Film Reviews by GH

"The Father" is a moving, illuminating and powerful drama about the effects of aging and decline. Brilliantly portrayed by all the cast, the story describes the range of emotions experienced by a parent suffering from the disabling effects of dementia and by those near and dear to him. Fear, bewilderment, confusion, anger and sadness are in evidence and the drama exposes the confliction in carers and the relatives over how to best serve the interests of all concerned. A gripping film which will cause discomfort and perhaps uncertainty in viewing the events as they unfold.

Nobody is quite understated initially with a deft touch of humour in an otherwise violent and fast moving film. Bob Odenkirk stars as the main character and sets the pace and style in his role. Similar in feel to a John Wick film or one like The Equaliser, the plot is a classic hero against villains tale with a rather predictable storyline of good against evil. Despite that, the movie entertains and amuses. Good supporting cast. Well worth watching.

Although not a fan of Whodunnit / Murder Mystery films, I was enthralled by the pace, twists and turns in the story line and the character portrayals by a host of very talented, A listed actors. The film is very well constructed and takes the audience along with the investigation offering up potential killers and their reasons for murdering the victim. Each proposal for the arch villain is credible and convincing and the eventual denouement of the killer is dramatic and exciting, again following the classic format in a Hercule Poirot / Miss Marple story. I found myself immersed in the story as it unfolded and overall was thoroughly entertained by the end of it.

An intriguing and provocative science fiction movie of a future space based existence, focussing on a mission to save Earth's destruction from shock waves emanating from deep space. The additional dimension concerns the father - son relationship between the 2 main characters who have not seen each other for over 20 years. The story is somewhat steady and predictable and has the potential to lose the viewer's attention. However, the special effects, overall depiction of space and supporting characters help to retain one's interest. A good watch.

A wonderful story, based on a true story, of a French female author's journey to become an accredited, celebrated writer in her own right. Keiran Knightly is excellent in portraying the central character and the depiction of Parisian literary society in th late 19th century is diverse, interesting and entertaining. A marvellous tale, well worth watching.

Entertaining, wonderfully portrayed by main and supporting cast, hypnotically understated and engaging story line, GCR is a captivating, amusing and stunning film that tells the story of the creation of Winnie the Pooh and its impact on Christopher Robin. A real joy to watch.

I was surprisingly entertained by this dystopian fantasy. Strong story line and good characterisation, the fantasy romp moved at a reasonable pace characterised by excellent CGI effects. Although the tale was somewhat predictable and almost a rework of the Star Wars saga, the struggle between rebels and an all powerful authoritarian organisation was still thrilling and enjoyable.

Chernobyl is a compelling dramatisation of the accidental explosion at the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl. Gripping, informative and astonishing, the portrayal of the potential global disaster is brilliantly written, acted and produced. Anyone watching it is drawn in to the horror, shock and realisation of how close Europe came to an apocalyptic incident in recent times. The series's depiction of the Soviet political situation and life in general under a communist regime is gritty and realistic and "Chernobyl" captures not only the folly, all encompassing state control and fear but also the stoicism, pragmatism and heroism of people despite that. Frighteningly accurate in its historical detail, with some minor exceptions, the drama is engaging and frightening and keeps the viewer uncertain of the eventual outcome of disaster containment. Absolutely brilliant and thoroughly deserving of its recent accolades and acclaim.

Entertaining, excellent graphics, realistic CGI action scenes and setting, Alita moves its story at a reasonable pace. A strong cast and reasonable charactetisation help the movie but the story of self fulfilment, romance and a heroine's quest is predictable and pedestrian. A few surprises emerge but there is no real twist or turn. Manga fans will enjoy Alita and it is entertaining. However, the film does not thrill, shock or raise one's pulse level.