Bust

Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969)

Directed by Ken Annakin this film has a large cast including Tony Curtis, Terry Thomas, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. People from various countries with various motivations enter a rally across Europe to Monte Carlo.

Essentially this film cribs a lot from Annakin's earlier Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965) but has neither the script or the cast of the previous film. As a comedy the film is sadly lacking, while it has funny moments they are not numerous enough and the plot lacks a real drive to keep the film ticking over. All in all it is hard not to look at this film as the inferior younger brother of it's predecessor.

2/5

Points for trying

Zero for Conduct (1933)

Written and directed by Jean Vigo this film stars Gerard de Bedarieux, Louis Lefebvre, Gilbert Pruchon and Coco Golstein. Due to the strict nature of their school four school boys plan to revolt.

This film is fairly short, running only 41 minutes, so there is not a huge amount of plot here and things are kept fairly basic. As a comedy there are some funny moments with a large pillow fight being the highlight of the film but you would not say this is a film that keeps you laughing through out. At times the film shows it's age and some of the editing and general direction is a little rough at times.

3/5

Spring break 4 ever!

Spring Breakers (2012)

Written and directed by Harmony Korine this film stars Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine and James Franco. Four female college students bored with their lot in life head down to Florida with stolen money to indulge in spring break.

This film looks at how consumer culture leads to suburban flirtation with and appropriation of gangster culture which it does really well. At times the plot may seem a little thin on the ground but this is one of those you sort of have to go with the flow and it ends up being surprisingly deep. Through out the film is directed as if it is one long music video and this helps emphasise the role popular music has in seducing people to the hedonistic thug life, overall the film is really a really impressive mood poem.

5/5

A killing to be made

Hitchcock (2012)

Directed by Sacha Gervasi this film based on real events stars Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson and Ton Collette. In 1959 the famous director sets out to make his darkest and most disturbing film yet.

It is hard to say how much of this film is fiction and fact as at times the script does stray into speculation of the protagonists inner fantasies but in general it seems to do a decent job of sticking to real events. What is most interesting is the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife which comes to dominate the film. Clearly what is most impressive about the film is the performance of Hopkins and Mirren in the lead roles as Hopkins in particular undergoes a real transformation for the part.

4/5

The Mozart farce

Why Stop Now (2012)

Written as well as directed by Phil Dorling and Ron Nsywaner this film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, Tracy Morgan and Isiah Whitlock Jr. A young man has a bad day trying to juggle taking his mother to rehab, an important audition and drug dealers.

This is a pretty charming farce that has a decent heart to it even if the story is fairly simple. There are some decent character moments enhanced by the good cast and more than a few funny moments through out the film. Largely the film is well made and the screw ball nature is a nice change to the usual comedies that get pumped out.

4/5

Cast of Titans

Remember the Titans (2000)

Directed by Boaz Yakin this film based on real events stars Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst and Donald Faison. In the early 1970s a black football coach seeks to bring together white and black players at a newly integrated highschool.

It seems that this film is generally accurate to real events although at times it fabricates or over emphasises certain events but it gets the general thrust right. The story is well told if fairly basic and while it may get a little melodramatic at times it is not overly preachy. What is best about the film is the great young cast that has a lot of depth in the supporting roles.

3/5

The golden fields of Texas

Days of Heaven (1978)

Written and directed by Terrence Malick this film stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz. During the great depression a couple posing as brother an sister work on a farm in Texas and get caught in a love triangle with the sick man that owns the farm.

The plot of this film is fairly simple and not overly unique but provides a decent foundation for this film. Unusually we often see the characters in conversation but are left to infer the general idea of what they are saying which works pretty well given the simple nature of the story. Where the film is amazing is in it's execution, this is one of the best looking films you will see and it captures landscapes as well as events with more than a nod to the biblical really well.

4/5