Film Reviews by GI

This is a bold, visually spectacular science fiction extravaganza from director Gareth Edwards. It really is impressive, influenced extensively by Blade Runner (1982) and a host of other films not least the Star Wars series. In a future about 40 years from now the developments in robot technology have led to Artificial Intelligence on a grand scale but a nuclear disaster in the US has led to the banning of all AI. In the east however AI is welcomed and has integrated into human life and this has led to a global war with the US who have developed a massive weapon with which they plan to wipe out AI once and for all. Former ex Special Forces Joshua (John David Washington) is persuaded to return to the east on a mission to destroy a dangerous weapon that will lose the war for the west. Joshua is a traumatised soldier having lost his pregnant wife on a previous mission. When he finds this new AI weapon it's not what he expected. There's been quite a sub genre of man vs machine narratives such as The Matrix (1999) and the Terminator series (1984 and others) and this latest has some clever twists on the story form especially around the good v evil idea. Edwards has created a really impressive film here and whilst I felt the story was a little rushed towards the end and perhaps a little underwhelming the overall structure, vibe and entertainment values are all superb. A film to catch on a big screen if you can, the futuristic scenes are extremely good, but definitely one to enjoy at home too.

Considering this was director Tony Gilroy's first film, which he also wrote, it's a remarkable achievement. A really gripping conspiracy thriller with a dark, convoluted plot that keeps you hooked all the way through aided by great performances. George Clooney is the titular Michael Clayton, a lawyer in a big New York firm which is about to merge with an even bigger London based law company. Michael is a gambler and heavily in debt but he's also a highly skilled 'fixer' for his firm, a lawyer who sorts out the mess others make! When their top lawyer Arthur (Tom Wilkinson) appears to lose his marbles and threatens the success of a lawsuit case involving a big chemical company Michael is called in. But he soon finds himself caught up in a murderous conspiracy. Tilda Swinton and Sydney Pollack co star and the film garnered Best Supporting Actress Oscar and BAFTA for Swinton and a host of nominations including direction and acting for Clooney and Wilkinson. This is one of the best thrillers to come out of Hollywood for many a year yet it's one many people have either not seen or have forgotten all about. Now's the time to seek it out because it's damn good.

This is an odd little film, a stop motion animation that has all the hallmarks of being an irritating film but which is strangely very heart warming and a little beguiling. A documentary film maker (played by Dean Fleischer Camp, the film's director and co-writer) rents an AirBnB house and discovers living there a tiny mollusc shell that walks (he has shoes!) and talks named Marcel. He looks after his grandmother (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and the navigate their way around the house and garden in quite clever and funny ways. The filmmaker decides to make a small film and Marcel becomes an internet sensation and eventually agrees to a TV interview in the hope of finding his extended family who were caught up in the previous owners luggage when they left a couple of years ago. After awhile to begin the accept the setup here as completely rational which says a lot about how this concept has been honed into a clever little family film where the tiny shell gives his perceptions on life and happiness. Intriguing even though its a film that has to grow on you.

By now you know exactly what you're going to get and this doesn't disappoint. A highly entertaining action thriller and in this case a beautiful southern Italian setting. Denzel Washington reprises his role as the ADHD suffering former CIA black ops man who likes to right wrongs but is a troubled man due to the unbelievable amount of people he's iced over three films. He's reunited here with his Man On Fire (2004) co-star Dakota Fanning, who I have to say is a little underused but this is Washington's show. As McCall he's still out there dishing the violence on the bad guys and he's in Italy where after being wounded is recuperating in a lovely little town, befriended by the locals and ready to finally settle down for some well earned peace and quiet. Unfortunately the local mafia boss is a nasty piece of work and McCall decides to rid the town of him and his henchmen. This is done with some toe curling violence, beautifully choreographed and all great fun and what we expect with an Equalizer film. It's full on action and bloody and entertains from start to finish. If you enjoyed the first two then this will not disappoint.

