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A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Also known as Stairway to Heaven in the US this film from Powell and Pressburger stars David Niven and Kim Hunter. A pilot bails out of his plane over the English channel in the final days of the war, is he dead, alive, concussed, suffering from a brain tumour, does he have survivors guilt or something else?

The execution of this film has some really interesting elements especially in terms of special effects. Mixing between colour and sections in black and white to separate the different planes of existence works well and is no doubt a first in cinema. When it comes to the other worldly sections the special effects to pull of the strange sets like the massive stairway work really well as well given the technical limitations of the period.

As to the plot, it is an interesting set up and no doubt relevant to the time period given the great loss of life during WW2 but does feel a little contrived at times. I would also have liked to see the film hold it's ambiguity a little better and longer as it does tip it's hand a little too early on. When it comes to the treatment of the “other place” the film handles it really well favouring no religion at all and not taking a turn into a thinly veiled sermon like many films on the subject do.

5/5

It starts with a turd

Barney's Version (2010)

Adapted from the novel of the same name this film stars Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver and Dustin Hoffman. A man lurches through three marriages and various disasters as he tries to give his own version of how he lived his life.

There are some good performances in this film and Hoffman in particular has some great comedic moments, stealing a lot of the scenes he is in. When it comes to the plot the ending is heart breaking but I do think that the film missed out on a big chance to play with the unreliable nature of Barney's version of events given what happens to him in the end. While this is a well made film ultimately you do spend a large part of the film wondering why this story is being told, I think a larger focus on how people perceive Barney compared to how he views himself as well as the issues surrounding his fate would have made a better film.

3/5

Reef Beef

Donovan's Reef (1963)

Shot in Hawaii this is the last collaboration between director John Ford and star John Wayne that also features Elizabeth Allen and Lee Marvin. On a Polynesian island an estranged daughter wants to cheat the father she has never met out of his shares in his shipping company while John Wayne looks out for him.

As with any film from John Ford it is well made but maybe one of the lighter entries into his cannon that was more an excuse to take his friends for 8 weeks filming in Hawaii. There is an undertone of anti racism in this film which forms the core of the plot but is not really explored in enough depth in my opinion compared to Ford's earlier film The Searchers (1956) to really add a serious under belly to the film. With few surprises along the way this is a watchable film that seems to be most interested in having some fun in the sun above anything else.

3/5

Plot as we already know it

Life as We Know It (2010)

This comedy-drama from director Greg Berlanti which stars Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. After a couple die their best friends that do not like each other have to raise the orphaned one year old daughter.

There is a decent premise for a film here, how to cope with the sudden and unexpected responsibility of raising a child but instead this is just used as wrapping to bash out the same old tired romantic comedy plot. What could have been a serious drama is instead a missed opportunity that is more focused on how it sucks that people have to give up their cool lives and how the lead characters should get it on. As a romantic comedy this is probably not the worst you will ever see but that is hardly a recommendation given the depths the genre can hit.

3/5

Punching above it's weight?

The Fighter (2010)

Biographical boxing film today from director David O. Russell which stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. A boxer struggles to make a career for himself while his older brother is a drug addict former boxer on the way down.

This film picked up two Oscars for acting and it is easy to see why as Bale and Adams in particular give really good performances. When it comes to the content of the film, it is a boxing film so there is not a lot that is revolutionary here. In the end this is a solid and slightly more mature entry in it's genre that is greatly helped by stand out performances.

4/5

Shallow plot?

Shallow Grave (1994)

Danny Boyle makes his directorial debut with this film staring Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor. After their new flat mate overdoses three friends decide to keep the suitcase full of money he has but paranoia and greed get the better of them.

This film follows a fairly predictable path given the subject matter right up till the end where plenty of double crossing takes place but is still an enjoyable watch. The best performance in the piece is from Christopher Eccleston who goes from being an average boring accountant to creepy, paranoid terror of the flat over the course of the film. The final sequences do lack a little tension which would have really helped the films ending.

3/5

Machete don't text

Machete (2010)

Robert Rodriguez writes and directs this film which stars Danny Trejo, Robert Di Niro, Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez and is expanded from a faux commercial that appeared in Grindhouse (2007). War breaks out in Texas over illegal immigration.

While this film certainly has it's moments it does not really have enough of the over the top silly violence required to carry a film like this. The plot uses illegal immigration as the back drop but never really looks deeply into the issue and is obviously not especially realistic. There are some decent performances from the big cast although Lindsay Lohan playing a drugged out girl that wants to be a porn star probably was not much of a stretch for her.

3/5