Film Reviews by JD

Who would have thought you could make a good film with a Russian soldier who speaks little English and does not seem to have had any acting training, as the main actor. It is bleak, quite a lot of it in a run-down Russian flat, a man who hates media attention and goes to America to tell the UN how close they came to Armageddon. Who would have guessed the world really nearly did come to an end in 1983? If only there were more ordinary men like Lt. Colonel Stanislav E. Petrov.

I was drawn to this film by the prospect of watching Jodie Foster acting with Matt Damon. They do not actually meet. Jodie's character is OK but not impressive Damon is great and you do feel his pain and sorrow though the final scene was perhaps not as emotional as it could have been. The Sci-Fi was too imaginary, I prefer it a bit more real. There are some plot jumps and leaps of faith, altogether too much fighting and not enough character.

I think you have to be in the mood for a Will Farrell film. You cannot watch them if you are feeling critical. If you catch the wave however it will make you smile for 88 minutes. I thought it was on a par with Blades of Glory my self, less sexual innuendo, more slap stick.

I think there is a point at which celebrity aura becomes so intense that nobody dares to tell you you are shit. Hoffman does his clichéd camp character which is now his default, de Niro is only slightly less camp. The story is focussed on an American election story clearly referencing Monica Lewinsky which is supposed to be funny but it didn't get to me. The rest dares to suggest that spin doctors are willing to lie. Well as Tony Blair made 3 terms of office with Alastair Campbell as his chief liar, it is not funny any more, just depressing. Borgen does spin doctors much, much, much, better.

For me the best scene is while the opening credits are still rolling. It is a joke of brilliance. 5 stars on its own but the rest of the film does not live up to it. Get the film just for the first 5 minutes then eject.

Like the other reviewers I turned on the subtitles for all of Bridges otherwise excellent grumblings. Matt Damon comes off his super hero pedestal for a cracking fall guy performance. This is on a par with Django for comedy but much less violent. really sorry to see the final credits.

Messenger refers to the bearing of the news to next of kin of soldiers who have died. The moment of grief is portrayed well with different reactions (anger, grief and indifference). This part is intense and fascinating. The slower part is of the apprenticeship of a young soldier into the role, which was not done so well. The attachment of the apprentice to a widow provides a deep ethical question, which the film leaves unanswered. I didn't rate the acting much and it was a bit too stars and stripes for my taste. The plot is however great although should have been shortened from 118 min to about 60.

The other reviewers have slammed this on the basis the the plot is full of holes and the story line is slow and wonky. Sure, but the characters are great, well acted and entertaining. I was fully immersed into the fate of the 4 magicians and Ruffalo is of course likeable and interesting. Magic is so easy to do on film that maybe we have seen it done better, but it is still thrilling. 1 hour 50 minutes well spent.

The style is very 70's, almost nostalgic. The acting however is also that bad. It is almost impossible to play a schizophrenic violent criminal. I have rarely seen it done well. To have it done indifferently with close ups is embarrassing. The common room scenes are so bad I have seen better in junior school plays. Didn't make it to the end.

The plot is essentially on 3 levels. The investigation over 17 years of a small group of inbred, sadistic, serial torturers who prey particularly on children. The relationship of 2 detectives early in the investigation seen retrospectively and their present relationship with the renewal of the investigation. The past is seen as part of a counter-investigation of the present, as flashbacks. The crimes and criminals that they are investigating are grim and repellent. The story of the detectives and their lives is quite predictable, heavy drinking, and awesomely heavy smoking (Rust), misogynistic workaholics whose marriages break up (Marty). The acting is awesome however, Harrelson is brilliant, McConaughey truly astral. The disgusting crimes and criminals are not thankfully featured too much so the slow but steady progress of the 3 levels of the plot make it compelling viewing.

Only Brits do films as genuinely sad without being dramatic, clichéd, rom-com, or emotional. This is just real and pathetic in a normal suburban way. Only some of the children are not outstandingly good actors. My reservation about 5 stars is that some of the characters are a little extreme for complete credibility and some of the acting. There are well observed remembrances about school, particularly about bullying. The scene towards the end involving the girl played by Lily James will stop you from breathing in an utterly still and quiet moment the tension could not be greater.

Woody Harrelson plays a misogynistic, bullying, self-obsessed cop in the LAPD. This puts it in competition with thousands of other mediocre American films. This one is a drunk who is divorced. Again a big field. It then fails to intrigue and is not believable. I ejected it after everyone in the room agreed it was rubbish, after 30 mins.

What a cast!! Forest Whitaker is not even in the credits. Bale outstanding, Harrelson award winning (should have), Casey Affleck (chip off the old b). This is a pretty violent, gritty and ugly film. The fight scenes are horrible. The subtle interaction between brothers is incredible. Only every tenth word spoken, the rest just brilliantly acted. Sad in a depressing way.

The opening scene is 2 minutes of the back of Keaton levitating in a shabby basement room. This is pretty much how the film goes on. Unbelievable, silly, arty, oscar-seeking long shots. If you are in an arty mood, sufficiently drunk to be open minded but not too drunk to follow a tortuous plot, this is for you. While I respect artiness, I didn't enjoy it.

Beautifully atmospheric cinematography. The cold bleak endless snowy forests feel eerily ominous and threatening. The plot is pretty unguessable but utterly believable. The acting is generally fantastic notably Harrelson and Kingsley though Mortimer has a slightly pained expression which looks out of place most of the time. Mara and Noriega are great baddies, difficult not to genuinely distrust them.