Film Reviews by GI

A silly American vision of Ireland with a story set in the present day but making it look like 70 years ago. There's been much said about the dodgy Irish accents but to be honest I wasn't overly distracted by them (although Christopher Walken's casting left me baffled) I was more confused by the daft whimsy of the whole film. This is a sort of romcom with Emily Blunt playing a sharp tongued, Irish red headed beauty, Rosemary (all very Maureen O'Hara from The Quiet Man) who has her heart set on her farmer neighbour, Anthony played by Jamie Dornan. The trouble is he's in a dispute with his curmudgeonly old Dad (Walken) who for vague reasons wants to pass the farm to his American nephew Adam (Jon Hamm), who even more strangely is keen on leaving his plush life in New York for a desolate Irish farm! Even more strange is that Anthony's reluctance to reciprocate his love to Rosemary is because he thinks he's a honey bee!! Yes you heard that right. All this adds up to a mess, a silly film and a waste of talent and the sorting of all this out is a major disappointment.

This a worthy sequel and whilst, like all sequels, the originality of the first film is now eroded, this is has retained the quaint delights of the characters as they continue their lives in India. There's plenty of comedy and romance and a plot, of sorts, about mistaking guest for a hotel inspector by the ever enthusiastic but socially clumsy owner played by Dev Patel. In many ways it's the same plot of the Fawlty Towers episode, The Hotel Inspector. But the overarching theme here is about life and time and how there's no point wasting opportunities regardless of age. The cast here are what makes this so entertaining and we get the addition of Richard Gere and David Straithairn joining Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie and Maggie Smith amongst others. Lovely little film, ok not as good as the first but still a nice feel good one.

Burt Lancaster continued to make westerns through the 60s and into the 70s, some of which have become celebrated as key additions to the genre (1972s Ulzana's Raid for example). Valdez Is Coming is the closest to the style that Sergio Leone had introduced in the 60s with it's bordertown setting, dry desert scenery, religious iconography and its uncompromising violence including torture scenes. As a result this is reasonably entertaining western but it lacks Leone's stylistic tongue-in-cheek vision of the west, it needs a rousing score and more disappointedly it lacks a satisfying climax. Director Edwin Sherin, in his first feature film (he went onto a more lucrative TV career), directs in a robotic way with some jarring editing and disconcerting jumps but one can't help but think that Lancaster, a known meddler, tampered here or overly influenced the films direction. Whatever the reason this film doesn't have the appeal of most of Lancaster's other westerns from this period. He plays Valdez, a Mexican sheriff, who is forced to kill a man unnecessarily and seeks compensation for the dead man's Indian wife from the man who caused the killing. This is a nasty gun runner played by Jon Cypher, who refuses to pay the humble sum requested. Instead he tortures Valdez who then kidnaps his woman (Susan Clark), takes her into the wilderness and then turns on the men who come after them. As I said the final confrontation is a huge damp squib! Susan Clark plays an enigmatic character that never really works and the film has Richard Jordan as a cocky gunslinger (he later worked with Lancaster in Lawman made the same year). This is watchable, and Lancaster is always interesting even here as a gentle Mexican with a violent past but overall this western is not one of his best.

I love this gentle, heart warming film, a tale of regrets, reflections and hope where a group of elderly people, for a variety of reasons, decide to relocate to India having seen an advertisement for a luxurious hotel that turns out to be a bit more rundown than they anticipated. But it's charm, the enthusiasm of the owner (Dev Patel) and the magic of the city of Jaipur all works to bring them a new lease of life. It's a film full of love and charm and with a stupendous cast that includes Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and Ronald Pickup. Each of the characters has their own story that ends subtly differently than you expect, even the nastiest character played by Wilton gets the chance for honest redemption. This film gives you a chance to see some of the best of British actors together in a delightful, fun (although with huge doses of sadness thrown in for good measure) and simply lovely film that even diehard action film fans will secretly love.

