Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Another Potter film and another new director for the franchise, this time Mike Newell takes the helm of the magic money printing series. Young Harry gets involved in a dangerous wizard competition and the bad guys are out to get him again.
It is clear that the series is starting to struggle to convert the novels to screen as at times it feels like there are clearly bits missing here and there despite the increase in run time. What is good about the film is you can see the characters starting to age and how their relationships are changing. While this is another well made effort it does feel like another half an hour at least was needed to really fill the film out.
3/5
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Thieves
Takers (2010)
This crime drama has a large cast including Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez and Hayden Christensen. A gang of thieves plan a robbery on a tight deadline after a former member of the gang has been released from jail and a cop tries to hunt them down.
There is very little original about this film and that is a major problem when it comes to heist films as half the fun is seeing how the gang try to pull off the robbery, what is even worse is that the characters even acknowledge they stole their plan off The Italian Job (2003). We are supposed to feel sympathy for the members of the gang that end up being killed but there seems to be little or no reason for this. While some of the action sequences are pretty cool they are ruined by the direction which includes large amounts of fast cutting and wobbly camera movements.
2/5 a poor effort.
This crime drama has a large cast including Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez and Hayden Christensen. A gang of thieves plan a robbery on a tight deadline after a former member of the gang has been released from jail and a cop tries to hunt them down.
There is very little original about this film and that is a major problem when it comes to heist films as half the fun is seeing how the gang try to pull off the robbery, what is even worse is that the characters even acknowledge they stole their plan off The Italian Job (2003). We are supposed to feel sympathy for the members of the gang that end up being killed but there seems to be little or no reason for this. While some of the action sequences are pretty cool they are ruined by the direction which includes large amounts of fast cutting and wobbly camera movements.
2/5 a poor effort.
Friday, 5 August 2011
Tomb
Thunder Over Arizona (1956)
This B movie western stars Skip Homeier and is directed by Joseph Kane. A corrupt mayor wants to steal a families silver mine and brings in a hired gun as his new enforcer to get his bidding done.
With a run time of only 70 minutes there is not exactly a lot to this film, what is missing most is fleshed out characters. The plot is serviceable but unremarkable much like the rest of the film. If you have an hour or so to kill this is not the worst film to watch but it really lacks any substance, tension or drama and is entirely forgettable.
2/5
This B movie western stars Skip Homeier and is directed by Joseph Kane. A corrupt mayor wants to steal a families silver mine and brings in a hired gun as his new enforcer to get his bidding done.
With a run time of only 70 minutes there is not exactly a lot to this film, what is missing most is fleshed out characters. The plot is serviceable but unremarkable much like the rest of the film. If you have an hour or so to kill this is not the worst film to watch but it really lacks any substance, tension or drama and is entirely forgettable.
2/5
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Rotten?
I Sell the Dead (2008)
Former hobbit Dominic Monaghan stars along side Ron Perlman in this comedy horror film about grave robbers in the 1800s. Stuck in jail a grave robber recants tales of his past miss deeds to a monk while awaiting execution.
The plot for this film is fairly ordinary although some of the events do take a turn for supernatural and there are the occasional moments of humour along the way. I think where this film fails to stand out is that the main characters lack a larger than life quality to really win the audience over. In the end this is a decent little low budget film that is entirely watchable if not worth seeking out.
3/5
Former hobbit Dominic Monaghan stars along side Ron Perlman in this comedy horror film about grave robbers in the 1800s. Stuck in jail a grave robber recants tales of his past miss deeds to a monk while awaiting execution.
The plot for this film is fairly ordinary although some of the events do take a turn for supernatural and there are the occasional moments of humour along the way. I think where this film fails to stand out is that the main characters lack a larger than life quality to really win the audience over. In the end this is a decent little low budget film that is entirely watchable if not worth seeking out.
3/5
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Telling tales
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Staring Richard Burton this cold war espionage thriller is based on the novel of the same name by John le Carre. A British spy is caught in a dangerous web of bluff and counter bluff with East German and Soviet intelligence services.
This film does a great job of capturing the grey versus grey world of cold war espionage and asks us if the ends justify the means. Having been written by someone who actually worked in the trade the plot has a good deal of authenticity and takes a realistic approach to the subject matter which is often not seen in the world of James Bond knock offs. Richard Burton gives an excellent performance as the man caught in the middle of the game being played between the two opposing sides. There are some good twists and a great ending to go with the interesting characters making this a really well rounded film.
4/5 a classic spy film.
Staring Richard Burton this cold war espionage thriller is based on the novel of the same name by John le Carre. A British spy is caught in a dangerous web of bluff and counter bluff with East German and Soviet intelligence services.
This film does a great job of capturing the grey versus grey world of cold war espionage and asks us if the ends justify the means. Having been written by someone who actually worked in the trade the plot has a good deal of authenticity and takes a realistic approach to the subject matter which is often not seen in the world of James Bond knock offs. Richard Burton gives an excellent performance as the man caught in the middle of the game being played between the two opposing sides. There are some good twists and a great ending to go with the interesting characters making this a really well rounded film.
4/5 a classic spy film.
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Sting
The Fighting Seabees (1944)
John Wayne is on propaganda duty in this WW2 film that also features Susan Hayward. Construction workers join the navy, build stuff on islands and fight the Japanese while the officers fight over the affections of a female reporter.
What is unusual about this film is that it is probably one of the few John Wayne made where his character was ever in the wrong and does not survive the film, why the other lead characters put up with him I am not sure. The plot itself is entirely fictional apart from the fact Seabees did exist in WW2 and is not especially original or interesting.
3/5 average war film.
John Wayne is on propaganda duty in this WW2 film that also features Susan Hayward. Construction workers join the navy, build stuff on islands and fight the Japanese while the officers fight over the affections of a female reporter.
What is unusual about this film is that it is probably one of the few John Wayne made where his character was ever in the wrong and does not survive the film, why the other lead characters put up with him I am not sure. The plot itself is entirely fictional apart from the fact Seabees did exist in WW2 and is not especially original or interesting.
3/5 average war film.
Monday, 1 August 2011
Digging a hole
The Trouble With Harry (1955)
Director Alfred Hitchcock takes a change of pace with this dark comedy adaptation staring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe and Shirley MacLaine. The trouble with Harry is that he is dead, no one is really sure who killed him or what they should do with the body.
This farce falls flat because it lacks any real pace or energy, everything moves far too slowly and really fails to play up the ridiculousness of the situation the characters find themselves in. There are some really nice shots of the woodland in autumn that provide a nice back drop for the film but that is about the best you can say about this film.
3/5 not a classic Hitchcock.
Director Alfred Hitchcock takes a change of pace with this dark comedy adaptation staring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe and Shirley MacLaine. The trouble with Harry is that he is dead, no one is really sure who killed him or what they should do with the body.
This farce falls flat because it lacks any real pace or energy, everything moves far too slowly and really fails to play up the ridiculousness of the situation the characters find themselves in. There are some really nice shots of the woodland in autumn that provide a nice back drop for the film but that is about the best you can say about this film.
3/5 not a classic Hitchcock.
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