Film Reviews by GI

A great British classic comedy in the mould of the Ealing Comedies and the St Trinians films, indeed the British class based private school system was a launchpad for comedy in film, literature and comics. Indeed you can see how films like this later influenced the early Carry On movies and later comedy such as TVs Fawlty Towers. But this is a cut above because of the fantastic lead actors in Alastair Sim and Margaret Rutherford (often forgotten British treasures). It's basically a farce centred around the restrained attitudes to sex and gender politics and one or two aspects may seem out of place to a modern audience. Set in the comedy gold world of a public school Sim plays Wetherby Pond, a pompous headmaster who fawns around the parents and Governors in the hope of advancement. When a Girls School is boarded with his boys it's more the gender mix of the teachers that causes such a hullabaloo rather than the pupils. This is a gloriously funny film and portrays a nostalgic picture of post war rural England.

Based on a real 'Bush Ranger' or Australian outlaw and filmed in the typical revisionist style that Hollywood had applied to the western in the 1970s, and I suspect influenced by Sam Peckinpah and even Clint Eastwood's westerns of the time. It's a rather disjointed film with some narrative aspects not properly followed through and in the end it's structure is of the outlaw riding around robbing or befriending folks chased by the police until they inevitably confront one another. Indeed the final climax, long in coming, is disappointing to say the least. There's some pointless and gratuitous violence often amateurishly portrayed in an attempt to emulate Peckinpah but the film lacks any sense of his poetry or keen eye. Dennis Hopper, never a strong leading actor, is fairly uninspiring here and rumour has it he was mostly drunk during filming thinking he was getting closer to his character! In the end it shows as he's not nearly enough interesting to make the central character anything but a shoddy thief. Australian cinema can be extraordinary and in the right hands makes that great link between the land and the characters, that is attempted here and there are some great scenic visuals especially with David Gulpilil, the ubiquitous native Australian actor who adds a sense of realism to this and all his films. This film has its fans but ultimately it's of its time and cannot compete with similar genre pieces from then.

A gory horror reminiscent of the 80s cycle in this genre here mixing body horror with demented serial killer narratives. The main issue is the dodgy pacing of the film that almost reaches the depths of tedium before revving up for a reasonably interesting finale. With a prologue set in a medical research facility where someone or something has been 'a naughty boy' we are the fast forwarded in time leaving the opening unexplained and unexplained for too long really. In any event the main story follows Madison (Annabelle Wallis), who is pregnant after three previous miscarriages but fearful of her abusive husband. After a violent assault by him Madison begins to have visions of gruesome murders which turn out to have actually happened. The police think she's bats but can't quite answer why she knows so much about the killings and consequently she becomes a suspect. The final reveal is a good one and unexpected making up for the time it takes to get there. But overall if you're a horror aficionado then you'll love this but for the rest of us it's an entertaining horror thriller but somewhat uneven and at times copycat and derivative utilising too many genre tropes for its own good.

A dark gothic murder mystery set in 1830 at the prestigious US West Point Academy. Christian Bale is renowned detective, Landor, a heavily drinking man grieving for his daughter who has gone missing. He is summonsed by the Academy top brass (Timothy Spall and Simon McBurney - both excellent as expected) to investigate the strange death of a cadet found hanged but whose corpse is later violated and the heart removed. Like all films of this genre it's an atmospheric, moody film with dark shadows, swirling mists and an ominous soundtrack. The plot twists and turns as the body count increases and whilst it's all vaguely preposterous including the whole thing turning on a big coincidence, it does keep you hooked in. There's a good, solid cast including Toby Jones as the Academy doctor and Gillian Anderson as his hard nosed wife, and Lucy Boynton as their disturbed daughter. Harry Melling, of Harry Potter fame, plays Edgar Allen Poe who as a cadet helps Landor with the case. Robert Duvall has a cameo as an expert in the occult. It's a little slow in places and ultimately a bit unfulfilling but it's worth checking out.

This is an erotic, passionate, twisted and compelling drama set in 1930s Korea whilst under the Japanese occupation. The story is an intricately plotted one and nothing is as it appears, the gradual unravelling draws you in and constantly keeps you hooked. It's also beautifully photographed and in the grand visuals lies a tale of depravity, double cross and intense love. Young Sookee (Kim Tae-ri) arrives at the large house of a wealthy, eccentric man who collects books. She is to be the new handmaid to his niece, Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), who is under her Uncle's control as she is the true heir to all the property and wealth. But Sookee has been sent there by a conman known as The Count (Ha Jung-woo) who has a convoluted plan to steal Hideko's wealth. The film is told in two parts in which the plot is slowly revealed and the various loyalties and motives of the characters are revealed. There's a clever use of the interchanging language between Korean and Japanese which is easy to follow via the subtitles. Overall the perfect structure of the film is what most impresses and it's edited in such a way that nothing is revealed until exactly the right time. This is a highly impressive film with a fantastic story. I recommend the Extended Version which has more detail and a complete story.

