Film Reviews by TE

This is a twinned love story that has the feel of a modern 'Breathless' ('A Bout de Souffle').

The overall 'look' of the film represents a triumph of cinematography. There is a lightness of touch and a subtle wit about the whole enterprise.

This is not ultimately as satisfying and profound as Wong Kar Wei's 'In the Mood for Love', but it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

This is an interesting enough entry into the British crime movie genre, but more for its historical context than its success as a movie.

An excellent cast seems to struggle with a laboured script and a narrative that is often too indebted to the story of the Krays (the mother adoration, the violence of the repressed homosexuality etc).

In some ways it is not 'nasty' enough: it just doesn't have the edge of 'Get Carter' or 'Performance'.

Worth a star for the occasional shots of magnificent northern Spanish scenery.

Beyond that however, lies a complete mess of a tale, full of unexplained turns and unconnected incidents. Apparently it is meant to be a re-telling of the story of a Catholic saint. This is a film which keeps on promising something but delivers one of the lamest and silliest endings possible.

The western genre continues to survive via a string of inventive and thoughtful films. Fewer westerns are made these days, but they tend to be good quality movies (the clownish Tarantino ones excepted!).

'Hostiles' is a strong, memorable entry in the canon.

The landscapes and the narrative draw the viewer in, and everything is presented with an eye for gritty realism.

The only question mark is: just how many moral choices and dilemmas can one movie sustain? All the big themes are there...racism, gender politics, forgiveness and the dark violence at the heart of the American project.

The film is particularly damning (and rightly so) of the white invaders of native territories. It feels a relevant film in the light of what Trump is doing right now.

Posting this review as an antidote to the strange review already on here, which approaches the film as if it was a documentary and damns the characters with judgemental disgust.

It's a work of fiction that explores the boundaries of family loyalty, in particular the tragic extent to which a brother feels compelled to sacrifice his own best interests for another brother.

The gender politics are typical of most movies made in the late 1950s, and at least we have Annie Girardot's brilliant performance to hint at changes to come. She is the real star of the film (Alain Delon seems a wan presence compared to his work in French films). Of course she is treated abominably, but she has a spirit and a fire that makes everyone around her appear small.

The film also deals with the tensions between the south of Italy and the north, a very contemporary theme.

I had to double-check that this film came out in 1987, it feels (and looks) as if it cames out in 2017.

The family setting is brilliantly portrayed and the whole tale is told with apparently casual touches and glancing references.

There is a sense of brewing tragedy from early on, but the tone is varied with moments of humour and an overall humane warmth.

This is an extraordinary work of art, a beautifully constructed film-poem.

The themes are understandably influenced by the Russian experience of the Second World War, but the central importance of peace is thrillingly evoked at the end.

The events and the imagery are symmetrically arranged and the b/w photography is stunning throughout. Every frame could be frozen and presented as a balanced artwork.

The air of melodrama (witness the incredible air raid / sex scene around 40 minutes in) is very much of its time, but the sheer beauty of the images carries the viewer along.

This is an enjoyable entry into the small catalogue of latter day westerns that carry the genre forward (as opposed to the ones that are just excuses for lots of nasty violence).

Bill Pullman grabs the chance of playing a leading role almost too enthusiastically. At times his portrayal of Lefty Brown risks becoming a Blazing Saddles-style parody, but in the end it is convincing and sympathetic.

All the usual elements of the classic western are present, with the main theme being the clash between the old and the new, but the film provides an original take on familiar material.

The landscapes and the naturalism of the photography are excellent.

Decent entry in the violent organised crime film genre. Its most original aspect is the way it builds up the tension as to precisely when the Tom Hardy character will explode into action.

Rocco the dog is an original touch too.

Hardy is ok in his role but his Brooklyn accent is not convincing enough.

Sad to see James Gandolfini looking genuinely ill, but still turning in a good performance. This was his last film.

One of the greatest films by one of the very greatest film directors.

Watching this again after a gap of a couple of decades I was struck by how well it has aged, though the innocent ebullience of the younger characters is definitely from another era.

A wonderful essay on memory, ageing and the human spirit.

This film shows the value of reading art manifestos on the page, rather than trying to engage with them amidst a distracting concoction of images and accents.

Cate Blanchett is a fine actor, but her one-woman show here is at times risible, particularly the various accents she has to adopt.

Even the occasional sequences of stunning visuals are not enough to sustain interest.

Manifestos are fascinating documents, but they can often come across as dated and pompous. Lumping them together in a kind of extended pop video does them no favours.

This is a relentless, intense presentation of abuse and desperation.

It makes use of the western genre to develop a feminist take on the silencing of women: the female leads either have their tongues cut out or are made to wear iron masks. This makes for a powerful theme. The world of Brimstone is run by violent men, and the main villain is a murderous sadist.

There is a nod at the end to the survival spirit in the female psyche, but it is at great cost.

My one criticism is that the sheer darkness of it all becomes gruelling. The point could be made with a little less gratuitous violence e.g. the outhouse hanging and the belt-whipping of the young daughter.

Sometimes less is more.

Atom Egoyan creates a noirish, eroticised atmosphere in this slightly laboured story of loss and longing.

It is not in the same league as his brilliant 'The Sweet Hereafter', but it's an interesting story that keeps its mysteries right up to the final moments.

All the usual components of a true survival tale are present here, but the film feels disjointed and leaden-footed.

There are loose ends left at the conclusion, and much of the early set-up is rushed, leaving the characters acting like cardboard cut-outs.

In particular there is no explanation for the speed at which the "friends" start shouting at each other and falling out.

Disappointing misfire.

This is both a beautifully realised story of family dynamics and a wry examination of gender roles. It is also a film about redemption that refuses to come to any easy resolution.

The characters are very skilfully 'built' and the acting is excellent. I disagree with the previous reviewer in the statement that "nothing much happens". a lot happens, particularly during the typhoon, and subtle changes have occurred by the time we see the aftermath.

It's the sort of film that repays a second viewing.