Film Reviews by GI

On the surface this is a classic domestic thriller but it has a surreal, picture postcard vibe and is, sadly, a disappointing film, messily structured and utilises its talented cast rather poorly. For no reason that can be fathomed it's set in the small Michigan town of Holland, giving plenty of opportunity for scenes of windmills and people walking about in Dutch national dress and clogs (which are used in a handy way later in the film). It's also strangely set in 2000 and I can only suppose so in order to restrain the use of modern technology to keep the plot vague. Nicole Kidman plays Nancy, a suburban wife and mother and teacher in the local school, she is very 'Stepford Wives' in appearance and manner but underneath she has the paranoia and unsaid nervousness of a woman unfulfilled even though she is doted on by her smarmy and handsome husband, Fred (Matthew MacFadyen). He's the local optometrist in the town. Nancy is suspicious of Fred's many trips away from home and suspects he's having an affair. She recruits fellow teacher, Dave (Gael García Bernal), who fancies her, to help catch Fred out. They go to extraordinary lengths to try and do so eventually discovering something much darker. This all takes far too long and leads to a climax that becomes obvious too quickly. Dave, as a Mexican immigrant, faces some racism when the plot demands it and pointlessly so. I can't help think this probably looked a better project on paper than it does on the screen although it's another example of Kidman's support for female directors which I applaud. sadly, though this is a forgettable film.

A rather annoying biopic of the enigmatic and visionary electrical inventor and pioneer Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke). It's annoying because the attention to period detail is overshadowed and at cross purposes with the arthouse use of painted backgrounds and anachronistic items such as iPhones that creep in to try and suggest Tesla's influence on the modern world. The structure and script of the film is tedious and the overuse of moody lighting combined with Hawke's melancholy portrayal makes for a messy and difficult film to enjoy. Eve Hewson shines out as Anne Morgan, the daughter of financier J.P. Morgan and a potential love interest for Tesla. Sadly he shows no interest in such mundane things as sexual attraction or love. A film I struggled with. It may be a brave attempt at a different sort of presentation but it didn't work for me.

A formulaic slasher movie that offers nothing new other than coming up with a raft of imaginative deaths some of which are just comic, all are very gory. So if that's your thing then it's served up here in bucketfuls. But really this is the same formula of all such films since Halloween (1978) and continued on over the years in particular in the Scream series. Here a Black Friday riot at a big department store results in some deaths as local people go crazy to grab a bargain. A year later some of those deemed to be the cause start getting murdered by a masked killer dressed as a pilgrim. The main victims are the usual bunch of teenagers, the only thing missing is the traditional sex scene when someone gets killed in the throes of orgasm!! And the narrative has the tired old plot of trying to guess who is the killer with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. In fact the red herrings are a little too obvious here. A routine horror, instantly forgettable.

Tron feels a bit dated when viewed today although it was arguably ahead of its time in special effects back in 1982, where it spawned a very popular video game. However the contemporary links to the development of AI make it a film worth a rediscovery as the narrative is based on a powerful computer program that has become self aware and become more clever than its creator and now with a malevolent agenda. At one point this program, Master Control Program or MCP, announces to its nasty corporate creator, Dillinger (David Warner) that it's tired of corporations and intends to direct its attention to the Pentagon and the Kremlin. A potential plot direction that is not explored further in the film but is an important indicator of the film's predictions about AI. Jeff Bridges is the main star here playing Flynn, a former employee of Dillinger, who is now a hacker and intent on getting control of the MCP. But it has other ideas and somehow zaps him into the digital world where he has to compete in a sort of gladiatorial set of games. The film sets up the idea that programs are really sentient beings that have links to a human user (in some ways this is idea is later used in The Matrix). The film lacks a strong plot aiming to wow its family audience with the special effects instead and that makes the film a little unimpressive today considering the advancement in this field. Still a film worth checking out especially since there's a couple of sequels too.

Following the critical and popular success of The Odyssey (2026) I recommend a revisit to this film in its longer Director's Cut version. This reinserts about thirty minutes making it a longer, bloodier and far more involved and complete film. Troy is an epic, spectacular historical epic, the sort of big budget film that Ridley Scott specialises in and does so well. Here director Wolfgang Petersen has made a really entertaining, battle filled film that gets better on repeated viewings. It boasts a star studded cast including Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole, Brendan Gleeson, Diane Kruger, Brian Cox, Sean Bean and Rose Byrne amongst others. Loosely based on Homer's Iliad, this tells the story of the Trojan War where the fragile peace between the Greeks and the Trojans is broken when the Trojan prince Paris falls for Helen, the wife of the King of Sparta and steals her away. This gives the power hungry Greek King Agamemnon an excuse to besiege the city of Troy which he has long coveted. He relies on his top warrior Achilles to help him even though they despise one another. Purists of the Homer story can pick holes galore in this but this is a cinematic adaptation and like all such adaptations it isn't meant to be an accurate recreation of the original story. So get over it and just enjoy the sheer magnificence of this film with the violence and nudity and some subplots that were erased from the theatrical cut now restored to make for a big, bold, visually stunning film.