A very watchable drama that spoils itself by being too self serving and latching itself heavily to the #MeToo movement unnecessarily because a half sharp viewer would get it without it being so obviously explained just in case you missed it! In any event the story has a tension and mystery that builds into something unexpected. Ani (Mila Kunis) is a successful magazine writer, engaged to a handsome chap and living a prosperous lifestyle. But when she's approached by a documentary filmmaker to recount her experience in a high school shooting massacre when she was a teenager the traumas of her past are bought back affecting her life. The traumas are also more than expected and involve events that lead to the shooting and her involvement which is crucial to the narrative as another survivor has alleged she was partially behind the killings. Ultimately it's a drama about empowerment and the focus is not about the American problems of gun control as you might expect. The massacre is only the catalyst for later events. Anyway it's a well made film and whilst the psychology of the characters is often skimmed over there is a powerful story here that is worth watching and quite compelling.

A disposable action thriller that is another where a burned out ex-soldier with a 'special set of skills' heads off to danger and redemption. Here there's an attempt to give it all gravitas by setting it in the run up to the US invasion of Panama in 1989 and attempting to interweave political intrigue with real footage, a bit of unnecessary slo-mo and plenty of sex. It adds up to nothing much and Cole Hauser doesn't come across as particularly awesome in the lead role. Mel Gibson as his mentor does what he always does of late which is very little. This is a throwaway and hardly worth your time.

Inspired by real events this is a powerful socialist drama with a western feel to the style and look. It boasts the screen debut of Chris Cooper who here plays Joe, a union man sent to the small West Virginia town of Matewan to pull the exploited mineworkers together into a cohesive force to challenge the greed of the mining company. They in turn bring in a bunch of gunmen given pseudo legality to suppress the miners by violence if necessary. It's a classic tale of the repressed against the establishment and here it's richly filmed with a real sense of authenticity for the time and the plight of the miners. When the company attempt to replace the workers with black and Italian miners there's the ever present of racism endemic in the southern USA. The fact that Joe unites all the workers despite the cultural bigotry lends the film a heroic narrative edge and the entire drama culminates in a famous gun battle. It's a brilliantly told story and the cast are impeccable throughout with James Earl Jones, David Strathairn and Mary McDonnell supporting. The soft, almost hazy photography lends the film a sense of realism supported by the bluegrass soundtrack and the spot on accents. This is a film of betrayal, conspiracy and the strength of the underdog. It's a real treat and well worth checking out if you've never seen it.

The original slasher movie and one that has risen to cult status. Director John Carpenter utilises Hithcockian style tension here and similarities with his Psycho (1960) are inevitable but Carpenter effectively defined the slasher sub genre with Halloween and whilst its not as nasty as it's reputation suggests it may seem full of genre clichés when viewed today but back in 1978 this exciting stuff. This is Jamie Lee Curtis' breakout role and with the great Donald Pleasance, who has top billing but has a smaller part. It also boasts the fantastic Nancy Loomis who was in a few of John Carpenter's films and always stands out in her performance. This is the story of a child psychopath, Michael Myers, who inexplicably murders his sister when he's just six years old and and is incarcerated only to escape fifteen years later from the asylum where he was being studied by Pleasance's Doctor. He returns to his hometown where he begins a killing spree targeting teenage babysitters. Viewed today the film may raise up the odd laugh as it all seems a little dated and silly and yet it's a classic narrative that set a standard that has been much imitated and even parodied. In any event it spawned sequels and a more recent series but none of the latter films has had the same impact as this original. Carpenter is a much lauded cult director who has made as many duds as brilliant independent films. This is up there with his best.

This paganistic, gothic horror thriller is quite a tense and at times exhilarating film that goes in some surprising and quite unexpected directions. The first hour is built as a potential Wicker Man scenario but it then moves into something much more interesting and shocking. Set in 1905 and opium addicted Thomas (Dan Stevens), who is nursing some inner demons from his past, is implored by his wealthy father to rescue his sister from the clutches of a weird religious community that inhabit an isolated island. Pretending to be a convert he joins the sect to try and find her. The community run by Malcolm (Michael Sheen) suspects there's an interloper and they have a very dark secret to hide. Not a film for the faint hearted as this has torture, gore and bloody violence. But it's quite enthralling and has the style and feel of a Hammer horror film such as Die Monster, Die (1965) for instance. The island's location isn't specified but it's like a lush, forested place that hides some dark force. The support cast are excellent including Lucy Boynton and Mark Lewis Jones especially. The film exudes elements of originality making it a compelling watch and whilst it's open to different readings and fans will spot the influences it's definitely one to check out.

