Film Reviews by PV

This is an odd film - it starts as though it'll be a thriller, a search for a killer, then morphs into a study of mental illness and fantasy really. I get tired of these post-modern tricksy scripts. Ditto with SHUTTER ISLAND etc and JACOB'S LADDER. Post-modern muppetry bores me and is not nearly as clever or original as it thinks it is (read TRSITRAM SHANDY or SWIFT).

The older man playing the shrink steals the show. Can't remember his name.

Alice Lowe (who wrote, directed and stars in the weirdly funny PREVENGE) has cornered the market in playing nutty psycho women, but here plays relatively normal.

It's interesting, to a point, but does get very slow and lacking in action - there's only so much of watching a man sit on a bed with his head in his hands that one can take.

Maybe 2 stars therefore. It's just not cinematic enough and after grabbing the attention in the opening scene, fails to maintain its grip.

I always thought the original film, TRAINSPOTTING, massively over-rated, often by Scots who felt a patriotic duty to overpraise it. I always disliked the glamour shown connected with hard drug addiction too - which is certainly not funny if you've ever seen addicts, alive or dead, as I have. It all stops being funny then.

This movie I enjoyed far more and Danny Boyle can, as ever, turn a slim idea into a cinematic experience via some clever pop-video type techniques (using real CCTV shoplifting footage, for example) and a kicking soundtrack used well (most film directors are very weak at using music and just tag it on, thinking film is a visual medium and forgetting it is half a SOUND medium, not merely visual, and always was, even in the socalled 'silent' era).

Anyway, I dislike McGregror but he's well cast here as are other actors. The flashbacks will be nostalgic for some, but not me.

Funnily enough the 'Welsh trainspotting' TWIN TOWN also has a sequel soon, to be called 'TIN TOWN', I think.

Most sequels are rubbish; this isn't. I enjoyed it and the soundtrack is unusual and brilliant - I am always glad to be introduced to new music, even if not precisely to my taste.

4 stars

Slugs and snails puppy dog tails - what boys are made of, according to the sexist nursery rhyme (which feminists fail to complain about lol).

Here, however, girls are made of boys, or rather become them after they find some magic beans (yes this needs massive suspension of disbelief) and grow a magic boy-making sex-change plant overnight.

The first act is the strongest here - it's all based on a book so I presume the rest of the film is loyal to it, but it sags badly at times later on.

The casting is perfect - the boy versions of the girls really do look like them.

I suspect teens would love this film, though the ending fizzles out and the transgender propaganda will not be to all tastes.

But I enjoyed it. 3 stars.

When I read the blurb about this movie, my heart sank - it seemed like a usual Brit flick state-subsidised bore-fest or maybe a manhating mob free-for-all.

But no, it's genuinely funny, esp if you like dark humour as I do.

Sure, it feels more like a TV sitcom at times, along the lines of NIGHTY NIGHT by Julia Davies.

And the baby voice takes some getting used to - though is it all in the mad murderess's head?

It loses some momentum as it goes on, but the early scenes are highly entertaining. It did fizzle out, rather, at the end - but I enjoyed most of it anyway, which is more than I can say for most British films funded by the BFI and lottery.

One criticism: it was a tad confusing at times, esp re 2 bearded men who look similar, and still not quite sure re that BUT plenty of Hollywood movies are confusing too.

4 stars.

Why must they make such long movies? This was fine at 2 hours - the last 20 minutes and the silly plot developments there really annoyed me as they were just not necessary and make a ludicrous thriller way too worthy.

This is based on a feminist fantasy novel, so maybe the fault lies with the author - but cuts are good! Kill your darlings and make a neat efficient thriller, not one that overstays its welcome!

This starts off really well - the first act is great as is the first half of act 2, and then, right on the button half way through the movie there is an 180 degree turn (which tells, doesn't show) the true nature of the characters (no spoilers here!).

Yes, it's all absurd and silly - but so are most movies and novels too, when you think about it. Just enjoy the ride - it's the best bunny boiler movie for years.

Some genuinely funny scenes, though the plot is so full of holes it could be a Swiss cheese.

Good to compare with another study of female as disease evil, in the recent Brit flick LADY MACBETH (based on a Russian novella).

