Film Reviews by GI

A body horror film with the influences of Society (1989) and The Thing (1982) evident. Real life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco play couple Millie and Tim, whose relationship is having issues mainly from Tim who embarrassingly leaves her hanging at a party where she publicly proposes. They decide to do a familiar horror film trope and relocate from the city to the country and find a large house on the edge of a picturesque forest. Their relationship continues to struggle until one day exploring the trails recommended by neighbour Jamie (Damon Herriman) they fall into a pit and are forced to spend the night. They get out ok but then Tim begins to feels a strange emotional and then physical attraction to Millie that goes beyond love or lust. It seems they have been affected by the water in the pit that is connected to a strange cult and their bodies begin to fuse together resulting in the use of tools and a lot of pain to separate. The theme here being about couples who drift into obsessive togetherness. There's some interesting set ups with connected skin including a sex scene in a school toilet. These are quite effective but the film suffers from its weirdness and the failure to offer an attempt at explanation. The pacing is a little erratic but overall it's an entertaining horror film.

A very contrived romantic drama with an almost groan out loud story that is designed to pull the heart strings but really makes you laugh at the sheer predictability and clichéd arc of the characters. This follows wealthy middle aged Rebecca (Barbara Niven), a repressed mother and suburban housewife to a boorish and mysogynistic husband (John Heard). She admits to two gay friends that she is unhappy and never experienced any sexual passion or satisfaction. They arrange for a high class escort to rectify these issues for her. Reluctantly but gradually Rebecca allows herself to be seduced by the girl, Paris (Jessica Clark), and they fall in love. Yes you heard that right. This gives Rebecca a new found confidence to take control of her life. Paris happens to be a talented artist so she can help there too! The end is simply a step too far and entirely ridiculous. John Heard tries desperately with the limited material as his character is so clichéd it's almost cartoonish. On the positive side Niven and Clark have a strong charismatic presence together and both give sound performances. But the writing and overall narrative strains credibility to the point of ridiculousness.

A clunky action horror/comedy about vampire hunters in modern day Los Angeles, full of fast paced martial arts style fights, some chases and loads of blood. Nothing much new and it's fairly derivative of most action films of late. Jamie Foxx is a hunter cast out of the 'Union', the organisation tasked with hunting down vampires, for violating rules but he soldiers on needing cash to stop his ex wife and daughter moving to Florida. After killing a vampire he finds he's hunted himself by a very powerful one. It's all daft, forgettable and not particularly funny either, the script lacks depth and finesse. Foxx has his usual screen charisma but this material is not worthy of him.

A very belated sequel to 1982s Tron and time has aided this with enhanced effects and visual styling, which is impressive. The use of de-aging technology for Jeff Bridges is quite good too especially as his de-aged character is a computer program so the slight cartoon likeness is appropriate. But narratively this rips massively from the Star Wars saga with various characters and some of the set pieces very similar to those in the SW world. Here Sam (Garrett Hedlund) the computer savvy son of Flynn (Jeff Bridges) who disappeared years ago (and as we know from the original film was zapped into the digital world) is also zapped into the same world where he finds his dad hiding out from a super-ego program (the de-aged Bridges) who is desperate to get into the human world. Sam, his dad, a beautiful program (Olivia Wilde) all try to stop the him and get Sam home. It's all entertaining as far as it goes but you always have the vague feeling of having seen it all before somewhere. It's also a film that was a risky venture coming as it did nearly 30 years after the original one, and that one wasn't that successful. In short this is an effects heavy sci-fi that is watchable but not particularly memorable. Nice to see Cillian Murphy in a very small cameo though.

A truly absorbing drama, an example of cinema as art and a film that is complex, literally astounding visually, in its performances and and depth. This is a film focused on grief, liberation and emotional freedom with a central performance from Juliette Binoche that is superb and riveting. She plays Julie, who loses her husband, a famous composer, and her young daughter in a car wreck. She attempts to withdraw from her previous life by living in solitude in a poor Paris suburb. She appears to harbour a secret about her husband's work and tries to avoid her past which creeps inevitably back to draw her into facing life again. It's such an absorbing film with a brilliant musical score, masterful direction from Krzysztof Kieslowski in which he provides a rich symbolism of Julie's emotional state for example in the use of the colour blue to represent her being forced to face her life above and beyond her attempts at withdrawal. A film in which I found myself reminded of my passion for cinema. An absolute must-see.

Nothing new to see here in this formulaic and derivative action thriller from director Guy Ritchie. With the exception of Eiza González, Rachel, the characters are all one dimensional and the set pieces somewhat cartoonish and underwhelming. The trouble is that the Mission Impossible franchise amongst others have already done this sort of thing better and bigger before. Rachel leads a covert team of 'fixers', with her top operatives played by Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal. They are hired by Rosamand Pike's dodgy corporate boss to get back a billion dollars from a nasty gangster. This means lots of convoluted tricks and set ups with chases and shooting galore (although for top trained mercenaries they miss far more than they hit). It eventually becomes a tiresome film because there's simply nothing original going on and it's all very, very predictable.

