Film Reviews by GI

Director Don Siegel, in many ways, pioneered the maverick cop movie in the 60s and 70s, bringing western stars into the city in what is basically a western structured narrative. Coogan's Bluff (1968) even blurred the two genres more closely and with Clint Eastwood moving on from that to Dirty Harry (1971). Many nominally western stars were lured to the cop genre as a result of the success of these films, even John Wayne had a go!. Here Richard Widmark plays the loose cannon cop, Dan Madigan, known for rule breaking who along with his partner, Rocco (Harry Guardino), makes a hash of an arrest letting the bad guy escape with their guns. The by-the-book Commissioner (Henry Fonda) is less than happy but gives the two detectives 72 hours to get their man. That's the basis of the story and it's a pretty straight forward one in truth and you always know they will get him by the end. But what sets this film apart is the exposure of the New York police life, the depictions and references to casual sex (even with minors), drug taking, corruption, marital strife and infidelities was all ahead of its time. There's little violence on show here and unlike the films mentioned above this is not a story of men born in the wrong time or that violence is the only way to do the job properly, this is a procedural tale designed to show the realities of police life and cops as flawed characters, there are no heroes here. Shot on the streets of New York with all its detritus and seediness on show it certainly was seen as a shocker in 1968. There are more gritty films to emerge in the 70s, for example Serpico (1973), that really dug down into the murky, dirty world of policing but Madigan is a film that started a trend. It remains an interesting example of the police thriller from this time.

Every time I watch this I am enthralled as just how funny and clever it is. As a romantic comedy it tops the tree in that it's also a serious scrutiny of middle class America in the 1960s and I'm sure will resonate today in many of its themes around expectation. Dustin Hoffman is perfect casting, in his first screen role, as the naïve young man, Ben, the son of wealthy parents who returns home after graduating as a top student. He's confused about the future especially being surrounded by his parents businessmen friends who offer him all kinds of options in which Ben sees he will be trapped and unhappy. Part out of boredom he allows himself to be seduced by his father's business partner's wife, Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Mrs Robinson is the lost soul of the narrative, a woman who gave up her dreams for the security of wealth and regrets it. Their affair continues unabated despite Ben hating himself for engaging in it but it's the arrival of the Robinson's daughter, Elaine (Katherine Ross) that finally allows Ben to see what he wants. With the fantastic songs by Simon & Garfunkel and the really sharp direction by Mike Nichols this is a real classic of modern cinema, it captures the essence of all powerful true love as a human experience and reveals that social acceptance and success comes at a price. It condemns the notion that each generation expects the next to follow their lead, this was a key challenge in the mid 60s and here was a film that brilliantly voiced the views of thousands of the young generation. Above all else this is hilariously funny, with clever camera work (watch the scene where Ben is running and seems to never get where he's going) and it's a joy to watch this each time. A film every cinephile should make sure they see.

A slow and complex film perhaps not unsurprising from Michelangelo Antonioni, a much heralded director although being a passionate lover of genre cinema I find his films atmospheric but tedious. This is no exception in a story that follows a film director (Tomas Milian) who after his wife leaves him embarks on a clunky relationship with a young woman (Daniela Silvario), who he thinks of as a bit snooty but when he receives threats to stop the relationship he is too stubborn to do so. Eventually she leaves him and he spends time mooning after her until he meets another young actress. I think that sort of sums the narrative up. There's some raunchy, for the time, sex that isn't particularly romantic in its depiction. The film did little for me, it's overly long, at times tiresome and I didn't get it.

A plodding and at times senseless police procedural thriller that is somewhat pretentious and certainly the director, John Lee Hancock, can't make up his mind whether he's making a genre mystery/serial killer story or some deep and profound arthouse piece. Denzil Washington tries his best with the material but you can sort of tell he's struggling at times. Rami Malek is woefully miscast here or his range is too limited and Jared Leto plays another dark twisted character in his usual over exaggerated way, he looks the part but also slips into parody as a Hammer Horror Rasputin type. Washington is a small town and tired old cop sent to LA to collect some evidence but finds he gets embroiled in a case involving the ritualistic murder of prostitutes. It seems he was once a big detective in LA but left when a case, possibly linked with this latest one, went haywire. Malek is the bright young detective working the case who kowtows to the experienced older man whose mantra is that it's all in the little things where the case gets solved. Leto is the Charles Mansonesque suspect. The plot goes all over the shop, there's lots of talking and the cops do some startlingly stupid things. It's a dull film really and disappointment.