Just a shame about that unnecessary final 20 minutes - the movie would have been far better if the edit had dispensed of the loose-ends tie-up then. Better perhaps even to change the ending totally from that in the novel, as is usual in movies from GREAT EXPECTATIONS to many MANY more. There were opportunities to end at the 100 minute mark - and the plot does 'jump the shark, rather in the final act.

SO 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I've been watching a lot of British films lately - many from 2016 or thereabouts and all utterly uncinematic (they'd be better as TV dramas or even radio plays) and all totally state-funded by BBC films (which our licence fees pay for), the Film council (ditto) and the lottery (funded by poor people's wishful thinking).

As Alan Parker rightly said when commenting on RATCATCHER, this is the kind of film that can only be made with state subsidy coz no-one wants to watch such stuff, except luvvies in film schools. Utterly uncommercial, utterly uncinematic.

Plot is SO predictable - you just KNOW what the old drunk farmer and guns will come together. Lots of cows and an opening scene with near-nakedness (ooooooo Missus!) and a daft splatter shot too to show the director is arty, probably. Yawn.

I didn't believe the main character - a seeming cipher for all female hurt, and two-dimensional in that feminist role.

Some deeply pretentious shots of animals in water add padding to fill out a flimsy story to just over 80 minutes; but really it should be a 40 minute TV drama on PBS or a radio drama. There is NOTHING whatsoever cinematic about this dross, so why waste scarce movie-fund money on it? Time for a cull at BBC Films, the BFI and lottery funding committee methinks.

It's all like The Archers but much MUCH more boring - but hey it's diverse with lots of women making films so it must be good. No, luvvies - talent does not work like that. I cannot help wondering how man really talents white men with decent movie ideas have been kept down to overpromote mediocrities like the ones who made this borefest. No stars.

Watch APOCALYTO to see how movies set in the natural world can be done. You need a plot and tension, and more than a weepy victim feminist character whingeing at how unfair life is, and a 2 dimensional bad father to ram home the point about how useless men are.

If this is the future of British cinema, I suggest putting it out of its misery asap.

OK so this film is educational - it shows what happens in Jehovah's Witness churches or whatever they're called - one is down the road and the Jehovies are always out recruiting by the local shops. I remember a girl at primary school was one too - no Christmas, so she left the main hall whenever there were carols sung.

But really, why is this a film for cinematic release? The funding is from our taxes via the BBC and Film England and the lottery. But this is ideal TV drama territory really - it reminded me of the old TV Play for Today, where writers such as Dennis Potter started out.

All interesting up to a point, but no further. It's just not cinematic! 2 stars

Based on an 1865 novella by Nicholai Leskov which was published originally in a magazine run by Dostoevsky, then turned into an opera, this is a strong story which sticks in the mind (nothing to do with the Shakespeare play by the way).

It's more or less a character study of a sick and twisted evil woman - though no doubt she's seen as a feminist hero by some.

It's slow, all very Brit arthouse, and predictably state-funded by BBC and lottery money. Static camera, repetitive shots, lots of silence - which all screams state subsidy! Enjoy it - our taxes paid for it!

It's set in Count Durham in 1865, so it's rather baffling that half the main characters are black; now, people may applaud the colourblind approach but it's so absurd, I cannot - it's as daft as casting white ginger persons as Zulu warriors! People really have to get real and ditch the pc virtue-signalling. It made the whole thing unbelievable, frankly. No race issues mentioned either which is absurd for the day - as if it wouldn't be relevant. This is `1865 in Durham, for goodness sake! A real place in real time; play colourblind diversity doughunts with more abstract stories, fine; but do not try to rewrite history according to modern pc prejudices - unless you want your audience to scoff and shame their weary heads at being lectured to by box-ticking casting.

With more accurate and realistic casting and a less pretentious approach, with the focus on telling the story not scoring pc diversity/feminist points, this could have been a great film; as it is, it's a 2 star effort.PC

This movie has its moments - most of them tediously predictable CGI-saturated seen-it-all-before scifi fantasy.

Deeply derivative in every way (even down to a soundtrack that rips off Star Wars) this is only for big fans of the genre. Clooney is irritating as ever and I never believed the Hugh Laurie characters (watch House instead!)

