Rise of the planet of the dogs

White God (2014)

Directed by Kornel Mundruczo this film stars Zsofia Psotta andSandor Zsoter with dogs Bodie & Luke. A teenage girl is sent to spent 3 months with her father but he throws out her pet dog as he does not want to pay the “mongrel” fine set by the government.

Taking a simple story of a lost dog this film provides an excellent allegory for how we treat those members of society we deem of lesser value. The film balances human and dog stories well and never becomes one of those overly sentimental pet films. Zsofia Psotta gives a great performance that holds together the film.

4/5  

Limp imitation

Shangri-La Suite (2017)

Directed by Eddie O'Keefe this film also known as “Kill the King” stars Emily Browning, Luke Grimes and Ron Livingston. Two teenagers in a mental hospital break out and head off to LA to kill Elvis.

It is very easy to see the tradition of American cinema that this film is birthed from but I am not sure it ever really connects with it's ancestors and instead feels like imitation. I found it near impossible to connect with the characters and the plot rather drifts along attempting to be dreamy. There is a filter applied to the film to give it a cheap 1970s look which also adds little to the film.

2/5

A small thing

The Cheese Mites, or Lilliputians in a London Restaurant (1901)

Directed by Walter R. Booth this is an early short film. A man at a restaurant has a drink and sees small people on the table.

Essentially this is just one photography trick and the quality of the surviving film is not that high. Given the age of the film you can allow some wiggle room and this is a fairly standard example of a film of the period. While this film is briefly enjoyable there is not a lot to it.

2/5

A custody battle 1909 style

La Possession de l'enfant (1909)

Directed by Loius Feuillade this short film stars Renee Carl. The courts put a young boy in the custody of his rich father but bored the child desires a return to his mother.

An early custody battle film does not offer the most modern or in depth look on it's subject matter as you might imagine. This simple drama is still a fairly decent watch but not an overly remarkable example of early cinema. The camera is largely static and the performance may seem a little over the top to modern viewers.

3/5

A weak farce

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Directed by Kriv Stenders this film stars Simon Pegg, Alice Braga, Teresa Palmer and Sullivan Stapleton. A hit man hired to kill a woman watches her get seemingly killed by two other people.

This black comedy is not really up to the standards of some of the greats of the genre but it is watchable at least. The characters go through a number of stupid actions which is fairly entertaining. There is a good cast but I'm not sure Simon Pegg was a good fit for playing against type here.

3/5

A fantasy of WW2

Allied (2016)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis this film stars Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard and Jared Harris. A Canadian officer dropped into North Africa falls in love with the French agent posing as his wife.

Attempting to construct a thriller this film is never bad but always somewhat of a disappointment in never fulfilling it's potential. The plot never really feels in the balance and the version of WW2 we see on screen is some what of a dreamy unreal version. For all the talent involved this is a surprisingly damp effort that wishes it was Casablanca (1942) but never gets close.

3/5

Reflections and projections

Man with Mirror (1976)

Directed by Guy Sherwin this is an experimental short film with on screen performance from the film's director. A man stands in front of the camera with a mirror while a film is projected onto him.

Taking a very simple idea this is a fascinating little film built on a great performance. I have no idea how many takes it must have required to get right but the interplay between projection and reflection make for a great watch. There is certainly something unique about this film and a lot of skill in the execution.

4/5

Adapted adoption story

When Marnie Was There (2014)

Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi this animated film based on the novel of the same name has English voices from Hailee Steinfeld, Kiernan Shipka and Ava Acres. An adopted 12 year old girl with asthma is send to visit relatives of her foster parents on the coast.

Taking a British novel this film does a good job of transplanting the story to Japan and manages to handle it with all the care you expect from Studio Ghibli. While the ending of the story is a little convenient for my taste it still has an emotional impact. As always the animation style is up to the standard you would expect from Studio Ghibli.

4/5

Disappointing knock off

The Confirmation (2016)

Written & directed by Bob Nelson this film stars Clive Owen, Jaeden Lieberher, Maria Bello and Robert Forster. A boy spends his weekend with his alcoholic father hunting for his father's stolen tools.

Taking the basic premise of Bicycle Thieves (1948) and transplanting it to a modern setting is not the worst idea ever but this film comes off as inferior in nearly every regard. Despite the decent cast this is not a great film that is a bit too obvious in it's ideas. Maybe if this film didn't exist in the shadow of a much superior one it would have a better time but in the end it's pretty weak.

2/5

Limping along with.

Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016)

Directed by Greg Mottola this film stars Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot. A suburban couple become suspicious of their new neighbours who appear to be more than perfect.

Taking a decent premise this is a fairly lazy film that stumbles through the motions. While there is not much wrong with this film per se, it never really manages to impress at all. There are laughs but not a huge amount and Zach Galifianakis is surprisingly subdued in this film.

3/5

Dots dancing

Lapis (1966)

Directed by James Whitney this is a short animated film. We see various colours and patters set to music.

