Film Reviews by GI

Director Michael Mann has a unique style, instantly recognisable and much envied and copied by others. His genius is his depiction of cityscapes especially at night combining sharp angled close ups with wide shots of the city. In this case it's Los Angeles where he creates a story of two men, on opposite sides of a moral divide, a theme Mann has often been attracted to in his other films. The story is set over one busy night in LA where Max (Jamie Foxx), a night shift taxi driver with ambitious dreams, drops off City prosecutor Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith) at her office where she's preparing a big case and picks up Vincent (Tom Cruise) who has five locations he needs to visit in one night and offers Max a big tip if he ferries him around. Max reluctantly agrees but soon regrets his decision because Vincent is a highly professional contract killer with five 'hits' to carry out and Max realises he's not going to survive the night. But circumstances forces Vincent to have to use Max and the two begin to develop a strange rapport. Cruise is excellent here and proves he's an actor far better than often thought and I certainly wish he'd make more films like this rather than big, brash action films. Coldly professional but hinting at an emotional past that sees him make decisions around Max that are ultimately to his detriment. The action is fast, realistic and gritty with a superb complimentary soundtrack throughout the film. The support cast includes Mark Ruffalo as a detective on the trail and Javier Bardem has a great cameo. You will not find a modern crime thriller as brilliant as this. It's sharp, original and directed with a style that utilises digital techniques that enhance the story and the setting. It's really a mini masterpiece.

Very loosely based on real events this is a wartime tale of derring-do as plucky British officers attempt to escape from the infamous German POW camp of Colditz Castle. Starring the great John Mills this is an entertaining story of how his character, Captain Pat Reid (the film is also loosely on an adaptation of Reid's memoirs as a POW) arrives at Colditz which was a prison where the Germans sent all officers who had tried to escape from other POW camps, his time as 'Escape Officer' and his eventual daring getaway. The film is a series of episodes depicting various escapes, the Germans are depicted as expected (sly, cunning, ruthless etc etc) and the British as a slightly snobby, class focused, group of public schoolboy types who treat escaping as a jolly jape. Interestingly there is the odd moment of scripted xenophobia as the Brits find their fellow allied prisoners, French, Dutch and Polish, as a damn nuisance until they agree to work together. Overall this is humorous and highly entertaining and is an example of the very well made war films that the 1950s British film industry excelled in. Film fans will notice Ian Carmichael, Lionel Jeffries, Richard Wattis, Bryan Forbes and Eric Portman as the British Senior Officer. This is a classic British film, enjoyable and interesting and well worth your time if you've never seen it.

One of Steven Spielberg's best films and a science fiction epic that posits that visiting extraterrestrial life would be friendly rather than have nasty designs on the Earth. Spielberg, who also wrote the screenplay, avoids his over sentimentality that he often dripped into his films and tells a remarkable two pronged story which run in parallel and eventually converge. The main one is that of Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an electrical engineer, who is called out one night after a series of strange power cuts. Whilst out in the road he has a strange experience with what he believes to be a UFO and whilst his chaotic family don't believe him they become angry and fearful when he begins to obsess over a strange shape he sees in his mind. Alongside this the film intersperses a scientific investigation led by Lacombe (François Truffaut) into the appearance of strange lights seen in the sky and the discovery of formerly missing aircraft found in bizarre locations. Eventually the characters converge on a remote American location at a landmark mountain site the shape of which mirrors Neary's visions. There they experience the arrival of visiting aliens. A remarkable film brilliantly directed and edited to bring the two story lines together, the special effects are excellent for the time and this is a film that deserves recognition as one of the best science fiction films. It's a lovely story too, a family film that is has mystery, excitement and a feel good ending. It's one to sit down with your children and enjoy today. Interestingly there are three versions available, the original theatrical, a 'Special Edition' and the Director's Cut. I recommend the last one which allowed Spielberg to refine some scenes he was unhappy with in the original release and to remove a new ending that appeared in the Special Edition, an ending that was a step too far and was unnecessary.