This dark comedy/satire has its ups and downs and is marred by some poor pacing and a script that seems at the time to be ignorant of where it's going eventually almost falling into slapstick. But it does have a very sinister look at the role über billionaires play in the world and in that's sense it has a worrying undercurrent. Four such crypto/tech/social media giants, who are equally friends as rivals, get together at the mountain retreat of one of them, Hugo (Jason Schwartzman) to discuss their future plans. The other three refer to Hugo as 'soup kitchen' because he's the only one not to have reached billionaire status yet. The others, Randall (Steve Carell), Venis (Cory Michael-Smith) and Jeff (Ramy Youssef) are multi-billionaires. The world economies are on the verge of collapsing and the four discuss how they will profit from events but when three of them discover Jeff, the more liberal and sensitive of them, plans to go his own way they decide to kill him. There efforts in this regards reveal their complete dysfunctionality. There are some very funny lines and moments but they are a little too far apart with the four characters not written in enough depth to grab your attention. It is however a film that takes a satirical look at the age of the self made billionaire and the influence they wield.

A sports biopic about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, relatively unknown in the UK (or is that just me??) and covering the early days of the sport between 1997 and 2000 where it appears it was most popular in Japan and known as Pride! Dwayne Johnson, under heavy prosthetics plays Kerr and manages to give a very convincing performance showing Kerr's emotional side and his conflict with opioids and fractious relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt). The film delves into various issues amongst which are Kerr's unpreparedness for actually losing a bout, so when he does he falls into a spiral of existential despair increasing his addictions to cope. But after successfully undergoing rehab the gentle Kerr becomes the angry Kerr much to Dawn's fear and consternation. The central part of the film is their relationship and Blunt is the best thing in the film with a very nuanced and convincing performance but she is sidelined far too much as the fighting takes preference and in particular Kerr's relationship with his friend, co-fighter and potential opponent Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) is given more prominence, in my view, to the film's detriment. This is a film about a brutal sport, indeed an unpleasant one and whilst Mark Kerr may have some following and fame in the USA the story seems rather hollow to an outsider. It has committed performances and Johnson arguable gives a career best here but it's a somewhat limited film.

A weird science fiction horror from writer & director David Cronenberg that continues his fetish for body horror all wrapped up in a confusing and slow film about grief and loss. Vincent Cassel stars as wealthy entrepreneur Karsh, who following his wife's prolonged illness and death from cancer built a cemetery, with posh restaurant attached, where the bodies of loved ones are wrapped in Chinese designed shrouds that allow relatives to morbidly watch their dear departed loved ones slowly decay. This is somehow meant to be a release from pain or more likely a way to prolong it. Either way Karsh has successfully extended this idea to cemeteries around the world. But when the one where his wife is interred is vandalised he suspects various culprits from Russians to Chinese to his nerdy ex brother in-law Maury (Guy Pearce), who is annoyed that Karsh is bonking his ex-wife who is the twin of Karsh's wife. It's all slightly confusing and slow and ultimately it's an exasperating film that seems to go nowhere possibly suggesting that grief is never ending. It's a tiresome film that is visually interesting, has a creepy and deep score by Howard Shore, and disturbing visions of decaying corpses and the wife (Diane Kruger who also plays the twin sister) in various states of her illness as she loses body parts to surgery. In many ways it's an unpleasant film rather than cleverly creepy or disturbing and sadly it's a little boring.

This is a nuanced and thought provoking study of female trauma following sexual assault presented in a mild darkish comedy but which still manages to hit the spot in highlighting the emotional impact that such a crime has on the individual woman. Eva Victor directs and stars as Agnes, a PHD student in a small New England university who has a mild flirtatious relationship with her tutor and a mutual admiration exists between them. But when he switches a meeting from his office to his home we see Agnes arrive at dusk and leave in the dark in a flustered manner. It's a clever presentation of the rape that Agnes later reveals to her best friend Lydia. The film charts Agnes experience with an unfeeling doctor and a period of panic attacks with also her deciding how to deal with the experience including whether to go to the police. Her decision not to is an interesting one. This is a film that explores rather well I thought the conflictions and confusion of Agnes as a victim whilst showing how she strives to rise above it in her life. An interesting drama that is well worth checking out.