An impressive piece of animation this short is also notable for it's early use of computer assistance in camera control. While there is not really a plot or narrative here the imagery is entertaining enough to keep your attention. Certainly this is well worth a watch for animation fans.

4/5

With in the vicinity of the truth

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Directed by Nicholas Hytner this film based on real events stars Alex Jennings and Maggie Smith. Writer Alan Bennett moves to Camden in London and begins an odd friendship with an eccentric homeless woman.

Capturing the style of Alan Bennett well this comedy is a classic look at life through the unique eyes of it's writer. There is a lot to enjoy here from the writing to Smith's performance and the film is never overly sentimental. I also enjoyed the elements of fourth wall breaking the film has.

4/5

Replacement wife

Fill the Void (2012)

Written & directed by Rama Burshtein this film stars Hadas Yaron, Chaim Sharir, Irit Sheleg and Yiftach Klein. An 18 year old girl living in an Orthodox community in Israel tries to decide if she should marry her sister's widower or not.

Taking a Jane Austen style look at love and marriage in a rigidly structured community there is a fair amount to enjoy about this film. While the film gives a really interesting look into a different culture it is a one sided look and maybe a little stilted for some to get into. There are good performances and the film really seems to capture the community it is a part of.

4/5

Where no doggy has gone before

K-9000: A Space Oddity (1968)

Directed by Robert Mitchell and Robert Swarthe this is a short animated film. A dog heads into space and finds a lot of whacky stuff going on there.

Not a full parody of the Stanley Kubrick film there are still elements shared between the two films. While this is an enjoyable distraction I think it's unlikely to stay with the viewer for long. Neither the animation or humour especially stand out but this is still a decent watch.

3/5

Army of none upstairs

Army of One (2016)

Directed by Larry Charles this film inspired by a true story stars Nicolas Cage and Wendhi McLendon-Covey. A 50 year old construction worker from Colorado gets a message from God to go hunt Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.

While this film is some what entertaining on the surface level it does not seem to be very accurate. The film also seems to rely heavily on one persons mental illness for humour. Nicolas Cage gives a really interesting performance but it's not enough to carry the film.

2/5

Don done bad

Don Verdean (2015)

Written & directed by Jared Hess this film stars Sam Rockwell, Amy Ryan, Jemaine Clement and Danny McBride. An “archaeologist” known for his questionable discoveries of religious nature teams up with a pastor to find an item that will increase church attendence.

Not as off beat as some other Jared Hess films this is still an enjoyable look into the fairly bizarre. There is enough to keep you entertained through out this film but it does not offer any great insight into the world of charlatans. Some of the performances are really great, particularly Rockwell who has some spot on mannerisms.

3/5

Operation shite

Operation Chromite (2016)

Directed by John H. Lee this film claiming to be inspired by real events stars Lee Jun-jae, Lee Beom-soo and Liam Neeson. In 1950 South Korea agents infiltrate the Communist city of Incheon ahead of the planned UN invasion.

Taking an interesting piece of history this film turns the story into a historically inaccurate action film. As an action film your brain will not need to be engaged watching this film and it's simplistic nature is a bit of a disappointment. While this film was a smash hit in South Korea it is not what I want from a war film or an action film.

2/5

The glass dance

Inspiration (1948)

Directed by Karel Zeman this is stop motion animation thing. A glass blower inspired by a drop of rain water on the window imagines the figures he wants to create.

This is a cool short animation that has a really great look and style to it. While the plot is simple the images will more than hold your attention. Not a single word is uttered during the film but it is impressive how much it communicates silently.

4/5

Walking Spain

The Way (2010)

Written & directed by Emilio Estevez this film stars Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen and James Nesbitt. An American ophthalmologist travels to Europe to collect his son's body and decides to walk the pilgrimage his son died on.

Considering the film is based on a religious concept the story does a really good job of not pushing religion and instead offering a more neutral story. While this is a fairly simple story it still does a decent job of capturing the nature and camaraderie of popular long walking trails. There are decent if unremarkable performances from the cast and the direction does a good job of keeping out of the way.

3/5

Pigeon shit

Flying Home (2014)

Written & directed by Dominique Deruddere this film stars Jamie Dornan, Charlotte De Bruyne and Jan Decleir. To secure the investment of a rich Arab an American businessman heads to Belgium to trick an old man into selling his prize racing pigeon.

From the very start this film clearly signposts every where it's going and hammers home it's simplistic points relentlessly. If the script just gave the viewer a little more credit for intelligence this might be a watchable film but it's pretty tough to take. The performances are not too bad but the Belgian cast far out shines Jamie Dornan.

2/5

When computers started to take over

Hunger (1974)

Directed by Peter Foldes this is one of the first computer animated films. A man enjoys eating so much that he becomes a glutton.

As a morality tale this is no an overly interesting film, the story is fairly simple and not very deep. Obviously the film is notable for breaking technological barriers but the animation style it produces is not really that pleasing on the eye either. No doubt it's worth saving this film as a historical milestone but it's not really that impressive in content.