A wacky romcom that plays out like a screwball comedy and with two likeable leads that give the film a warm feel good feeling after its over. It's also really funny too. Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani play Leilani and Jibran, a couple who four years into their relationship find it deteriorating and they constantly bicker. On their way to a dinner party they inadvertently become embroiled in a murder conspiracy and decide to try and prove their innocence. This gets them into some really bizarre situations including entry to a secret society meeting that is clearly based on the Eyes Wide Shut (1999) sect where orgies are the order of the day. As the couple skitter from one farcical situation to the next they constantly banter with one another and argue over the funniest things including a great scene where given a choice of which torture to endure they disagree on each's choice!. The two leads have a nice chemistry which is the heart of the film, it's not a film that is ever going to be a classic of particularly memorable but it is one that will make you smile.

A standard serial killer film that is all a little dated and comes over as a straight-to-video 90s style of thriller. Bruce Willis despite second billing has a teeny role and adds zero to the story so I suspect his presence is to draw an audience. Loosely based on a real killer this tells the story of Peter (Lukas Haas), a trucker, who is kidnapping and killing young prostitutes. On his trail is a local cop, Byron (Emile Hirsch) who joins up with FBI agent, Rebecca, who is working a sex trafficking case and acts as a lure in her hunt for her suspect and of course it turns out they're after the same man. For inexplicable reasons the film has quirky flashbacks to scenes we've already seen and which add nothing other than to attempt to make this hackneyed film into something more interesting. It doesn't succeed. There's no mystery in the narrative as we get to know who the killer is almost immediately. There's elements of exploitation on show too in the depiction of young women, scantily clad being tortured and killed. There's nothing here to commend this, it's clunky script is poor and the idea very out of touch.

This is a weirdly stylish and surreal comedy drama that is bizarrely fascinating. Adapted by director Noah Baumbach from a celebrated novel it's set in 1984 and follows the travails of the wholesome American family of Jack (Adam Driver) and Babette (Greta Gerwig) and their assortment of children and stepchildren. The film is essentially a study of the daftness of the modern human condition from the fear of death to relationships and our relationship with the past. Jack is a University lecturer who specialises in the life of Hitler, in itself a preposterous situation, and his family are faced with a Covid 19 allegory in the form of a poisonous gas cloud that threatens to kill people, but this storyline is just a way of highlighting the futility and silliness of the modern suburban way of life with the obsession with YouTube type clips of car crashes (the gas cloud is caused here by a lorry crashing into a train to emphasise the point) and the characters seem to centre life around their trips to a huge, brightly coloured supermarket (the closing credits dance sequence is great). The whole film is a spectacle of darkly weird situations dominated by the great performances of Driver and Gerwig. This will either baffle, bore or be much loved depending on your taste, but it is certainly different.

A classic Boy's Own war adventure film full of derring do and plot twists. Made as a big box office film it has an all star cast and an epic story based on a book by Alistair MacLean and typical of the spectacular cinema of the 60s made to draw audiences away from their TV sets. Gregory Peck leads a hand picked team of specialists who have to destroy some huge German guns that dominate a stretch of sea around the Greek Islands and which are preventing the evacuation of thousands of British troops. David Niven is the explosives expert and Anthony Quinn the Greek resistance fighter who has a grudge against Peck's character. The great Stanley Baker and Anthony Quayle have support roles. The Germans are all stereotypical and there's loads of shooting so it's all very typical stuff but a great blockbuster all the same and great fun for a family film. But you have to accept the occasional dodgy effects and model work which was typical of the time and can't compete with modern Cgi.

This British comedy drama could have been absolutely brilliant but for strange reasons it lacks the script to make it memorable and drifts into a whimsical and daft scenario that doesn't work. The added sadness here is it's the last film of Kelly Preston who sadly died of cancer prior to its release. She plays Cassie one of three former friends along with Kate (Jenny Seagrove) and Liz (Sally Phillips) who are left rail tickets by their fourth friend who has just died and urged to rebond on a trip across Europe that they all did together in their youth. The only condition is they have to take their friend's teenage daughter Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips) with them. Old animosities still fester amongst the three and they bicker and hug a lot as their journey has travel hiccups. There's some small romantic interludes chucked in for good measure including with a mafiosi Godfather character played by Franco Nero in a storyline that is silly and goes nowhere. Judi Dench and Ben Miller have cameos and whilst this has some laughs and a sunny disposition it's instantly forgettable.