An amiable, screwball comedy that has a charismatic lead in Jon Hamm. It has a charm and at times delights but the comedy often feels forced and intermittent making it a mediocre affair. Hamm is former journalist and now amateur sleuth, Fletch, who agrees to help an Italian heiress find her father's missing paintings and to get him released by kidnappers. Fletch travels to New York on the trail of the paintings but in his rented apartment the dead body of a woman finds him as chief suspect in her murder. There's some mystery in the twist & turn plot and Kyle MacLachlan co-stars as a seedy art dealer. It's watchable but fairly forgettable.

A spiritual themed road movie that has the hallmarks of Sorcerer (1977), Mad Max 2 (1981) and even Apocalypse Now (1979) and indeed there's a post apocalyptic vibe to the narrative, even hints that maybe some apocalyptic event is imminent. Set in the Moroccan desert this follows a father, Luis (Sergi López) who, with his young son, has arrived at a huge rave being held in the desert looking for his missing daughter. When the military break up the rave Luis and son follow a small group of ravers as they head off to find the next one. This band of travellers embark on a journey into the wilderness which is a journey of danger and tragedy. The film's title is an arabic word that represents a journey through danger to the next life and it symbolises here the transformation of the characters as they face the desert and the hazards that it brings. It's a visually beautiful film but narratively flawed as it fails to delve into the motives particularly of Luis. We find out his missing daughter is an adult and jut decided to leave the family home so the reason for Luis' determined search are unexplained. A major tragedy along the way is not focused anywhere nearly enough to justify the underwhelming reactions of the characters we get to follow. But for all that it is a film that has an atmosphere that is beguiling and the film's conclusion is ambiguous but taps into the title representing a journey of spirit and emotion the destination being simply unknown.

A powerful courtroom drama adapted from a John Grisham novel. It's thought provoking, tense and moving and highlights the stark and disturbing racism and flawed justice system of the USA especially in the southern states. When a ten year old girl is brutally raped, tortured and left for dead by two drunken rednecks her father is convinced that because she's black it's unlikely the two will be properly punished. So he murders them and finds himself on trial for the killings and the potential of the death penalty. Samuel L. Jackson plays the father and Matthew McConaughey is the inexperienced but idealistic lawyer that defends him. The film is an unflinching examination of racism that at times is a little simplistic and clumsy in its attempts to push the themes of a society that has deep rooted corruption and racism and it could be argued it's a little overly long but it's a film that keeps you watching. The stellar cast includes Sandra Bullock, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, Ashley Judd and Patrick McGoohan. But this is McConaughey's film as he has the central role which he carries with confidence.

Adapted from a fiction novel that utilises myths and legends of the troubled life of Marilyn Monroe this film is more a gothic melodrama than a biopic. Indeed it's a mistake to view this as some sort of story of the actor's life as it takes various paths to tell a story that is simply an interpretation rather than a drama-documentary. Ana de Armas is simply extraordinary in the central role portraying Monroe as an exploited victim of the 'male gaze', a tortured soul who found fame but didn't find happiness. The film charts her life from childhood with an alcoholic and abusive mother (Julianne Nicholson) who tries to kill her, to her being forced into an orphanage knowing she actually hasn't been orphaned and her 'discovery' by a film producer who rapes her without warning. The Marilyn here quietly accepts the role she is given by powerful men and rises to become the sex symbol at a time when austere society rejected such icons. The images of leering men dominate the recreated scenes of film premieres and similar public appearances. Beaten by men, sexually assaulted or participating in sexual exploitation dominate the narrative for this character. One scene with President Kennedy is particularly unpleasant. But de Armas gives a warmth and vulnerability to Marilyn while masking the emotional turmoil she faces as she dreams of the father she was always promised by her mother but who never materialises (she calls both her husbands 'Daddy'!). These emotions boil over into anger and rage and eventually substance abuse. The details around supposed pregnancies are fictionalised but play an important part in showing the Marilyn Monroe of this version of her story as a woman who craved the simplicity of hearth, home and motherhood, all of which are denied her. A powerful, slightly overlong film with a a performance by de Armas that surely warranted awards.

A psychological thriller of surprising depth and marked by an excellent cast led by a vulnerable performance from Matt Damon. Adapted from the acclaimed novel this is perhaps slightly overlong and the pacing drifts but ultimately it's a complex study of identity, jealousy, narcissism, obsession and ultimately murder. Tom Ripley is a chancer working in small jobs in New York. But when a wealthy shipping magnate thinks Tom is a friend of his wayward son, Dickie (Jude Law) he asks him to go to Italy, all expenses paid, to persuade Dickie to come home. Tom seizes the chance and soon inveigles his way into Dickie's life with lies and innuendo and thus enjoying the life of a young playboy. But when Dickie tires of him Tom reacts angrily! The cast are so good and all on excellent form including Gwyneth Paltrow as Dickie's fiancée, Cate Blanchett as a socialite who falls for Tom, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Dickie's friend who suspects Tom for what he is. The plot is well thought out as Tom takes on Dickie's identity but has to switch back to his own when he bumps into various characters. It all works very well and is enhanced by the stunning cinematography of Italy. Matt Damon has a defining role here as the gay sociopathic conman who is wrapped up in so many lies it creates a tense plot. A film worth repeated viewings.