A preposterous and daft Second World War spy story that has a hopelessly miscast Eddie Izzard as a British agent who infiltrates an Anglo/German school for young ladies located on the English south coast. Why he needs to do this is anyone's guess but in any event he impersonates a teacher, witnesses the nazi ideology being taught to the girls (who are all related to prominent nazis apparently). He's not sure about the headteacher (Judi Dench, who is wasted in the role) who he catches doing a nazi salute. Set in August 1939 and with tensions between the two countries the British want to keep these girls in England. Why is also anyone's guess, I presumed as hostages but it's not very clear because Izzard spends most of the film running across beaches and moors in Richard Hannay style trying to escape from either the police or nazi agents. The whole thing is thoroughly silly and everyone does stupid things which will make you groan out loud. Even Jim Broadbent supports as a bus driver!!

A black situation comedy where embarrassment and lies are excruciatingly revealed. It follows young Danielle (Rachel Sennott), who having just had sex with an older man, Max (Danny Deferrari) who pays her because she tells him she needs money for her school fees, goes to a shiva ( a sort of jewish wake), with her parents. She knows she'll have to go through the torment of elderly relatives telling her she needs to eat more, get a boyfriend etc etc, but she is mortified when Max also turns up, along with his wife and child. Max is equally wary especially as he learns Danielle is from a wealthy family and doesn't need any money. Danielle's day gets worse when her former lover, Maya (Molly Gordon) is there too and begins to suspect that Danielle and Max have some secrets. Apart from the opening scene the film is set in an overcrowded house where the characters have to navigate to avoid each other. It results in a sharp comedy of manners that is occasionally a little callow and intense. It's a confident debut from director Emma Seligman and the screenplay, also written by her, is based on real experience. Funny and a bit cringy at times but well worth checking out.

A surprisingly absorbing documentary that tells the story of the strange experiment that took place in the Arizona desert in the early 1990s when eight volunteers were sealed inside an enormous dome, the Biosphere 2 (Biosphere 1 being the Earth), as a study of how humans, plants and animals might survive in future planetary exploration. The whole thing originated out of the 60s hippy counter culture under the vision of John Allen, a bizarre guru type character, which helped the later accusations that the entire experiment was the work of a cult. Of course the experiment largely failed due to simple things like the oxygen running low and accusations that the organisers cheated and of course tempers inside the dome soon deteriorated. The billionaire who provided the money eventually kicked the hippies out and bought in bankers. The overall interesting aspects are that the experiment tapped into the more serious issue of climate change and survival plans for humanity and the problem of profit over science. Interesting and well told story.

A cliched clash of culture story with homophobia as the central theme. A conservative Texas church choir conductor inherits her estranged son's gay drag bar and overcome with grief and guilt she embraces it and its staff and customers. Jackie Weaver uses all her screen panache as Maybelline, a wisecracking woman who battles her homophobic husband and learns all about a different culture albeit too late for her son who has died. The story is all too obvious and cheesy to hold one's attention for long although Lucy Liu is good as a single mother that Maybelline befriends.

It's easy to think of James Bond, Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt when considering action spy films and easy to forget Dr Jack Ryan, the CIA analyst and academic who has appeared in several films and a TV series after being a character in several novels by Tom Clancy. Whilst Ryan is the thinking mans espionage hero he does get himself embroiled in some very racy action at times especially in this film. Harrison Ford is arguably the best remembered actor to have played him having done so twice along with Patriot Games (1992). Here he's been promoted to Deputy Director of Intelligence after his boss becomes seriously ill. This coincides with the discovery that a drug cartel has murdered a family who were close friends of the President (Donald Moffat). In an emotional rage the President orders action against the cartel and an illegal covert military operation is commenced. Jack is kept in the dark but soon suspects something is amiss and very quickly becomes caught up in the political intrigue and has to risk his life to stop it. The set pieces here are excellent especially a street ambush in Columbia and Ford plays Ryan as a liberal minded family man and patriot but who won't stand for law breaking even if it's from the very top. The support cast is great including Willem Dafoe as a covert operative and James Earl Jones as Ryan's ailing boss. Overall this is a superb thriller full of conspiracy, murder and politics intermixed with gritty action. It's probably the best of the Jack Ryan cinematic outings and you don't have had to watch any of the other films to enjoy this.