Huge, lavish, spectacular and epic this won 11 oscars and remains today a wonderfully entertaining action drama set in biblical times and even though you might have to forgive the 'Sunday school' aspects of the story (it is after all subtitled 'A Tale of the Christ') it's a marvellous story. A story of betrayal, revenge and redemption set in Judea at the time of Christ where Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston), a rich jew, refuses to help his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd), a Roman Tribune in Jerusalem, by betraying any Jewish rebels and gets sent to be a galley slave and his mother and sister are imprisoned. Vowing revenge Judah, against the odds, eventually returns to search for his family and to challenge Messala. The film has some wonderful set pieces including a naval battle and the cinematically famous chariot race, which is gripping, exciting and quite bloody considering when this film was made. Additionally it's a very moving film, at times very sad and a little shocking at times. Overall it's a beautiful film that never fails to enthral and to grip you even though it's a long film. There's romance, action, a touch of fantasy and mysticism and a superb recreation of the times. Brilliant score, superb support cast and wonderfully photographed this is a classic of modern cinema and definitely a film that should be on your list if you've never seen it, you will not be disappointed. (By the way it was bizarrely remade in 2016 and quite abysmally too so whatever you do avoid that version). A wonderful film.

For some reason this is billed as a 'reimagining' of Roald Dahl's origin novel although it's simply a straightforward adaptation that apart from some location and period changes is reasonably faithful to the novel. However it lacks the fun and darkness of Nicolas Roeg's 1990 earlier film version and Anne Hathaway, as the Grand High Witch, is dafter than the malignant character created by Anjelica Huston in Roeg's film. Instead of England as the string this story is in late 1960s Alabama and a recently orphaned boy goes to stay with his wise grandmother (Octavia Spencer). When he is accosted by a weird woman in the grocery store Granny suspects a witch is responsible and whisks her grandson off to a plush hotel for safety. Unfortunately the very same hotel where the Grand High Witch is holding a witches convention with a plan to turn all children into mice. This cues lots of Disney style CGI action set pieces with some forced comedy and witches that aren't anywhere nearly as scary as they should be. A mild children's fantasy film that is a bit mediocre and appears to be playing it safe. The 1990 version is far better.

Lovely, delightful and a real feel good film. A light comedy, with love, break up and music at it's heart, this is one of those films that is a pleasure to watch, has no pretensions even if it's a bit soppy because ultimately its all about finding redemption for the mistakes in life and relationships probably something everyone seeks from time to time. Gretta (Keira Knightley) has moved to New York with her boyfriend and songwriting partner Dave (Adam Levine) where he is to record an album of songs they wrote together. But when Dave deserts her for fame and fortune Gretta is left alone and sad in a strange city. When she bumps into Steve (James Corden), an old friend from London, he takes her to an open mic session in a bar and gets her to sing one of her songs which is heard by alcoholic, down-on-his-luck record producer Dan (Mark Ruffalo), who convinces her they should make an album which sets all of them on a path towards finding what they all want in life. Ruffalo is always great in these roles as the loser with a heart and Knightley is excellent here, she's an underrated actor who can show emotion and strength much more subtly than she is often given credit for. The support cast are also good with Hailee Steinfeld as Dan's daughter and Catherine Keener as his estranged wife. A film everyone can enjoy and one I highly recommend if you've never seen it.

If you want to know where the idea for The Hunger Games came from here it is. This Japanese cult film is a taut action film set in a dystopian near future where the fear of social collapse and a rise in violent youth crime forces the government to pass the Battle Royale Act in an attempt to bring moral and adult authority back into society. Under the legislation a class of teenagers are taken to a remote island and given a variety of weapons and forced to fight until only one survivor remains. They have necklaces attached that explode if they fail to comply with the 'game'. Friendships, loyalties and morality are all brought into question as some of the kids quickly resort to killing whilst others attempt to maintain their humanity and find another solution. It's in this that the film is focused, the philosophical debate around whether people, in desperate straits will resort to their base animalistic nature and murder or are humans inherently good and would refuse to participate even if it meant their own death. As a piece of cinema this is both exciting and shocking with strong bloody violence. As an action film it's really good and an example of foreign cinema that has been a huge influence, it's a firm favourite of Quentin Tarantino and his Kill Bill Vol 1 (2003) bears a stylistic similarity. Certainly a controversial film although it's not gratuitous in its depiction of violence but definitely a film worth checking out.

