Film Reviews by GI

A tragicomedy that looks at the absurdity of life. It's a wry, existential study set in a remote naturist campsite in the Ardennes forest of Belgium. This is where Patrick (Kevin Janssens), the son of the owners, is the handyman. He's a shy, unassuming, almost a Forrest Gump type chap who happens to be a very talented carpenter but is overshadowed by his domineering father. When one of Patrick's hammers goes missing he becomes obsessed with finding it and after his ailing father dies he becomes more focused on his quest. The campers think he's avoiding grief by his hammer search and a takeover of the campsite by some of the regulars who seek to take advantage of Patrick begins. There are some very tender and touching moments here as well as the farce of the situation. Anyone expecting titillation from the nudity will be disappointed as this is a tale of the human condition and the nakedness of the characters becomes a uniform that highlights the sheer ridiculous ness of modern life. It shifts from sad to absurd quite suddenly making for a very interesting and at times uplifting film. Well worth checking out.

Brash, audacious, highly original and a confident directorial debut from Neill Blomkamp. This darkly funny science fiction film, with it's obvious allegory to apartheid, isn't meant to be taken too seriously, it's far to gut wrenchingly violent and gory for that but it is a film that is clever and very entertaining. The film begins some twenty to thirty years after a gigantic spaceship, more or less derelict, arrived and positioned itself over Johannesburg. Inside were found a large number of malnourished aliens that have an insectoid appearance. At first welcomed they have now become unpopular and are forced to live in a shanty town called District 9. Now derogatorily called 'prawns' the aliens are overseen by a shady company and are to be relocated away from the city in a new township. Wickus (Shallot Copley), a hapless bureaucrat for the company, is tasked with organising the aliens eviction and relocation. During the operation he inadvertently becomes exposed to an alien fluid and his whole life is affected. Told in a mockumentary style and showing the aliens living habits as completely different to humans Blomkamp creates a grungy image of an alien visitation and completely different to something like Close Encounters of The Third Kind (1977). The focus is on the human attempts at exploitation, in this case alien weaponry. Copley, in his first film role, is the character who starts as a typical cynic and condescending to the intelligent aliens but by the turn of events comes to understand them. In many ways he's a comic version of John Dunbar. With it's exploding bodies, cannabilism, and gritty gunfights this is a film that really rocks and it remains Blomkamp's finest film to date.

With its subtly clever title this is a nail biting British crime thriller with a narrative arc that constantly surprises and a first class performance from Gemma Arterton in the title role. Alice is kidnapped by two men, Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston), who have meticulously planned the crime and intend to demand a big ransom from Alice's rich father. But lies and deceit begin to erode the plan and the plot offers surprising twists in a clever script and a film that boasts only the three characters and for the most part takes place in a rundown apartment. This results in an element of claustrophobia in a taut story that has Alice not the pushover that the two men think and relationships between the three are a key part of the plot that keeps you on your toes throughout. This is an example of what can be done on a small budget as it's a thriller that holds your attention from start to finish and has that gritty, realistic look that British crime films exemplify.

One of the most famous (or infamous even) American cop thrillers, a character that Clint Eastwood is often best known for (the film spawned four sequels of varying quality - none as good as this original) and a much studied, critiqued and analysed film. It's often cited as morally right wing, and it certainly praises the law of the gun, with its narrative that focuses on the question of importance of offender rights and whether society wants its law enforcers to have free hand in bringing criminals to justice. Overall though this is basically a violent (and in 1971 seen as considerably so) thriller about the hunt for a murderous psychopath, played here by Andy Robinson who calls himself Scorpio and is clearly based on the real life 'Zodiac Killer'. The film opens with his shocking shooting of a young woman swimming in her pool and from this we are introduced to the film's anti-hero, homicide Detective (in the film referred to as Inspector which is the title that the San Francisco police used for it's detectives), Harry Callahan. He's a very savvy, uncompromising, arguably racist, cop known to shoot first and ask questions later, exemplified by his use of an unofficial .44 calibre revolver. He's certainly a character that appeals to the more conservative viewer and his actions are defended in the film by showing he always knows more than everyone else, especially his more cautious bosses and he disdains the political interference of the city Mayor (John Vernon). With it's famous "Did I fire six shots or only five......" speech and equally famous set pieces from an opening bank robbery foiled by Harry, to his unsympathetic dealing with a man on a roof considering suicide (a scene later copied 1987s Lethal Weapon) and the highly contentious torture scene which is given a moral justification this is a tough and gritty story with Eastwood (sporting a very bouffant haircut!) making the transition from the western to the contemporary thriller. If you study the various scenes closely you'll see many make little sense and so the story is preposterous but director Don Siegel makes the whole thing a thrill ride dominated by a sardonic and original lead character. It's key film of the 1970s, a decade where the cinematic rule book was rewritten.

