Not monumental

The Monuments Men (2014)

Directed by star George Clooney this film also features Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and John Goodman. A team of art specialists is brought together to protect great works of art during the Allied invasion of Europe in World War 2.

This film is very loosely based on real events and is the usual Hollywood over emphasis of American involvement, British and French characters only being included so there is someone to kill off. There is a certain amount of charm to this story but at times the “message” is a little heavy handed. With all the talent involved I expected a little more and in the end this was a rather pedestrian effort.

2/5

Writers, writers everywhere

The Big Sleep (1946)

Directed by Howard Hawks this film based on the novel of the same name stars Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. A private detective is hired by a wealthy old man to deal with the gambling debts of his youngest daughter.

With so much writing talent involved on this project (Raymond Chandler, William Faulkner and Leigh Brackett) it is no surprise that there is some delicious dialogue here filled with clever word play and double meanings. The plot of this film is convoluted to say the least and cracks a long at such a pace it can be hard to keep up at times. Generally the film is well made but seems to have a larger reputation than maybe it deserves, while it may one of the most famous genre pieces the direction is not as strong as some of it's peers.

4/5

A bland application

Admission (2013)

Directed by Paul Weitz this film based on the novel of the same name stars Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Nat Wolff and Lilly Tomlin. An admission officer at Princeton has her life turned upside down when her boyfriend leaves her and she meets a boy that may be the child she gave up for adoption 18 years ago.

The set up for this film has a lot going for it but never delves beyond the superficial which is a shame as there is plenty of scope for real drama and issues here. There are some funny moments but for the talent involved this is also a bit of a disappointment. In the end this is more a film of what could have been rather than it being a bad film and it does get by on the charm of Fey.

3/5

An ill wind blows in Anatolia tonight

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011)

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan this film stars Muhammet Uzuner, Yilmaz Erdogan, Taner Birsel and Ahmet Mumtaz Taylan. On a dark night in rural Turkey the police drive round the countryside with a murder suspect looking for a buried body.

This is a slow moving and moody film where both the story and direction keep the audience at arms length. As a viewer we may never really understand what happened in the events depicted but the film explores a number of interesting and relevant themes through the conversations of it's characters. I really liked the cinematography and there are some great shots of the Turkish countryside but the slow moving and ambiguous nature of this film may not be for everyone.

5/5

Another lost in Austen

Austenland (2013)

Directed by Jerusha Hess this film based on the novel of the same name stars Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Jennifer Collidge and Jane Seymour. A single American woman in her 30s travels to England to live out her Jane Austen obsession on a themed holiday.

This film has some personality and a few nice Austen inspired touches but at times it takes the simplistic route too often. Looking at the difference between fantasy and reality provides a decent theme but I am not sure that the film ever really gets to the heart of the matter. There are some nice performances but Jane Seymour seems a little under used and Jennifer Coolidge a bit type cast.

3/5

At sea for life

The Legend of 1900 (1998)

Written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore this film stars Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Melanie Thierry. An orphan with an unusual musical talent grows up on a passenger liner that travels between Europe and the United States.

On a thematic level this film works really well, exploring the idea of immigrant dreams and fears of reality. At times some of the dialogue is a little over the top for my taste but generally the story works well. Some of the CGI is a little dated but otherwise this is a well made film with a nice score from Ennio Morricone.

4/5

The honest thief

How to Steal a Million (1966)

Directed by William Wyler this film stars Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Eli Wallach and Hugh Griffith. The daughter of an art forger seeks to steal back one of his forgeries with the help of a cat burglar.

Any film featuring Hepburn and O'Toole will have a certain level of charm to it but the script here is fairly bland and does not really over whelm you with charm. The plot is pretty average, lacking enough comedy to get by and the heist itself while having a few nice touches is not overly impressive either. Despite being set in France there is a distinct lack of French accents on show but otherwise there is not a lot to complain about from the execution of the film.

3/5