Film Reviews by GI

This is arguably Sam Peckinpah's weakest film, he was a director for hire here and had little to do with the film's development and was by this stage of his career an unreliable alcoholic. But in here there are signs of his genius for structure, character development and set piece action direction. It's just that the film is disjointed and at times incoherent. The mid 1970s was the time when martial arts movies were very popular and this conspiracy espionage thriller adds huge doses of kung fu etc into the narrative. The result makes for a film of its time and one of casual interest only. James Caan stars as Mike, a mercenary agent working for a shady private company that specialises in the CIA's dirty work. His friend and partner George (Robert Duvall) betrays him and leaves him crippled. Determined to get his revenge Mike eventually gets rehired by the company for a job where they tell him George will be his adversary. But there are others who can't be trusted. Evidence of Peckinpah's natural animosity to the establishment and puritan conservatism is visible in the characters and these aspects are signs of Peckinpah's rewrites of the script. In many ways the themes here are to be found again in Peckinpah's last film The Osterman Weekend (1983). Overall though this is not close to his best work although fans of Peckinpah may still enjoy the glimpses of his unique style.

This attempt to reboot the iconic 60s TV series with a three film series failed despite it looking rather good and with a topnotch cast including William Hurt, Gary Oldman, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Jared Harris and Matt LeBlanc. The main reason is a poor story that tries to cram in too many storylines without really getting to the depths of any of them. The film's prologue is ill-conceived with an attempt at a Star Wars vibe and this could have been ditched. It looks like a video game scenario and is relatively pointless. There was also a silly alien monkey thing, which not only looks like a rubberised drawing its presence is entirely pointless too. If the story had focused on a space exploration narrative albeit with the added tension of being lost this could have been a great science fiction film and the sequels would possibly have followed. What we do have is a weak film that lacks the depth and gravitas of others of this period. A shame as rekindling the main idea of the TV series was a good one especially upgraded to a cinematic film (even the later TV series reboot lost its way!). Anyway here we have a future Earth dying and a mission led by John Robinson (Hurt) is off into space to confirm a planet is habitable for humans. He has his family with him and a miltary gung-ho pilot (Leblanc, not totally convincing in an action hero role). A terrorist ends up stuck on board (Oldman) and through his actions the ship ends up lost in space and they then get involved with an abandoned space ship, a desolate planet and some time warp issues. The cameos by various actors from the 60s TV series pop up and Edward Fox has one too. Overall this is a disappointment despite some interesting visuals and a couple of exciting set pieces. A new Lost In Space film would potentially be a good idea if the right story can be told sadly this just isn't it.

This review may contain spoilers. This is an enjoyable and gripping survival/rescue thriller based on a true story about a deep sea diver who becomes trapped deep under the North Sea and quickly runs out of oxygen. The ending of course is never in doubt from the get go mainly because this is based on a documentary about the actual event and these narratives invariably have the required happy ending. So it's no plot spoiler to reveal all ends well. And we get there in a reasonably tight runtime which is ample here to tell this tale. A three man dive team are sent down for essential repair work. The leader stays in the diving bell while two of them, Chris (Finn Cole) and Dave (Simu Liu) head down to the seabed. As is often the case a raging storm on the surface causes problems and during their attempt to get back into the bell Chris' air supply cables get trapped and broken and he gets left behind with only ten minutes of air supply left. The film plays out the desperate attempts to get to him. Woody Harrelson plays the team leader and I can't help think he's here to give the film a reasonably big name because he has very little to do. The film adds some flashbacks to add some emotional depth but overall it's a watchable film with an interesting story. The opening shot of the trapped diver in the murky waters is a moving one especially as this is a picture of the real Chris at the moment he was found.

