Italy would have been better

Rory's Way (2018)

Directed by Oded Binnun & Mihal Brezis this film also known as “The Etruscan Smile” stars Brian Cox, Thora Birch and JJ Feild. A man from a remote Scottish island with a terminal illness goes to visit his son in San Francisco.

It is fairly easy to see where the plot of this film is going from the off but it is still a decent watch with some charm to it. The novel this film is based on is set in Italy which makes slightly more sense than the transatlantic version here. Despite all the familiar elements this is still a fairly heart warming watch.

3/5

Not so grand

Grand Isle (2019)

Directed by Stephen Campanelli this film stars Nicolas Cage, KaDee Strickland, Luke Benward and Kelsey Grammer. A young man is caught in a game between a husband and wife.

Trying to be a steamy gothic horror this film falls far short of its ambitions. The plot contains a number of familiar elements but stumbles into a disappointing ending. Parts of the film make no sense and this is one of those “out there” Nicolas Cage films that is best forgotten.

2/5

To invent time travel or not to invent time travel, that is the queston

James vs. His Future Self (2019)

Directed by Jeremy Lalonde this film stars Jonas Chernick, Daniel Stern and Cleopatra Coleman. On the verge of discovering time travel a scientist is visited by his future self to warn against pursuing science over his personal life.

Coming with a pretty simple moral to the story this is a decent but not revolutionary watch. I wish they had done a bit of a better job of casting two actors that look more similar to each other but otherwise this is a well made film. For a low budget sci-fi film this is better than expected.

3/5

Return to sender

Jarhead: Law of Return (2019)

Written & directed by Don Michael Paul this fourth film in the franchise stars Amaury Nolasco, Robert Patrick and Yael Eitan. While training in Israel a group of US Marines are sent on a joint rescue mission for a downed Israeli pilot who is the son of a US senator.

I did not know that Jarhead had one sequel let alone three so this film was somewhat of a shock to me and does not seem to be linked to the original film. The script is filled a bunch of fake alpha behaviour and ridiculous action sequences. Not one to seek out, or watch.

2/5

One of the bigger mistakes

Howard the Duck (1986)

Directed by Willard Huyck this comic book adaptation stars Lea Thompson, Jeffery Jones, Tim Robbins and the voice of Chip Zien. An evolved duck is transported from his world to Earth.

This is a hugely confusing movie in that I was never able to work out who the target audience was. The script contains too much adult material for children but the plot is so terrible no one over the age of five could take it seriously. It does not help that the special effects have also aged terrible as has some of the humour.

1/5

Woman in Black

Men in Black: International (2019)

Directed by F. Gary Gary this film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Liam Neeson. A new member of the MiB is sent to London on her first assignment.

It seems this film had a troubled production history which might explain the bland effort we are left with. Nothing about the plot or the characters is that memorable but there are enough special effects to gloss over most of the problems with the script. All in all this film limps along rather than revitalising the franchise.

3/5

Finding a back bone

A Good Woman is Hard to Find (2019)

Directed by Abner Pastoll this film stars Sarah Bolger, Andrew Simpson and Edward Hogg. A recently widowed mother of two has a drug dealer on the run force his way into her house.

A fairly enjoyable thriller without much extra weight to it is what we have here. Sarah Bolger gives a decent performance in the lead roll but the script needs a little more meat on its bones in my opinion. A good watch but without much to say.

3/5

Not Christmas but is a Carol

The Wave (2019)

Directed by Gille Klabin this film stars Justin Long, Donald Faison, Katia Winter and Tommy Flanagan. An insurance lawyer goes to a party and takes an unknown drug.

This is a pretty simple story that owes a fair amount to “A Christmas Carol”. You can see the plot coming a mile off but this is still a decent watch. I have certainly seen worse films.

3/5

Voyage to a new land

The Flood (2019)

Directed by Anthony Woodley this film stars Lena Headey, Ivanno Jeremiah, Mandip Gill and Iain Glen. An immigration officer is given the case of an African immigrant who attacked a police office with the expectation she will reject his request for asylum.

Taking what is a controversial topic this film does a good job of taking a very mundane look at the subject matter. Without getting overly sentimental we see what it is like for someone to try to get into the UK. I enjoyed the film but it is slightly limited in scope.

4/5

The modern spy

The Operative (2019)

Directed by Yuval Adler this film based on the novel “The English Teacher” stars Diane Kruger, Martin Freeman and Cas Anvar. A western woman recruited by Mossad to spy in Tehran falls in love with her target.

There are a lot of elements to enjoy about this grounded spy thriller but the ending left me a little frustrated. Not hitting the heights of a John le Carre adaptation this film is still a decent genre piece in its own right. Diane Kruger gives a strong performance in the lead role that holds the film together.

