Film Reviews by Steve

As much an upgrade as a sequel. Mel Gibson returns as the road warrior who patrols the lawless, junkyard dystopia of the post-apocalypse Australian outback. It adapts a standard western scenario, with Max assisting some broadly peaceful survivors against a feral tribe of badass killers in customised stock cars.

That's if the plot matters. This is more about the action and state of the art stunts. The final third is given over to a cartoonish, Wacky Races style car chase. Maybe this now looks dated, but that's some of the appeal. It hasn't the make-do Ozploitation vibe of Mad Max (1979) as there is money on board from Warner Brothers....

But it still feels distinctively Australian because of the desert locations and eccentric vernacular. The rock score is by the Aussie Brian May. The costumes today seem more glam than punk, though Gibson is reasonably iconic in his leathers, as a sort-of mythic man with no name. But called Max...

Most of the violence of the original has been cut, though the worst is regrettably at the expense of women. Maybe the lack of a decent story is a drag for those not much into grindhouse. This is bubblegum escapism mainly aimed at blokes who like motors, and as far from Hanging Rock as possible.

Post millennium there was a wave of films about the interconnectedness of things (like Babel, 2006). Then social media happened and filmmakers turned their lens on how divided we all are. This has something of both. There are three online incidents which illustrate the sadness and isolation of modern life.

So, an estranged couple (Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgård) are victims of identity theft; an ambitious tv journalist (Andrea Riseborough) exposes a chatroom stripper to the FBI; an adolescent boy (Jonah Bobo) attempts suicide after personal photos are spread around school.

Then a tenuous offline connection is revealed between the stories. The themes may no longer be novel, but this is still well written with quality performances, led by Jason Bateman as the father of the afflicted teenager. While the film runs, the actors create an interesting and unsettling melodrama.

This mostly disappears on reflection, but it leaves an impression of how the human need for connection has been exploited by social media, which has spread anxiety. And may be too unforgiving of normal human frailties... And how it amplifies the capacity of individuals to do harm...

*there is some nudity and swearing.

Outstanding nocturnal neo-noir set in Los Angeles, about an unscrupulous freelance who sells footage from crime scenes to a news station which broadcasts an agenda of urban violence expanding into fearful white suburbs... And then debut director Dan Gilroy draws back to present a broader vision of post-ethics America.

This includes the growth of commercial news, which outsources to rapaciously competitive providers. What we see is a society deregulated back into a Darwinist jungle. Gilroy also wrote the pessimistic script which provides a signature role for Jake Gyllenhaal- who is astonishing as the rootless sociopath with a video camera.

He is a hollow man, who talks like the internet business modules he assimilates; a cadaverous ghoul- like Weegee for the digital age. And he's absolutely hypnotically repellant. The support cast is also unsettling, led by Riz Ahmed as the homeless, browbeaten assistant, and Rene Russo as an extremely pragmatic head of news.

But Gyllenhaal dominates. The script was nominated for an Oscar. It's a puzzle that the star was not... The atmosphere of the neon lit mean streets and the urban fatalism is pure film noir. This is deepened by a deliciously gloomy score. It's a harrowing- yet still comic- satire on the free market, and one of the great US films of the decade. 

Thrilling horror/adventure hybrid adapted by James Dickey from his own bestseller. Maybe it's tenuous, but this effectively takes the Old Dark House formula outdoors! Four urban weekenders make a canoe trip downriver on the rapids of Georgia, USA and run into some inhospitable Appalachian rednecks.

At first the outsiders mock the locals as inbred halfwits. But these are the normal ones... Once inside the southern wilderness, they encounter the real menace. And their own social constructs break down. So it obscures the exploitation premise with a few thematic diversions to appeal to a more mainstream audience.

There is also some topical eco-anxiety. And it worked, this was huge box office, received four Oscar nominations and the Duelling Banjos theme entered the pop charts. It made Burt Reynolds a star as the charismatic outdoorsman whose survival skills are exposed as pseudo-philosophical hogwash.