Arguably Martin Scorsese's best film and a landmark one setting a high standard as the 1990s began and completely reimagining the gangster film. Even the Godfather trilogy had an air of romanticism in it's depiction of the mafia possibly owing to the historical vision of the 40s and 50s but Goodfellas, mostly set in the 60s and 70s sets a scene of extreme violence with uncouth characters who covet only the power to do exactly what they want without constraint. They have no style, in fact they are simply materialistic with no idea that they indulge themselves with ugliness. This stretches to their marital relationships and homes and even to the loyalty of friendship they hold so dear and which in this film is utterly betrayed and exposed as false. Based on true events this is the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta). It's a fairly straight forward rise and fall story that follows Henry from a young man who is seduced by the life of crime when he joins the 'family' of Paulie (Paul Sorvino in a cold, frightening performance). His rise to loyal gangster with the help of two psychopaths, Jimmy (Robert De Niro) and Tommy (Joe Pesci in a defining and memorable role) and his marriage to Karen (Lorraine Bracco), an innocent who is also seduced by the gangster life but who has to accept the loss of her morals as a consequence. It's ultimately all about greed which overcomes all moral boundaries in these characters who achieve it through bloody murder. The violence is shocking, it's possibly Scorsese's most violent film and it gives the film an emotional power. Scores uses his camera in some eloquent ways to tell his story including a now famous tracking shot and bringing the background closer to simulate the closing in of the world against these criminals. There are no heroes here and you cannot root for anyone, not least Henry, who eventually succumbs to the ultimate humiliation to save his own skin. Scorsese has Henry break the fourth wall to talk direct to the viewer as he commits the final betrayal. This is a key film, a powerful one and if you've never seen this it will make you gasp on occasion but it's one of the best of American crime films of the past thirty years.

I'm assuming this is written for nine year olds and presumably by them too! Another video game tie-in movie that is a load of tosh. It has had some money invested in it but the whole thing from clunky, teeth grindingly bad script to the obvious rip-off from Game of Thrones to LOTR via Alien is an example of how money could be better spent. Director Paul W.S. Anderson clearly needing to put his wife into something after the Resident vil franchise petered out so we now have this rubbish. A land of monsters (well three or four) exists alongside the real world and a strange storm generated by a tower (think Mordor and you'll get it) opens up a gateway into which gets sucked Captain Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her team of cocky but super hard Rangers. They all get killed quick enough except the intrepid and gutsy Artemis who teams up with a local warrior (Tony Jaa) but not before they beat each other to a pulp for what seems like three hours. They then fight some monsters....yawn....and head for the strange tower in the distance before bumping into a weird looking Ron Perlman, who must need his swimming pool repaired or something....what was he thinking? So we have a sort of Jules Verne's Mysterious Island meets The Lost World meets Mirkwood with a GoT dragon flying around, and big swords and machine guns. This is awful.

An interesting film that mostly ignores the surface drama of war to delve into the cultural conflicts and character attractions of individuals thrust together in a Japanese POW camp. Set in 1942 it deals with the tensions between the young, traditional and idealistic camp commandant, Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) and a strange British officer, Jack Celliers (David Bowie) who refuses to kowtow to the regime that the Japanese insist upon. In the middle and attempting to navigate a way for all is Colonel Lawrence (Tom Conti) who attempts to avoid bloodshed by a policy of appeasement. There is the hint of sexual attraction between Celliers and Yanoi which is left for the viewer to interpret and it's easy to see why Bowie was both attracted to the part and ideal for it as he portrays Celliers as a man of mystery who is beautiful and challenging. In many ways he's channeling a similar version of the upper class British officer that Peter O'Toole encapsulated in Lawrence Of Arabia (1962). It's well acted throughout and includes an early dramatic performance by Takeshi Kitano as the tough camp guard, Hara. This garnered several awards particularly in Japan where it was celebrated and it has a famous score by its star Sakamoto. This is not a POW narrative that fits easily into the expected format and it has no action adventure plot like The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) for example, so in that sense it is unique and remains an interesting study of a conflict of cultures.

The original 1934 novel by James Hilton has been adapted for film and TV on several occasions and this version is probably the best. It is certainly the best at creating the sense of nostalgia for a past age of England, a time of class perpetuated by the unique public boarding school traditions. Basically this is a period drama as an elderly schoolteacher at a prestigious English public school remembers his sixty three years as a Latin master. Beginning in 1870 this is the story of Chipping, a painful shy and socially inept young man who arrives at Brookfield School as a new teacher and struggles with the traditions which he soon embraces. Public School stories are found throughout British cinema from Tom Brown's Schooldays (1940, 1951 & others) to The Happiest Days Of Your Life (1950) as examples. Chipping's life involves his meeting his beautiful wife, Katherine (Greer Garson - in her first role and academy award nominated) whilst on holiday in Austria with his German friend and colleague. The latter friendship being particularly relevant later when the First World War begins. 'Chips' as he becomes affectionately known suffers disappointment, love and tragedy before he becomes the Headmaster at the school when the war has killed teachers and pupils alike. It's a story that revels in the class traditions that were an intricate part of society at the turn of the twentieth century but it's old in a warm and affectionate way for those times even though they are mired by heartbreak and huge loss. Robert Donat carries off the central role aging the 63 years as it progresses from a young, handsome to a frail but sharp witted old statesman like seer of the school. It's a quite lovely film and worth seeking out for it's very effective and balanced look at those times.