3/5

Burnt by the system

Trial by Fire (2018)

Directed by Edward Zwick this film based on real events stars Jack O'Connell, Laura Dern and Emily Meade. A man is sent to death row for allegedly killing his three children after getting little in the way of a legal defence.

Clearly this film has an agenda right from the start but it is hard to argue with the assertion that the central character never got a fair trial. For those of us against the death penalty this is just another reminder of why it is a terrible idea. A slightly more subtle or nuanced take on the subject matter might worked a little better to convert people who think differently.

3/5

Tolkien the school years

Tolkien (2019)

Directed by Dome Karukoski this film based on real events stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney and Derek Jacobi. We follow the young J. R. R. Tolkien through his schooling and World War 1.

To be honest this is more an attempt to create a legend of Tolkien's early years through the filter of his writing on Lord of the Rings than to tell an accurate story. I enjoyed the film but I was left with too many concerns over the accuracy of the film. Would have been a better film if it was not so interested in pushing an agenda.

2/5

Slightly different but a lot the same

Ma (2019)

Directed by Tate Taylor this film stars Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis and Luke Evans. A middle aged woman seeks revenge on the people that humiliated her in high school by messing with their teenage children.

As horror films go this film does a good job of rounding out the villain so that they are not just evil for the sake of evil. Otherwise the film is fairly generic and is a bit like watching the characters being involved in a slow motion train wreck, you know things are going to end terribly for them. Decently made but part of a crowded genre.

3/5

Ashes of my interest

Into the Ashes (2019)

Written & directed by Aaron Harvey this film stars Luke Grimes, Frank Grillo and Marguerite Moreau. A man's criminal past catches up with him.

There are elements of this crime thriller that are pretty well done but unfortunately too many that are not. The plot ends up suggesting that sometimes you just have to take the law into your own hands and needlessly changes focus in the middle just to pad out the run time. Overall there are many better genre films than this one you can watch.

2/5

Barging in

Battle of Leningrad (2019)

Directed by Alexey Kozlov this film inspired by real events stars Maria Melnikova and Andrey Mironov-Udalov. On the eve of the siege of Leningrad a girl runs off with a soldier.

Covering two days of a nearly nine hundred day siege this film offers a small window into those trying to escape the city. The plot is no great shakes and the characters not especially deep. A decent little diversion but there is not a lot that sticks with you from this film.

3/5

Trying to stop two shit teams becoming a slightly less shit team

Extra Time (2018)

Directed by Mark Grentell this film also known as “The Merger” stars Damian Callinan, Fayssal Bazzi and Kaye Mulvany. In small town Australia a local pariah wants to save the Aussie rules football team by integrating immigrants into the team.

There is plenty of Australian sentiment to this light hearted sports film that touches on issues of immigration and prejudice. While the script is never going to win awards for being subtle this is a fun little film. A lot of the content may be familiar but this is still an enjoyable watch.

3/5

Nothing more than the sound of the engine

Le Mans (1971)

Directed by Lee H. Katzin this film stars Steve McQueen, Elga Andersen and Siegfried Rauch. An American driver competes in the Le Mans 24 hour race a year after being involved in a crash that killed another driver at the same race.

At times this film is much closer to being a documentary than a work of fiction. The dialogue in the film is so minimal as to barely exist making this something of a fascinating experiment in film making. While the story might not be that touching the film does a fantastic job of capturing the mood and feeling of a race weekend in a sport where death is possible.

4/5

Troubles not so far away

Yesterday (2019)

Directed by Danny Boyle this film stars Himesh Paterl, Lily James, Joel Fry, Ed Sheeran and Kate McKinnon. After getting hit by a bus a struggling musician finds he is the only one who can remember The Beatles and their songs.

There is something to the premise of this film but unfortunately the script is just riddled with elements that I hated. In the end the film seems to imply you should give in to imposter syndrome, romantic relationships can only happen when men make the first move and that you should let go of your dreams to be happy. Richard Curtis may manage to sprinkle some of his familiar upper middle class sugar on top of this story but the more I think about it the more I really dislike it.

2/5

Euro spider

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Directed by Jon Watts this comic book sequel stars Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya and Jake Gyllenhaal. Struggling to live up to the legacy of Tony Stark our hero goes on holiday to Europe where inevitably he has to don his costume to save the day.

You know I never knew I wanted the Eurotrip (2004) version of a Spider-Man film but apparently it works out pretty well. The plot may not be the best that the MCU has thrown out but this is a solid entry into the series nonetheless. I enjoyed the film but I am not sure it provides much that will stick in your memory.

3/5

The case of the decent video game adaptation

Detective Pikachu (2019)

Directed by Rob Letterman this film based on the game of the same name stars Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton and Ryan Reynolds. A young man looking for his missing father teams up with a pokemon.