One to put on for the kids while you go and do something better instead! 1.5 stars rounded up.

How this won first prize at Cannes I don't know - but they have lauded dross over the years.

This is all pretty to watch, especially if you like bees and honey! Pretty Italian countryside. Non-credible tacked on reality TV plot.

Watch the EXCELLENT 2012 Spanish film 'Reality' all about reality TV instead. That is 5 stars.

This is 1.5 stars rounded up.

This film starts well - the first half hour is a joy. Typically British in that the Rob Bryden hero is a loser character - that just isn't an American thing, but more British than a cup of tea.

Like The Full Monty or Reggie Perrin in water then, with some well-known British actors starring and some great lines.

It does go on too long and has to force in a love angle, of course; the female trainer also gets very irritating.

But all in all, watchable and good clean fun! 3 stars.

This film is not awful at all, BUT it does stretch our belief to the limit - and brings to mind other mistaken identity dramas, like MARTIN GUERRE et al,

Having said that, it's a nice little character piece - though way too long.

The slight story simply does not have the meat on its bones for make a full length movie meal; it could easily have been a TV drama of 30 or 40 minutes.

The director of this movie seems rather pretentious - in for some reason insisting on a certain screen ration, as if that makes any difference at all - this movies does not have sweeping vistas like Lawrence of Arabia, after all!

Maybe those of a religious bent will get this more. For me, the main character's backstory seemed tacked on and predictable - and the later development in SO predictable before the item (I shall not mention what - no spoilers) is found.

The plot is simply unbelievable with the screenwriter looking to raise the jeopardy - a real by-numbers approach. Watch TV series SPOOKS or maybe INFERNO a movie of Dan Brown's book to see this environmentalist/terrorist done better.

Environmental concerns are a topic that's going to appear in more and more movies, and hats off for mentioning THE ONLY environmental issue, which is overpopulation and the lack of any controls in Africa and Asia especially.

But it's only all partially effective really. A interesting curiosity but by no means a work of art! 2 stars.

This sequel has some funny silly walk sections, and a ludicrous plot as you would expect. It's watchable but not laugh-out-loud hilarious. And it's rather forgettable - I only realised in the last half hour that I'd actually watched it once before when it was on TV. That's a measure of how it's forgettable, I find!

But Rowan Atkinson is a comic genius and I'd rather watch anything with him in that all the pc diversity-box-ticking alleged 'comedy' shows on BBC TV these days. I like it more than gross-out unfunny teen Hollywood movies too.

All very OTT and aimed at a young and undemanding international audience. One word: MEH! It's harmless fun.

I am getting totally sick and tired of films like this, and most TV drama come to that, which want to rewrite history, cast white Brits of the Empire as somehow evil baddies, and all black people as angels - THAT is utterly racist, of course, and also promotes lies as history.

ALL the white Brits in this odious state-funded film are pantomime baddies - they do everything but twirl their moustaches here. Now THAT is racism, just like how white Brits are portrayed as racist stereotypes in all those dire racist silly Bollywood dance movies.

Most of the British empire was good - though of its time - and it gave far more than it took and was largely supported by loyal members of the empire in Asia and Africa too - though no-one admits that now. The largest peacetime army of 2.5 million was raised in Raj India in WWII. Never more than 50,000 Brit soldiers in India during empire.

Africa these days is so corrupt and mostly full of failed states poorer than 50-60 years ago despite the trillions of aid they have been given and which the elite steal. Under the British, there was rule of law, stability, and lack of corruption.

Even in supposed success story Botswana the average age of mortality today is 33. Some success story...

Maybe make some films about the empires of African and Asian states - the ones that enslaved people, traded slaves, were all powerful dictatorships - because it is SO wrong that the MOST benevolent empire in history, the British empire, which civilised the world and banned slavery AND sacrificed so much to enforce that ban is now portrayed as the baddie, whilst corrupt African kings are somehow always-good angels. It is FAKE NEWS basically and LIE-HISTORY - as seen on the shameful Dr Who Brit-bashing episodes from India - all aimed I presume to make people hate Britain.