If there's one genre that you'd think would evade Ridley Scott it's the romcom. His primary dedication to the visual doesn't lend itself to a genre that relies on character and script. I'll admit that I have a fondness for this film. Yes it's clumsy in the comedy, in the development of the romance and in it's real theme of redemption and Russell Crowe maybe miscast but in there is a charm that gives this film a warm hearted resonance long after it's over. That's possibly because Scott's prowess for the visual makes the south of France such a romantic, balmy, beautiful place that everyone watching it wants to pack their bags and head off to live in a Chateau with a vineyard preferably into the arms of Marion Cotillard too. Actually Crowe isn't bad here as the money obsessed London commodity broker who revels in his ability to make millions everyday. He's a shallow man with a keen eye for a beautiful woman and so he resents it when he has to head off to Provence to sort out his recently deceased Uncle Henry's estate; an old, slightly rundown Chateau and a vineyard that makes awful wine. Determined to sell it as soon as possible he faces obstacles from the resident worker and his wife, from a young American girl (Abbie Cornish) who turns up claiming to be Henry's illegitimate daughter and his falling for a local waitress (Cotillard). It's all fairly predictable and is more about rediscovering the important things of life rather than money and materialism or though inheriting a huge chateau helps! Overall this is a nice, gentle romantic film that leaves a lovely feeling and isn't trying to be anything other than what you see. And it has Albert Finney as Uncle Henry.

A film that is a success story all round, from the excellent and first time script by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to the unpretentious direction by Gus Van Sant to the award winning performance of Robin Williams. This heart warming drama remains a firm favourite with many and it never ceases to impact even after several times of seeing it. It's actually a very clever story too and one that doesn't fall into the trap of overplaying it's central plot device but uses it to expose the real focus of the film, which is the pain of an abused young man struggling to fit in the world. Will (Damon) is a janitor at the prestigious M.I.T. school at Harvard University. His life revolves around hanging with his best friend (Ben Affleck), drinking and fighting. But he happens to be a mathematical genius, a gift that comes naturally and when he writes the solution to a complex problem on a blackboard at work he comes to the attention of a top professor (Stellan Skarsgård) who sees huge potential in him. But being on parole for assault Will must attend counselling sessions. He resists those and the efforts of everyone to help him change the course of his life. He harbours deep seated pain from his past that only Sean, the counsellor (Williams), understands. The essence of the story is in the relationship between Will and Sean, a father & son dynamic, that is nurtured only very carefully and skilfully by Sean who harnesses his own demons. When Will meets and falls for Skylar (Minnie Driver) he begins to see what Sean is trying to do for him. It's a touching film with all the key performances being exemplary. Williams is the stand out here though in a film where he puts aside his comedy for a serious and moving role for which he rightly won awards. It's his best and most memorable film and he is the rock that the whole narrative revolves around. The narrative only uses the genius of Will to expose the pain he hides and to save him from his past. This is a clever aspect of the story and whilst there are elements of the class differences here especially seen when a Harvard student attempts to embarrass Will and his friends and finds that this lowly janitor knows more than he does, it's not a film that dwells on this. It has an uplifting theme that one should use one's talents whatever they maybe to gain life's full potential. A quite wonderful film and one to check out again if it's been awhile since you've seen it.