A typically silly, and it gets more so as it goes on, adult and arguably puerile comedy that does have laugh out loud moments courtesy of the two leads, Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd, who improvised many of their lines and have that hilarious ability to make knowing looks that almost break the fourth wall but not quite. They play a couple of losers, Wheeler and Danny, trapped in a dead end job with Wheeler constantly on the look out for his next shag and Danny hopelessly in love with his fiancée, Beth (Elizabeth Banks) but with their relationship failing. After Danny loses his temper they end up with a choice of jail or a sort of community service with a private organisation run by Sweeeny, played by the hilarious Jenny Lynch. They opt for the latter and have to spend their days as the adult 'friend' of a couple of lonely kids, the unsociable Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson) and weird Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who is obsessed with a bunch of equally weird people who spend their days role playing as medieval knights. This is one aspect of the film that is pushed to the point of farce and makes the entire film too predictable and clichéd. But Rudd and Scott have a good buddy chemistry that works to keep the viewer amused even if you end up wondering why there's a need to show some breasts every so often or resort to the characters simply ranting at each other to get laughs from the F word.

This is a nifty little British thriller that gradually racks up the suspense courtesy of a great sound track and a good cast. Set in the rural countryside of England three ne'er do wells have hatched a plan to burgle the rambling country house of retired Dr Huggins (Sylvester McCoy) and his dementia suffering wife (Rita Tushingham). Reluctantly joined by Mary (Maisie Williams) their plan soon goes awry when they fail to open the elderly couples safe and so decide to await their return home and force the combination from them by threats and intimidation. But the Huggins' are more resourceful than anticipated and they have a dark secret. Viewers will find familiarities with the narrative that does make the story a little predictable but it's all done with a sense of foreboding and dread making for a great piece of entertainment.

Whilst this sits within the cycle of big budget, all star action war films of the 1960s it is much different from, say, a film like The Great Escape (1963). The Dirty Dozen is a film about murder, there are no heroics, no redeeming characters and it borders on being somewhat nasty. From the opening scene of judicial execution to the climax of mass murder the film retains its controversiality as an action/adventure WW2 story. It is of course pure hokum and bears no relation to real combat in any sense, indeed its star Lee Marvin, a veteran of the war himself, declared it a load of nonsense. He plays a battle hardened officer, who on the approach to D-Day, is given the job to train twelve condemned men, all murderers and rapists, and lead them behind enemy lines to raid a French Chateau used by German officers and kill them in order to create confusion on the eve of the allied invasion. This ultimately necessitates the killing of unarmed men and their women by locking them in the cellar and setting off grenades after pouring petrol down the air shafts. The whole premise of the film is brutal and yet it gets away with it by the way the criminal soldiers are portrayed as victims of a system. With the exception of Telly Savalas, who plays a psychopath and nearly sabotages the mission, the rest are given excuses as to why they are condemned to death by court martial, even Marvin's role is that of a soldier who has broken the rules and is given the job as a punishment. Ultimately the sheer spectacle and characters makes for an entertaining film that is only marred when you stop to think about what is actually taking place. Director Robert Aldrich gives the whole thing a sense of fun even though it's a violent film and all bar one of the dozen die to give a final sense of justice. The survivor Charles Bronson is earlier given a moral justification for his crime and an aura of unfair conviction so he's allowed to live on. The cast are good and include Clint Walker, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, John Cassavetes (who is excellent) and Donald Sutherland, whose career was launched from here. An interesting film that is worth analysing just to see how heroism was being defined by Hollywood at this time.

