Film Reviews by GI

This is a great British war film made during period when a spate of Second World War dramas were released and proved very popular. There's always an element of flag waving but this particular film is more gritty than some others. This tells the story of a Long Range Desert Group operation in 1942 North Africa led by Captain Cotton (Michael Craig) who is the obvious lead although Richard Attenborough gets top billing. The story follows the small group of soldiers as they head deep behind enemy lines to blow up a fuel dump and then are pursued across the desert as they try to get back to enemy lines. The film was nominated for the Best British film BAFTA and it eschews any side plots or romance or any of the other cinematic narrative tropes that are usually built into a story. This is a realistic war story that effectively shows the battle against the desert was more a challenge than the war against the Germans. It's a film of comradeship and heroism that remains a solid addition to the British war film genre. John Gregson costarred as the new officer who has to adapt to the operational culture of this special operations group.

A good solid police thriller from the 80s that cemented Harrison Ford as a major league star and moved him away from the science fiction genre where he had made his name. It's also a clash of cultures themed narrative and a romance thrown in for good measure. It remains an entertaining watch and it's Kelly McGillis who stands out with her performance as a widowed Amish woman. The murder of an undercover police officer in Philadelphia is inadvertently witnessed by a young Amish boy (Lukas Haas) who is travelling with his mother, Rachel (McGillis). Detective John Book (Ford) is assigned to the case and it quickly transpires that corrupt cops are behind it all meaning Book has to hide out within the Amish community. This causes all sorts of tensions with the strange community who shun modernity and most importantly, violence. As love blossoms between Book and Rachel the film climaxes in a 'High Noon' style confrontation. There's some interesting showcasing of the attitudes of the ignorant Americans towards the Amish who are portrayed as misunderstood but ultimately kind and caring avoiding too much emphasis on the very patriarchal dominance and morality of the Amish society. But as a thriller from the 80s, when it was a big box office hit, this is a film that is worth a watch if you've never seen it.

This psychological thriller benefits from the gloomy setting of Bucharest and has an ominous soundtrack to increase the tension in what is a slow build up towards the film's climax. It's all very Hitchcockian in style and there's a scene in a cinema that's playing Charade (1963), a film that is often thought of as a Hitchcock film but actually isn't, to add to the idea. Maika Monroe plays Julia, an American, who moves to Romania with her husband. She's unable to speak the language and so feels naturally ill at ease and a fish out of water which is amplified when she begins to believe a shadowy figure in a window opposite her apartment is a man watching her. Of course her husband (Karl Glusman) and the police think she's being paranoid especially after she says a man has been following her around the city. Cinema is littered with women characters who are treated as neurotic over such beliefs and this film builds on the idea although the viewer is clearly aware her fears appear to be genuine. There's plenty of dark corridors , alleyways and half lit rooms all filmed in a washed out palette to enhance the creepiness. It's a neat and well made thriller although you're always aware it's all been done before. It's worth a watch though.

Alan Clarke's uncompromising portrayal of life in Britain's youth prisons remains powerful, disturbing and controversial. There's an interesting history to this film. First made by Clarke in 1977 for the BBC who promptly banned it and it was never aired. Unfazed Clarke immediately set about getting funding and remade the film almost scene by scene (and with some slight changes in cast) for a cinema release in 1979. Incidentally the BBC version wasn't shown for another fifteen years. Ray Winstone stars as Carlin, a convicted criminal sent to a borstal and he comes with a reputation for violence. But Carlin is committed to keeping his head down and staying out of trouble. But the harsh regime is dominated by violence from the prison officers who allow favoured inmates to control the wings for them. Petty punishments and deliberate suppression of free thought are all overseen by a religious Governor and eventually this pushes Carlin back to taking control through extreme violence. This is a tough watch, scenes of rape and suicide are explicit and the racism is very uncomfortable and even the cinema version was banned for release on videocassette in the UK during the 80s. Debate rages today about the authenticity of what is depicted here but Clarke, who made several controversial films attacking UK Government policies and systems, is clearly attempting to highlight the uselessness of a prison system based on punishment alone. A remarkable film and definitely one to check out if you've never seen it and if by some chance you believe that this shows a youth prison system that we should return to I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken.