Which leads to Ned Beatty's unforgettable ordeal; one of the most infamous scenes in cinema. The decent- if reckless- stunts, are mostly performed by the cast.  Ironically- and sadly- the appeal of offgrid adventure turned this unspoiled backwater into a popular tourist destination. 

Harrowing documentary style polemic based on the racially motivated murders of young black Americans by Detroit police officers in 1967. During a ghetto riot, three cops separate some bystanders for unlawful interrogation at gunpoint, leading to homicide. The film builds slowly to the historic incident. Which is difficult to watch.

Then after... a sham trial which acquits the guilty parties, with the lawyers more intent in putting the victims in the dock. There's a strong ensemble cast led by John Boyega as a security guard who gets tangled up in the offence. Algee Smith is memorable as a black soul artist who loses faith in American justice.

The impression of malign racial hatred is intensified by a genuinely horrifying portrayal by Will Poulter of an ostentatiously racist patrol officer already on a charge of killing a looter. But still on the street with his badge. Clearly this is meant to reflect on the fatalities still inflicted on black men in custody.

There is some editorialising, and it's needlessly long. But Kathryn Bigelow reconstructs a potent impression of the period, and the reduced rights of the black urban poor. There may be some debate about how this relates to a UK audience. But we are surely closer than ever seemed possible? It is at least a warning from history...

In 1981, West Germany was best known for its arthouse directors, like Herzog, Wenders, Fassbinder etc. This is something different, a combat film set during WWII, and it was a success across the world. Which may be unexpected as this is relatively mute on Nazi politics. It takes a while to adjust to how empathetic it is to the German U-boat crew.

When they celebrate a hit, it is against allied ships. This is set in 1941 with the Kriegsmarine intent on sinking cargo heading for the UK, to starve the nation to defeat. The film demonstrates why morale was so low in the German forces; whether the deluded commanders back in Berlin, the usual grumbling about food and leave....

Or, most emphatically, the hardships of serving in a submarine crew, which we experience with astonishing realism via the excellent models and sound/visual effects. There are well staged action scenes, but much of the time we watch scared, homesick young men with much to complain about- living in malodorous squalor.

There's isn't much of an overview other than an offstage impression of the war going badly. There is no plot intrigue. This is about experiencing their hell. There's an authentic seeming cast, led by Jürgen Prochnow. It's too long, but still interesting to see the other side of the story. This is widely reviewed as the best submarine war film ever made.

Anyone without an interest in the '08 sub-prime mortgage crash is not going to want to see this; though it's arguably the biggest news story of the century- so far! This is billed as a comedy, but that's really just the narrative tone which has the matey jocularity of unsolicited junkmail from Virgin Media.

Plus the pop promo visuals and celebrity cameos. So it really wants your attention. This is really a compelling docudrama (based on a nonfiction bestseller) which focuses on this specific financial catastrophe and then pulls back to look at capitalism more broadly. And the big picture is... a scandal.

The three interwoven stories are based on some real life oddballs who made billions from observing the house of cards was about to collapse. Each is led by a star name: Christian Bale, Brad Pitt and Steve Carell. But their characters are cyphers; a shuffle of mannerisms. This is all about the message.

There's a blizzard of jargon about arcane financial transactions. But... there is no exam. And if there was, the answers would all be- corruption and greed. Carell gets the killer payoff: 'In a few years people are going to be doing what they always do when the economy tanks. They will be blaming immigrants and poor people'.

Uneven Vietnam war picture divided by its two distinct locations and a style which fluctuates between black comedy and war-is-hell realism. The first half is better, as a diverse mob of malleable marines goes through the dehumanisation of basic training under a grotesquely incompetent officer. 

With the malign brainwashing of these teenage grunts, Stanley Kubrick is back in the mindscape of A Clockwork Orange (1971). These scenes are elevated by outstanding performances from R.Lee Ermey as the sadistic Sergeant, and Vincent D'Onofrio as a bullied recruit who should never have been there.