A somewhat dated 70s social drama with aspects of the thriller thrown in. It's an interesting film for it's varied themes around American class structures and attitudes and in particular the conservative side of US society's attitude to the growing counter-culture of free love, drugs and rejection of authority. Bill (Dennis Patrick), a middle class businessman is distraught when his wayward heroin addicted daughter (a first screen role for Susan Sarandon) is hospitalised after an overdose. In a fit of rage he kills her drug dealer boyfriend but bizarrely confesses this to a working class man he meets in a bar who applauds his actions. This is Joe (Peter Boyle) a bit of a bully with old fashioned ideas around the status of women and young people and who despises the hippies. They form an unlikely friendship and so when Bill's daughter goes missing again Joe offers to help to find her. The search ends in murder and tragedy as Joe reveals he has a more extreme streak than Bill realised. This is a very 70s style film in many ways and is a good example of American cinema allowing more adult themes and scenes including drug taking, nudity and violence. Some of the depictions here are a little unpleasant but it's a good example of cinema exploring the hypocrisies of America at that time.

A cult classic that failed on original release but is now considered one of the seminal horror/scifi films of the 1980s and pretty much since. It's a masterclass in special effects courtesy of Rob Bottin and viewed today it has a strong impact. In short this a story of a USA Antarctic Science Station and its twelve man crew who are surprised one morning when a Norwegian helicopter arrives with two men who appear to be chasing a dog. This unlikely event leads to their discovery of some kind of alien creature that has the ability to mimic anything or anyone and being trapped due to the severe weather the men have to try and identify who is human and who isn't. This is certainly a tense and occasionally disturbing tale and taps into human reactions to difference, disease and how trust quickly evaporates. This has some startling special effects that are surreal, lurid and shocking perversions of the human body. Body horror narratives are a staple of the horror genre but this is by far the most impactive, with it's mystery plot, genuine frightening creature and brooding, sinister fear that gradually overcomes the crew. There is a brilliantly gripping scene where blood tests are performed on the crew one at a time to try and identify who has been overcome by the alien. It's a masterclass in suspense. With a great low key bass heavy score by Ennio Morricone and starring Kurt Russell this is arguably John Carpenter'd best film and viewed today it resonates with the coronavirus pandemic that has affected the world. The Thing is a film that is a testament to the human spirit battling against an insurmountable foe in a hostile environment, a narrative that cuts across many genres but not always in such an exciting and original movie as this one. If you've never seen this then it is an absolute must see.

This is director Terrence Malick's third feature film and it had been twenty years since his previous one. So it says something about his reputation and the respect he's given by the sheer number of top actors who wanted to appear in this film. Hailed as a maverick genius many of Malick's films however can leave viewers perplexed and disconcerted. The Thin Red Line is no exception. Yes it's a war film set during the Second World War and covering the battle for the island of Guadalcanal. But it's a war film that goes completely against the conventions of the genre and whilst it has some very realistic combat scenes it shuns action, patriotism and even narrative to bring a film that takes an exquisite look at nature. It's a film that is about seeking knowledge and truth and whilst it condemns the stupidity of man's relentless need for war it also celebrates the beauty of the Earth even while bloody death is all around. So this is a tragedy really, a reflection of our co-existence with nature and the rest of the world and our apparent commitment to destroy ourselves. The film follows an American army company as it lands on the island and their attempts to root out the wily Japanese soldiers. The central section of the film is a cautious battle to destroy enemy machine gun bunkers sited on the top of swaying grasslands. There's a serene beauty to this even when the soldiers are being killed. There is no real central character, the closest being Private Witt (Jim Caviezel), a deserter, caught and returned to his unit who sees the futility of the war but is forced to take part. The cast is stellar and large and includes Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Travolta, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, George Clooney and Jared Leto. There's no doubt this is an important piece of cinema and it certainly requires several viewings to really get to the depths of the film and appreciate it fully but if you haven't seen this then I certainly recommend it.