A sparse, slow burning character study that you'll either totally warm to or be bored by. Andre Riseborough plays Hana, a British surgeon who has just finished work in war torn Syria and is on a holiday in the Egyptian city of Luxor where she once lived. Depressed and probably suffering from PTSD she wanders the city in contemplation, reconnecting with a former lover. The film has some interesting lines in a script that could be construed as improvised and it's beautifully shot as Hana walks the ancient city. The undercurrent of despair and regret can be felt but the lack of any dramatic plot leaves the film feeling empty.

Bill Murray in a film is always a potential thrill but this one lacks the script and comedy to make it enjoyable. It does have its moments but it seems that Murray is going through the motions and opportunities are lost. He plays a retired, wealthy art dealer who lives a whimsical life but dotes on his daughter, Laura (Rashida Jones), so much so that he resents her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) having the top spot in Laura's affections. So when Laura, an author with writers block and mother of two, suspects Dean is having an affair she unwisely confides in her dad. He convinces her to go on a spying campaign with him to entrap Dean. This could've led to some great comedy but it just doesn't appear leaving the film as a damp squib. Mildly amusing at times and ultimately predictable this is one you can take or leave either way it's forgettable.

The Devils is a powerful, bold and flamboyant piece of filmmaking. It's often considered director Ken Russell's finest work and it has many admirers. It's certainly his most political and daring film and it retains the power to shock today so it's quite understandable how much it affected audiences and the studio in 1971. Warner Brothers still refuse to release a directors cut version where controversial scenes are allegedly restored. But championed by renowned film critic Mark Kermode it maybe that Russell's version could one day be released. In any event this is a remarkable film and it's almost beyond comparison with it's futuristic set designs of 17th century France and a story of political corruption to destroy the priest who stands in the way of the ambitions of the power hungry Richelieu (Christopher Logue). Oliver Reed plays Grandier, the handsome priest in the town of Loudun. He's charismatic and a philanderer but dedicated to protecting the town and defies the attempts by the Government to pull down its fortifications which would expose it to enemies. To defeat him false charges of devil worship are levied forcing confessions by torture from his friends and the local head nun, Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave), who secretly lusts after him. With it's scenes of sexual abandon and deviant orgies, torture and death the film is a boundary pusher. In many ways it's quite restrained by today's standards but the mix of religious corruption, sex and critique of christianity as the cauldron of disillusionment and selfishness it's a film bound to offend and it still causes great angst in the USA. However it's an important film from the very British of directors and one that all film lovers should see.

A star vehicle for Marlene Dietrich and the film that effectively revived her career that had been in the doldrums. It's also the first western of James Stewart. A real classic not only of the western genre but for the classical period of Hollywood and in particular the year 1939, which seems to have been a major turning point in American cinema. Interestingly this film has all the western tropes of this period, big saloon bar brawls, stagecoaches, town drunks, the sassy dance hall girl and the sleazy gambler/bad guy and yet subverts the conventions in that the 'hero' shuns the use of guns and the womenfolk, usually just victims and side characters, are the force of strength in the narrative. This is a comedy western, with set piece songs for Dietrich to sing and a story of the meek defeating the strong. Here Stewart is the mild mannered deputy sheriff, Tom Destry, who is drafted in to a wild western town to tame it but as an unarmed lawman he becomes the subject of ridicule by the hard drinking men. The town is run by saloon owner, Kent (Brian Donlevy) who cheats at cards and murdered the previous sheriff, the crime which Tom soon latches onto to bring Kent down. Genre convention and American culture demand that the hero straps on his guns to resolve the matter in the film's climax. The film is centred though around Dietrich's performance as Frenchy, the prostitute, who changes allegiances with the narrative having a famous catfight as a centrepiece. An interesting western, yes a classic, and a must see for all film fans.