Another 'Ghostface' Horror/Whodunnit that is, as expected, totally formulaic taking the advantage that franchise's like this can get away with in that they can spew out the same narrative, same tropes and appeal to fans who expect it but it's effectively lazy filmmaking. This latest one offers nothing new or particularly interesting. Admittedly there are some inventive gory deaths including one in a bar but overall this just relies on boring cattle prod style jump scares and false alarms to please fans. The saving grace is the plot rattles along at a good pace. Neve Campbell stars as the mother who has a history of dealing with Ghostfaces and just wants to protect her daughter played admirably by Isobel May. Eventually there's plethora of Ghostfaces they have to deal with and of course you're expected to try and guess who they are. It's not hard!! Overall this is another tedious horror film that is instantly forgotten.

A strictly B movie contemporary western/crime thriller set in a small town. The discovery of the body of a local businessman's son sparks an investigation by the small local police led by Sheriff Nick Light (Michael Edwards). He's an aging cop still suffering from grief after the unsolved murder of his son five years ago. Very quickly it gets established there's a connection between the new murder and his son's death. It opens up the uncovering of corruption and drug trafficking that up until then the police had no idea about!! A terrible script and formulaic plotting make this one huge cliché. There's nothing new to be found here, it passes the short running time ok but it's instantly forgettable.

An absurdist comedy about male loneliness and inadequacy that is occasionally cringy, hilarious and strange but with a solid central performance from Tim Robinson as Craig. Craig is a dull, suburban husband and father who is socially inept, almost childlike in his attempts to interact with other male colleagues and who cannot understand their ease with each other. All his attempts are met with derision and so he retreats into his isolated shell. Then he meets his new neighbour Austin (Paul Rudd), a local minor celebrity (He's a TV weatherman), he plays in a band and has a group of male friends. Austin at first welcomes Craig in but soon, after some very funny and cringeworthy incidents, decides that it's best to distance himself from Craig. Craig, of course, cannot understand the rejection and is left bereft by it, attempting other ways to find some connections with himself, his family, Austin and others. There are some scenes that don't always fit here for example when Craig decides to try a bizarre 'drug' experience, which makes some parts of the film a little forced as if trying to make it funnier. As a comedy character Craig is interesting if a little too immature bordering on mental illness but the theme of the difficulty of male bonding is cleverly interwoven into the narrative. Rudd , whose character hides a secret that Craig inadvertently discovers, plays a solid counter character to Craig allowing the film to have a gentle touch too as they navigate their 'friendship'. Kate mara plays Craig's wife, sadly she's underused but has a central part to play in Craig's final and extreme push to be 'cool'. An enjoyable film and worth aa watch.

You can just accept that Jason Statham knows his fanbase and what a Jason Statham film needs to be like. Admittedly not all his output has merited attention but there are some really great gems amongst his films and whilst Shelter isn't offering anything new it is a solid action thriller that unashamedly rips from the Bourne and John Wick series' but nevertheless is entertaining throughout. Statham, in his usual charismatic screen performance, is Mason, a reclusive man living alone on a remote Scottish Island with his faithful dog. It's no plot spoiler to reveal he has a dark past that involves him needing to hide and of course he nurtures a 'special set of skills' that make him particularly formidable. When he rescues a young girl, Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), who brings him his supplies, from drowning during a heavy storm, events begin that get him spotted by MI6, some of whom need him eliminated. He and the girl have to go on the run. There's some solid and well executed set pieces mostly gunfights and chases including one in a night club that has probably been influenced by the one in Collateral (2004). The cast includes Naomi Ackie, Bill Nighy and a cameo from Harriet Walter. It's all predictable and been done before (mostly by Statham himself) but it's constructed beautifully and keeps you hooked in. It's well worth your time.

As documentaries go that are about the natural world this one highlights a rare success story. The rehoming of black rhinos within the Kenyan conservation areas as the team of rangers protect the animals while dealing with poachers, bandits, a struggling local population and drought. The success of the protection of the Rhinos here has had a side effect and that is there is now not enough territory for the growing population and the males, especially, fight for control of their own area often a very large one. It's a well made documentary, interesting and at times moving as violent encounters often result in tragedy, all documented here. Narrated by Tom Hardy this is worth checking out if you love wildlife programmes.

This is a decent crime thriller that has a solid cast and a twist and turn plot that is a little far fetched amplified by a lead character who makes some really daft decisions but overall it's very entertaining. Julianne Moore leads as Kate, a sad, lonely woman who is mired in grief for her recently deceased partner. She owns a small horse farm where she gives riding lessons but she is desperately short of money. Her only shining light is her wayward daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), a spoiled drug addicted girl who only returns home when she's in need of money. When she arrives she unfortunately leads nasty drug dealer Jackie (Domhnall Gleeson) to Kate's ranch where he demands money. But this is nothing to what Claire and Jackie eventually lead Kate into. The film lags somewhat in the middle third and Sweeney isn't on screen for enough time even though her performance is really good when she is. Gleeson is suitably menacing and Fiona Shaw costars as Kate's one friend. Kyle MacLachlan has a cameo too. The climax is a solid twist and the film is a good thriller with a stand out cast and definitely worth checking out.