Film Reviews by GI

A ridiculous film, full of cliché, wooden and unconvincing fight sequences and a story that bounces fruitlessly all over the place. Jessica Chastain plays the title character, a professional assassin working for a shadowy government outfit. She's classy and beautiful (aren't we a bit tired of this??) but is a recovering alcoholic and tends to want to have meaningful chats with her victims just before doing them in. Fatherly boss John Malkovich is patient because he's fond of her but top boss Colin Farrell has had enough and sets her up to fall. That of course all goes wrong and whilst Ava rides the vengeance trail she also has to deal with her estranged mother (Geena Davis) and her ex (Common) who is now shacked up with her sister. Need I go on? A shambles. Poorly executed, boring and lacks any excitement.

French cop drama that attempts to be more than a standard police procedural and delves into the social, moral and legal issues of policing in the projects of Paris where multi racial communities struggle with the authorities, self declared leaders and youth crime. The story centres around a three man police team the Special Crime Unit and follows the first day of new arrival Ruiz (Damien Bonnard). He is less than impressed with the casual corruption, bullying and abuse of authority his new colleagues employ in the cause of gaining respect. When the arrest of a young teenager goes awry they try to cover up their mistakes and have to face the consequences. The trouble here is that the film glides over the surface of the issues but never gets to grips with them. There is no redeeming qualities in any of the characters here from the police, parents, religious leaders and local people, all are shown as contemptuous. This makes for a cold film that is, by the end, unfulfilling.

Everyone has those silly guilty secret films that they love. This is one of mine, a film once voted as a bad film everyone loves. It's actually fantastic fun, gloriously entertaining and makes you think back to those films you saw as child and made you fall in love with films. This one is actually quite well made, has a top cast and it's use of CGI and animatronics is rather well done. It has all the clichés of the 'creature feature' but that's what makes it so great, the characters obviously there to be eaten, the bad guy willing to sacrifice everyone else and the heroes who save the day. Films about manhunting animals are nothing new from sharks to crocodiles and everything in between. In this story a National Geographic film crew head up the Amazon to find a lost tribe. On the way they help an apparently stranded man who turns out to be a snake hunter searching for a legendary giant anaconda and he's prepared to use the film crew as bait. Jennifer Lopez heads the cast alongside Ice Cube, Eric Stolz (very underused here - he stays in bed most of the film) and Owen Wilson as the film crew and Jon Voight as the nasty baddie. There's plenty of shocks and gore thrown in and a climactic battle with the snake. A film to just sit back and laugh, jump and enjoy, nothing to think about but having a good time.

A strange, beguiling and yet fascinating film set in a country similar to Columbia or Bolivia where on a remote mountainside a group of teenage soldiers undergo training for a shadowy organisation. Ostensibly they are there to guard an American hostage (Julianne Nicholson) but indulge themselves in horseplay and sexual experimentation. Eventually circumstances drive them in to the jungle where their team spirit becomes eroded and violence ensues. There is a clear Lord Of The Flies narrative at play here and a thematic message about child soldiers. This has received plaudits but I found the film difficult to penetrate satisfactorily mainly because much is left unexplained. This might appeal to many but I found it just too enigmatic to be enjoyable. Interesting and intriguing so worth checking out.

This remains a thoroughly entertaining and still very original horror comedy that, when initially released, was so innovative in it's story but specifically for it's special effects created by Rick Baker and it caused a new Oscar award to be created for make-up and effects. It is now a cult favourite and is still great fun and if you've never seen this don't be put off by the quirky title, that's deliberate, because this is a film that defies your expectations and will have you laughing one minute and gasping with shock in the next. Two American students David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are on a walking holiday in the north of England. Stopping at a local pub they are made to feel unwelcome by the locals and head off across the moors where they are attacked. Jack is killed and David is badly hurt. Recuperating in hospital David is told they were set upon by an escaped lunatic but plagued by strange nightmares and getting 'visits' from Jack he begins to doubt his sanity. His nurse Alex (Jenny Agutter) decides to help him. Director John Landis cleverly utilised pagan legends, cinematic monster myths and mixed them up with some really funny comedy to make a film that set a new standard and this film has been much imitated since. This is one of the key films of the '80s and even if you don't lean towards horror films you should check this one out because it's very different. A modern classic in fact.