A pointless and anti climactic fourth instalment in the ever dwindling series. What a shame! The Matrix (1999) was a sharp, innovative sci-fi thriller even if it did use machines as the enemy which The Terminator (1984) had already claimed. The two subsequent sequels were devoid of fresh ideas and relied on effects for their entertainment accepting that some of the set piece chases etc were exciting. And now this tired addition offers nothing much other than reworking scenes from the earlier films and trying to work them into a new narrative that sees Neo (Keanu Reeves), now reinserted into a new matrix as part of a negotiated peace with the machines. When he is...again... rescued from a life as a battery he yearns for Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and she apparently holds the key to the future of humanity. Sadly though Moss has far too little screen time and little to do when she's around. Characters from the previous films pop up so die hard fans of the series will no doubt be happy but overall this is a film that has no real creativity beyond recycling the ones we've already seen. If you are like me and prefer to revel in the first film and forget the sequels exist then you can comfortably forget this one to.

Basically Burt Reynolds' Dirty Harry movie in which he plays a tough, no-nonsense Atlanta narcotics detective who gets busted after an arrest goes wrong and sent to the lowly Vice Squad where he starts an investigation into top class prostitutes run by a fearsome mob boss. It's actually a very entertaining and occasionally quite a nuanced film with some gritty action set pieces including the opening chase shoot out scene and a realistic torture scene. Showing a softer side Reynolds cop also falls hopelessly in love with the woman he has under surveillance played deliciously by husky voiced Rachel Ward. Actually the romance aspects of the story work very well and while there are disappointments in one or two of the story's concluding routes especially the end of the big bad guy which is anti climactic to say the least, overall this is a cop thriller worthy of rediscovery. The cast are prestigious members of the American film world including Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman, John Fiedler and Vittorio Gassman, and all are on tremendous form aided by Bernie Casey. There's humour and well directed, by Reynolds, action sequences. A film to check out if you've never seen it.

Whilst this a sequel to director Robert Rodriguez' low budget 1992 feature El Mariachi it is more or less a stand alone film, and given a bigger budget (albeit still small by many standards) and a more prestigious cast it sits as a great and highly entertaining contemporary action film. The stylish influence of Rodriguez friend and mentor, Quentin Tarantino, is obvious from the get go and Tarantino himself has an amusing cameo as a drug courier. This is set in a Mexican border town ruled over by a big time drug dealer, Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida) and his business is run from a seedy bar. He and his thugs hear rumours of a strange travelling guitar player who hunts down and kills drug gangs but they believe its just a myth put about by locals. But then a mysterious stranger turns up (Antonio Banderas), with a guitar case full of weapons and he's looking for Bucho. Delightfully bloody, over the top action set pieces and heavily influenced by spaghetti westerns this is a riot from the outset, with a great soundtrack, some fantastic support from Steve Buscemi and Salma Hayek and a script that could've been written by Tarantino although it's Rodriguez work. Certainly fans of QT will love this.

A rather wry and poignant, with dashes of subtle humour, film that details the refugee experience in post-Brexit Britain. At times the story is heart wrenching and very sad with tragedy that counterpoints the slow, languid life of four asylum seekers who are housed on a remote Scottish island, with a little money waiting to hear if their application to remain in the UK is granted. And they wait and wait and wait! The story is focused around Omar (Amir El-Masry), a Syrian fleeing the war who has left his family behind in Turkey to try and secure them a life in the UK. He is overwrought with guilt at leaving them behind and spends his days either speaking to his mother on the island's one public telephone or walking the island. His three fellow refugees hail from Afghanistan and Nigeria and they form a unique bond as they wait patiently in the dilapidated and bleak house they have been allocated. The film has a deadpan style to reflect the long tedious waiting on an island where there is literally nothing to do other than go to the bizarre lectures given by two officials on how they should behave in the UK. An emotional film that won't be for everyone but it offers a unique insight into the experiences of people like Omar, it's a gentle and at times intimate film so is worth checking out.