3/5

Not Hitchcock or Argento

Alleycats (2016)

Directed by Ian Bonhote this film stars Eleanor Tomlinson, Josh Whitehouse, Sam Keeley and John Hannah. A cyclist working as a courier witnesses a murder and decides to blackmail the killer.

There are a few problems with this film, it starts off with a decent thriller premise but switches central character early on which is not helpful at all. It's best not to think too much about the plot as it unfolds as it does not make much sense. In the end there is little that stands out about this film.

2/5

Mel Gibson's Shane

Blood Father (2016)

Directed by Jean-Fracois Richet this film based on the novel of the same name stars Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna and William H. Macy. After convict on parole and trying to stay sober is contacted by his 17 year old daughter who is in trouble with criminals.

There is nothing much original about this film but it is a really solid genre entry. The plot is the classic “man struggling against his demons forced to fulfil the role of tragic masculinity” much in the vein of Shane (1953) but a fairly simple version of that story. I enjoyed Mel Gibson in the lead role but in general this is a little bit too by the numbers.

3/5

Bitter and fizzles

Salt and Fire (2016)

Directed by Werner Herzog this film based on the novel “Aral” stars Veronica Ferres, Micahel Shannon and Lawrence Krauss. Three scientists sent by the UN to South America to look at a natural disaster get kidnapped.

All round this is a fairly strange and off beat film. The plot meanders but not in a good way while it pontificates on the importance of points of view before limping to a disappointing conclusion. No doubt going for a specific style some of the performances do not seem great either.

2/5

LSD 1915s style

The Madness of Dr. Tube (1915)

Directed by Abel Gance this film stars Albert Dieudonne as the title character. With the help of his assistant a scientist invents a powder that works like LSD and tests it on people.

This is a pretty simple film with a basic plot. There is a some what silly look at the world of drugs from an era long before we fully understood the problems that come with them. While the on screen antics are enjoyable they are not really remarkable or memorable.

3/5

Viking funerals are not always appropriate

What We Did on Our Holiday (2014)

Written & directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jekin this film stars David Tennant, Rosamund Pike along with Billy Connolly. A couple who have separated take their children on holiday to Scotland to visit their sick grandfather on his 75^th birthday.

Essentially this is a film version of the television show Outnumbered but with a different cast. While the comedic elements of the film are good the final act devolves into some ham fisted over sentimentality. The children carry the film well but strangely it's some of the adults who give weak performances.

3/5  

Following the money

The Infiltrator (2016)

Directed by Brad Furman this film based on real events stars Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt and Diane Kruger. During the 1980s US Customs agents seek to infiltrate the money laundering schemes of drug dealers tied to Pablo Escobar.

Taking what appears to be a mostly realistic story this is a fairly interesting crime story but I am not sure it offers anything especially new. Nothing of great depth or originality is revealed here despite being a well made film. There is a good cast but the performances are solid rather than amazing.

3/5

A blowup of a different kind

The Substitute (1961)

Directed by Dusan Vukotic this animated film won an Oscar in 1961. A man heads to the beach and uses a pump to make inflatable versions of everything he needs.

This is a pretty odd but entertaining short cartoon. While the animation style is not to the top levels of the period it is still decent and provides an entertaining watch. There is not much deeper meaning to this short so I'm a little surprised it won an Oscar but it does have a few laughs at least.

3/5

Not as forceful as expected

Force Majeure (2014)

Written & directed by Ruben Ostlund this film stars Johannes Bah Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Kristofer Hivju and Fanni Metelius. A father runs off scared leaving his family behind when they experience a close call with an avalanche on a ski holiday.

Taking a slightly comedic look at gender roles and expectations this is a fairly good film but I am not sure it lives up to the reputation it has. While I enjoyed the film I was expecting a little bit more as so much praise has been lavished on the film. The performances are decent as our the underlying themes but I am not sure the film explores them in enough depth.

3/5

Easy magazine seller

American Honey (2016)

Written & directed by Andrea Arnold this film stars Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough. Leaving her home an 18 year old girl goes on the road selling magazine subscriptions.

Against the backdrop of a classic American road trip we explore the American dream and poverty in a modern context. There is a lot to enjoy here as the film manages to capture something of the struggles of youth with it's realist tone. All the performances are good and very natural but Sasha Lane stands out in the lead role.

4/5

Moana and Maui

Moana (2016)

Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker with Don Hall & Chris Willams as co-directors this animated film has voices from Auli'i Cravalho and Dwanye Johnson. A young Polynesian woman bucks the tribes tradition by wanting to go out and explore, she goes on an adventure with a demi-god.

Not entirely faithful to the tradition of Polynesian culture this is still a fun Disney adventure and while aimed at younger viewers is good enough for all ages. I enjoyed the film but it did lack a big of emotional depth as it wanders through it's familiar hero's journey. The animation is good but does not stand out compared to it's contemporaries.

3/5