A clumsy, derivative crime thriller that has a hackneyed plot and wastes Lena Headey's talents. She plays a Gypsy, an exotic dancer who ends up on the run with a neighbour's little boy after his family are all murdered by a mob boss. By a stupendous coincidence this very same mob boss used to be Gypsy's boyfriend. Want you end up with here is a road movie with a central plot of a grumpy adult and a precocious child thrust together who will inevitably and predictably bond before a final confrontation with the bad guys. The script is clunky, preposterous and all over the place, the violence when it comes is bland and there's a pointless sex scene. Sam Worthington plays the big baddie as if half asleep and a cameo from Barbara Hershey adds nothing. Don't bother with this it's awful.

This is director Michael Mann's most underrated film. Much derided by critics and audience alike it has been sadly misunderstood. Mainly because it's roots lie in the very popular almost cult TV series of the 1980s which remains famous (if a little dated when viewed today) for it's fashion, buddy cop tropes, contemporary soundtrack and violence. This modernisation of the idea into a sharp crime thriller is a contrast and this knocked peoples expectations. Watched today and with care this is a highly detailed and very intricate crime film, which admittedly lacks an element of fun, but Mann is a director who looks closely into his film worlds. This is one about highly professional undercover cops who are so close knit they act in unison without having to be asked. The early scene in a night club is a classic example; if you watch how Crockett (Colin Farrell) automatically backs up Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) as he suddenly goes after some hoodlums you can see how they are connected without the need to talk. Farrell plays Crockett with far more complexity than it may first appear and as the film was shot entirely digitally there is an emphasis on close up and the use of the cityscape to highlight danger is a Mann trademark. The violence is brutal as Crockett and Tubbs are recruited into an FBI operation after the original agents are murdered. They have to infiltrate a major drug cartel but Crockett sees an opportunity with Isabella (Gong Li), the main baddie's woman, and a relationship between them threatens the operation. I really implore anyone who was unimpressed by this to look at it again, here is a very sharp, modern crime film that deserves a re-evaluation and a fresh audience. The recently released Director's Cut on BluRay adds some scenes and is subtely different and definitely worth checking out.

Memento is beautifully crafted, aesthetically and narratively, to make it one of the great mystery/suspense thrillers of the last few years. Guy Pearce plays Leonard a former Insurance Fraud investigator traumatised by the rape and murder of his wife to the extent he is unable to retain new memories which fade away within a few minutes. In his hunt for his wife's killer he is forced to tattoo facts as he unravels them onto his body and relies on Polaroid photographs to remember people and places. However director Christopher Nolan goes one step further and presents the story backwards, so we see Leonard kill a man at the start of the film and then the narrative backtracks to earlier events with some really great plot twists. This may sound confusing but believe me it works. And it's really clever too. There's a marvellous scene where Leonard suddenly finds himself running and he cannot remember if he is chasing a man or the man is chasing him for example. Supported by brilliant performances from Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano this is a top class piece of cinema.

In it's 'unrated' form (available on the 4K UHD BluRay edition) this is a gory and at times nasty, derivative horror film that is totally predictable from the outset taking great chunks of ideas from other robot films not least AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001) and The Terminator (1984) as well as horrors such as The Ring (2002). It's also a narrative that really pushes the boundaries of credibility so even just going with it still forces a bit of a "really?" question in the mind. Robotic and toy designer, Gemma (Allison Williams) has been perfecting a robotic doll as a toy companion for children (to replace pets that die apparently!!). This is against the wishes of her boss who just wants a cheap, exploitative toy to dominate the market but he becomes suitably impressed when Gemma unveils Megan, a lifestyle robot doll that walks, talks and is state of the art. All she needs is a child for Megan to bond with. And luckily for Gemma she gets her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), whose parents are killed in a car crash and Gemma becomes her guardian. Megan imprints her computer brain with Cady's mannerisms and moods and they become inseparable companions. Cady, who looks remarkably like Samara from The Ring, is a troubled child as you'd expect but her grief sort of evaporates once she bonds with the robot. And of course the inevitable happens and Megan becomes homicidally protective of Cady and out of control. The boundary pushing really comes from just how good a robot Gemma has invented. This one is pretty powerful, able to control just about every electronic device she wants and eventually becomes all too wilful for anyone's good as well as being able to move very fast and like Samara from The Ring!! There's some cringeworthy violence (in the unrated version) and the set up is for the inevitable sequel. This is a typical BlumHouse studio film, great for horror fans, hardly very original and at times Megan looks too obviously an actor in a clever costume but it's reasonably entertaining if hardly very memorable.