I suppose what carries this film is Ryan Reynolds personality because while the rest of the film does its job it is not much to get excited about. If you are a pokemon fan I am sure there is a lot to enjoy from seeing so many pokemon recreated in live action but I was never a fan of the series. A decent watch, especially for younger viewers but not overly memorable.

3/5

Not on fire

Burn (2019)

Written & directed by Mike Gan this film stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Suki Waterhouse and Josh Hutcherson. A man attempts to rob a gas station late at night when two young women are working there.

One of the more bizarre gas station robbery films you will see for sure. The plot takes some unusual twists but I am not really sure that amounts to make this a good film. In the end I am not sure this is a very memorable effort.

3/5

Age has not been kind

Shirley Valentine (1989)

Directed by Lewis Gilbert this film based on the play of the same name stars Pauline Collins, Toni Conti and Bernard Hill. A housewife from Liverpool has a midlife crisis and goes off to Greece for two weeks.

Coming with a big reputation there are moments of this film that I enjoyed but in the end I am not sure it has aged that well. Certainly it is nice to see the point of view of a downtrodden housewife get explored but at times the whole thing feels like too much of a fantasy wish fulfilment. Educating Rita (1983) is probably a better effort from this creative team.

3/5

Not really enlightening

Valley of the Lanterns (2018)

Written & directed by Caleb Hystad this animated film has voices from Thomas Haddaway-Graham, Nicole Oliver and Jonathan Love. An old woman learns how to reset the year to stop herself getting any older.

My major issue with this film is that the CGI of the characters does not fit at all with the art style of the lovely backgrounds. If you can get past the mismatch of art styles the plot is nothing to write home about. All in all this is a bland effort let down but the visuals.

2/5

Won't string you along

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Directed by Travis Knight this animated film has voices from Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey. A boy with one eye goes on a quest with a monkey and a beetle.

If you can put aside that this an American idea of what a Japanese samurai tale is like with a largely American cast this is a really good film. Obviously aimed at a younger audience there is still plenty for viewers of any age to enjoy. The plot is charming and well constructed, definitely worth a watch if only for the impressive visual style.

4/5

Debicki above all else

Vita and Virginia (2018)

Directed by Chanya Button this film based on real events stars Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki. We follow the affair between writers Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf in 1920s England.

By a long margin the best thing about this film is the performance from Elizabeth Debicki which is amazing. To be honest I found it hard to engage with the plot, the characters are so aloof as to be unsettling. This film might be based on a play but it does a good job of not being one of those play adaptations that is trapped in a handful of rooms.

3/5

Not the best

Los heroes del sitio de Zaragoza (1905)

Directed by Segundo de Chomon this film is a short historical film. We see three scenes set in the Spanish War of Independence.

Outside of the usual more fantastical films from this director I found this to be rather a bland effort. The plot, such as it is, is no great shakes and unfortunately features history I am not familiar with. If you want to experience what makes Chomon unique as a film maker look elsewhere in his films.

3/5

Fan fiction no one wanted

Four Kids and It (2020)

Directed by Andy De Emmony this film based on the novel “Four Children and It” stars Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen, Matthew Goode, Paula Patton and the voice of Michael Caine. Four children find a creature that can grant wishes.

Essentially this is professional fan fiction based on the “Five Children and It” book from 1902 and I am not sure the concept has aged that well. This version is pretty heavy handed even for being aimed at a young audience. Russell Brand's character in particular grates terribly as the comic relief that is just not funny.

2/5

There must have been drunk studio execs behind this one

Drunk Parents (2019)

Directed by Fred Wolf this film stars Alec Baldwin, Salma Hayek, Jim Gaffigan and Joe Manganiello. After sending their daughter off to college an upper middle class couple struggle to deal with impending financial doom.

At times this film is pretty mean and over all just not funny. I get the feeling this is one of those films that was made entirely on a premise and no one actually bothered with a script. It is hard to find any redeeming features here, so many scenes just fall flat.

2/5

Not completely enchanting

Enchanted Glasses (1907)

Directed by Segundo de Chomon this is an early short film. A devilish looking man conjures up some women who do more magic.

Relying on trick photography to fill out this film there are a few special effects that do not quite come off, mainly the ones involving the glasses. A decent film for the period but not one of the director's best. Other similar films are out there that are a step up from this one in my opinion.

3/5

Russian Fury

Iron Fury! (2019)

Directed by Aleksey Sidorov this film also known as “T-34” stars Alexander Petrov, Vinzenz Kiefer and Irina Starshenbaum. During WW2 a captured Russian tank commander is made to fight against German tanks in a training exercise.

Any thought or realism is thrown well out the window with this action film. About 80 years too late this could easily be a propaganda film. The film makes heavy use of bullet time in the action sequence and unfortunately comes to the English speaking world in a dubbed version.

2/5