggles to find a path in life.

There is plenty to enjoy about this film set against the back drop of the 2011 riots but I am not sure the story ever really hits a conclusion. In the end our protagonist finds nothing, which may be realistic but is not necessarily very satisfying. I enjoyed the film but I think it needed a little more polish to be really good.

3/5

Little bark, no bite.

Daughter of the Wolf (2019)

Directed by David Hackl this film stars Gina Carano, Brendan Fehr and Richard Dreyfuss. A woman tries to recover her son from kidnappers.

I am all for films set against a snowy back drop but that is about all this film has going for it. Both the script and direction are questionable at times. It is really hard to find anything to like about this film, I have no idea who thought this one was a good idea.

2/5

When you only have one shot

Little Tich and His Funny Feet (1901)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this film stars Harry Relph. We see the famous music hall act of Harry Relph under his stage name Little Tich.

One of the many early films that captures a small portion of a vaudeville act this is an entertaining short. There is not a huge amount to this one minute film but what there is gives an idea of what must have been a longer act. A single static shot is all we get here so there is no a lot to say on the direction.

3/5

A Star Is Born Again

A Star Is Born (2018)

Directed by star Bradley Cooper this remake also features Lady Gaga and Sam Elliott. A country music star with a host of problems falls in love with a sing-songwriter he discovers.

This is the fourth version of this film that has been made and unfortunately I have not seen any of the previous ones. What we do get here is a good film exploring the flaws of the central characters. I do feel like the romance element is a little rushed at the start but over all this is a well made effort.

4/5

A jumped up German corporal

The Captain (2017)

Written & directed by Robert Schwentke this film inspired by real events stars Max Hubacher, Milan Pechel and Frederick Lau. In the final days of WW2 a German deserter finds the uniform of a captain and assumes the man's identity.

A very odd story with a protagonist who reflects the path taken by so many under the Nazi regime. It is really disturbing to watch a character you are initially sympathetic to turn into a complete monster. Well made and acted, certainly worth a watch even if it does stray slightly from history.

4/5

Holiday video 1897 style

Bathing in a Stream (1897)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blance this is an early short film. We see a group of kids messing about in a stream.

I suppose today a short clip like this is something every family probably has in their home video collection but at the time it would have been highly unusual. There is not really a plot here but it is an early use of location shooting. As a historical record I am sure this is interesting but otherwise not so much.

2/5

No joy at the sea side

Two for Joy (2018)

Written & directed by Tom Beard this film stars Samantha Morton, Billie Piper, Emilia Jones and Daniel Mays. A widow with depression takes her two children to stay at a caravan park for the weekend.

There is a lot that was familiar in the setting of this film and I really enjoyed the plot of different characters struggling with their past. The story builds to an inevitable climax of tragedy that you can not look away from. Well made and well acted.

4/5

The alternate universe before series entry

Juliet, Naked (2018)

Directed by Jesse Peretz this film based on the novel of the same name stars Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke and Chris O'Dowd. A woman accidentally becomes pen pals with the reclusive musician her boyfriend is obsessed with.

As romantic-comedies go this is a pretty good one that avoids the well trodden genre cliches. I actually enjoyed this film a fair amount and while it could have been a little deeper it is a lot of fun. Well worth a watch if you are in the right mood.

3/5

Not divine

The Water Diviner (2014)

Directed by star Russell Crowe this film also features Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney and Yilmaz Erdogan. After WW1 an Australian farmer goes to Turkey to find the resting place of this three sons who died in the war.

As much as I am a fan of Russell Crowe unfortunately there are moments in this film that really show this is his first time directing. A little melodramatic at times as well as featuring some spiritual nonsense I am not a fan of either. Not bad for a directorial debut but lacking in some areas.

2/5

A little magic

At the Hypnotist's (1897)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. We see a man visit a hypnotists and gets some tricks played on him.

Using simple trick photography this is another good example of the early camera trick films. Well made an edited this short shows off some of the things you can achieve in film. Clearly an early experiment but on par with anything else of the era.

3/5

Lost in the web

The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

Directed by Fede Alvarez this sequel based on the novel of the same name stars Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason and LaKeith Stanfield. Our heroine is hired to steal a computer program from the NSA that can control all the nuclear weapons in the world.

I really did not like this sequel, it takes the series down a spy thriller route that does not feel grounded in reality at all. There is little character depth and it feels like there is a films missing between this one and it's predecessors. I suppose the action sequences are decently made but I was turned off by this film nearly from the start.

2/5

Argento, alcoholism and obsession

Videoman (2018)

Written & directed by Kristian A. Soderstrom this film stars Stefan Sauk, Lena Nilsson and Morgan Alling. A man obsessed with collecting Italian horror films on VHS starts a relationship with an alcoholic woman.

Certainly there is something to this odd Swedish film and it captures maybe a little more of the film obsessive than some of us film fans would like. Maybe a little cheaply made but that just reflects the films the protagonist loves. There is plenty to enjoy for a film fan and the character story holds up for a non film fan too.

3/5

Where babies come from

The Cabbage-Patch Fairy (1896)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blance this is an early short film. A woman helps produce babies from the cabbage patch.

Very simple in terms of what happens on screen it might be a bit of a stretch to call this a true narrative experience. The production values are very decent for the period and the surviving image quality is good too. Not a bad watch but probably not one of the highlights of the early silent period.

3/5

The case for not being

Being Rose (2017)

Directed by Rod McCall this film stars Cybill Shepherd, James Brolin and Pam Grier. A woman diagnosed with a fatal condition goes on a road trip.

Recently I have seen a few amazing films about characters facing their own mortality but sadly this is not one of them. The writing, acting and direction are all pretty bad here so it becomes hard to find anything to enjoy. Perhaps the lowlight of this film is the healthiest looking heroin addict I have ever seen.

1/5

Not full of laughter

Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)

Directed by Crispian Mills this film stars Asa Butterfield, Finn Cole, Hermoine Corfield, Michael Sheen and Simon Pegg. Fracking at an upper class boarding school leads to the release of monsters.

It takes a really long while for this film to get going but there are finally some funny moments when everything comes to a head. In my opinion the film suffers a little from an identity crisis, unsure if it wants to be a drama or a comedy. Not a bad watch in the end but lacking a little polish.

3/5

Disaster averted

Lost in London (2017)

Written & directed by star Woody Harrelson this film also features Eleanor Matsuura and Owen Wilson. On a night out in London actor Woody Harrelson falls foul of his wife and then the law.

Obviously the biggest part of this film was that it was shot live in one take. As a film experiment this is an impressive achievement but that is probably all the film will ever be remembered for. The autobiographical nature of the film is some what refreshing but nothing special.

4/5