A strange addition to the films about the Arthurian legend here focused on the conflict that arises between Lancelot, Arthur and Guinevere owing to the rumours of the adulterous relationship between Lancelot and Guinevere. The opening scenes of bloody conflict are more reminiscent of the parody employed in Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975) which may have been influenced by the copious lakes of blood spurting seen here. Once the opening credits are over though the film drifts along often with no sense of narrative flow and the actors all delivering their lines with no emotion. This of course may be a deliberate ploy by the director but even so it renders the film feeling cold and wooden. If there is any theme going on here, such as the condemnation of religion as purpose and reason in life, then they are as vague as the plot. I didn't get any sense of the mystical that is often attributed to this film and it maybe that I am unduly influenced by the later Excalibur (1981), which had it in buckets and with more character and adventure thrown into the narrative. A film that I'm sure divides viewers. For me it was soulless.

A typical B movie that has a preposterous story, daft script, some very wooden acting and from the get go carries on the cinematic myth that sharks are simply psychopathic man eaters that will attack swimmers at every opportunity. Basically a small group of friends head out on a boat to look for a sunken wreck and do a bit of diving. One of them has a phobia of sharks since her father was eaten by one! While on the very first dive a shark pops up and bites the arm off of one of them and then a load of pirates led by a former US Navy Seal arrive looking for some abandoned drugs that are in the locale. There's a lot of shooting for a bit and the sharks get to eat a few of them. That's about it. Oh the film has managed to get Richard Dreyfuss involved to add some shark movie kudos playing a grandfather. There's some pointless flashback scenes of him dispensing some worldly wisdom and thank goodness it all plays out in a short run time. But just when you think it's done Dreyfuss pops up again over the credits to tell you how wonderful sharks are. Really???? One to miss, it's silly stuff.

A slick Los Angeles crime thriller from British director Bart Layton who delivers a Michael Mann styled film about a cool, very professional thief who plans his heists meticulously, avoids violence and has baffled the police. This is Mike (Chris Hemsworth), he has a troubled past and is controlled by a grizzly old crook played by Nick Nolte. When his latest heist almost goes awry Mike decides to do one big last job and move on. He persuades a disillusioned insurance agent (Helle Berry) to give him inside information on his next target. But he doesn't realise that shabby LAPD Detective Lou (Mark Ruffalo)is getting close and his old mentor has recruited a violent rival (Barry Keoghan) to pull the job first. Highly watchable, it rattles along nicely and apart from an attempt at social moral commentary about LA's homeless this is an entertaining crime film worth checking out.

An entertaining enough throwback to the original series with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising roles in a story that weaves the same narrative threads and therefore there's nothing much new here but this will be ideal for the modern day gaming teenager. There's plenty of set piece fights and training sequences to enjoy but this is a see it and forget it film. A young Chinese boy emigrates to New York with his mum. He has trained in martial arts and despite mum hating him fighting he still wants to....obviously! He meets a girl, her old boyfriend is the local kung fu bully who the hero has to contend with in a competition. This cues glowering stares, lots of threats and somersaulting around and ultimately some Bruce Lee style fights. It's all very predictable with some laughs thrown in for good measure.

This glossy romantic melodrama is a mixed bag and I wrestled with it at times. It seems occasionally to be very contrived and the narrative pivots on a massive chance encounter but I suppose that's the magic of stories and film. Blake Lively gives a solid and impressive performance and even though her natural beauty is an asset to the film's story she also manages to 'normalise' her image to a degree that her character does get some grounding. She plays Lily, a woman who has grown up witnessing the violence of her late father towards her mother, an issue that has never been discussed. Hence there's some family trauma that as the film later reveals did involve her and her first true love. However she moves to Boston where she opens her own florists and meet cutes Ryle, (Justin Baldoni, who also directs). He's an impossibly handsome and single brain surgeon (and who likes to take his shirt off....a lot!!). We get a very early hint of Ryle's nature but in short they slowly get it together. Then Lily bumps into her first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar) and everything hits the rocks. Here is a drama that has aspirations to look at marital violence, in particular around male jealousy, and does try to invoke the sad and worrying trend towards not talking about it and even just accepting it. It's a film that constantly sets up tension making you anticipate violence but it deals with the arc of Lily's relationship especially with Ryle in a quite subtle and careful way. By the end it's a film that does draw you in and also leaves you wondering whether it's been bold enough.

