Film Reviews
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Jacques Audiard
Cinema
This French edge of your seat prison drama come highly recommended. What with winning the 2009 Grand Prix at Cannes and best film at the London Film Festival it should be good and it is.
Starting out with a nineteen year old Tahar Rahim (Malik El Djebena) receiving a six year stretch in the clink He finds himself alone and friendless as he learns the ropes of prison life. Which includes gang rule and coming under the influence of César the boss.
Life is tough to say the least. Gradually he is given various tasks to fulfil, which in turn opens his eyes to what he can achieve on his own. Being part Arab and Corsican he uses both gangs to his advantage but not before enduring beatings and humiliation at the hand of the other inmates. How he survives and comes out on top makes for a fascinating and absorbing watch. Be warned though it is violent, hard hitting and long.
4 stars
|
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Martin Campbell
Cinema
After an absence of seven years from the screen as an actor, Mel Gibson is back with us playing a Boston police detective in this remake of the BBC television series of yesteryear. Devised by Troy Kennedy Martin to whom this film is dedicated.
Detective Tom is happy to receive a visit from his only daughter, who alas is sick. So much so Tom (Mel) decides to take her to the hospital. Unfortunately they get no further than the front door when father and daughter are blasted with gunfire and she dies. At first people think it is detective Tom who is in the frame but as he untangles the spider web of intrigue that surrounds his daughter’s life, a tapestry of conspiracy is gradually uncovered.
She was the intended victim and was also poisoned! Why? She was working for a government plant, whose work is a little suspect, working with irregular nuclear weapons for alien use in covert hands.
There are cover ups, twists and turns, shootouts and cascading cars. Oh it’s all there. It has a slight eighties feel about it and Ray Winstone as a Cockney hit man, which is odd but worth a look.
3 stars
|
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Scott Hicks
Cinema
Set against a lush Australian wine growing backdrop, this tear jerker of a true story is good family fare, well certainly mums anyway.
Joe an English hack in Australia loses his second wife to cancer and is forced to look after his young son. He also receives a call from his first wife to say that his older son wants to join him down under for a while. So there he is juggling two sons, his sports journalism job and coping with his loss.
It will make you laugh and cry as all these people adjust to each other. It’s an amiable film and Clive Owen in the lead does all that he can to prove he is a leading man. However the film is almost stolen by the two lads George Mackay and Nicholas McAnulty and the Australian backdrop.
3 stars |
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Nancy Meyers
Cinema
Well it’s not actually when you have two superb stars like Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin on the screen, giving us the audience full value for the price of a cinema seat.
Jane Adler (Meryl) is a divorced Californian restaurateur who gets together with her three grown up children for a family gathering, which also includes her ex husband (Alec).
Much fun and frolics are had, having consumed plenty of wine the ex’s rekindle their passion for each other, which lights up the room and gradually they get into an affair.
He is now hitched to a demanding trophy wife. Basically it’s a case of ‘will they or won’t they?’ The only possible fly in the ointment is an architect suitor of Jane, namely Steve Martin, who plays it very low key.
In lesser hands this could have sunk but with Meryl and Alec it’s a lesson in great screen acting. There is a lovely scene with Meryl and her friends, where she reveals all. She says “It turns out I’m a bit of a slut” and I thought, oh no your not! This RomCom in ex Doris Day and Rock Hudson land is a pure joy, you must see it.
Four stars |
|
Did You Hear About the Morgans? |
|
|
|
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Marc Lawrence
Cinema
The Morgans, namely Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker are a warring New York couple who continue their war in Wyoming where they are hiding out as part of a witness protection scheme. Why? Because this couple who would rather be apart have to stick together as they have witnessed a murder and the baddies are after them.
Naturally we have seen all this before and will again. It’s funny and Hugh does what he does, pulls certain faces and earns bundles doing it. Sarah Jessica Parker has a certain cheeky style that works and the whole thing is a pleasant watch.
3 stars
|
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Rob Marshall
Cinema
Well I’d like to say nice things about this overblown and frankly devoid of scrip musical, but I can’t. The decent songs do not exist apart from Judy Dench’s The sets and Italian backdrops just lift it a tad but only just. Daniel Day Lewis plays an Italian film director whose dilemma is his next movie and how he is going to balance his time between all his ladies. Which include Kidman, Cruz and even Sofia Loren as his ghost of a mother. They look lovely, unfortunately the film is not.
|
|
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll |
|
|
|
|
Saturday, 06 February 2010 |
Directed by Mat Whitecross
Cinema
Recently, I have observed two greater romances on film that have both captured the essence of truly deeply disturbed British cultural heroes of the past. First Aaron Johnson as an embittered but brilliant John Lennon in ‘Nowhere Boy’ and now the amazing Andy Serkis as the tortured Ian Dury.
It’s a great credit to the fabric of the UK that we took an American Art form of Rock n’ Roll and made it our own, consequently producing people of this calibre. Ian Dury’s tale is told through the eyes of his young son, who witnessed the antics of his off the wall rock daddy with both horror and amusement.
