Welcome to GI's film reviews page. GI has written 1436 reviews and rated 2031 films.
The second film in The Hobbit trilogy is a darker film than the first but it's overly long and lacks the cohesion of the original trilogy leaving a feeling that the film meanders along. As basically a chase film this often renders the film tedious especially in the attempts to be ever faithful to the source novel and the other works of Tolkien and yet also adding additional characters and events made up for the film. But if you're a fan then there are enough elements to offer an entertaining adaptation. Peter Jackson knows how to present Middle-earth by now and creates a fantasy world that often is a delight to behold. Martin Freeman remains a delight as he was in the first Hobbit film and Ian McKellen portrays Gandalf with aplomb. There's too many characters here though with too much backstory to absorb effectively and even though the Extended edition is a more whole narrative it doesn't lift the film enough to put it up there with the original LOTR trilogy. The final battle with Smaug the dragon, malevolently voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, is a great climax to this film although the expected cliffhanger ending in readiness for the next film is little underwhelming. Better than the first Hobbit film but not on a par with LOTR.
The inevitable problem with music biopics is the need to get into the sordid underbelly of the subject whilst trying to maintain some semblance of the genius and popularity of them too. Back To Black tries very hard to navigate this dilemma and for the most part manages it rather well. Depicting the charisma and yet emotional naivety of Amy Winehouse is managed here with some aplomb particularly in the central performance of Marisa Abela, who does her own singing here and captures the hedonistic lifestyle of Winehouse all the while pushing the character's mantra that she's not in it for the fame. Indeed her struggle with the fame and in particular the media onslaught is front and centre of this story. But the real issue is whether the film identifies her creative process over her off the scale emotional reactions and her alcoholism and drug addictions. Sometimes Winehouse comes across here as a childlike, emotionally stunted wild child unable to control herself and certainly adverse to any advice. At the centre of the narrative is a romance between her and Blake (Jack O'Connell), a dysfunctional relationship clearly doomed to failure but Blake is shown here with more sympathy than his real life, media fuelled personality and O'Connell is superb in the role mixing cocky, wannabe with a needy mummy's type boy desperate for love. Equally Winehouse's father, Mitch (Eddie Marsan), fairs better here than in the documentaries that surfaced after her death. It's a pity we didn't get more of the creation of her masterpiece album that the title and some of the story leads towards and by the end you are left with the feeling that Winehouse was spoiled, occasionally tantrum fuelled and definitely a rather unpleasant individual at times. Interesting film but I was left with a feeling of being let down.
The Coen Brother homage to Homer's Odyssey on which this is very loosely based. It's a comedy adventure where three criminals escape from a chain gang in depression era USA. George Clooney is Ulysses Everett McGill who is desperate to escape for personal reasons. Being chained to Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) he has to convince them to come along. Chased by a relentless lawman, who fans will recognise as a big homage to Cool Hand Luke (1967) they encounter a host of bizarre and strange characters including John Goodman as a 'cyclops' and along the way they make a record for money which becomes a big hit. It's all bizarre, brilliant and good fun as they deal with the Ku Klux Klan, three seductive women and Baby Face Nelson (who hates his nickname!). Holly Hunter pops up too and there's a fantastic soundtrack by T. Bone Burnett including Man Of Constant Sorrow, which became a big hit. This is another Coen Brothers film that takes you in unexpected directions and never fails to keep you watching although it occasionally seems to drag as if it's head to be stretched to feature length but there's a quirky originality to the film that makes it worth checking out.