American Beauty is one of two great films that reveal the underbelly of American suburban life, whilst the other, Blue Velvet (1986), is a much darker film, this combines it's revelations of what is going on behind closed doors with a study of mid-life crisis. The film seemed very relevant when it was first released and garnered many accolades although viewed today some of its thematic depictions may seem somewhat out of date. Kevin Spacey plays Lester, a mid 40s man stuck in a loveless marriage to Carolyn (Annette Bening), a boring job and has lost the precious connection with his 17 year old daughter Jane (Thora Birch) who sees him as an embarrassment. Then one day Lester decides to change his life and removes all the social barriers that he sees restraining him from doing so. There's plenty of comedy here but it's wrapped up in some serious issues and some may seem a little clichéd today. However what's wonderful about this film is the interconnection with the coming-of-age of Jane as she breaks away from the social shackles that have made her parents so unhappy. The film covers issues such as sex and briefly explores same sex marriage, which at the time was a more contentious issue than perhaps it is today, and indeed latent homosexuality forms a key part of the narrative. Sex and desire are a key theme here as Lester fixates on Jane's best friend, Angela (Mean Suvari). There's also a look at drugs in suburban environments and materialism, a social and human problem that Lester deals with quite effectively. This is a really entertaining, funny and sad film with tremendous performances and it's worth a revisit and a must see if you've never seen it.

Almost heartbreakingly sad this has a central and very moving performance from Anthony Hopkins as a man falling deeper into the abyss of dementia. There are brilliant performances all round in fact not least from Olivia Colman as the daughter struggling to cope with her Dad's worsening condition. There is humour in this film especially in the first scenes but ultimately this is a sad film and indeed at times quite frightening too. Hopkins is a retired engineer living in his well appointed London flat and regularly visited by his caring yet exasperated daughter Anne. He's cantankerous and subject to sudden mood swings caused by his dementia and has a history of driving away the carers that Anne finds for him. Where this film is clever is what you see and hear as the viewer may or not be true as we view the world through Hopkin's eyes and his reality isn't always everyone else's. It's a remarkably well written and structured film and we are introduced to characters at various points that may or may not be real also. As the man becomes more confused so the stark horror of this awful condition become ever more clear. The support cast, as I said, are magnificent and include Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots, Mark Gatiss and Rufus Sewell. This will have you shedding tear but it is a touching film too and a must see for Hopkins and Colman's tour de force performances.

I think there's little doubt that director Gaspar Noé goes out of his way to be deliberately provocative, mostly in his graphic sex scenes but here, in what is probably his most shocking film, with violence too. A drama told in reverse order this is an interesting cause and effect narrative that begins with an almost nauseating use of an ever moving camera, tilting at uncomfortable angles and descending into a hellish gay night club where depravity seems to be the order of the day. Disorientating and disturbing the first section of the film culminates in an act of violence that is difficult to watch and then once the viewer realises that the story is being told backwards it moves towards an extended scene of rape that defies description. One could argue this is a horror narrative draped around a relationship drama and revenge story with couple Alex (Monica Bellucci) and Marcus (Vincent Cassel) heading out to a party and taking with them Alex's ex boyfriend Pierre (Albert Dupontel). They are a strange trio indulging in conversations about sex and fulfilment with it becoming clear that Pierre is still in love with Alex. Cassel like always is a coiled spring of violence and you're never sure if he is going to explode at any minute, and here he seems intent on pushing Alex's patience with his behaviour at the party resulting in Alex leaving alone. In a nearby underpass she is brutally raped. This sets Marcus off on a revenge mission and he drags a reluctant Pierre along. It's difficult to gauge what this film is trying to say, the graphic nature especially of the rape is so impactive the film loses whatever message there is intended. Even the extended post-coital scene with Alex and Marcus in their apartment is a rather cold affair that doesn't warm you to their characters even though this comes after the rape scene. Whilst this film has garnered some critical acclaim and been lauded as courageous it's notoriety dampens it and mires it in controversy making for an experience I wouldn't want to repeat.

A surprisingly interesting psychological horror film that is full of suspense and creepiness and has an underlying theme that is really clever. When her 80 year old and dementia suffering mother Edna (Robyn Nevin) goes missing Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) head to her isolated house to try and find her with Kay feeling especially guilty for not having been more attentive. The house reveals many signs of her increasing dementia and her disappearance is a real mystery until one morning she just as mysteriously turns up. As the three women explore the complexities of their relationship with each other the house begins to reveal strange phenomena which soon become very worrying indeed. The horror aspects of this narrative explores the labyrinth of Edna's mind trapped within dementia and occasionally finding some light of normality. With a very creepy house and some extremely effective sound effects the build up of tension and fear is impactive. The essence of the story being that Edna's failing mind is manifested in changes to the environment around her. This makes for quite an unsettling horror film that I recommend.

This is a fantastic crime thriller, full of suspense and very much in the style of those great films from the 1970s such as Get Carter (1971) and The Day Of The Jackal (1973), with a hint of espionage about the story and with a slow burning plot that occasionally explodes into sudden violence. George Clooney plays Jack, a cold professional assassin, who is recuperating between jobs in Sweden when there's an attempt on his life. He flees to Rome and makes contact with his underworld fixer who sends him to a small picturesque village in the heart of Italy. Jack is given a job to build a sniper rifle for use by another killer and agrees to do so on the condition it's his last job. But no-one can be trusted. This is a tale about betrayal, redemption and there's a bit of 007 about Jack although he's no spy. Indeed the character is laconic to the extent that you can see Clooney channelling Clint Eastwood's 70s persona into his performance. This is not an action film but a though provoking thriller that works on every level, from the beautiful cinematography to the taut excitement when Jack is forced into violence. A gem of a film and one I highly recommend if you've not seen it.