One of the finest American crime films. A really stylish, brilliantly scripted and edited film from director Michael Mann who likes to show criminals as cold professionals highlighting their unique skills and talents and drawing on a code to live by. Thief contains many themes and elements that Mann later amplified in his seminal film Heat (1995) and his trademark visualisations of urban city settings particularly at night are really good here. Frank (James Caan) is a coldly professional safecracker. He lives by a code and has no qualms about resorting to violence if required. But he also yearns for a normal life with wife and family, which comes within his grasp when he meets waitress, Jessie (Tuesday Weld). But his success as a criminal also brings him to the attention of mob boss Leo (Robert Prosky) and Frank allows himself to be recruited for a big job set up by Leo. But this relationship breaks Frank's self imposed independence and soon he has to make a choice between Jessie, vengeance and his strict code. Like most of Mann's films the action set pieces are fast, violent and very sudden. This has a stunning soundtrack mostly composed by Tangerine Dream, and it's certainly one of Caan's finest performances. Support comes from James Belushi in what is a uniquely presented crime film, one that is often forgotten in Mann's filmography due to his later big epics like Heat, Collateral (2004) and Last of The Mohicans (1992) but this is a mini masterpiece and definitely one to check out if you've never seen it.

A quirky little British drama with a streak of comedy running through it and some romance chucked in for good measure. It's a rather unfulfilling film though and leaves you with a shrug of the shoulders even if the journey is mildly entertaining. It's set in a Scottish based catholic school where the school chaplain is determined to get the school's namesake promoted by the Pope from 'blessed' to 'saint'. He needs a couple of 'miracles' to achieve this apparently. Non believing and cynical teacher, Vic (Tom Conti) would rather the school got its priorities right and focus on teaching the children. He's somewhat put out when he himself is claimed as a 'miracle' when he falls off a roof and in uninjured. Meanwhile he pursues his obsession with fellow teacher Ruth (Helen Mirren) towards romance. The film boasts the first film of Ewen Bremner as one of the pupils. It's all ok but ends disappointingly.

Here's a little gem of a film. An exciting, quite original and at times very thought provoking story of how one man decides to spend his last hours. A meteor has struck the Earth in the Northern hemisphere and a cataclysmic firestorm has destroyed Europe and everything in its path. It's twelve hours away from Australia and with everyone forewarned that this is the end of mankind society has collapsed. James (Nathan Philips) heads across Perth to a huge final rave party for his last hours but on the way he reluctantly saves a young girl Rose (Angourie Rice) from rapists and agrees to try and reunite her with her family. But with time running out James finds he has to come to terms with his own emotions that include his family and a girl he has left behind who is carrying his child. There's some shocking stuff going on during this story as people lose all sense of how to deal with their impending doom. This isn't a big effects movie so whilst the apocalyptic storm is shown at the end the narrative is more concerned with James and Rose' journey through the violent streets of Perth as they try to find their loved ones. It's a film that really draws you in and ultimately is asking what we would all do if faced with the knowledge that there are only a few hours left. Australian cinema is often gritty, exciting and very interesting. This is no exception, it's first rate and I highly recommend it.

A solid Australian prison drama that avoids the usual clichés about redemption and focuses on the relationship between three very different inmates. The narrative follows young Mel (Vincent Miller) who is transferred from a juvenile prison to an adult one when he reaches eighteen. He's naive but wrought with guilt over his past crime but does have the opportunity for parole. His cell mate is Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis), a notorious killer and born again christian who gets Mel involved in his church services. But Mel is taken under the wing of Warren (Guy Pearce), a lifer also coming up for parole, but who has big debts to a big time gangster in the jail. The price is to kill Shepard and Warren fsurprisingly inds he easily recruits Mel to do the job. The film centres on this trio as they navigate the system and each others emotional baggage. It's not a typical prison film and doesn't focus on violence but delves into the plight of these three who have lost their ability to deal with the complexities of relationships and the potential for renewing some on release. Jarvis is a very good here as the warped, somewhat challenged Shepard, and Pearce delvers a natural and committed performance as always. An interesting film with a few surprises.