It's perhaps hard to understand today that on release this film was much derided by critics although it was hugely popular with audiences and in particular in the USA. Sergio Leone continued his general subversive take on the classic western genre honing his visuals with a perfect eye on pure cinema art rather than trying to emulate the myths and legends that the western genre uses to garner its decades of popularity. This is really a masterpiece of cinema, epic, stoic and surprisingly accurate in its depictions of the American Civil War. With the combination of the iconic Ennio Morricone soundtrack, Leone's shifts from extreme facial close ups (the face as landscape) to wide shot vistas is simply beautiful. The very way he takes the simple gunfight (basically a straight forward linear duel in westerns) and transformed it into a circus arena style, suspenseful piece of art is just magical. The story is essentially an odyssey about three men, all resorting to murder and crime to survive as the Civil War rages around them, who hear about a stash of stolen army gold now hidden. They each covet it but at various times each needs the others to get to its location and retrieve it with the inevitable journey to a final climactic confrontation. Clint Eastwood plays his character almost identically as he did in the two earlier westerns he made with Leone (I must reiterate though that he's NOT the same character, that was an invention of the American publicists, Leone always insisted they are three films with three different characters and in my view it's best to view the films like this), Eli Wallach is the stand out as Tuco, a Mexican bandit and Lee Van Cleef is magnificent as a cunning assassin. There are battles, gunfights and some very touching and emotional scenes too and interestingly there is no romance to divert the male protagonists from their mission. This is cinema as art in its purest sense, a visual masterpiece and a film to savour time and time again. It's just wonderful.

A very intriguing period thriller set in the mid 19th century in a small village where an experienced nurse played by Florence Pugh is hired by the village elders to 'watch' a young nine year old girl who has allegedly not eaten for four months. Hoping to prove a miracle the religious men are unprepared for the practical and fact driven nurse who sees that a young girl is dying and they are allowing it. There's obviously a mystery element to this story that has a slow burning suspense and a music score that hints at a horror narrative. It's Pugh that holds the attention here, she is utterly note perfect and proves what a highly talented actor she is. If for no other reason see this film for her performance. The narrative does question the issue of extreme religious views and the director Sebastiàn Lelio offers a prologue and epilogue that, in my view, was unnecessary but seems to be grounding the story in the modern world as a comparison. This is gimmicky and I'm unconvinced by it but that aside this is a really interesting film that is worthy of awards. The support cast are superb including Kila Lord Cassidy as the young girl, Tom Burke, Toby Jones and Ciarán Hinds.

For about two thirds this film is a funny romcom that utilises the Covid 19 UK Lockdown restrictions to look at a relationship that is exposed by the couple trapped together. Their already struggling bond fracturing more and more and Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Linda, a bored but successful executive, and Paxton, a delivery driver trapped in a lowly job due to a criminal conviction and now furloughed, bicker and snipe at one another. Whilst the script is occasionally clunky it is amusing and has a couple of funny cameos from Ben Stiller and Ben Kingsley who appear on 'zoom' meetings. Then the film veers off into a stupid heist comedy as the couple hatch a plan to steal a diamond from Harrods. This part of the film ruins it, it's not a dead loss but it smacks of a film made on the hoof without proper planning because without that this might've been an interesting romcom set in the lockdown. It's watchable but nothing here is as good as it could have been.

A mundane and tasteless action film with Sylvester Stallone finally nailing himself into self parody. Here he plays Joe, a loner and a garbage man who harbours a secret. That will soon get revealed mostly by the obsessive attentions of Sam (Jason Walton), a street kid who believes that a superhero, the Samaritan, believed killed years ago is still alive. And yes of course it's Joe. The Samaritan was a genetically mutated human with super strength who had to battle his evil twin brother to stop him killing lots of folks. Both allegedly died in the fight....there's few flashbacks to it. It's all a bit underwhelming and predictable although a final twist I didn't see coming! There's a stereotypical baddie played by Pilot Asbæk who just goes through the motions. The atmosphere is all reminiscent of the DC world, here we are in Granite City and there's general mayhem which is all a bit like Robocop (1987), dark, unfriendly and crime ridden. There's nothing new here and it seems it's all for Stallone to show he can still fight lots of younger baddies.

This comedy crime thriller is a sort of satirical hard boiled detective thriller that all seems to a bit silly and tries far to hard to impress. One of the main issues is that Charlie Hunnam, desperate to be a top leading man, just isn't the right lead here. He lacks the charisma and comedy chops to carry this off effectively and he's not aided by the presence of Mel Gibson. Gibson seems to think that playing a suspected wife murderer who is an eccentric doting father and can quote Shakespeare will help with his rehabilitation into the cinema going public's hearts. He's miscast here and far too ridiculous. The story is that Hunnam plays Waldo, a former über LAPD detective who has now shunned society and lives a pseudo monastic life in a caravan in the woods. He gets recruited by a Hollywood producer to look into the death of the wife of big shot TV actor, Alistair Pinch (Gibson). The police think Pinch did it and the studio would prefer that this wasn't the case! Reluctantly Waldo takes the case cycling back and forth and looking like some throwback rag 'n' bone man. Various characters pop up as the conspiracy unfolds. Clancy Brown and Lorena Baccarin support but are woefully underused and Rupert Friend is the cartoonish Hollywood big shot. The comedy is not funny enough and the action tame and the romance thrown in makes little sense. Not a film I would recommend.