Not my desire

 

Wings of Desire (1987)

Directed by Wim Wenders this film stars Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois and Peter Falk. An angel watching over humans in Berlin desires to become human himself.

If you are not in the mood for a slow moving art house film then you might struggle to get through this film, it nearly sent me to sleep. Thematically there is a fair amount going on here but I really could have done with half an hour being knocked off the run time. I can see while this film is so highly lauded, it is just not for me.

4/5

A historic hijack

 

Entebbe (2018)

Directed by Jose Padilha this film based on real events stars Rosamund Pike, Daniel Bruhl, Eddie Marsan and Lior Ashenazi. German revolutionaries team up with Palestinians to hijack a plane in 1976 in the hopes of forcing Israel to release prisoners.

This is a mostly well made film that does a good job of covering historical events, I could have done without the artistic wanky inclusion of the dance number and more spotlight on the Palestinians involved. The main thing this film does for me is highlight just how much Delta Force (1986) ripped off history. A good, if not great watch that does highlight the pressures those behind the scenes faced.

3/5

At what cost

 

The Survivor (2021)

Directed by Barry Levinson this film based on real events stars Ben Foster, Vicky Krieps and Billy Magnussen. A boxer in post war New York struggles to come to terms with what he had to do to survive the concentration camps in WW2.

You should watch this film for no other reason that Ben Foster gives a completely transformative performance in this film, Oscar worthy in my opinion. The script brings up some good questions about the cost of survival even if it does seem to stray from real events occasionally. A fascinating portrait of a man.

4/5

Back from the dead

 

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

Written & directed by Johannes Roberts this film stars Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell and Tom Hopper. A young woman returns to raccoon city to get in contact with her brother and get to the bottom of rumours about the Umbrella Corporation.

Rebooting the Resident Evil franchise I understand this film sticks much more closely to events of the games. I enjoyed that the film was more creepy horror than all out action like its predecessors. Where the film falls down is there are a lot of characters and not really any character arcs at all.

3/5

Caturday

 

The Little Girl and Her Cat (1899)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this film stars Madeleine Koehler and her cat. A young girl feeds a cat some sort of treats.

Certainly this is a cute little short even if there is not much to it. A simple home film of a cat doing cat things while a human tries to interact with it. Probably the best part is where the cat jumps away as they are wont to do.

3/5

Boy without honey

 

Honey Boy (2019)

Directed by Alma Har'el this film based on real events stars Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe and writer Shia LaBeouf. A movie star goes to rehab and reflects on his time as a child star.

At times this film is a bit painfully autobiographical which makes it difficult to really rate. As much as I enjoyed the film there are times I wonder if it is really helpful to make so much about yourself public? Enjoyable even if it does tell rather than show a little at times.

4/5

All too familiar

 

Childish Quarrel (1896)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this short film features Suzanne and Andree Lumiere. Two babies seated next to each other get into conflict as babies are wont to do.

Fitting in with the genre of early cinema that is what we would now consider home film there is not too much to this short. The film does capture a nice moment that is probably far too familiar to parents out there, children squabbling. A little on the forgettable side, not much to remark on.

3/5

Bridges over troubled waters

 

21 Bridges (2019)

Directed by Brian Kirk this film stars Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Stephan James, Taylor Kitsch and J. K. Simmons. Two cops race against time to find criminals that robbed a drug dealer and killed 8 cops in the process.

This film starts off really slickly made with plenty of potential, unfortunately it never really capitalises on the set up. The plot ends up going down a familiar and predictable route. I enjoyed the film for what it was, I just wish it had stayed a bit more grounded in line with the opening portion.

3/5

Small sparks

 

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)

Directed by Will Sharpe this film based on real events stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy and Andrea Riseborough. A man on the edge of sanity responsible for providing for his five sisters starts to make art featuring cats.

I found this to be an entertaining if not especially deep film. Cumberbatch is always watchable and has a good supporting cast here. The plot itself is is a bit underwhelming even with the charm it has.