A melancholy comedy drama with great performances and a fantastic recreation of 1970, not only in films milieu but also in the presentation as a cinematic event. Set at Christmas of 1970 in a prestigious boys boarding school in Massachusetts dominated by the son's of wealthy parents who live on the privilege that their parents money and standing provide. This is seen by curmudgeonly and cynical teacher Paul (Paul Giamatti) as a symptom of a decline in character and learning of the pupils he teaches. As the school closes for the holiday Paul is selected, due to is having no family, to remain behind with the boys who cannot return home. He resents this but is resigned to it and intends to maintain a ritual of discipline and teaching as if it's just a normal school time. He finds he only has Angus (Dominic Sessa), a bright 17 year old student with attitude and behaviour issues, and the school cook, Mary (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), for company. Mary is black and has submitted to the casual racism of the WASP world of the school in order to get her son a place there but he has been killed in Vietnam and she suffers from her grief. Inevitably the close proximity of these three characters moves them to bond but not in a saccharine type narrative as you'd possibly expect. There's the pain of their emotional exposure with each other that involves sacrifice and redemption. This is a sharply written film and benefits from a second viewing and it cleverly diagnoses the rifts in American society that resonate today. A film that may feel ponderous at times but it manages to make you feel by the end that you've watched something very interesting and quite profound.
Just when you thought it was all over..... From the B movie style of the first couple of street racer actioners this series has metamorphosed into a Mission Impossible style über action thriller set of films that get ever more daft and overcranked but are ceaselessly entertaining. If you're a big fan then you won't worry that it's getting even harder to separate the films as they all follow a similar pattern and storyline as the group of street racers now super covert agents keep coming back for another mission that drops in, albeit very swiftly, in various cities across the world as they fight the new baddie. In this case it's Jason Momoa playing the son of the villain from the 5th film who was killed by the team and he's now seeking revenge. Momoa camps it up nicely as he sets trap after trap to try and nail Dom (Vin Diesel) who grumbles his way through the film basically by mumbling 'family' at every and all occasion. The plot is incidental in these films as its all about huge set piece chases and fights with the requisite street race thrown in just to remind you it's a Fast & Furious film. All and sundry pop up in cameos and support roles such as Helen Mirren, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Brie Larsen, Scott Eastwood, John Cena and Dwayne Johnson in a mid end credits taster for the inevitable Part 2 that is to come. So yes this ends on a cliffhanger hence it's not the last film. There's been better films in this enduring franchise than this one but it fits exactly as you'd expect into the series.
It's definitely time to retire this very uninspiring attempt at rebooting the franchise. The 1984 original should be left well alone as a great example of an original 80s comedy/fantasy and yet forty years later and following the previous attempt in 2021 to relight the fire we have this poorly scripted but big cast laden sequel. The new Ghostbusters, now relocated back to the old New York Fire Station, are reunited with the surviving old ones to fight another evil demon intent on dominating the world. Along the way there's the same 'ghosts' a couple of new ones and a feeling we've seen it all before. Paul Rudd as the so called main star, has little to do and zero funny lines and the story is mostly left to Mckenna Grace as Phoebe who does a valiant job with the hackneyed plot. I suppose the best thing is Bill Murray's cameo, he gets the best line of the whole film but blink and you'll miss it! The kids will probably love this but otherwise its a damp squib.
The climax of Peter Jackson's trilogy adaptation of the children's fantasy novel The Hobbit. Jackson has to be admired for the way he stretched a very slim book into three huge epic films and I wonder whether the material would have benefited from two films rather than the three. But whatever your view this trilogy hasn't quite hit the extraordinary vibe of the original LOTR films. This particular film is the closest in feel to that trilogy, it's darker, more acton orientated with the titular battle making for much of the running time. It's exciting stuff and because there's so much going on repeated viewings help balance the narrative and allow the viewer to enjoy the connections and drama as they unfold. These films are a remarkable achievement and this final film is a joy. It's an exciting, involved fantasy that shows Jackson as a considerable talent and clearly passionate about the world of Tolkien's Middle-earth. The cast just add to the sheer majesty of it and there's also that warmth and nostalgic emotion of seeing them for one final time. Ian McKellen can draw this out from just a raised eyebrow! Martin Freemen is the soul of this trilogy and here he is excellent. The Hobbit trilogy deserves a refreshing look, it certainly worked for me.
