Surprisingly not bad

Playing It Cool (2015)

Directed by Justin Reardon this film stars Chris Evans, Michelle Monaghan, Anthony Mackie, Topher Grace and Aubrey Plaza. A screenwriter that has never been in love is hired to write a rom-com but gets writers block when he meets a woman that could be “the one”.

For a film that went straight to video this is actually surprisingly good. While the film is not especially clever despite it's attempts at being self aware it has funny moments and manages not to be mind numbing like so many entries in it's genre. There is a really good cast and as much as anything they make this film watchable.

3/5

Killing in the name of peace

The Purge: Anarchy (2014)

Written and directed by James DeMonaco this film stars Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez. Four innocents find themselves trapped outside during a ritual night when all laws are suspended and their only protection is a man on a mission to kill.

Taking what is a criticism of the right this sequel adds on a familiar level of right wing paranoia with a spoonful of “the government is out to get us” which I am not sure adds much to the setting. Using a larger cast and a more open setting does give the film a different feel to the original but neither adds nor detracts really. There is plenty of violence but again like it's predecessor I do not think this film is as intelligent as it thinks it is.

3/5

Black and white, load of shite

Arnulf Rainer (1960)

Directed by Peter Kubelka this is a short, experimental film. We are exposed to flickering black and white images involving lines, dots and other types of static.

I found nothing in this film, about the only thing you could get from it is a headache or an epileptic fit if you are susceptible to those. There is no plot and to me there is no discernible pattern or reason to the images displayed. No doubt some may find this interesting but I think they will be in the very small minority.

1/5

Allen before Allen

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Directed by Billy Wilder this film based on the play of the same name stars Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe. With his wife and child in the country for the summer a New York businessman struggles to keep clear of his vices while having a Midlife crisis.

This is one of those films that you can easily tell is based on a play and somewhat disappointingly a lot of material was cut to placate film censors. What we do get is a funny and interesting look into the mind of a some what neurotic, sex crazed man long before Woody Allen started making films. There is a lot to enjoy here even if this is not the deepest film ever and there is at least one iconic moment in the film.

4/5

Time travel companions

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by Colin Tervorrow this film stars Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson and Karan Soni. An disillusioned intern working for a magazine helps a reporter investigated an advert in a paper by someone looking for a time travel companion.

The plot of this film works really well as a metaphor for finding someone to spend time with and has the under running theme of faded dreams. While nothing suggested by the film is especially revolutionary it handles it's subject matter carefully and with a decent amount of personality. This maybe a comedy but I did not find it especially funny, not that that is to the detriment of the film.

3/5

Waiting for a train

The Station Agent (2003)

Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy this film stars Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Williams. A lonely man with dwarfism inherits a disused train depot and begrudgingly becomes friends with similarly lonely locals.

Despite not being very long this is a sedate and subtle film that is a really interesting exploration of three lonely people. Silence is really used to the maximum in this film and it works very well, something you rarely see used elsewhere. While the film may have been shot on a small budget it rarely shows and this is a solidly made film.

4/5

Outer editing

Outer Space (1999)

Directed by Peter Tscherkassky this film stars Barbara Hershey. At night a woman experiences something strange in a house.

This short film is more an experiment in editing rather than anything else and while there are a couple of really nice moments for large parts I found it unintelligible. I would still recommend giving this film a watch just because it does a few really interesting things along the way. If you want something with a clear plot and story though you are in the wrong place.

3/5