3/5

The elephant in the room

 

White Elephant (2022)

Directed by Jesse V. Johnson this film stars Michael Rooker, Bruce Willis, Olga Kurylenko and John Malkovich. Mob enforcers have to kill the police officers they left as witnesses.

Despite a decent amount of on screen talent this film is scuppered by a seriously undercooked script. Michael Rooker really does his best to carry this film but he has nothing to work with. Probably the saddest part of this film is hearing how far gone Bruce Willis was during the making of it.

1/5

Not piercing

 

Young Ahmed (2019)

Written & directed by the Dardenne brothers this film stars Idir Ben Addi, Claire Bodson, Myriem Akheddiou and Othmane Moumen. A thirteen year old boy plots to kill his teacher for being an apostate.

This film has a lot of potential but for my money is never hard hitting enough. I always want the script to go deeper, to push the characters to really face the consequences of their actions and it never really does here. A decent effort if not the best work of the Dardennes.

3/5

City life 1895

Cordeliers' Square in Lyon (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this is an early short film. We see a simple city scene of people going about their daily business.

There is not much to this film, not a lot really goes on within the shot. A moment of life is captured but not an overly remarkable one. Not that interesting for viewers in my opinion.

3/5

Every night in Soho

 

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Directed by Edgar Wright this film stars Thomasin McKenzhie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao and Diana Rigg. A sheltered young girl from the countryside moves to London to start studying fashion.

For far too long what would be the British version of exploitation films have been over looked, not any more thanks to this love letter from Edgar Wright. I love the combination of genres and themes here that come together to make an excellent successor. As you would expect from Wright the direction is a fantastic combination of image and sound.

4/5

God vs the State

 

Servants (2020)

Directed by Ivan Ostrochovsky this film stars Samuel Skyva, Samuel Polakovic and Milan Mikulcik. In 1980s Czechoslovakia servants of god clash with servants of the state.

You need to like slow, moody art house films to be able to enjoy this film. The characters always feel slightly at arms length but the film does a good job of setting up the conflict. If you like this sort of film it is well worth seeking out.

4/5

Bronzefish at best

 

Fishing for Goldfish (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this is an early short film. A baby puts its hand in a bowl of goldfish attempting to catch one.

Firmly in the home film territory there is not much to this short. Compared to some of the other early Lumiere films there is not much going on here. It is a little bit difficult to even make out what is going on with the baby's hand.

2/5

Wanksy

 

Lansky (2021)

Written & directed by Eytan Rockaway this film based on real events stars Harvey Keitel, John Magaro and Sam Worthington. In the 1980s a writer interviews a dying Meyer Lanksy.

This film is far too generous in its portrayal of the subject matter, it never makes the character face any tough questions about his past. There are better films on this subject which loom over this film. Harvey Keitel gives as decent a performance as he can without having much to work with.

2/5

Off ramp

 

The Gateway (2021)

Directed by Michele Civetta this film stars Shea Whingham, Olivia Munn and Zarch Avery. A social worker with plenty of his own problems tries to help others.

I am down for a good social worker film, unfortunately this is a rather weak film that tries to mix in a large crime element. Some of the writing is really weak and lets down the rest of the film. Not one worth seeking out in my opinion.

2/5

the dual duel

 

Dual (2022)

Written & directed by Riley Stearns this film stars Karen Gillan, Beulah Koale, Theo James and Aaron Paul. In the near future a woman has herself cloned because she thinks she is dying then finds out she is not dying after all.

I really enjoyed this exploration of duality through the lens of a dark comedy. There are a lot of funny moments and more than enough going on with the script to make you think. I very much like how the film never really goes where you expect it to.

4/5

Hats off

 

Transformation by Hats (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this short film stars Felicien Trewey. A man goes through a number of quick character changes.

There is a nice bit of charm to this short film in the act that it captures. Seeing a man quickly and seamlessly switch between various identities. A fun little short.

3/5

Not worth being seen

 

Last Seen Alive (2022)

Directed by Brian Goodman this film stars Gerard Butler, Jamie Alexander and Russell Hornsby. A man's wife goes missing at a petrol station on the way to visit her parents.