This is a superbly written suspense thriller with the action of the film mostly taking place inside a car as two desperate parents rush to aid their distressed daughter. Matthew Rhys plays Frank, a stressed executive type and Rosamund Pike is Maddie, his wife who is a paramedic. They receive a late night call from Alice, their student daughter who has earlier stormed off taking Dad's car after a big family row. Alice tells them she's at an isolated wooded road and has hit a woman who stepped into the road with the car and who is now badly injured. What follows is the tense conversations between the three of them as they try to keep it together, tell her what to do, argue, desperately trying to assist the terrified Alice and deal with their own anguish. As the situation becomes more clear Frank even starts planning how they can cover up whatever has happened to protect Alice who it is clear has been overly protected and indulged by him for years. If there is any major criticism of this film it's that the ending seems a little too baffling to satisfy the expectations set up by the narrative. But that aside this is an enjoyable and interesting film that has the essence of the macabre to it.

THEY CALL ME TRINITY: A hugely popular spoof western comedy that was a massive box office hit especially in Europe and made stars of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, who were already a successful comedy duo. Styled like the 'Dollars' film of Sergio Leone and full of roustabout violence (the type that John Wayne employed in his westerns of the 60s and 70s) this is a fun and entertaining film. Hill plays Trinity, a drifter who is lightening fast on the draw and equally good in any punch up. he arrives in a dusty town where his horse thief brother (Spencer) has wangled the job of sheriff while he plans to steal horses from the local bigwig played by Farley Granger. The pair end up protecting a group of peace loving mormons from Granger's attempt to steal their land. Really the story is incidental because this is all about the comedy set pieces of physical humour and the comedy from Hill and Spencer as they verbally spar with each other. It's all good, clean fun and it looks like a gritty, spaghetti western should look. It's worth checking out if you've never seen it.
TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME: A weak sequel to They Call Me Trinity (1970). Whereas the original was a comedy spaghetti western complete with Sergio Leone styling and some great western physical comedy this follow up is more made like the American comedy westerns of the 60s and 70s. It has a weak plot, fairly silly slapstick humour especially the overuse of bar brawls and a climax that riffs on an American football match. The poor writing doesn't allow Terence Hill and Bud Spencer to showcase their screen charisma as it rehashes the same stuff we saw in the first film. Including the joke that the pair eat...a lot! The story, for what it is, has the two trying to launch a new outlaw career but ending up helping some immigrants and a monastery of monks from a rich baddie. It boasts harry Carey Jr in a cameo but he's fairly unrecognisable.

A satire set in the plush world of Hollywood that has some very funny and tasty one liners. It's a sort of comedy of errors centred on the troubled marriage of Rose (Elizabeth Reaser) and Sammy (Walton Goggins), she is a famous actor but whose career has waned and he is a successful Agent who's business is on the verge of collapse. The narrative takes place at a house party the couple are hosting. Sammy, in particular, has an agenda to try and save his career that involves his most important client played by Rufus Sewell. As the evening progresses the strains of the marriage become more evident and these are kickstarted by the arrival of Helen (Lois Smith), an old woman with dementia who believes the house is her home, and who Rose helps much to Sammy's consternation. Rose is also distracted by Lucien (Pedro Pascal), a famous film star and Rose's former lover who hopes to rekindle their relationship. These relationship conflicts play out over the evening in a comedy drama that focuses on the privileged and wealth that is laid bare as pointless by the ramblings of the gentle Helen. Lois Smith gives a very moving performance. But it's Reaser who holds the film together in a very detailed and quite lovely performance as Rose.

A fairly routine yet entertaining mystery thriller that utilises a well used narrative device of memory loss to build it's plot and ground by a solid cast. Russell Crowe plays retired detective Roy who has is depressed due to his wife leaving him, he lives in some squalor and has onset dementia for which he's recently undergone radical surgery to alleviate the symptoms. But in short he can't remember anything although snippets pop into his mind occasionally. He is asked to look back into one of his old cases as the man convicted is soon to be executed and claims he's innocent. Roy manages to do a more thorough investigation the second time around into the brutal killing of a psychologist and academic and he uncovers a convoluted set of circumstances and a host of possible suspects. Karen Gillan costars as one of those, a girl who likes transgressive sex and icily tries to twist Roy's memories. Tommy Flanagan is Roy's ex-partner who may have an agenda too and Márton Csókás is the victim revealed in long flashback sequences. The ultimate twist is predictable but that aside this is a thriller that keeps you watching.