Based on the stories from Greek mythology this is a magical family fantasy film that has monsters, witches, a hero and a beautiful princess all overseen and controlled by the capricious and lustful gods led by Zeus (Laurence Olivier). This is the story of Perseus, a handsome hero, who happens to be the son of Zeus. Proud and protective Zeus gets into a feud with his fellow god, Thetis (Maggie Smith), all because he deformed her own son. In revenge Thetis plans to sacrifice Perseus' love, the Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker) to the Kraken, a monstrous sea creature. Perseus sets off to rescue her but he must deal with some very dangerous witches and the evil Gorgon, Medusa, whose head holds the key the killing the Kraken. The story mixes green mythology with titbits of Shakespeare and even capitalises on the popularity of Star Wars by adding an R2D2 type character, which will either amuse of annoy although your children will love it. For film fans this is the last film of veteran visual effects maestro, Ray Harryhausen, who pioneered and made a career from stop/motion effects before the arrival of CGi. So whilst the effects here may seem somewhat dated they do represent what was then state of the art. For anyone who grew up watching these films they are a great reminder of being enthralled by cinema. Additionally it has a simply fantastic cast that includes Ursula Andress, Tim Pigott-Smith, Claire Bloom, Burgess Meredith, Flora Robson, Siân Phillips and Donald Houston. Here's an adventure film that is worth rediscovering and trying out on your children (although be advised this has some gritty and scary scenes and a little bit of nudity!). This was remade in 2010 but in my view it's not a patch on this original version.

Kenneth Branagh's follow up to his 2017 new adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express is a disappointing film, a rather stale and routine whodunnit that feels more an extended episode of the Agatha Christie styled TV series Death In paradise. It's all very glitz and pizzazz but the characters are all two dimensional and the use of comedy actors in serious roles is jarring with the expectation they will suddenly do something zany left unfulfilled. The basic plot is that Hercule Poirot (Branagh) has been invited to join the honeymoon party of Simon (Armie Hammer) and socialite Linnet (Gal Gadot) on a riverboat touring the Nile. Also on board is the happy couples stalker Jacqueline (Emma Mackey), Simon's former lover, who is very jealous and keeps making threats etc etc. There's also a host of friends and relatives including Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Russell Brand (ie the comedians mentioned above). The film is more concerned with big vista shots of 1930s Egypt than building a credible plot and when people start getting murdered you'll not really care. There's a prologue set in the trenches of the First World War that is impressive but serves only to explain why Poirot has his weird moustache and just when you think the film is over there's a pointless epilogue too. A bit of a letdown that brings nothing new to the whodunnit sub genre, what a shame.

A captivating and magical romantic comedy that has the essence of a fairy tale to it. It's a sheer delight throughout and challenges religious dogma that morality is governed by banning things rather than embracing the joy's of life. Set in a small French country village in 1959 where the mayor, the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), ensures a strict moral code is adhered to by the villagers through the local church and preaching the wrath of god. He's a frustrated and unhappy man who dominates everyone to hide his own sadness. He is therefore most unhappy when a strange woman, Vianne (Juliette Binoche) arrives in the village with her daughter and opens a chocolatier, selling the most wonderful delights. Gradually her influence changes the way the local people see themselves and gives them a renewed 'joie de vivre'. When a happy troupe of river folk also arrive with their free-spirited ways the Comte is determined to stamp his moral code back into the community. With its elements of magic and wonder this film leaves you with a warm feeling. It's a lovely story and with a great cast that includes Judi Dench and Johnny Depp. Yet while the film poster etc suggests this is a film about love and relationships it's not one that centres on two main protagonists living happily ever after, it's actually a film about redemption and embracing all that life has to offer for everyone involved. And it works on every level and deserved the award nominations it gained at the Oscars and BAFTAs. A lovely film that can be enjoyed by just about everyone. Check it out if you've never seen it because its a real treat.