This is a legal thriller based on real events where a corporate lawyer takes on a big company to fight for the ordinary man. Mark Ruffalo plays Rob Bilott, a successful lawyer in a huge firm that specialises in representing huge corporations. One day a very grumpy farmer arrives at his plush office wanting to sue the huge chemical company DuPont for poisoning his water resulting in the death of his cattle. Reluctantly Rob takes the case and soon sniffs a cover up is taking place and during the course of the film discovers the dumping of the chemical used to make Teflon has caused much more serious problems for the local communities affected. Like most of these exposé narratives this is a story of corruption and immorality with the making of huge profit of more importance than protecting people. Ruffalo is full of righteous indignation as the committed lawyer and he's supported by Tim Robbins as his boss, Anne Hathaway as his long suffering wife and American character actor Bill Camp as the farmer who kicks the whole thing off. A watchable and interesting film that is well worth an evening's viewing.

Amélie is a film of sheer delight. It's a tale of love, happiness and with an aura of fantasy it's a film that will leave you with a heart warming sense of life. Shot in a balmy, pastel palette and set in Paris it tells the tale of Amélie (Audrey Tautou), a young woman who has grown up isolated and lonely after her father wrongly assumes she has a heart defect and overly protects her. To counter this Amélie creates a world around herself that sees goodness and happiness as she finds fun in the smallest of things. As an adult and a humble waitress she decides to dedicate her time to helping others and she also begins to fall for Nino (Mathieu Kassovitz) when she finds his strange photo album. This is a tale about life and the art of enjoying it whatever your circumstances. It's full of lovely, well drawn characters who each have some issue or other and to which Amélie decides to try and change for the better. If you're aware of mindfulness then you'll spot how this film fits into that concept. At it's centre this is a beautiful romance with elements of a mystery story and a film that has originality, humour and joy. A film to turn to when you might feel low because this will bring life back into focus. Ah the magic of cinema. If you've never seen this then it's a must.

An amiable adult horror comedy that mines the well worn road of the zombie sub-genre and manages to be enjoyable despite the clichés. Dave (Alexander England) is a layabout who agrees to help with his 5 year old nephew's class trip to a petting zoo because he fancies the teacher, Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong'o). Dave comes into his own when a zombie outbreak starts after an escape from a military laboratory next door. The film is crude, bloody and quite funny but it's the little kids that make it. All charming and who handle the whole horror thing really well. Like Zombieland (2009) this is entertaining and fun so worth a watch. Josh Gadd supports as a cowardly and unpleasant children's TV host.

A sumptuous period drama and a tale of jealousy, rivalry and of a genius and above all a story rich in music . Although centred around the story of Mozart this is only a part biopic and is mostly a work of fiction. Set in the late Eighteenth Century with a beautiful visual recreation of Vienna this tells the story of the relationship between Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), the music composer to the court of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph (Jeffrey Jones) and the young Wolfgang Mozart (Tom Hulce), a promiscuous vulgar clown who also happens to be a genius composer. Salieri grows to hate the young upstart for his talent which he believes is undeserved and vows to destroy Mozart, yet still finds his music utterly divine and magical. This story of envy is wondrously told and with two brilliant central performances bound together by the fantastic music and scenes from the operas of both composers. It's told in one big flashback as Salieri as an old man confesses his jealousy to a young priest having attempted suicide. Even if classical music is not to your taste this is still a film that will enthral as it is such a joy, with humour and sadness. It's depiction of the times is on a par with Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975), and the use of natural light is especially reminiscent of that classic film, and the style made me recall Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers (1973) with the detailed crowd scenes. Ultimately this is a story of self destruction, a sad film but one that is a rich viewing experience I really recommend it if you've never seen it (ensure you watch the Director's Cut).

A big, brash and thoroughly entertaining sequel to the 2018 smash hit. After a brilliant prequel prologue the film begins exactly where the earlier one left off and whilst the originality of the life threatening need to remain absolutely silent and the very nasty creatures is now very familiar this story is moves the story into a quest narrative. With their home gone Evelyn (Emily Blunt) with her children, the deaf Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and the new baby head towards the coast where they think there maybe a sanctuary from the creatures that roam the countryside. They meet up with former neighbour Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who may or may not be an asset! There are plenty of jump scares, some of which made me yelp and the set pieces are exciting, tense and at times full on horror. Emily Blunt is underused which is a bit lacking and there's some interesting aspects that are left a little too unexplained - a sequence involving some feral people for instance - but overall a worthy sequel and a semi-cliffhanger ending suggesting another film in the pipeline. Well worth a trip to the cinema for the sheer experience and spectacle and as a post apocalyptic story one can't help but think of this as a Covid 19 allegory.