Best left alone

Charlie's Farm (2014)

Written & directed by Chris Sun this film stars Tara Ried, Dean Kirkright, Allira Jaques and Sam Coward. Four friends head off in search of a farm in the Australian outback rumoured to be haunted by a family that killed backpackers.

Mind numbing might be an apt description for the plot of this slasher which also has some suspect dialogue. It takes too long to get to the gory parts of this film which are the sole reason for the film existing and even then they are not especially interesting. The film lacks any atmosphere or tension and the cast barely give performances.

1/5

I am bored

I Am Wrath (2015)

Directed by Chuck Russell this film stars John Travolta, Christopher Meloni, Amanda Schull and Rebecca De Mornay. A man goes on a killing spree after the cops fail to bring his wife's killer to justice.

Essentially this is a revenge porn film with a silly conspiracy tacked on the end to fill out the running time. The plot is basic and never ones considers the moral implications of it's protagonist over getting some more violence on screen. Originally William Friedkin was supposed to direct this film but I doubt even he could have salvaged something from this script.

2/5

A minute amount of moves

The Pickaninny Dance from the “Passing Show” (1894)

Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is a fragment of an early silent film. We see three men dancing.

Unfortunately the context of this film is pretty racist which is a shame as the dancers have some really good moves. It is surprising how similar the dance moves look to break dancing. This small snip is not really long enough to count as a film but is a cool snap shot of a by gone era.

2/5

The shuffle of the defeated man

Time Out of Mind (2014)

Written & directed by Oren Moverman this film stars Richard Gere, Ben Vereen and Jena Malone. A man living in New York struggles to admit he is homeless while trying to reconnect with his daughter.

Neither action packed or eventful this is a slow moving look at the life of those so often over looked or looked down upon by society. There is not a lot original or revolutionary about this film but the way in which it is told does a great job of reflecting the plight of the protagonist. I really enjoyed the performance of Richard Gere and the tone of the film general.

4/5

Trust issues

The Survivalist (2015)

Written & directed by Stephen Fingleton this film stars Martin McCann, Mia Goth and Olwen Fouere. After the break down of society a man living alone in the woods is approached by an old woman and her daughter.

This is a minimalist tale of survival and trust that is a pretty good exploration of human behaviour. I enjoyed the story even if it explains little about the world or people in it. There are good performances from the cast as well as a couple of nice touches with the direction.

4/5

Kite as in shite

Kite (2014)

Directed by Ralph Ziman this film based on the anime of the same name stars India Eisley, Samuel L. Jackson and Callan McAuliffe. In a dystopian future a girl hunts the man responsible for her father's murder with the help of his former police partner.

Essentially this is a bad spin on the basic plot of Memento (2001) but with a lot more action. The final twist does not really make much sense or work in character terms. Stylistically the film comes off as a poor attempt to be a Luc Besson film.

2/5  

Driver doggy

The Dog Outwits the Kidnapper (1908)

Directed by Lewin Fitzhamon this film stars Barbara Hepworth, Cecil M. Hepworth and Blair the dog. A man kidnaps a girl but her trusty canine companion is on hand to save the day.

Everything about this film is simple and as you would expect it but it does have a dog driving a car so it has that going for it. Similar to the earlier “Rescued by Rover” this might not be the most original film but there is not much wrong with it. The film is mostly well made although there is one moment where the car moves once the dog has got out.

3/5