Film Reviews by Peter B

The story of the gulags beggars belief. