Arab cortege, Geneva (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. A group of Arabs walk down a street in Geneva.
There is not much to place this film in Geneva, it could be taking place anywhere. We do not get to see much the action either, the subjects mostly have their backs to the camera. Not the best of the early Lumiere catalogue.
2/5
Ava (2020)
Directed by Tate Taylor this film stars Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Common, Geena Davis and Colin Farrell. An assassin is hunted down by her own organisation after a hit gone wrong.
Nothing is original here, this is a by the numbers effort that you have seen a lot of times before. I do not think it is as bad as some people say, it just has little to recommend it beyond having Jessica Chastain in it. Even the fight sequences are a bit pedestrian.
3/5
Summering (2022)
Directed by James Ponsoldt this film stars Lia Barnett, Madalen Mills, Eden Grace Redfield and Sanai Victoria. Four friends on their last weekend before middle school find a dead body.
There are a lot of elements I enjoy in the mix for this film unfortunately the script needs a major re-write. Ideas are not explored deeply enough and the film just does not work. A real shame given the potential here.
2/5
To Catch a Killer (2023)
Directed by Damian Szifron this film stars Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn. A young policewoman is assigned as a liaison officer to the FBI hunting a spree killer.
If this film had come out in the 90s I suppose it would have been a passable effort hanging off the coat tails of Silence of the Lambs. To modern eyes this is a pretty weak effort which is hamstrung by the writing which is not fully thought through. I would give this one a miss to be honest.
2/5
Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (2021)
Directed by Arthur Harari this film inspired by real events stars Yuya Endo and Kanji Tsuda. A man spends years hiding in the jungle refusing to believe the war has ended.
This film gets murky because it uses real names but blends with fictional elements. I am not sure the script ever gets to grips with who the protagonist is in terms of his own beliefs and actually misses out some of the most important part of his story, what integrating back into society would be like. There is some beautiful scenery if nothing else.
3/5
New York, Brooklyn Bridge (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is a short film from the Lumiere catalogue. Trains pass in front of the camera revealing the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.
I really like the way the film is set up to have you focus on the passing trains then as they leave show off the famous bridge. A nice set up for a travel film. Surprisingly likeable.
3/5
The Pyramids (Overview) (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film from the Lumiere catalogue. We see a shot of the Great Sphinx and two pyramids.
A single, static shot captures something of the wonder of the ancient monuments of Egypt. No doubt impressive in its day this is more of a home video shot that would be familiar with our relatives fresh back from the holidays showing us. Decent little travel piece for the time.
3/5
Alone Together (2022)
Written & directed by star Katie Holmes this film also features Jim Sturgess, Derek Luke and Melissa Leo. Two strangers find themselves stuck together in an airbnb at the start of the covid-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately too much of this film does not ring true. Too often the character actions come across as false or irresponsible given the situation. A disappointing romance film in the end.
2/5
Niagara Falls (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is a short film from the Lumiere catalogue. We see a static shot of the Niagara Falls.
The framing of this shot is not really great, not all of the falls are in the picture and the action is a bit far off. You get some sense of the scale of the falls at least from the film. Does seem to survive in good quality so that is something.
2/5
Confess, Fletch (2022)
Directed by Greg Mottola this film based on the novel of the same name stars Jon Hamm, Lorenza Izzo and Marcia Gay Harden. Our hero gets framed for murder and hunts for stolen paintings.
This film is plenty of fun without ever being really funny. There are enough good moments to hold the film together but it is not ever anything you would want to rewatch. No idea how it compares to the previous Fletch films as I can not really remember them despite having seen them
3/5
Football (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is a short film from the Lumiere catalogue. We see a short clip of a football match.
Not the greatest advert the game of football will ever have. Very much a bunch of people milling about in the goal mouth rather than sweeping movements of play. I suppose an interesting record of history.
3/5
Halloween Ends (2022)
Directed by David Gordon Green this sequel stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak and Rohan Champbell. Laurie Strode's granddaughter starts dating a man outcast by the rest of the community.
You can see what they film makers are trying to do here and it is some what of an interesting idea, it just never lands. The last 15-20 minutes of the film in particular I could have done without, there was a much stronger point to end the film on in my opinion. All in all something of a missed opportunity.
2/5
Chicago Police Parade (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film from the Lumiere catalogue. We see Chicago police on parade.
A single static shot with not a lot of variety to it. The sight is fairly impressive for 1890s copaganda. Not my favourite of the period but is decent enough.
3/5
Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019)
Directed by Albert Shin this film stars Tuppence Middleton, Hannah Gross, Eric Johnson and David Cronenberg. A young woman returns home and investigates resurfaced memories of a kidnapping she witnessed as a child.
Mostly this is an enjoyable mystery film without too much to make it stand out. Personally I think the unreliable protagonist angle is introduced too late and would work better if the story was told from another point of view. Still a decent genre effort despite the scope for improvement.
3/5
12 Strong (2018)
Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig this film inspired by real events stars Chris Helmsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena and Navid Negahban. Following 9/11 American special forces enter Afghanistan to help North Alliance forces take on the Taliban.
While this film may be inspired by real events it seems to pretty much jazz things up for Hollywood. There are times when the film is a bit more realistic showing what could have been. A disappointing effort in the end.
2/5
Vengeance (2022)
Written & directed by star B. J Novak this film also features Body Holbrook, Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher and Lio Tipton. A writer from New York heads to Texas for the funeral of a girl that was one of many he was casually dating.
I really think this film might be genius, the way it skewers both modern America and the crime podcast genre is amazing. The film manages to be self aware, cynical, meta and some how wholesome all at the same time, a real feat to pull off. Well worth seeing out, the writing is so, so good.