A rather inconsequential caper film with a B movie vibe and a script that can't make up it's mind if it's a dark comedy of a serious crime story. Samara Weaving plays Edie, a once top getaway driver who is now reformed and finds herself pregnant by her useless boyfriend. She is forced back to do one last job by her old crime boss played in a decent cameo by Andy Garcia. The job is the robbery of a casino and of course she has to work with an assortment of characters and nothing goes to plan. There's violence and a couple of car chases but overall it's a tame affair that doesn't quite add up. Weaving is ok as the level headed and intelligent former criminal although why she's with the utterly hopeless boyfriend is never really clear. It's a film that passes a couple of hours and has it's moments but it's instantly forgettable.

This is a thought provoking drama documentary structured in a way to give it a narrative bookend that follows an unnamed woman (Samantha Morton) who is scavenging in a post apocalyptic world in the year 2073 and who recalls the events of the past that have led to the destruction of society and possibly the world. This then leads to a serious documentary utilising interviews and news footage that studies the rise of totalitarianism, far right politics dominated by the tech' billionaires that have arisen in the last few years. It's an eye opening documentary that has sort of slipped under the radar and it is intellectually structured by director Asif Kapadia who made Amy (2015) and Senna (2010). It's chilling prediction of a stark future for humanity of authoritarian rule as the super rich rebuild the world for their own survival. Well worth checking out.

After Blade Runner (1982) and Total Recall (1990) adaptations of the stories and novels of Philip K. Dick became much sought after. Screamers is based on a short story by Dick and scripted by Dan O'Bannon whose other science fiction work can be seen throughout this film (you'll spot the influence of Alien and Aliens). It's a science fiction story set on a remote planet where humans have discovered a rare mineral that can be used to supply unlimited energy for mankind. But mining it produces massive releases of radiation and a ten year war has been raging between the controlling mine company and the miners, the Alliance, due to bad safety practices and the deaths of miners. The Alliance have developed an automated biomechanics weapon known as 'screamers' that hunts humans . These are small machines that burrow under the surface of the ground and hone in on anyone not wearing an electronic tag. Henrickson (Peter Weller), an Alliance soldier, is ordered to travel to the enemy's command centre to discuss a possible ceasefire. He finds some survivors on the way including Jessica (Jennifer Rubin) and a young child but also discovers that the screamers seem to be self evolving and unresponsive to his tag. Made just before the advances in CGI this has some cool special effects and uses stop motion although the budget has restricted some of the film's potential. But the recreation of the desolate far away planet and the film's climax are impressive. The film has some quite shocking surprises too. There have been a few films where machines have become self aware and a threat, the Terminator series and The Matrix (199) for example, and films that look at the issue of what makes us human (Blade Runner being the classic example). Screamers delves into both these aspects and provides a good solid piece of scifi action adventure as a result. This has recently been re-released on DVD & BluRay and if you like a good, adult themed sci-fi then check this out, it's great fun.

This is one of those charming British comedy films that give you a lovely, warm nostalgic feel for a simpler time. Eternally sunny and quiet and exemplifying the 'good' manners that these films perceived were the norm in England at the time. This is a delightfully funny film with a fantastic cast led by Ian Carmichael who made a career out of playing a bumbling and lovable toff and Terry-Thomas who was British cinema's arch-rotter. Carmichael is Henry, a mediocre businessman who has inherited his father's business which is dominated by the firms accountant. Henry, by chance, meets the beautiful April (Janette Scott) but finds his attempts to woo her are thwarted by the smooth cad, Delauney (Terry-Thomas) who seems to have everything going for him including a flash car. All Henry's attempts to get April's attention including buying his own car meet with failure due to his clumsy manners and tendency to apologise for everything. Then he enrols in Professor Potter's (the exceedingly wonderful Alistair Sim) Lifemanship College where he learns 'ploys' on how to get the girl. He then sets out with Potter's help to win April away from Delauney. The films is filled with wonderful comic characters played by a host of stalwart British actors including Dennis Price, Peter Jones, John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques. A comedy of manners and a thorough delight so if you love the Ealing Comedies and the early Carry Ons then this is another wonderful gem that is worth seeking out.

