Fails to be touching

Where Hands Touch (2018)

Written & directed by Amma Asante this film stars Amandla Stenberg, George MacKay, Abbie Cornish and Christopher Eccleston. A biracial girl living in Nazi Germany falls in love with a white boy who wants to go fight at the front.

To get the good out of the way it is important to see a light shined on some of the lesser known parts of the Nazi oppression in WW2. Unfortunately the plot of this film leaves a lot to be desired with the second half in particular feeling highly contrived. With a better script this could have been an important film.

2/5

A dance of two ladies

At the Floral Ball (1900)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this film stars Miss Lally and Miss Julyett. Two women on stage dance together.

Hand coloured tinting makes any early film charming and this short is no exception. There is not a huge amount to the plot but it is fairly entertaining. Worth a watch but not overly memorable.

3/5

Could have been longer?

Widows (2018)

Directed by Steve McQueen this film based on the television show of the same name stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Colin Farrell. Following the death of their husbands in an armed robbery three women decide to pull off a robbery to pay their debts.

There is a lot to enjoy here but at times there were characters I wish the film had gone into more depth on, especially Carrie Coon's. The plot has a decent amount of tension and works as a genre film but I think would have been better as a mini series or full television series. Ably directed as you would expect of anything from Steve McQueen.

3/5

The other Simon Fellows

Steel Country (2018)

Directed by Simon Fellows this film also known as “A Dark Place” stars Andrew Scott, Bronagh Waugh and Denise Gough. An autistic trash man investigates the disappearance of a six year old boy who always waved to him while he was working.

There is something that is definitely touching about this film but there are a few elements that are a little tough to get a handle on. Andrew Scott gives a good performance but there are times where you wonder why some of the other characters do not get involved more. At times a little unbelievable but a fairly good watch.

3/5

A quick run through

Faust and Mephistopheles (1903)

Directed by Alice Guy-Blache this is an early short film. A man makes a deal with the devil, we all know how that goes.

This is one of those early short films that tries to cram so much plot into two minutes if you are not already familiar with the story you will get lost fast. There are some really nice settings and costumes as well as decent effects. Visually pretty nice but a little difficult to follow the narative.

3/5

Not much that is new

Lords of Anarchy (2017)

Directed by Bruce Thierry Cheung this film also known as “Don't Come Back from the Moon” stars Jeffrey Wahlberg, Rashida Jones and James Franco. A sixteen year old boy living in a desert town struggles to deal with his father leaving when work dries up.

There is plenty to enjoy about this come of age tale even if none of it is especially new. From the description of the novel that this film is based on it seems there may have been some magic lost in the adaptation to the big screen. Ultimately this is a decent but unremarkable coming of age tale.

3/5

Things come but no change

Things to Come (2016)

Written & directed by Mia Hansen-Love this film stars Isabelle Huppert, Andre Marcon and Roman Kolinka. A middle-aged philosophy professor in France finds her life turned upside down.

This is kind of what you imagine as a slightly art house French film more interested in high ideas than the central character actually changing or having agency. No doubt this film captures something of life but I ended up frustrated by the way the protagonist just floats through events. Not a bad watch but a film that failed to connect with me.

3/5