We then follow a wiseass reporter of propaganda into action, played by Matthew Modine. These fragmented episodes don't have as much impact, but the primary intent is to explain why so many mentally disturbed men came back from this futile war. And this is its main achievement.

The script is adapted from a novel by a combat veteran and has a dreamy, poetic quality. But it looks authentic... even though shot in the UK! It's a key 'Nam war picture, but my feeling is- at least during the re-evaluation of the '80s- it's preferable these were made by the survivors.

Polished neo-noir with a big switcheroo. This isn't an unexpected plot twist... But, instead of conventional lovers who conspire to eliminate an unwanted husband, there is an affair between two young women. Maybe something like this was done covertly in classic noir. But this isn't coded... 

So I suppose it invents... lesbian-noir. Jennifer Tilly is the ditzy femme fatale who lures her butch neighbour- Gina Gershon- into a scheme  to rob the mafia of $2m and leave her psycho-boyfriend (Joe Pantoliano) holding an empty bag. Which leads to unexpected complications.

It's directed with ostentatious style by the Wachowskis (on debut) who make a big impact with a small budget And they contribute a lively script loaded with irony and laconic wit. Admittedly, the plot is standard noir and the twist are nothing special. The pitch for this story is that the lovers are women.

Otherwise, this is a TVM. Except for the violence. It's not creepy, and there's no nudity but it's still tastefully hot. Tilly and Gershon have chemistry to burn, like a pair of prowling cats. Pantoliano as the male dupe barely registers. For lovers of noir or sexy thrillers this is a cult classic. 

The first of six western collaborations between Anthony Mann and James Stewart is the only one in b&w. Though like the others, it's attractively photographed in rugged rural locations. There's one of those episodic stories where the action follows an item passed between several characters.

So there's an ensemble cast, led by Stewart as a nomadic westerner who wins a Winchester '73 in a shooting contest but loses it in a punch-up... And then travels through 'Indian country' while several antagonists acquire possession of the repeat rifle and he continually bumps into Shelley Winters.

There's a fine cast of genre stalwarts, but sleazy noir bad guy Dan Duryea is the standout as the loud, sneering outlaw, Waco Johnny Dean... Guess what happens to him? There are standard adventures including a wagon pursued on horseback by some stereotypical Native Americans... who go on to attack a cavalry camp. 

Anthony Mann directs the action with a sure hand. Best of all is the script (Borden Chase) which sparkles with far more wit than is usual for this sort of film, plus some understated thematic content. It's also fun that Rock Hudson (as a tribal chief) and Tony Curtis turn up in minor roles. This is a western classic.

Folkloric baseball picture which conveys a sentimental, sanitised mythology about the US between the wars. This is a beautiful production which received well deserved Oscar nominations for set design and photography. There's some allegorical subtext too; this is for the arthouse crowd rather than a feelgood sport film.

The dialogue flags up Homer's Odyssey, but an internet search suggests a closer parallel with the legend of King Arthur. This is a realm of enchantment. Robert Redford- at 48-is too old for the teenage country prodigy of the prologue, or even the 35 year old of his comeback. He's fine on the field of play, but his portrayal is lifeless.

The main problem for UK audiences is the subject of baseball, which is unfamiliar to most and may have little resonance. Sure, this is a medium for an idea about mythic Americana- and there is obviously a deep love for the history of the sport. But now the US is so much less of a fellow traveller... 

And this seems more like unfamiliar self-absorption. Yet Barry Levinson tells the story so well. There is an intoxicating feel for the period and an evocative score by Randy Newman. Everything takes far too long but it should interest those who can relate to the sport and the national myth-making.

Polemical political thriller which explains how corporations decide policy to the detriment of the public interest; and why liberal causes fail. In this case, it's the US gun lobby which manipulates the media conversation. In the title role, Jessica Chastain gives an award-worthy portrayal of a lobbyist for gun control- with the standard messed up personal life.

