Film Reviews by GI

Apparently inspired by a real medieval warrior and set in Central Europe in the 15th century this is a Game Of Thrones and/or The Vikings influenced sword and blood film with the usual bone crunching fights and plenty of gory wounds and corpses to satisfy a fan of this stuff. The scenery is all grimy, mud caked forests and castles and there's plenty of confusing intrigue. Indeed the story becomes all a bit muddled but that is really irrelevant after a certain point because it becomes just a basic revenge narrative. In fact the story is essentially a Robin Hood one with all the stock characters in place but lacking the sense of romance and adventure. Ben Foster stars as Jan, a warlord for hire who becomes involved in the kidnap of a princess and fiancée to the bad guy, although there are at least two other bad guys. There's hangings, impalings, limb chop offs etc etc none of which is that exciting or new and even the presence of Michael Caine fails to life the film beyond a standard slash 'em and kill 'em film. They've stuck a bit of female nudity in there and all the men has a big bushy beard for good measure. It's ok but once seen you'll not want to watch it ever again.

A classic British comedy and one of the finest social satires that focuses on post-war industrial relations, class politics, family dynamics and casual racism. With the lovely, endearing Ian Carmichael as the hapless and naïve aristocrat who has to get a job as a normal factory worker and who inadvertently sparks off a General Strike. Peter Sellers won a BAFTA for his definitive take on the Union Shop Steward Mr Kite, and a great supporting cast of Terry-Thomas, Dennis Price, Richard Attenborough and a host of British actors who will be familiar to all fans of 50s British comedy especially the Carry On series. This is a really funny film and one that deserves a modern audience. All film lovers should make sure they see this at least once.

Whilst this British adult romcom is occasionally a little clichéd and there's at least one over-the-top scene that could have been removed this is a very, very funny British comedy of manners. I laughed out loud more or less throughout even when I saw the joke coming and when cringing was necessary. The trajectory of the narrative is way too predictable but this doesn't lessen the sheer fun of the whole thing. Rafe Spall and Rose Byrne are the couple who, after a whirlwind romance, get married much to the surprise of friends and family who don't think the marriage will last and after nine months the cracks are beginning to show! What follows is all a little predictable but with a great cast including Simon Baker, Anna Faris, Stephen Merchant as the best friend (an obnoxious spin on the dopey aristocrat played by James Fleet in 1994's Four Weddings & A Funeral), Minnie Driver (hilariously brilliant), Jason Flemyng and Olivia Colman (so funny here) this just works. If you want a good laugh then this will do the trick.

A gloomy, literally so, thriller about a hitman (Anson Mount) who boringly narrates his way through the narrative telling us how to be ubër professional but managing to basically cock up every hit we get to see. It's a muddled story too with Anthony Hopkins playing the unnamed hitman's boss and how they must have rejoiced at getting Hopkins to agree to do this, he has one soliloquy where he rattles on about a Vietnam massacre he took part in and where he barely attempts an American accent, and we get to see him endlessly sitting in a chair usually cleaning an assortment of guns. The Hitman gets an enigmatic assignment to kill another assassin but for whatever reason he is not told the target only a location and on arrival it becomes one of those mysteries as to who he has to eliminate. Only it's not that mysterious because it's pretty obvious all along. At times the film is quite laughable, an example is the Hitman taking a silenced pistol as he's meant to be stealthy but he also straps on a machine gun too! The whole thing is nonsense and wrought with cliché and silliness. The only light is Abbie Cornish who supports, an actor that we need to see more of and Eddie Marsan cameos but is sadly very underused. One to avoid I'm afraid.

Being a long standing fan of the novel by Richard Matheson I wanted great things from this adaptation and I'll be honest when I say I was disappointed. The story having been filmed twice before I was hopeful that the novel's unique twist would be at last properly captured on film. However having viewed the film more objectively since it's initial release I have come to appreciate what an interesting science fiction/horror film it actually turned out to be. It only loosely follows the book so once I put aside my views on the novel I found myself really enjoying the film. The story is a post apocalyptic tale where a virus wipes out most of humanity and the story of a lone survivor and adding in the danger from the monsters that the virus has created. Here we have a basic zombie type narrative with aspects of the vampire film thrown in. Admittedly the creatures, realised through CGI, are slightly disappointing and I suspect the scares were turned down to encourage a younger audience. But the film is more interesting in Will Smith's depiction of the survivor and his coping with long term loneliness and the constant stress of surviving. Here Smith does an excellent job and the script concentrates on his fall into despair. The ending of the theatrical release does allow a stab at why the book and of course this film version has the title 'I Am Legend' which is commendable. There is an alternate ending, which while of interest, is somewhat less in keeping although it takes another aspect of the novel and inserts it into the film. The theatrical release is the better of the two. If you saw this and were not that impressed I urge you to give it another shot, you maybe surprised the next time. (On a final note I would have loved to have seen the Ridley Scott directed version with Arnold Schwarzenegger, which was going to be made but sadly abandoned)