A powerful, even at times brutal, drama infused with a dark humour and dominated by a fantastic, uninhibited performance from Cillian Murphy in the title role. He is the head teacher of a reform school for troubled teenage boys in the mid 1990s. Steve has an alcohol and substance abuse problem following a traumatic incident in his past but he manages the fine line between friend to the boys and authority figure trying to teach them something. The boys are wild and unpredictable with the ever present threat of emotional aggression when their lives become too difficult to cope. The focus is on one particular boy, Shy (Jay Lycurgo) who on the day on which the film takes place receives a call from his mother telling him she no longer wants anything to do with him. This rejection juxtapositions with Steve who also receives the news that the school is to be closed without any discussion. Steve's violent reaction and his downward spiral is mirrored by the emotional plunge that Shy takes at being abandoned. This ferocious drama takes place on the day a film crew is making a documentary about the school and the pompous local MP (Roger Allam) also visits adding the Steve's already fragile state. The rest of the cast are superb including Tracey Ullman as Steve's deputy and Emily Watson as the school psychologist. It's a story of attempted redemption and the film's end maybe uplifting or it maybe extremely sad, it's left for the viewer to interpret. A drama that is well worth checking out.

A very disappointing potboiler and B movie western that is thoroughly daft, a bit incoherent in it's attempt at a convoluted plot and unexciting in its shoot outs. It seems sometimes that a lot of film actors at some time or another want to play at cowboys and be in a western. Here we have Pierce Brosnan enjoying himself in this forgettable and cliched western where even the town prostitutes are very beautiful! He plays the sheriff in the Montana town of Trinity who encounters the young and naive Henry (Brandon Lessard) who has arrived looking to kill the lawman who framed his father and sent him to the gallows. It turns out that the said lawman is dead but it matters not because the two of them soon become embroiled in a mystery involving some hidden gold where Samuel L. Jackson, having a great time, is playing everyone off against themselves to get his hands on it. All nonsense, all typical and full of cliches, it's a film hardly worth your time.

An interesting relationship drama with some added humour that epitomises the loneliness of a modern life directed towards career success at all costs. George Clooney excels at roles in films like this and here he's all charm and cool although inevitably revealed as naive when it comes to love. He plays Ryan, a corporate troubleshooter for a big firm led by Jason Bateman's unfeeling CEO. Ryan spends his time flying between cities where he fires employees who are no longer required by the company. He has developed a skill at handling the emotions of the sacked people with a somewhat cold and cynical patter he has perfected. He loves the lifestyle and shuns connections including a home. He is therefore much angered when his boss brings in a bright young executive, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), who intends to save the company money by having the firing done via internet meetings rather than face to face. Ryan is given a chance to prove her system is doomed by taking her on one of his trips to show here why face to face is key and to save his precious way of life. But Ryan is also beginning to fall for Alex (Vera farming), a woman he meets on his trips and attendance at his sister's wedding makes him start to rethink his life choices. A well scripted film with some lovely moments and a typical American comedy/drama that shatters the dream of the luxury lifestyle beating hearth and home. Worth checking out if you've never seen it.

Even after numerous viewings this still packs an emotional punch. It's a film designed to shock and tug massively on the heart strings and in that sense it obviously works very well indeed. Director Steven Spielberg doesn't let the viewer off the hook with what he shows here but this is still a piece of cinema and it's a particularly good one and can be very much admired. Based on a true story (although don't be fooled into thinking you are watching events as they actually happened or that the characters are as they were, and it is tempting to do so especially after seeing the film's coda) it begins in Krakow, Poland immediately after the German invasion in 1939. Failed German industrialist Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) sees an opportunity offered by the war to enrich himself with military contracts. Being broke he exploits the local Jews now under the Nazi controls and uses them as cheap labour to make his fortune using an accountant, Itzhak (Ben Kingsley), as his link to the jewish community. As the war progresses and the Nazi 'final solution' progrom begins he is forced to make illegal deals with the commander of the nearby labour camp, Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) to continue his business. But gradually the Jewish people see that there is safety in securing a job in Schindler's factory away from the daily, casual murder in the camp. As the war nears its end Schindler is faced with the emotional reality that he has grown fond of his workers and sets out to try and save them from extermination. Spielberg decided to film in black & white giving the film a documentary feel and enhancing the darkness of the events that unfold. His use of deep shadows is especially good at capturing the contrast in character morality and motivation. He also recreates scenes from archive photographs giving the film a very intense sense that we are watching actual footage. There is some extremely disturbing scenes of violence and the effects of executions for example are portrayed in frightening detail. Fiennes is the essence of evil as the psychopathic Goeth who casually kills jews on nothing more than whims. There is a, now, famous sequence where Spielberg uses a small amount of colour to highlight the traumatic events of the clearing of the Krakow Ghetto and I challenge anyone not to be moved and affected by it. Indeed the film is littered with difficult scenes and events and by the end you are emotionally drained. But like all films, despite it's power and production there are flaws and Spielberg's tendency to add some unneeded sentimentality is a main one. But that aside this is a film that deserves everyone to see it at least once so if you haven't then I urge you to do so even though it will shock with it's realistic depictions of the Holocaust.