Only she intends to confront her opponents with their own dubious methods, even while her progressive colleagues advocate for an ethical approach. Every scene is dense with overlapping dialogue and editorial speeches, though the subterfuge isn't difficult to follow. The diversions are illuminating and compelling, and conclude with a satisfying twist.

There's a buzzy narrative energy driven by Chastain's dominant star performance. Her final speech is a showstopper. The best of the support cast is Sam Waterston as a pretty toxic adversary who intends to make this a personal crusade against Miss Sloane. Jack Lacy makes a memorable impact in a small role as a male escort.

He's actually the unexpected hero! As well as an exciting thriller, this makes persuasive political arguments for gun regulation and especially how American women are overwhelmingly opposed to business as usual. This proved divisive in the US and didn't find an audience. But there is much to admire, even if you have to be a nonpartisan to appreciate it...

Dazzling live action/animation pitched somewhere between its two sources: Rudyard Kipling's stories for children and the classic Disney cartoon version (1967). This is an exciting coming of age tale, an odyssey of action and adventure set in a detailed habitat with great characters voiced by proper stars.

The standouts are Bill Murray as Baloo the laidback bear, and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa the seductive, psychedelic snake. The US accents initially feel incongruous, including child actor Neel Sethi as a bright-eyed, plucky Mowgli. But that soon passes.

There's some cutes for younger viewers; this is a child-friendly story about finding a family. For mum and dad there's subtext about conservation. For the grandparents, Christopher Walken references Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now (1979) for his role as head-monkey... the king of the swingers. The jungle VIP.

There is some friction between the cuddly stuff and the violence. This is so much more realistic than the cartoon. The widely loved songs are either absent or undersold. And while this is still impressive entertainment, it is less fun. And remember, all the peacenik, eco-warrior spin is brought to you by Disney, Inc!

Nostalgic coming-of-age story which despite several implausibilities, eventually delivers a sentimental heartbreaker. OK, this is set in a prestigious New England private school, but it's hard to believe that even the WASP offspring of the conservative elite would be quite this compliant... especially in the rock & roll era.

This past is a very foreign country... where the new English master (Robin Williams) inspires the boys to comply with his wacky teaching methods, rather than them forming a gang to destroy him! And then they establish...  a poetry club! We live in more cynical times, but reality barely intrudes into this stronghold of privilege. 

And it's a struggle to sympathise with the growing pains of these rich kids in the era of civil rights; they are on the precipice of the '60s- and Vietnam- which will change everything. Plus, where is the stuff about sexuality? Williams' puckish performance has dated, though the teenage cast is pretty good.

Robert Sean Leonard is the standout as a wannabe actor dominated by his austere father. Director Peter Weir skilfully pushes the emotional buttons, and there's a superior period feel. Ultimately, this is worthwhile for those who love poetry and value the potential for schoolteachers to inspire children for a lifetime. 

Pessimistic, ultra-violent crime film; the mean streets of New York have never been more sordid. Yet this is arthouse-noir more than a thriller, with the nocturnal sadness and the slow creep of despair, darkened by Jonny Greenwood's melancholy soundtrack. Joaquin Phoenix plays a black market enforcer who sells outcomes favourable to his clients, by any means.

Which includes murder. With a hammer. We get brief flashbacks which offer some insight into his alienation and misery. The main plot references US politics as the psycho-for-hire attempts to rescue a girl from a paedophile ring, which supplies a prominent politician, among others. And this awakens bloody retribution from the goons of organised crime.

This isn't really entertainment, and a normal reaction is to find it deeply upsetting. And yet it is expertly directed by Lynne Ramsey who drills down into the wretchedness until it's possible to sense an immense sorrow for the innocent victims of urban life, and the terror dispensed by the sociopathic parasites who exploit them.

Which gives the film a moral dimension. Phoenix contributes a profound and exposing performance as the killer/victim. This is a horrifying, though hypnotic experience. Personally- the cynicism about a morally indecipherable society, expressed in a heightened style, surely evokes Raymond Chandler... But this is more extreme. And not for everyone.