Kathryn Bigelow's powerful anti-war action film remains the best of the genre that is set in Iraq. The story of Will James an adrenaline junkie bomb disposal soldier who behaves increasingly recklessly endangering the lives of his team. Jeremy Renner gives a career best as James, aided by Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty as his increasingly worried team mates. The film has some great cameos including Guy Pearce, David Morse, Ralph Fiennes and Evangeline Lilly. It's tense story, utterly compelling and cleverly written so you never quite know if James is becoming totally unhinged or if he's still enough in control. There are some shocking scenes and the unpretentious clarity of the film is a refreshing change, there are no gung-ho heroics here and no flag waving either. This is about the sheer agony and terror of war and it's futile position in the modern world. It's a modern masterpiece and well worth repeated viewings.

This is an intense study of passion and love set in Brittany in the late 18th Century. Despite being a slow burner it's very gripping too and surprisingly engrossing with the director, Céline Sciamma, bringing a cinematic classical style whilst adding aspects of social realism and the film has a rhythm that flows pulling the viewer along with it. The sparse scenery and mis èn scene along with the absence of a music soundtrack adds, in an almost surreal way, to the films power. Noémie Merlant plays Marianne, a skilled artist and portrait painter hired by a wealthy woman to paint a portrait of her enigmatic daughter, Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Knowing the painting is to be used to lure a rich man to marry her Héloise refuses to sit for a portrait having sabotaged a previous effort to paint her. So Marianne has to pretend to be just a hired companion furtively studying her subject whenever she can and painting in secret. Héloise is well aware of the continual glances that Marianne is making and equally Marianne becomes fascinated and obsessed with Héloise and the two become lovers. At times the film almost tips into something disturbing especially in Marianne's ghost like visions of Héloise in her wedding dress and when she witnesses an incident that evokes the films title. But all the time it's the vivid and deep love that forms between the two that draws you into the narrative. The themes are bold here and there's something to do with the breaking of inequality that resonates today and is most clearly seen in how the two women help the house servant girl, Sophie (Luàna Bajrami) with a personal problem. I found the film to be quite mesmerising and rather beautiful in a strange way. I certainly highly recommend it.

A romantic drama that is full of eroticism, strong on character and weaker on plot with an unfulfilling and unconvincing conclusion. Ruth Wilson is excellent as Kate, a lowly benefits office worker in a seaside town. She's bored with the work, a bit of a loner and arguably depressed until one of her claimants asks her out for lunch. He is a charismatic ex con she names Blond played with obvious relish by Tom Burke. Against the office rules she goes out with him and is soon infatuated but he remains a mystery telling her nothing much about himself whilst she reveals all. Soon he begins to treat her very casually but then reappears and expects her to drop everything. It takes a trip to Spain for Kate to realise what she really needs from her life. The two leads give compelling performances and Wilson especially captures the central issue of a deep yearning for love that never quite arrives. It's an interesting film but ultimately feels like a bit of a let down in the finale.

This adventure comedy is a buddy movie about a most mismatched pair. What's great is that the film is a big hearted charming film without any pretensions. It's a simple enough story of Ricky, an orphaned city kid who has a history of petty crime, loves rap and wants to be a gangster who is fostered with Bella & Heck, a pair of simple country folk who live on the edge of the New Zealand bush. It's Ricky's relationship with Heck that is the centre of the narrative. Sam Neill is perfect as the grumpy, down-to-earth Heck. Taika Waititi, the director, clearly has a need to show off the magnificence of the New Zealand wilds with some beautiful panoramic shots of the mountains and forests but it's in the intimate confined bush where the characters make the film so warm and hilarious. Admittedly the narrative veers almost into zany territory as the story progresses but this is all part of the fun and the emotional punch of the film is never lost. Highly recommended viewing.

The 'joke' is that Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalised version of himself here with the film's title being the biggest laugh albeit an ironic one because really if you think about it Cage has been playing a version of himself for years. When you get past that thematic joke what's left is essentially a mediocre action/caper movie that has some laughs and entertainment value but is ultimately fair routine and fits squarely into your average Nicolas Cage film oeuvre. The story is that actor Nick Cage (note the spelling change to ensure you understand it's not the real Nic Cage!) estranged from his wife (Sharon Horgan) and daughter (Lily Mo Sheen) who despair of his self absorbed personality, is hard up for cash and forced to take a $1 million gig to be at the birthday party of a super rich fan, Javi (Pedro Pascal). But on his arrival he's recruited by the CIA who claim Javi is a crime family boss. This cues action, adventure, shooting and lots or over acting. This is a film for die hard Cage fans who love him for his excesses and here they'll get the whole range all played for comedy. Pascal is good here and there's some rather pointless cameos to spot. Overall it's a lame film with a few laughs but not one of Cage's better films.