4/5
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)
Directed by Anthony Fabian this film based on the novel of the same name stars Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista and Lucas Bravo. In the 1950s a working class British woman heads to Paris to buy a Dior dress.
This is right in the wheel house of the “sentimental, feel good but still class obsessed” of cinema that the British film industry loves to pump out. The plot is only marginally insulting to your intelligence at times, it really is just a bit too simplistic for my tastes. Still fun and with some lovely costumes.
3/5
Lion, London Zoological Gardens (1896)
Directed Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. A lion is given food and tries to swipe at the keeper through the bars.
Zookeeper takes his life in his own hands for our entertainment. A single static shot of a reckless man and a lion. A fun little entry in the Lumiere catalogue.
3/5
Dead Shot (2023)
Directed by Tom & Charles Guard this film stars Aml Ameen, Colin Morgan, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Felicity Jones. A British soldier mistakenly shoots dead a pregnant woman and is hunted by her IRA husband.
You can see what this film is trying to be but it is missing a fair amount of connective tissue to stitch the whole thing together. There is also a lack of philosophical point of view really, the final scene in particular takes away any point. All in all this is style over substance, something you will quickly forget.
2/5
The Alleys (2021)
Written & directed by Bassel Ghandour this film stars Emad Azmi, Baraka Rahmani, Nadira Omran and Maisa Abd Elhadi. The lives of people living in a close neighbourhood are effected by their secrets.
I really enjoyed this look at gossip, secrets and social expectations. Sure the plot may not be that original however it is really well done. There is a tone to enjoy here from the set up to the performances, we ll worth seeking out.
4/5
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola this film based on real events stars Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen and Martin Landau. A man dreams of taking on the car industry with a revolutionary vehicle.
Reality never gets in the way of this puff piece and even when the film makers are presenting the protagonist in the best possible light he still comes across as a blagger if nothing else. Given that this is not really an “as it happened” account it is a little difficult to know how to take the film. Certainly not the best of the Coppola films out there but pretty fun, you can certainly see the similarity between the protagonist and film makers who may have had less than successful endeavours.
3/5
Children Digging for Clams (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film from the Lumiere catalogue. Children play on the beach.
I was expecting child labour and instead got a familiar holiday scene. The single static shot captures a quaint scene. A fun little short that is fairly timeless.
3/5
Dressed to Kill (1946)
Directed by Roy William Neil this film stars Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce and Patricia Morison. Sherlock Holmes investigates why people are being killed for music boxes.
As original Sherlock Holmes stories go this is not a great one, there is a plot hole or two. The plot largely relies on contrivances and coincidences which does not help either. A poor entry in the Rathbone series.
2/5
The Old Way (2023)
Directed by Brett Donowho this film stars Nicolas Cage and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. A man and his young daughter go after his wife's killers.
I was very excited for the prospect of Nicolas Cage in a western however this is a poor effort. The combination of True Grit and Unforgiven is predictable as can be, some of the dialogue is in serious need of a re-write. Despite the tent pole casting this is one to avoid.
2/5
6 Days (2017)
Directed by Toa Fraser this film based on real events stars Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish and Mark Strong. In 1980 the Iranian embassy in London is stormed by terrorists who take the occupants hostage.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this was a much less sensationalised film than I was expecting, some might find it a little dull however I think it does a good job of sticking to reality. For the most part the film seems to get the real life details right although there are a few things that stuck out to even someone like me who only has a passing knowledge of the siege. A good watch if a little dry for some, keeps a decent edge of tension for those that do not know how things unfolded.
3/5
Ticket to Paradise (2022)
Directed by Ol Parker this film stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Kaitlyn Dever. A divorced couple try to stop their daughter marrying a local she met on holiday in Bali.
Predictable from the start there is nothing surprising here. The script is depressingly lightweight for two heavy hitter stars. If you want a piece of fluff this is fine I suppose, just do not try and think about it.
2/5
Piggy (2022)
Written & directed by Carlota Pereda this film stars Laura Galan, Richard Holmes and Carmen Machi. An overweight young woman sees her bullies get kidnapped by a serial killer.
Dark and delightful this is a look into the pressures put on those who are bullied. Very impressive for a directorial debut, I will definitely be looking out for more films from Pereda. Laura Galan also gives a really great performance in the lead role.
4/5
New York: Broadway at Union Square (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see life from New York.
A very simple street scene with out too much to remark on. There is a decent amount of action to catch the eye. Standard type of film for the era.
3/5
Faust: apparition de Mephistopheles (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio and Georges Hatot this is an early short film. Faust is tempted by the devil.
In just under a minute this short film gives a flavour of the story of Faust as obviously it can not get the whole thing in. For a film of the period it is well staged and has some nice tricks to it. Pretty impressive for 1897 really.
3/5
Resurrection (2022)
Directed by Andrew Semans this film stars Rebecca Hall, Grace Kaufman, Michael Esper and Tim Roth. A high flying career woman's life quickly unravels at the reappearance of her abusive ex.
If anyone does not agree that Rebecca Hall is one of the great performers of our time show them this film. The plot of this film is super unsettling as we watch a woman have a complete metal break down. Nearly impossible to take your eyes away from as the car crash unfolds.
4/5
Special Delivery (2022)
Written & directed by Park Dae-min this film stars Park So-dam, Song Sae-byeok and Jung Hyeon-jun. A young woman does deliveries for criminals, basically making her a get away driver for hire.
Pretty much everything is as you would expect here, this is a female lead, Korean version of The Transporter. Neither the action or the plot ever really does anything to stand out. An average action film all things considered.
3/5