Very loosely based on the 1932 Howard Hawks film of the same name this has become an influential gangster film. Unfairly controversial due to battles with the American censor it's actually not as gratuitously violent as many claim or remember and much of the issues of the film are around it's depiction of the glamour in the drug trafficking world and, at the time of its release, the high level of swearing. Written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian DePalma Scarface is a classic story of the rise and fall of a gangster, in this case set within the bright clubland world of South Florida in the 1980s, the time of Miami Vice and similar cop shows. There's a huge resonance to those times including the vibrant soundtrack by Georgio Moroder but Scarface has no redeeming characters, everyone is corrupt, violent, greedy and immoral prepared to murder and maim for a slice of the pie. Al Pacino, in a really intense and quite compelling performance, is Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who rises up through the ranks of the drug world smuggling cocaine for a Bolivian cartel. He's a man/child figure, emotionally puerile and an unpredictable psychopath. He has more connection with children and scenes of him relating to kids are spread throughout the film and indeed it's over a decision involving children that kicks off events leading to his downfall. He also has a pseudo incestuous longing for his younger sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) which eventually destroys him. This is an impressive crime film, a tough watch at times and yes it has violence, some of it quite nasty but it's also a clever and insightful study of the machinations of the drug world and its attractions including government hypocrisy. It's definitely a must see film if you've never seen this and worth digging back out for a rewatch if its been awhile.

This is a feel good, sweet American comedy basically about old age and with a lovely central performance from June Squibb better known for her scene stealing smaller roles in numerous films. She plays the 94 year old widow of the title who dotes on her loving but slacker grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger). Constantly worried about Thelma Daniel and his parents are often plotting about getting her into a retirement home but she is fiercely independent. No more so than when an internet scammer defrauds her of some cash and Thelma decides to hunt him down aided by her friend Ben (Richard Rowntree in his final performance). These two set off across Los Angeles on Ben's motobility scooter eventually facing off against the scammers. The film is fun and well scripted cleverly interweaving an analogy with Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible running at full pelt scenes. A sort of side plot about Daniel's uselessness is a little underdone but overall the film is a clever look at getting old and the attitudes it brings from family and friends. Malcolm McDowell costars too. Worth an evening's viewing.

There is no doubt the idea behind this was ambitious and perhaps appeared interesting on the page but the end result is a lacklustre affair with awful dialogue, a story that makes little sense and overall it's not very exciting for an action science fiction film made to look epic. It is certainly overlong and the first hour becomes very tiresome and is not much improved in the final segments. The story is that an ancient Egyptian artefact discovered on an archaeological dig in 1928 (early scenes of it's discovery are all pointless) turns out to be a portal allowing travel across the Universe and it's now in the hands of the American military....of course it is! Young but genius Egyptologist Daniel (James Spader) is hired to interpret the symbols that get the device working so that a team of gung ho marines led by Kurt Russell's Colonel O'Neill can go see what's on the other side. It turns out it's basically ancient Egypt on another planet ruled by a nasty alien masquerading as Jaye Davidson. It's all totally daft and a bit boring and Kurt Russell sports the worst military haircut ever seen in any film and that's saying something. The ancient tribes people soon learn to use modern sub machine guns though so there's a bit of shooting. In short it hasn't aged well and is probably best consigned to those films that were a good idea but utterly failed.