If you like your horror films to be subtle, sexy and very, very stylish then look no further than The Hunger. Director Tony Scott's marvellous take on the vampire sub-genre with Catherine Deneuve as centuries old vampire Miriam and David Bowie (who is really excellent here) as her lover. When he begins to age at an extreme rate he seeks the help of a specialist doctor, Susan Sarandon who becomes the focus of Miriam's affection. It's a very 80s film with a great soundtrack and some wonderful make-up effects. The film eschews the usual vampire motifs so you'll not find fangs, garlic, wooden stakes etc here but what you have is a very original and interesting horror film from a director who is often overshadowed by his older brother but who has made some very interesting and important films.

A thrilling action thriller based on Tom Clancy's first novel and a story involving espionage, political intrigue and submarines! There's not been a better naval battle film since Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982). Sean Connery dominates the film even though his performance is typically very subdued and Alec Baldwin plays a young Jack Ryan after Harrison Ford turned the film down! Superb support cast including James Earl Jones, Scott Glenn and an underused Stellan Skarsgård. Fans of the novel may decry the loss of some of the books narrative set pieces and occasionally the film feels a little rushed but this remains a great entertainment and is a worthy member of the Jack Ryan franchise. So here we have a Russian submarine commander (Connery) on the maiden voyage of the new nuclear super sub Red October. The Russians tell the Americans that he has gone rogue and intends to fire his missiles at the USA and ask for their help to sink him pronto. But humble CIA analyst Ryan (Baldwin) thinks that he has other plans! A film to check out if you've never seen it.

This Oscar winning drama about a small Welsh mining village at the turn of the nineteenth century is a film that every cinephile should ensure they see and see again. It's a wonderfully directed and edited film full of love, hope and heartbreak - a story about family, about good times and bad times and the loss of community. Like a lot of John Ford's films it relishes folklore with song and dance, tradition and attacks religion and the stifling of freedom. A great cast including Walter Pidgeon as the village preacher, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp and a young Roddy McDowall. The story follows a loving family of miners overseen by strict but loving mother and father as seen through the eyes of the youngest boy (McDowall) who watches the break up of the family as economical disaster strikes and eventually tragedy. A beautiful and moving classic and a film that deserves a fresh appreciation from a new audience. If you've never seen this then seek it out you'll not be disappointed. This is a real gem.

Director Edgar Wright and lead actor Simon Peggs follow up to their popular Shaun Of The Dead (2004). It's a zany, and gets more zanier as it goes on, British comedy that brilliantly homages cop action films (many are referenced directly in the film) and more cleverly and very effectively highlights and mocks the middle class smugness of rural 'Little' England and the habit of constantly hanging onto the past as somehow better than today. This especially resonates today following the Brexit debacle that promised some idea of a return to a traditional England of old. Overall though this is a great comedy film and there's so many little references and in jokes that every viewing reveals something you've not noticed before. Pegg plays ubër keen London police officer Nicholas Angel. His arrest rate is so good it makes his colleagues look bad so he is transferred to the quiet, rural town of Sandford where life is much more laid back. He is constantly frustrated by his apparently lazy new colleagues and when a series of grisly accidents occur Angel is convinced they are murders much to the amusement of the other officers. There's a fantastic support cast who are all brilliant and include Olivia Colman, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Nick Frost, Billie Whitelaw (in her last film), Paddy Considine and Rafe Spall. There's also cameos from Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy and sharp eyed viewers may spot Peter Jackson and Cate Blanchett. Maybe this is for a certain sense of humour but it's comedy that has its roots in British classics such as Monty Python, Fawlty Towers so fig that's your thing then this will not disappoint.

A British cop thriller with Jason Statham on fine form as an uncompromising London detective who gets involved in a serial killer investigation where the killer appears to be randomly killing police officers. When considering his other output this is a fairly restrained affair from Statham even though this is a violent and tough action film but being set in England guns are little seen. Statham is Detective Sergeant Brant, a sort of rogue cop who is always in some sort of trouble or other usually because he deals out rough justice with little regard for the rules. He joins up with fellow cop, Nash (Paddy Considine), a gay man constantly faced with homophobic abuse from his colleagues, in the hunt for the killer who shoots cops at apparent random. When Brant's old friend is murdered it becomes personal. There's no attempt here at representing any police procedure that is remotely realistic as this is an all out action thriller designed to entertain and it does just that. The side plots involving police officer use of drugs and an attempt to highlight homophobia in the police are so underdone as to be rather pointless and somewhat lame considering the importance of these issues. There's a Dirty Harry (1971) influence at play here but this is all Jason Statham's show in what is one of his best films. The support cast includes Mark Rylance, David Morrissey, Aidan Gillan and Luke Evans.