An entertaining, if rather shallow, action adventure that dwells a little too much on the sun tanned bodies of the two main stars, Paul walker and Jessica Alba, to result in film that you can in anyway take seriously. In that sense it's a throwaway. This is essentially an old fashioned adventure tale that would have been a major release in the 1950s and is in many ways a remake of The Deep (1977). With its emphasis on clubbing and hedonistic pursuits it's a film that targets a younger audience but does turn up the action for the film's climax. Walker and Alba are young couple, Jerrod and Sam, living an idyllic and simple life in the Bahamas. Visited by his old friend, Bryce (Scott Caan) and his new girlfriend, Amanda (Ashley Scott) they spend their days frolicking on the ocean where one day they discover a possible ancient wreck and also a crashed plane with a large amount of cocaine on board. Divided over what to do with this they are unprepared for when the baddies come looking for their goods! The film focuses on bikini clad bodies wafting through the ocean with the occasional risks from sharks and there's couple of violent and shocking moments. They're too few though to make tis memorable and whilst it passes the time quite nicely it's a forgettable piece of hokum. Josh Brolin has a support role.
This action thriller, one of the cycle of action espionage narratives, is vaguely a little underwhelming and ultimately disappointing. This is a shame because there are elements of this film that are rather good and the action, especially the fight sequences, is well choreographed and exciting to watch. The film is a series of highs and lows in many ways and in what is basically a chase thriller this has the effect of slowing the film down just after it's achieved a good pace and level of excitement. Saoirse Ronan, who is absolutely superb here, is the title character. A young girl on the cusp of womanhood who has been raised in a remote forest by her father (Eric Bana) a former CIA agent hunted by his former bosses for years. He has prepared her by training her in a whole host of Jason Bourne style skills ready for the tests that soon arrive and hark back to her mysterious past. As she escapes the clutches of the baddie (Cate Blanchett) Hanna is set on a journey of discovery that includes learning about relationships, friendship and where she really comes from. There's a gritty and realistic look to the film which globetrots around Europe and North Africa and has a good support cast including Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams and Jason Flemyng. Very watchable but it could have been a whole lot better.
A really interesting and well acted, competently directed historical drama set during the American Civil War and based on real events. It tells the story of the forming of a regiment of all black soldiers with white officers led by Robert Gould Shaw played by Matthew Broderick. Essentially it's a tale of heroism and courage within the intensity of battle but with a narrative that deals with the difficult American social issues of racism. The black soldiers, having volunteered to fight against the Confederacy, face discrimination from white soldiers on their side, the threat of instant death if captured by the enemy and ultimately an attempt to treat them as lesser valued troops by the Federal government who try to pay them less, despite promises of equal pay, and even fail to equip them properly. The film builds to a climactic battle where the bravery of these soldiers is finally recognised via the tough training and the struggles of individuals to accept white commanders. The battle scenes are gritty and realistic and somewhat bloody too. Morgan Freemen excels as the father figure to the soldiers that includes Denzel Washington as a troubled and rebellious volunteer with one very difficult and traumatic scene that involves his character receiving a flogging. This is a very watchable and entertaining film and certainly worth seeing if it's passed you by.
This intense and quite chilling drama is a masterclass in screen acting. Judi Dench is a malevolent and conniving woman who sees an opportunity and exploits all others to get her way. It proves Dench's versatility as she's quite horrid here and seeing her in a role like this jars the senses. She plays Barbara, a London teacher, who runs her class with an iron fist but outside the school is a lonely cynical spinster. When young art teacher Sheba (Cate Blanchett) joins the school Barbara manipulates a friendship with her which causes a little consternation with Sheba's husband (Bill Nighy) and her family. Sheba begins an ill advised sexual relationship with a 15 year old pupil which is discovered by Barbara who confronts Sheba but agrees to keep quiet about it much to Sheba's relief. But Barbara has her own warped agenda and reason in covering for her. The screen dynamic between Dench and Blanchett forms the centre of this narrative. It's a story of jealousy, rage and sexual longing that spirals into a complex web of relationships, all of which ends in dire consequences. It's certainly a very compelling drama that doesn't shy away from the issues and refuses to excuse any of them. It's well written and directed and definitely a highly recommended drama.
