Finding Neverland (2004)
Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet star in this film about the creation of Peter Pan that is “inspired” by real events. A struggling play writer befriends a widow and her four sons, their games and adventures end up inspiring a new play we know as Peter Pan.
The film focus on the ideas of imagination, innocence and growing up as the boys deal with having lost their father and their mother's illness. Excellently well made the narrative switches seamlessly between family drama and adventures of the imagination. It is very hard to find anything wrong with this film but what stops it being truly great is that it fails somewhat seriously in it's duty as dramatisation of historical events, it seems that rather large liberties have been taken with history and as such which a very good and thought provoking piece it does feel like history has been cheated in favour of sentimental story telling.
4/5 very worth watching but not to be taken literally.
Monday, 7 March 2011
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Ways of making you talk
Unthinkable (2010)
This films wants us to consider if the use of torture is ever justified as Samuel L. Jackson and Carrie-Anne Moss try to get Michael Sheen to tell them where he put three nuclear bombs. Naturally the bad guy is a Muslim but presumably the film makers thought by making him a white American that converted to Islam they will not get accused of pandering to stereotypes.
Having seen that a film has been released direct to DVD you always worry about the quality but the execution of the film is acceptable if not remarkable. As a moral discussion about the use of torture the film does manage to stay fairly impartial without really bringing anything strikingly new to the table. There is no evidence to suggest that torture is an effective or reliable method of getting someone to give up information and the film does pretty much duck this issue so does make itself some what superfluous in my opinion.
3/5 not bad but not earth shattering either.
This films wants us to consider if the use of torture is ever justified as Samuel L. Jackson and Carrie-Anne Moss try to get Michael Sheen to tell them where he put three nuclear bombs. Naturally the bad guy is a Muslim but presumably the film makers thought by making him a white American that converted to Islam they will not get accused of pandering to stereotypes.
Having seen that a film has been released direct to DVD you always worry about the quality but the execution of the film is acceptable if not remarkable. As a moral discussion about the use of torture the film does manage to stay fairly impartial without really bringing anything strikingly new to the table. There is no evidence to suggest that torture is an effective or reliable method of getting someone to give up information and the film does pretty much duck this issue so does make itself some what superfluous in my opinion.
3/5 not bad but not earth shattering either.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Out of the fog
Shutter Island (2010)
Adapted from the novel of the same name this is the fourth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio. Two US Marshals are called in to investigate the disappearance of a female patient from a prison for the criminally insane which is in a remote island.
This is a well executed psychological thriller that employs a number of familiar techniques but manages not to stretch into the realms of cliché. The ship coming out of the fog in the opening sequence is a particularly nice piece of film making and an important metaphor for what is happening to the protagonist. As you would expect from those involved there is a high level of acting and film making on show here but this film does fall short of greatness as it is limited by the genre conventions it is paying tribute to and a plot lacking ambiguity.
With out going too far into spoiler land I will say that I think the plot does tip it's hand too early and I think that better results could have been achieved by taking a less conclusive line. Having said that I do like the final scene and the open ended possibility of the protagonists final remarks.
Well worth watching 4/5
Adapted from the novel of the same name this is the fourth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio. Two US Marshals are called in to investigate the disappearance of a female patient from a prison for the criminally insane which is in a remote island.
This is a well executed psychological thriller that employs a number of familiar techniques but manages not to stretch into the realms of cliché. The ship coming out of the fog in the opening sequence is a particularly nice piece of film making and an important metaphor for what is happening to the protagonist. As you would expect from those involved there is a high level of acting and film making on show here but this film does fall short of greatness as it is limited by the genre conventions it is paying tribute to and a plot lacking ambiguity.
With out going too far into spoiler land I will say that I think the plot does tip it's hand too early and I think that better results could have been achieved by taking a less conclusive line. Having said that I do like the final scene and the open ended possibility of the protagonists final remarks.
Well worth watching 4/5
Friday, 4 March 2011
A cunning fox?
The Desert Fox (1951)
James Mason stars as Rommel in Henry Hathaway's biopic about Rommel's fall from grace. Starting with the battle of El Alamein we are shown how Rommel goes from being Hitler's favourite general to being given the option of suicide or execution for treason in 1944.
As a film this is not the greatest entertainment you will get from a war biopic, most of the story might as well have been staged as a play as there is little action and mostly revolves around conversations between Rommel and various other people. What action sequences that are included are largely recycled news footage from WW2.
When it comes to the historical content of the film I have a few major issues. To start with you have to be aware of the propaganda machine surrounding Rommel, his adversaries talked him up to promote their victories against him or mitigate for defeats against him and with the coming cold war and eventual rearmament of West Germany it was necessary to find decent role models for the new army. While Rommel was not a war criminal like many of his peers the film does not focus on the fact that he was happy to ride on the coat tails of the Nazis when things were going well and only in the face of impending defeat dallied over taking any meaningful stance against them.
2/5 weak in history and entertainment.
James Mason stars as Rommel in Henry Hathaway's biopic about Rommel's fall from grace. Starting with the battle of El Alamein we are shown how Rommel goes from being Hitler's favourite general to being given the option of suicide or execution for treason in 1944.
As a film this is not the greatest entertainment you will get from a war biopic, most of the story might as well have been staged as a play as there is little action and mostly revolves around conversations between Rommel and various other people. What action sequences that are included are largely recycled news footage from WW2.