Silly, daft and in fact throughly ridiculous but also weirdly good fun and made very entertaining because it in no way takes itself seriously. This is a comedy horror film, with plenty of gore, a bevy of teenagers there to be picked off one by one (never have sex in one of these films you're doomed if you do!) and Nicolas Cage in a dialogue free role. He plays a moody, enigmatic drifter who breaks down outside a small backwoods town and unable to pay for the repairs accepts a one night job to clean a dilapidated and boarded up children's birthday venue called Willy's Wonderland. But he has been tricked because this place has a dark, satanic secret although the stranger may have an agenda of his own. This is Cage at his manic best, he's a prolific film maker and many of his films are instantly forgettable with the odd gem that stands out. This is not a film that you'll want to watch twice but it is a fun filled 90mins that will make you chuckle.

An elegant melodrama from director Hirokazu Koreeda about memory and the abuse that can be applied to it in family conflict. Catherine Deneuve plays raging French movie star Fabienne, vain, selfish and at times quite cold who has just published her memoirs. This brings her daughter, Lumir (Juliette Binoche) with her American husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and young daughter, to Paris from the USA where Lumir challenges her mother over the outright lies in her book especially about how loving a mother she was. Over the course of the film the relationships between them become strained, reviewed and ultimately redrawn as Fabienne begins to look differently at the way she has treated Lumir and others. Deneuve gives a stylish performance in what is a witty and at times amusing film although overall it's a little droll and occasionally meanders a bit too much.Binoche too is superb as she tries to reach the affection with her mother she has coveted since childhood. An interesting film.

This is a truly remarkable film based on real events and it's often difficult to discern if you're watching documentary footage or cinematic reconstruction. In fact the entire film is narrative and everything is created by the director. It tells the story of the rise of dissidents in the North African country of Algeria against the colonial rule of France that had been in place for over a hundred years. In 1954 the first sounds of disharmony of the Arab population began after years of racism and being treated as second class citizens, which built into terrorism and insurrection and was then ruthlessly suppressed by the French who sent in their paratroops. The film looks at both sides of the conflict from the indiscriminate terrorist atrocities of the dissidents to the use of torture and violence by the State. As a piece of cinema it's very impactive and resonates through later decades where similarities can be seen in the UK approach to Irish terrorism and the more recent War On Terror led by the USA. Using mainly non-actors this is a tense drama that has some very shocking scenes but it's also a really riveting story that follows the leadership of the independence group and the reactions of the French in the form of Colonel Mathieu, the leader of the army sent in to deal with the rebellion. Set in Algiers and in particular the Casbah quarter, a maze of steep streets and interconnected buildings where the terrorists hide, the scene is set for a battle of wits over who will win. The paratroops raid on the Casbah must have been an influence of Steven Spielberg in his Krakow ghetto violent round up by the Nazis in Schindler's List (1993). If you are a cinephile then I cannot recommend this film enough, it's a unique piece of cinema and a must see. A tough watch at times but it'll stick in the memory.

A goofy horror comedy that has a style and a good dose of black humour to make it entertaining. Based on a video game the set up is a mix of a Agatha Christie type whodunnit and a mystery horror film set in a small town as a wintry storm sets in. The new Forest Ranger Finn (Sam Richardson) tries to maintain his kind and considerate demeanour as he attempts to keep the townsfolk together after one of them is murdered. The people are a mishmash of characters and being thrown together by the storm and in fear there's a killer amongst them brings out the worst in them. Aided by the local mail delivery lady Cecily (Milana Vayntrub) they begin to suspect something supernatural maybe the cause. The cast play this for laughs and it makes the whole thing very watchable but soon forgettable.