Through flashbacks we see Dury’s adolescence dealing with his polio and the awful abuse handed out to him, in a home, from a cowering teacher (Toby Jones) and his hero worship of his distant dad (Ray Winstone) then the older Ian with his group in dingy clubs (How I recall those) the birth of his son whilst he rehearsed noisily downstairs. The utter despair of both his wife Betty (Olivia Williams) and girlfriend Denise (Naomie Harris) are beautifully captured as they pass on the role of minder to the punk rock poet. With art and design from Blake this is a must see movie and Serkis deserves a BAFTA!
4 stars |
|
Saturday, 16 January 2010 |
|
Directed by Guy Richie
This is a completely different spin on the deerstalker hat and curly pipe. Seemingly Holmes (Robert Downy Jr) is contemplating shutting up shop when a fresh villain arrives. Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) who is bent upon causing havoc in Sherlock’s life, aided and abetted by his evil sister (Rachel McAdams), he nearly succeeds. Holmes and Dr Watson (Jude Law) fight back as only they can.
This 21st Century version of Conan Doyle’s sleuth will thrill some and alarm others of a more purist nature. Downey Jnr is excellent. Jude Law may be questionable, but there could be a new Bond challenger here.
3 stars |
|
Saturday, 16 January 2010 |
|
Sam Taylor Wood
Being a Rocker from the Locker this movie is a fascinating piece of British Nostalgic musical drama, which hooked and intrigued me.
Exploring the early life of John Winston Lennon (Aaron Johnson) abandoned by his mother (Anne Marie Duff) at a very young age for no reason other than selfishness, John is brought up by his Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in a fairly ordinary, but pleasant, suburban home outside Liverpool.
His life changes when he, like many others in the UK, picks up a guitar bought for him by Mimi, who seems a little wary of his ambitions to emulate his newfound hero, Elvis. Rock n’ Roll is king and John wants to be part of it. Meanwhile, whilst not rocking, he wonders about his mother and even risks living with her; but all is not well. His only real peace comes when he is singing alongside his pal Paul McCartney. Many of his songs contain an edge of anger. This early life of Beatle John must be seen, so do so.
P.S. for a brief spell in the early 60’s I came across Freddie Lennon, John’s dad’, which was not a good experience, I’ll say no more!
3 stars |
|
Saturday, 16 January 2010 |
|
Yes, we’ve seen all this before. The powerful army and machines of invading forces upon the innocent inhabitants of Pandora in order to extract its valuable mineral reminds one of the US Cavalry attacking the Sioux for no reason other than they wanted their land and the gold beneath it. However, in the Cameron-directed epic what you witness in 3D is amazing. The place where the Na’vi (the blue people you grow to love) live is a master class in set design and action spectacular.
The story is that disabled ex-marine Jake (Sam Worthing) is given the mission by a crazed Custer-like colonel to go Avatar (a human mind in an alien body) and explore Pandora by becoming one of the natives. However, once in place, Jake falls in love with both a Na’vi woman and the planet. Assisted by Jake’s human colleague, scientist Grace (Sigourney Weaver), they try to bring about a peaceful solution with honour, but our Patton-like war machine has other ideas: as he prepares for the final showdown with the Na’vi he says, “Let’s get this done. I want to go home for dinner.” It’s a must-see movie, if only for the fact that it will redefine cinema. |
|
|
Monday, 30 November 2009 |
The Merry Gentlemen: Cinema
Directed by & starring the always interesting Michael Keaton, this somewhat different Christmas offering promises to be unusual material. Seeking anonymity in Chicago Kate (Kelly Macdonald) is fleeing from an ailing marriage. Avoiding enquiries about her past she keeps herself to herself. Suddenly she meets Frank (Keaton) who carries her tree-a Christmas one naturally- up to her flat. He falls ill & she visits him in Hospital & they strike up a tentative association. Frank has a very chequered background and yet the odd duo find a rapport in their joint plights. With Christmas & New Year on the horizon they dwell on the idea of rebuilding their lives & maybe with each other. However, their mutual stories may not be the best Christmas presents under the tree. Will they want to unwrap them or not? |
|
|
Monday, 30 November 2009 |
Nativity: Cinema
Mr Maddens is not a festive person. So when he is given the task of directing the school Christmas Nativity play, he is not thrilled.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince |
|
|
|
|
Monday, 30 November 2009 |
|
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: DVD
There’s a lot that occurs in this film, I won’t reveal all because a, If you have read it you know it and b, I don’t want to spoil it for you.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Monday, 30 November 2009 |
|
Dorian Gray - DVD
Oscar Wilde’s classic horror novel is given a new treatment for the big screen. Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) comes back to his Victorian London childhood home. Young and very handsome he is easily led astray by Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth) and gets drawn into a world of decadence. Meanwhile Basil (Ben Chaplin) paints the famous portrait of our main character. Which as he sinks further into the pit of evil begins to age and change. So Dorian hides in the attic, as he’s ashamed, his decline forces him to flee.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
| | << Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>
| | Results 19 - 36 of 56 |
|
|