The third film from director Alex Garland and another that is enticing, unsettling and very intriguing even though it has some frustrating aspects. This is a pagan horror story concerning issues around domestic abuse, guilt and grief. The ever reliable and fascinating Jessie Buckley plays Harper, who having pushed her abusive and controlling husband out of her life then has the trauma of his sudden death thrust upon her after he falls from their apartment building.....Accident or Suicide? To aid her recovery she rents a gorgeous country house for a couple of weeks where she can find some solitude and hopefully self acquired redemption. But she is soon surrounded by the very bizarre cast of men in the nearby village including the stereotypical Tory gent and the house' owner, a creepy vicar, a local tearaway and a strange man who wanders around naked scaring her enough to call in the police. All these characters and more are played by Rory Kinnear and whilst we the audience are clearly aware of this Harper seems oblivious. This maybe deliberate and the film never reveals if she is hallucinating or if what happens actually does. This is typical Garland magic in many ways, he leaves the conundrums to you. In this case it's a little frustrating as the unsettling events gain momentum and Harper has to deal with this frightening array of men we get some very eerie body horror thrown in for good measure. This is a film that does keep you hooked throughout and Buckley and Kinnear are superb throughout. An engrossing horror film that is a little 'out there' but has some sparks of originality even if it sorta lacks a certain ingredient!

An attempt to make a genuine hard boiled detective film noir that looks good in its recreation of a 1930s Hollywood but lacks any spark. It's a rather droll and clichéd film with Liam Neeson far too old and tired looking to carry off the tough private eye. This is particularly evident in the rather poorly choreographed fight scenes and lacklustre plot reveals. The titular Marlowe is hired by the usual dodgy wealthy woman (Diane Kruger) who wants her lover found. He was supposedly killed outside a club after falling in the road drunk and getting himself run over. But Marlowe soon believes that he's not really dead. Anyway once this becomes the main thread of the story the remainder of the film plods along with nothing very exciting happening. There's the usual host of characters that have some agenda or other including Jessica Lange and Danny Huston. I'm sorry but it's about time Neeson wakes up to the fact he's no longer credible in an action role even when it's mediated by a dreary plot. A dull film and instantly forgotten.

A murder mystery and dark comedy set in the world of a hairdressing competition taking place in a labyrinthine old theatre in the north of England. It's full of outlandish and emotional characters who have some great and funny lines but the film lacks any suspense or real mystery. This is partially due to the decision to go for a one take film where the camera tracks around the maze of corridors following various of the characters. I'm not convinced this was necessary and appears to have limited the ability of the film to have any tension or story focus. Anyway the film didn't work for me and I was left feeling it was all a bit crazy and self indulgent by director and writer Thomas Hardiman. The story, for what it is, has a renowned hairdresser found dead just before he's to finish his greatest style and he's found scalped, a horror of all horrors to the remaining hairdressers! These are then shown with all their petty jealousies and emotions as the film attempts to juggle the mystery with the batshit crazy weirdness of the whole thing. A film some may love but definitely a marmite film and not for me.

A beautiful masterpiece. One of the finest motion pictures you could ever wish to see. It's one of Powell and Pressburger's most celebrated films and it most certainly should be one very film fan must see. The inimitable David Niven plays Squadron Leader Peter Carter who on returning from a mission over Germany is alone in his badly damaged plane and his parachute is ripped to shreds. His final conversation is with June a radio operator and they are both touched by the poignancy of their words to each other just before Peter throws himself from his aircraft to avoid being burnt alive. But he miraculously survives, meets June and they instantly fall in love. But Peter is visited by a strange man who claims Peter was meant to die and is expected in the afterlife. Peter refuses to go and must stand trial to plead why he deserves to remain alive. This is essentially a romance fantasy with marvellous performances including Kim Hunter as June and Roger Livesey as a doctor friend. But the film delves into complex issues of history, of England's cultural influence , of the role of religion and human emotions and what being alive actually means. It really is a fantastically moving film and a real joy too. So if you've never seen this then it is one I urge you to find. You will not be disappointed.