A sincere and touching portrait about love and mortality with two lovely, heartfelt performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci. They play couple Sam and Tusker who have been together for decades. Sam is an accomplished pianist and Tusker a published author and they are traveling in the north of England in their battered motorhome visiting friends and family and having some alone time. Tusker has been diagnosed with early onset dementia and they have to face some difficult times ahead. This could have been an overly sentimental drama and occasionally it really pulls on the heartstrings but overall this is a gentle and restrained film, less a story about dealing with dementia as a loving couple trying to decide on the right future outcome for themselves. Firth and Tucci have a touching chemistry that is sweet and gentle and Tucci really nails the quizzical emotions as he struggles with his symptoms. A sad film but told with real heart.

This is one of those very marvellous films that everyone should make sure they see. It's arguably one of the greatest detective/mystery thrillers ever made and has a story that is so well constructed it's near perfect. The screenplay is often used on University film studies courses to example the way to properly write a script. Mostly though this is a period film, set in 1937 Los Angeles but filmed in a realistic European style, that draws you into the plot that twists and turns keeping you forever guessing what is going on but the clues are well placed if you can spot them. Jack Nicholson, in one of his best roles, is Jake Gittes, a successful private detective who specialises in marital affair cases. He is hired by the wife of the chief engineer of the city's water department who suspects her husband is seeing someone else. Jake takes the case but soon finds he is embroiled in a conspiracy involving deceit, corruption and murder. With a superb cast that includes Faye Dunaway and John Huston (in a really subtle yet very menacing performance) and with the enigmatic title, which is a metaphor for corruption as "you can't always tell what's going on", the film restructures the figure of the traditional film detective as its brilliantly reworks the style of the classic film noirs. The setting of the sun drenched LA in the middle of a drought mixed with political corruption makes for a really compelling story and a real masterpiece of modern cinema.

This cult favourite is the ultimate pop cultured film incorporating everything from rock music, video gaming and above all young love and relationships. It is however surprising how much it appears to have dated and I suppose this is mostly due to the very obviously antiquated video game theme that runs throughout the film. But it still is great fun or it may be as annoying as hell, it's hard to really say because it sort of tips you from one side to the other. There is no doubt though that director Edgar Wright has a unique vision of the High School romance genre with all the angst that comes with young love and the film has a great cast (Michael Cera, Anna Kendrick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Brie Larson, Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza and others). This is still worth checking out especially if you've never seen it and an interesting film to revisit if it's been awhile. In short Scott (Cera) is a 22 year old drop out who plays in a rock band who are esperate to be discovered. But when he falls instantly for the sexy and moody Ramona (Winstead) he doesn't bank on having to fight her seven evil ex boyfriends to win her. A funny, fantasy film that has big fans but may just be past it's sell by date.

A stunning and really compelling thriller set in a dystopian 2027 UK. The world's societies are collapsing and, for reasons unexplained, the human race has become infertile with no babies having been born in eighteen years. The UK has become an extreme right wing controlled country with forced deportations. Theo (Clive Owen) is a lowly Government clerk, cynical and trying to keep a low profile when he is approached by his ex wife (Julianne Moore), now the leader of a subversive group proscribed as terrorists by the Government. She wants him to help a young woman Kee (Clare-Hope Ashley) to escape to the coast where she will be taken to a sanctuary. Theo is reluctant until Kee's secret is revealed to him. But soon he begins to mistrust the group that claim to be on their side. Portraying a bleak and grimy environment with toned down colour and with an exceptional support cast (Michael Caine, Danny Huston, Chitwel Ejiofor, Peter Mullan, Charlie Hunnam and Pam Ferris) this is a superb film, a fantastic story, littered throughout with religious imagery, which, whilst set in the near future, doesn't attempt to be a sci-fi story, it's a human drama narrative that is very well written and excellently directed. This is one of those films where you can see hints of what society may become but it's also a story of hope. A film that I cannot recommend enough, it's simply topnotch.