When it comes to the historical content of the film I have a few major issues. To start with you have to be aware of the propaganda machine surrounding Rommel, his adversaries talked him up to promote their victories against him or mitigate for defeats against him and with the coming cold war and eventual rearmament of West Germany it was necessary to find decent role models for the new army. While Rommel was not a war criminal like many of his peers the film does not focus on the fact that he was happy to ride on the coat tails of the Nazis when things were going well and only in the face of impending defeat dallied over taking any meaningful stance against them.
2/5 weak in history and entertainment.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Booze cruise
Ice-cold in Alex (1958)
J. Lee Thompson directs John Mills and Anthony Quayle in this classic British film set in war time North Africa. Mills tries to get his ambulance from Tobruk back to Alexandria as the German advance threatens to over take them.
There are some slightly dodgy accents on show, especially from Quayle who plays a South African officer that may or may not be a German spy. There is plenty of tension as the group try to cross mine fields, the Qattara Depression and deal with a potential spy in their midst as well as the lead characters drink problem. On the whole this is a well made effort that provides good entertainment but does stay clear of having any serious depth to the film.
Worth watching 4/5
J. Lee Thompson directs John Mills and Anthony Quayle in this classic British film set in war time North Africa. Mills tries to get his ambulance from Tobruk back to Alexandria as the German advance threatens to over take them.
There are some slightly dodgy accents on show, especially from Quayle who plays a South African officer that may or may not be a German spy. There is plenty of tension as the group try to cross mine fields, the Qattara Depression and deal with a potential spy in their midst as well as the lead characters drink problem. On the whole this is a well made effort that provides good entertainment but does stay clear of having any serious depth to the film.
Worth watching 4/5
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Snow jokes
Snow Day (2000)
This kids comedy film is about the glorious days when school is cancelled due to heavy snow fall and tells the story of what happens to the different members of one family on a snow day. Picking up an easy pay cheque are such people as Chevy Chase, Pan Grier and Iggy Pop.
While there are several threads to the story the main one is the oldest son trying to get with the hottest girl at school when surprise, surprise he should really be with his plain looking best friend. Another equally poor element is the mother is a workaholic and has to learn that her place is playing with the youngest son rather than getting silly ideas about working, who knew the 50s were over? What might have made an entertaining comedy is the daughters battle with the local snow plough man to try and stop his work so school is cancelled for a second day but sadly this is relegated to second place in the story and not especially fleshed out.
2/5 predictable and not really funny.
This kids comedy film is about the glorious days when school is cancelled due to heavy snow fall and tells the story of what happens to the different members of one family on a snow day. Picking up an easy pay cheque are such people as Chevy Chase, Pan Grier and Iggy Pop.
While there are several threads to the story the main one is the oldest son trying to get with the hottest girl at school when surprise, surprise he should really be with his plain looking best friend. Another equally poor element is the mother is a workaholic and has to learn that her place is playing with the youngest son rather than getting silly ideas about working, who knew the 50s were over? What might have made an entertaining comedy is the daughters battle with the local snow plough man to try and stop his work so school is cancelled for a second day but sadly this is relegated to second place in the story and not especially fleshed out.
2/5 predictable and not really funny.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
The long road of revolution
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
David Lean is best known for his epics and this is the third he made and also his third collaboration with actor Alec Guinness. Adapted from the novel of the same name this is the age old story of one man trying to balance being in love with two women while the Russian revolution kicks off in the back ground.
Shot in Spain, Finland and Canada as Russia was off limits for obvious reasons there are some outstanding backdrops and jaw dropping sequences. While the film explores the ideas of individualism and how a revolution can be hijacked we do have to wonder if the main character is so self interested is he indeed part of the problem that caused the revolution rather than a hero who stands against crushing Bolshevik homogenisation.
The main criticism of the film is always going to be that it tries to do too much and even with cutting some elements of the novel still comes in at a whopping 197 minutes in length, while the main subject of the film is supposed to be the romance between Omar Sharif and Julie Christie it takes them a full 2 hours to get together. Some times you just have to accept that a novel can do more than a single film ever can without ending up with a crazy run time but this does remain a very good film. Despite it's length the film is well paced and does not drag.
Certainly worth watching and a solid addition to Lean's cannon but it does require a time commitment! 4/5
David Lean is best known for his epics and this is the third he made and also his third collaboration with actor Alec Guinness. Adapted from the novel of the same name this is the age old story of one man trying to balance being in love with two women while the Russian revolution kicks off in the back ground.
Shot in Spain, Finland and Canada as Russia was off limits for obvious reasons there are some outstanding backdrops and jaw dropping sequences. While the film explores the ideas of individualism and how a revolution can be hijacked we do have to wonder if the main character is so self interested is he indeed part of the problem that caused the revolution rather than a hero who stands against crushing Bolshevik homogenisation.
The main criticism of the film is always going to be that it tries to do too much and even with cutting some elements of the novel still comes in at a whopping 197 minutes in length, while the main subject of the film is supposed to be the romance between Omar Sharif and Julie Christie it takes them a full 2 hours to get together. Some times you just have to accept that a novel can do more than a single film ever can without ending up with a crazy run time but this does remain a very good film. Despite it's length the film is well paced and does not drag.
Certainly worth watching and a solid addition to Lean's cannon but it does require a time commitment! 4/5
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