Even taking into account the target audience of say 5 to 10 year olds this slapstick style family comedy is just silly. Worse still it's a clumsy, poorly constructed film that is basically a series of comedy stunt episodes some of which are funny, most silly and some downright irresponsible. Robert De Niro plays curmudgeonly 'Grandpa' encouraged to leave his home by his daughter (Uma Thurman) and move in with her family. The trouble is their house is too small and son Peter (Oakes Fegley) has to give up his beloved bedroom and move into the attic. Despite loving his Grandpa he embarks on a campaign of pranks to drive him out in order to get the room back and Grandpa, a war veteran, fights back! Yes that's the premise and you're expected to buy into that. Even more strange is that this Grandpa is fit, healthy and has all his marbles making the whole set up pointless. Despite all the ensuing mayhem none of the family notices a thing! The film then meanders through a series of clichéd set pieces that include the most dangerous of pranks directed towards an old man and/or a child. Added to this the film diverts into one of those narratives of old men reliving their youth as Grandpa and his mates (Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin and Jane Seymour) play dodgeball and deal with the school bully and reflect on life. To really top it all there's a vain attempt to make the story some sort of lesson about real war and how very much a bad thing it is. I'm sure very young children may laugh at this film but it's a mess and the talent here should've known better.

This is an enigmatic, at times baffling and very ambiguous drama about the rise of a music celebrity. It's certainly a strange film, enthralling at times but lacks the drive to keep going and it sort of tails off into a disappointing ending. The story charts the rise of Celeste (Raffey Cassidy) who is seriously wounded in a mass shooting incident at her high school. With the help of her song writing older sister she sings a song at the memorial service for those killed and becomes an overnight sensation off the back of the tragedy. With the help of a seasoned talent manager (Jude Law) and record company agent (Jennifer Ehle) she becomes an international pop star. With a shocking opening scene this film grabs your attention and the way the young Celeste is propelled into a celebrity life is interesting and very apt. Cassidy delivers a dark and interesting performance of a girl who seems to have harnessed the violence that creates her image but when the film jumps 16 years and the adult Celeste (now played by Natalie Portman) is struggling with substance abuse and her life in general the film sort of takes a nose dive in dramatic punch. A further violent, national event seems to have relevance here but the theme is not explored to its full potential and the extended concert scenes offer nothing to the narrative. It's difficult to see what we are meant to deduce from Celeste's life other than to remark and compare on actual celebrities like here (Madonna is the obvious one as there are some scenes reminiscent of her from In Bed With Madonna - 1991). So much of the film rested on where this young girl's life was heading but when we get there the film seems to have run out of the electricity needed.

Even today there are still debates about who actually is the killer in this fantastic erotic thriller. Controversial and gripping this film pushed the boundaries for its sex scenes and the murders are shocking even when you know they're coming! For a mainstream movie it still has power and it's wonderfully written even though you have to forgive a couple of very glaring plot holes. The fun though is that there are clues liberally spread throughout that are easily missed when you first see this so it's worth another watch so you can concentrate on spotting them. The grisly murder of a former rock star begins an investigation by flawed San Francisco detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) and his partner Gus (George Dzundza). Their main suspect is the victim's lover Catherine (Sharon Stone), a highly intelligent book writer whose last novel depicted a murder exactly the same. When Nick begins a dangerous affair with Catherine he begins to doubt her guilt and his investigation reveals other surprising suspects. The plot here twists and turns and Stone, in her first starring role, is especially good as the manipulative Catherine. Douglas, then a big box office star, took risks with this role as Nick is an immoral man who commits some despicable acts during the course of the story. Dutch director Paul Verhoeven was well known for being a film maker prepared to shock and he certainly did so here as the film contains some now very famous scenes not least the interrogation of Catherine. This is a great thriller, it's adult, complex and very entertaining. Certainly if you've never seen this then I highly recommend it and if you have then it is one that's worth a revisit.