The power and brilliance of this landmark film does not diminish even after 20 years. It wasn't the first film to delve into the philosophy of 'I think, therefore I am', indeed most films before and since that have Artificial Intelligence as the basis of the narrative have had this theme at their heart - Blade Runner (1982) and AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001) for instance. But The Matrix also tapped into the growing trend of 'gaming', the idea of immersion into virtual reality and consequently it appealed to audiences very, very well. There's also messages on ecology, on technology, on love and a whole raft of thematic questions that are evident the more you critically analyse the film. The prophetic theme of the power and challenges of AI strongly resonate today and in that regard the film was clearly ahead of its time. It opens brilliantly, like a conspiracy thriller rather than a science fiction film and as it ramps up the action into some fantastic and innovative set pieces it never loses its serious intent. Keanu Reeves is perfect casting here, his restrictions as an actor seem to work for the character just right. As Neo, a notorious computer hacker wanted by the authorities, and as the confused potential 'messiah' who may just be the answer to saving humanity he really nails it. Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss are superb throughout along with Hugo Weaving as the sinister Agent Smith and Joe Pantoliano as the traitorous Cypher. With it's references to Alice In Wonderland, the meaning behind existentialism and the mythological journey of 'the hero' this is a major work, a film so good it still takes my breath away. (The two sequels fail to do any of this and they are a significant disappointment despite some wonderful scenes so don't be too keen to revisit them). If this film has passed you by then I really urge you to check it out. It's a modern masterpiece.

The inevitable sequel to 2018s The Meg but despite Ben Wheatley taking the director reins this is a bloodless and overdone monster flick that makes the mistake, as they all do, of bringing in more monsters and not being serious enough or humorous enough and taking a middle ground that leaves the film fairly forgettable. Don't get me wrong though there's some fun to be had here and enough nods to Jurassic Park (1993) and Jaws (1975) and their respective franchises to keep a cinephile smiling. I enjoyed the first section of this film where the intrepid crew explore a deep dark oceanic trench in search of prehistoric creatures. This is almost a sci-fi vibe with plenty of disaster, guns and techno gizmos. Obviously the trip all goes wrong and some bad guys surface to add to the plot. The latter half of the film is where the monsters are on the loose and terrorise a beach of screaming civvies, fight each other and are eventually seen to by the hero. This is of course Jason Statham who gets to fight lots of bad guys all the while throwing out quips and asides and dealing with the giant sharks and various other dinosaur things roaming around. The script is woeful but I suppose can be forgiven as this film isn't setting out to be anything other than daft. I smiled a few times and groaned aplenty so in many ways its good that its been kept at a kids level and not upped into a full on horror film although that would have appealed to me more I think.

This intriguing espionage thriller pivots around a central plot twist which once revealed causes the film to lose it's tension but it does still remain a great Cold War spy story and boasts a first class cast. The film starts in 1997 when the daughter of former Mossad agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) has published a book detailing a mission that her parents were a part of thirty years earlier and from which they were hailed as heroes along with a third agent, David (Ciarán Hinds). The mission was in East Berlin where the three spies were to trace and abduct a former Nazi and get him back to Israel to stand trial. What actually happened on the mission is a dark secret that the three agents have kept to themselves but the new book opens up old wounds and the truth might get revealed. The story flashes mainly between the two timelines of the mission in 1966 and 1997. The three agents are played in the earlier time by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas and Sam Worthington. The narrative focuses on the relationship between the three and the mind games that are played out with the Nazi (Jesper Christensen). It is a riveting story and well structured. Not an action film although violence does rear its head but a good, solid thriller that is worth seeking out if you've not seen it and worth a revisit if its been awhile.