Infinity Pool (2023)
Written & directed by Brandon Cronenberg this film stars Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth. A struggling writer finds himself caught up with hedonists at a holiday resort with strange legal practices.
No doubt this film has something to say I am just not sure it ever hits a pay off. What we do get is certainly thought provoking. An uncomfortable watch for some, fantastic performances though.
4/5
Barrage du Nil (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. Various people cross the Nile river on a dam.
A pretty decent short with a good variety to the traffic crossing in the foreground. If there had been a slightly wider shot it might have shown more of the background. Average for a travel film of the period.
3/5
Belfast, Castle Place (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a street scene from turn of the century Belfast.
With decent image quality this is a solid entry in the street scene genre. No the location is not iconic but there is a decent amount of fore and background action. Not bad for what it is.
3/5
Retribution (2023)
Directed by Nimrod Antal this film stars Liam Neeson, Noma Dumezweni, Lilly Aspell, Jack Champion and Matthew Modine. A man takes his kids to school and finds out there is a bomb in the car.
Some how this film manages to both not really make sense and still be incredibly predictable. Definitely not one of the best action films Liam Neeson has made, a very low rent Taken knock off. Skip this one in my opinion.
2/5
Bruxelles, Boulevard Anspach (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a simple street scene from Brussels.
As street scenes go there is not a lot to separate this one from the pack. Both foreground and background action are fine without being remarkable. Even if this film does nothing wrong there are better examples in the Lumiere catalogue.
3/5
Bourricots sous les palmiers (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. People pass palm trees.
Like a number of travel films from the Lumiere catalogue this film lacks a unique background, this one is rather generic. The foreground action is fine but not special. Not the most remarkable film of the period or genre.
2/5
Panorama de port d'Alger (1903)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a snippet of the port of Algiers.
A decent little travel film shot from a boat in port. We see a variety of buildings and boats as the camera moves along. Not ground breaking but entertaining at least.
3/5
Gold Run (2022)
Directed by Hallvard Braein this film based on real events stars Jon Oigarden, Ida Elise Broch and Sven Nordin. As Germany invades Norway the Norwegians struggle to get their gold reserves out of the country.
It seems this film at least sticks fairly closely to real events, if not to the details to the general shape at least. The plot is tense enough to hold your attention. A good watch if not overly deep.
3/5
The Pope's Exorcist (2023)
Directed by Julius Avery this film stars Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe and Franco Nero. The Vatican's exorcist goes to Spain to deal with an alleged possession.
Like with many horror films this one is dressing up fiction and pretending it is fact. The plot is a pretty lazy stumble through the usual elements with Christian dressing round it. Normally I am a big Russell Crowe fan however this one is a real let down.
2/5
Kursk (2018)
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg this film based on real events stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Lea Seydoux and Colin Firth. During a Russian naval exercise a disaster happens aboard a nuclear submarine.
I am not sure how closely this film sticks to real events as we will never really know what the trapped crew did. What seems to be missing from the film is a political layer involving Putin. Decent enough but does not stand out from similar submarine films.
3/5
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Directed by Joel Crawford this animated film has voices from Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillen and Florence Pugh. On his last life the famous cat seeks out a wish to restore his lost lives.
There is a surprising amount of heart to this film and some nice twists on familiar characters. An enjoyable sequel that works for adults as well as kids. My only disappointment is the animation in some of the action sequences seems like a step down from previous entries in the series.
4/5
Explosion en mer (1898)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. A boat is exploded on the water.
Possibly the first use of an explosion on film, something Hollywood has come to rely on. The action is entertaining and must have been surprising for the day. Stands out against some of the more placcid films of the period.
3/5
Midsommar (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster this film stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor. A young woman grieving the murder/suicide of her family travels with her boyfriend and his friends to a remote midsummer festival in Sweden.
You can definitely see that this film owes a huge amount to The Wicker Man (1973), delving into the same brand of folk horror somewhat closely. I am not sure the film has the depth some claim however it is more than creepy enough to keep your attention through out. Good performances and messed up visuals really carry this film.
4/5
Jerusalem, le saint sepulcre (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio and Gabriel Veyre this is an early short film. A street scene from Jerusalem.
To be reductive this film is just people milling about in front of a door. As street scenes go this is not one of my favourites, it lacks a bit in location and foreground action. Not really that special.
2/5
Sick (2022)
Directed by John Hyams this film stars Gideon Adlon, Beth Million and Dylan Sprayberry. Rich kids shelter in place at a lake cabin with a serial killer on the loose.
It takes too long for this film to get to the point and it stretches out too little content for far too long. Both boring and disappointing. Not worth seeking out.
2/5
Champions (2023)
Directed by Bobby Farrelly this film stars Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson and Cheech Marin. A basketball coach with a temper is sentenced to community service coaching a team with intellectual disabilities.
Right from the get go every story beat of this film is very obvious making the whole thing seem a bit lazy. There are times that the script gets very close to being overly patronising however it mostly stays just about on the right side. With a little more thought and a more serious approach this could have been a better effort.