This is more grounded version of Taken that comes off as cheap and misses the opportunity to do anything interesting with the ending. Starting out fairly realistic the film loses its way in the final third. It really does not help that the one major special effect loots pretty terrible.

2/5

The cat that got the cream

 

Dejeuner de Chat (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this is an early short film featuring Marcel Koehler. A small boy tries to feed a cat some milk.

Given that the cat's face is covered in milk I strongly suspect this is not the first take. There is not much to the short but it does capture a very human moment, one which you may well have seen yourself if you have ever seen children interacting with animals. A fun little short.

3/5

Not mechanical at all

 

The Mechanical Butcher (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this is an early short film. A pig goes into a box, cuts of meat come out.

There is very little to the trick here, it is very obvious how things are done. Compared to some of the other trick films of the era this is a bit of a weak one really. I have seen this one called the first sci-fi film so it has that going for it I suppose.

2/5

Crumbling

 

The Ground Beneath My Feet (2019)

Written & directed by Marie Kreutzer this film stars Valerie Pachner, Pia Hierzeger and Mavie Horbiger. A young woman struggles to balance her high pressure career and her older sister having a mental health crisis.

This is an enjoyable look at the pressures people put themselves under. It is refreshing to see this type of film with woman dominating the leads, in the past this would have been a male orientated film for sure. Good performances, particularly from Valerie Pachner, carry the film.

4/5

Assistant to the hangman

 

Apprentice (2016)

Written & directed by Boo Junfeng this film stars Firdaus Rahman and Wan Hanahfi Su. A prison officer in Singapore becomes assistant to the chief executioner.

I found this to be a unique look a the death penalty from the point of view of the people that have to do the killing. Grounded and realistic the film never overtly pushes its agenda. Very much enjoyable and worth seeking out.

4/5

Lads night out 1896 style

 

Partie d'ecarte (1896)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this film stars Alphonse Winckler, Antoine Feraud, Antoine Lumiere and Felicien Trewey. Three men play cards while a forth serves them drinks.

In terms of the content there is not much to this short, men play cards and drink. The image quality I saw of this film was very high, much better than some surviving films of the period. A nice little short if not that memorable.

3/5

Girl gonna kill

 

Girl (2020)

Written & directed by actor Chad Faust this film stars Bella Thorne, Mickey Rourke and Elizabeth Saunders. A young woman searching for her father finds someone has killed him before she could.

As small town thrillers go this is a pretty decent one although there is not much in the way of surprises here. The plot chugs along nicely and has one or two decent set pieces. There is nothing bad about this film even if it is not especially memorable.

3/5

Best left burried

 

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Directed by Lana Wachowski this film stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yajya Abdul-Mateen II and Jessica Henwick. Living a life as games developer Thomas Anderson feels there is something not right about his world.

I have so much respect for the Wachowskis, I loved the first Matrix film and will defend the sequels but this one is a step too far for me. Unfortunately everything in this film feels like a hollow shell of what came before. There are a few interesting ideas hidden away in the script, they just can't get past the limitations of the casting and film making here.

2/5

Lost

 

Runners (1983)

Directed by Stephen Poliakoff this film stars James Fox, Jane Asher and Kate Hardie. A man spends two years searching for his daughter who went missing when she was eleven years old.

I enjoyed this film right up to the ending which fizzles out. The script really lacked a point and never gives and clear answers despite trying to give clear events. A real shame this film never capitalises on the good first two thirds.

2/5

Feeding time

 

Baby's Meal (1895)

Directed by Louis Lumiere this film features several members of the Lumiere family. We see two parents feeding a baby.

In modern times this would be an unremarkable family home film. For the period it captures something of an intimate, family setting. Decent image quality but has little remarkable about it.

3/5

Beast of a performance

 

Beast (2017)

Written & directed by Micheal Pearce this film stars Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn and Geraldine James. A young woman living on the island of Jersey with her controlling mother falls in love with a man suspected of murder.

All you really need to know about this film is that Jessie Buckley gives an amazing performance in it, everything else is secondary. The plot is enjoyable and suitably dark. I really enjoyed seeing Jersey on the big screen, something you do not usually get.

4/5