On the Basis of Being Overly Simplified

 

On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Directed by Mimi Leder this film inspired by real events stars Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer. We follow the early career of future supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

I found this to be one of those Hollywood biographies that is a bit too obviously constructed and fails to really do the subject matter justice. To much is skipped over or condensed that it is hard to get a good sense of what made RBG who she was. In the end a bit too lightweight for my taste.

2/5

Too civil

 

Civil War (2024)

Written & directed by Alex Garland this film stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson. In the dying days of a civil war being fought across the United States, four members of the press travel to DC.

Beyond the surface level this film is just a bit too easy, it never offers any real depth. It does give us a hint of what it is like to live in a warn torn region but I am not sure it goes far enough. There is also no attempts to engage on a political level.

3/5

Disappointing

 

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Directed by Fede Alvarez this film stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux and Isabela Merced. Young people trapped on a corporate mine world plan to escape by raiding an abandoned space station.

Mostly this is an average entry into the series, it does not add much and slightly over stays with the last twenty minutes or so. The plot offers something a little interesting in terms of social commentary then never goes anywhere with it. In the end a run of the mill genre piece that squanders the opportunities it has.

2/5

Sinking

 

Red Sun (1971)

Directed by Terence Young this film stars Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. A Samurai travelling in the wild west forces a train robber to help him hunt down the robbers back stabbing partner.

Beyond the cast there is no reason to watch this film, it is two hours of my life I will not get back. Sadly the plot and artistry fall well short of the all star line up. May be an Italian director would have done a better job than Terence Young.

2/5

Big Nose

 

Cyrano de Bergerac (1900)

Directed by Clement Maurice this short film is based on the play of the same name. A short snippet of a scene from a well known play.

No doubt this one is a technical achievement as one of the earliest films to have sound and come in colour. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with the play this is based on and do not speak French so I did not have much of an idea of what is actually being said in the scene. A decent watch for the era it was made in.

3/5

More dancing

Photo-Cinéma-Théâtre: Christine Kerf dans Terpsichore (1900)

Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film. A group of people dance.

Not much to this one, some decent dancing, nothing more. Partially coloured which is nice. Lacks something to really recommend this one on.

3/5

Picture perfect

 

Chez le Photographe (1900)

Directed by Marguerite Vrignault this is an early short film staring Mason and Forbes. A man tries to take a picture of an unruly subject.

A good slapstick comedy that predates some of the bigger names. There are a good amount of japes that fill out the 4 minute run time of this short. Nicely done.

4/5