2/5
Liverpool, Church Street (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a street scene from the city of Liverpool.
As street scenes go this is a pretty average one, the foreground action is entertaining enough. Where the film lacks is in something other than a generic backdrop to make the film stand out. Nothing special really.
3/5
The Fablemans (2022)
Directed by Steven Spielberg this film stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogan and Gabriel LaBelle. A young Jewish boy grows up wanting to be a film maker.
It is very easy for both Hollywood on Hollywood and semi autobiographical films to disappear up their own backside however this film is expertly guided past all the pit falls. The film mixes family drama with a desire for a life in the arts really well, the fantastic is always lurking just behind the curtain while still some how remaining grounded. Having heard the story of the final scene so many times my favourite part has to be David Lynch rocking up at the end.
4/5
Falcon Lake (2022)
Directed by Charlotte Le Bon this film based on a graphic novel stars Joseph Engel and Sara Montpetit. A 13 year old boy develops a relationship with a 16 year old girl while on family vacation.
For most of this film it is a standard coming of age film done really well. The final 10% or so of the film is a dark twist that is well worth waiting for. Very enjoyable and excellently made.
4/5
Procession of the Sacred Carpet (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a procession go past the camera.
The foreground action is more than enough to carry this film which is good because there is not much to the background. Without any context it is a little hard to know what is going on but it is still entertaining. No doubt an interesting record for academics.
3/5
Liverpool, panorama pris du chemin de fer electrique, IV (1897)
Directed by Alexandra Promio this is an early short film. We see a moving shot of the docks at Liverpool.
If I could make one change to this film it would be shorten that title! The content is fine, it fits in with the films of the period fairly well. Not overly remarkable.
3/5
Bruxelles, Grand'Place (1897)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a scenic location at the heart of Brussels.
No doubt the back drop of this short is nice however there is not a lot to it. The foreground action is nothing that impressive. Pretty standard travel film of the day.
3/5
Unwelcome (2023)
Directed by Jon Wright this film stars Hannah John-Kamen, Douglas Booth, Colm Meaney and Niamh Cusack. A couple move from London to rural Ireland and may have Red Caps in the garden.
It takes a bit too long for this film to get going, once it does it is a pretty decent genre effort. There is not too much original here, plenty of familiar elements. Clearly the best part is the Red Cap fairies.
3/5
Mob Land (2023)
Written & directed by Nicholas Maggio this film stars Shiloh Fernandez, John Travolta, Kevin Dillon, Stephen Dorff and Ashley Benson. A man is convinced by his brother in law to help him rob a pill mill.
Nothing is new or original about this film. We get one of those scripts that thinks it is smarter than it is as it tries to pontificate on the moral nature of crime. I suppose it is fine but really there is nothing to recommend this one on.
2/5
Cocaine Bear (2023)
Directed by Elizabeth Banks this film loosely inspired by real events stars Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich and Ray Liotta. Cocaine dumped in the woods is discovered by a bear.
I suppose as gimmick films go this one is fine, there are a few decent moments holding the paper thin plot together. My major quibble is the final sequence is just too dark to make out what is going on most of the time. I suppose fine if you do not mind a one note film.
2/5
Chicago, Grande Roue (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a shot of a Ferris wheel at the 1893 Chicago Exposition.
We have a decent backdrop to this short, the spinning Ferris wheel nicely captured. In the foreground people pass by providing a decent amount of action. Over all a solid film for the period.
3/5
Alger: place du gouvernement (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. We see a scene from Algeria.
As backdrops go the one of this film is pretty decent, a nice impressive palace. The foreground action is nothing special, some people milling about. Fine for a travel film of the period.
3/5
Boiling Point (2021)
Directed by Philip Barantini this film stars Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson, Ray Panthaki and Hannah Walters. A head chef struggles to hold things together at his restaurant.
Another one shot wonder, you have to admire the skill in pulling off the gimmick if nothing else. The plot is pretty familiar and not necessarily anything special. There is a lot going on but nothing really worked through to fruition given the short run time.
3/5
Assassin Club (2023)
Directed by Camille Delamerre this film stars Henry Golding, Noomi Rapace, Daniela Melchior and Sam Neill. A group of assassins are hired to take each other out.
If the plot of this film sounds familiar that is because there have been numerous similar ones. Someone spent a bit of money on the supporting cast but not enough time on getting a decent script. Parts of the plot do not entirely make sense.
2/5
Shrapnel (2023)
Directed by William Kaufman this film stars Jason Patric and Cam Gigandet. A former colonel in the US marines finds his daughter has disappeared in Mexico.
Taking rather a large cue from Taken this is a pretty basic action film. Part of the script come across as a bit racist to be honest. Not much to enjoy here.
1/5
Jongleur javanais (1896)
Directed by Alexandre Promio this is an early short film. A man with his back to camera does some ball juggling.
Not the greatest show of skill but something familiar to anyone who has ever seen one of those “keepie uppie” half time acts at a football match. Interesting to see how some things never change. Could be better shot and performed.
2/5
