Fairy mess

Maleficent (2014)

Directed by Robert Stromberg this film stars Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning and Sam Riley. The story of sleeping beauty is told from the point of view of the antagonist.

There is a lot of interesting stuff in this film but unfortunately it never really follows through, there is no explanation as to why if all ends well that we treat Maleficent as evil in the story. Apparently a lot of the first act was cut and I think that really hampers the film as it seems more interest in story events rather than delving into the characters and explaining their actions, Stefan in particular. I enjoyed Angelina Jolie who does her best but the script and other casting massively let her down in my opinion.

2/5

Pimp problems

The Goddess (1934)

Written and directed by Wu Yonggang this ilm stars Ruan Lingyu and Zhang Zhizhi. A single mother who works as a prostitute struggles to escape the clutches of an abusive pimp.

The plot of this film does a good job of showing the struggles of a sex worker but I am not sure it ever does more than that. Whilst the story is sympathetic to the plight of the protagonist it never really offers any potential answers or reasons for why society acts this way, only how it acts. I enjoyed the film but I would not say it has the style of a Naruse film of which there are many on the same subject.

3/5

Lies on a liar?

The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)

Directed by Werner Herzog this film inspired by a real story stars Bruno Schleinstein, Walter Ladengast and Brigitee Mira. A young man, unable to speak, who has spent his entire life being raised in a cellar is abandoned in a German town.

It seems that while a lot of the events in this film are depicted historically the film really fails to delve into the most likely explanation that Hauser was a pathological liar. Maybe the film like Hauser himself is disingenuous by choice and while I found parts of the film interesting I am not sure if it goes anywhere interesting. In the lead role Schleinstein might not be to everyone's taste but I think his wooden style probably fits well here.

3/5

Wilted

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Directed by Stephen Chbosky this film based on the director's novel of the same name stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller. An awkward boy with no friends starts high school and makes friends with some older kids.

Maybe my expectations were a little too high for this film but I found it to be a fairly average coming of age that trots through a lot of the usual cliché moments. There are actually some really interesting elements to the protagonist and the story but these are revealed way too late in the film for my liking. The cast is pretty good but Paul Rudd seems underused in his supporting role as “the good teacher”.

3/5

No secrets here

In Secret (2013)

Directed by Charlie Stratton this film based on the novel “Therese Raquin” stars Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Felton, Oscar Isaac and Jessica Lange. In 1860s Paris a sexually repressed woman forced into a loveless marriage with her sickly cousin begins an affair with his best friend.

Starting off as a somewhat cliché love story the film moves into a second half which has all the hallmarks of a film noir story. I found the story to be a bit simplistic and obvious at every turn, shoving every little detail in the viewers face was a bit much for me. Jessica Lange gives a good performance in the final act but otherwise there is little of note here.

3/5

Early condemnation

The Mortal Storm (1940)

Directed by Frank Borzage this film based on the novel of the same name stars Margaret Sullivan, James Stewart, Robert Young and Frank Morgan. A well loved professor from a university town finds himself on the wrong side of an increasingly powerful Nazi party.

This is one of the first American films to condemn the anti-Semitism of the Nazis and surprisingly was made at a time when the country was still trying to stay neutral. The plot does a great job of showing the change brought about in Germany and the suffering of one family but does not fully explore the routes of Nazi ideology. There is a great ski sequence and all in all this film is really worth watching.

4/5

More blood and lies

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)

Directed by Noam Murro this sequel based on an unreleased comic stars Sullivan Stapleton and Eva Green. While the 300 Spartans march off to their battle an Athenian war hero attempts to unite Greece for a naval battle against the Persians.

The plot of this film lacks the clear narrative thrust of the original and at times the story seems to wander about all over the place. While the story here is not as good as the original it pretty much serves it's purpose which is an excuse for over the top violence. Noam Murro does a pretty good job of re-capturing the style of Zack Snyder's original but the big problem here is that Sullivan Stapleton just does not have the personality or presence to carry the film like Gerard Butler did in the original. Attempting to cram in an utterly unnecessary and bizarre sex scene does not help matters either.

3/5