Kenneth Branagh brings a sprightly, somewhat original take to Agatha Christie's iconic detective Hercule Poirot but once again having hoped for a neat whodunnit I find I'm once again bogged down in a sluggish uneventful narrative that ultimately begins to bore. This was the same with the previous Branagh adaptation Death On The Nile (2022) but at least Branagh, as director, has opted for less big effects laden scenes for the claustrophobia of a haunted house vibe. But unfortunately no amount of raging storms, jump scares and sudden sideways glances makes for a compelling drama here. Set in 1947 and Poirot is now grumpily retired in Venice refusing all efforts to get him to investigate any new cases. But his friend, a mystery novel writer (Tin Fey) persuades him to accompany her to a seance at a big old venetian house in order to debunk the famous spiritualist (Michelle Yeoh). And yes of course a murder or two occurs and Poirot is on the case basically because everyone is trapped within by the storm outside. The film relies on lots of little events that eventually get explained in the lengthy denouement that Poirot delivers after having run around the creepy corridors for much of the screen time. Adding dollops of supernatural, horror film stylings hasn't aided the film, indeed it's made it seem a bit silly. There's no doubt the huge cast are having great fun but the viewer has to sit back and hope the answer gets revealed sooner than it actually does. Tina Fey, despite a major role, is largely sidelined; Kelly Reilly, Jamie Dornan and others look shocked, scared or confused at various times but overall the film is a letdown.
Considering the talent on show here this comedy heist film should be a wisecracking zip along treat but the script and tired narrative makes it a plodding affair. It's underpowered and despite a couple of action set pieces including a robbery and car chase through Boston the film is a disappointment. Matt Damon plays a depressed ex soldier undergoing therapy and in dire need of cash to pay back alimony to get access to his son and Casey Affleck is the cocky ex con. They join up having been recruited by some shady businessmen to rob the victory gala of the corrupt city mayor (Ron Perlman). Of course this all goes awry and the pair end up being pursued by the cops and other bad guys. The plot is hackneyed and offers nothing new and the two stars lack any real chemistry. Other talent on show here is woefully underused including Perlman as the corrupt politician, Toby Jones as his cowardly lawyer and Alfred Molina as one of the bad guys. Ving Rhames character of the scary cop doesn't really convince either. Really it's all relies on the cast because the script is weak and these ingredients just haven't worked here. What's left is a mildly entertaining film that is instantly forgettable.
A British produced western that shamelessly rips from Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah and is one of a cycle of violent, somewhat exploitative westerns of the early 70s that followed the revisionist view that Leone and Peckinpah both began. It's also a star vehicle for Raquel Welch who plays the title role and plays on her playboy sexuality. It's a simple revenge western with Hannie raped by three outlaw brothers who have murdered her husband. The baddies are played by Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam and Strother Martin who had all been in Peckinpah or Leone westerns, indeed Martin basically mirrors his character from The Wild Bunch (1969). Hannie meets bounty hunter Thomas (Robert Culp) who teaches her how to shoot ready for the eventual showdown with the bad guys. Christopher Lee supports as a gunsmith and Diana Dors and Stephen Boyd add to the token British presence. The film boasts plenty of blood squib violence, a dusty Mexican border setting including some nice sunsets vistas and basic western trope characters. It's all a bit dated and not the best example of 70s westerns although it probably exemplifies the cheaper end of the genre in this period. Directed by Burt Kennedy, who is more famous for his much more light hearted westerns he made in the 60s with James Garner and John Wayne, but here effectively gives us a spaghetti western vibe with hints of John Sturges.
This is a great British social drama set around a youth culture centred around a contemporary music following in the 1970s. So you can firstly expect an unbelievably good soundtrack in this film but also a compelling drama that is about isolation, friendship and self-discovery. John (Elliot James Langridge) is a loner and under achiever trapped in the education system of 1970s northern England. His path to finding a purpose in life comes from a chance meeting with the free spirited Matt (Josh Whitehouse) who introduces him to northern soul music and eventually to drugs. They are dreamers but the narrative is about how music becomes the conduit to freedom and redemption via teenage rebellion. There's a host of great characters to be found here and whilst the story will be familiar from other similar dramas it is great entertainment. The influence of Ken Loach and films like The Commitments (1991) is evident in what is an interesting and ultimately feel good film.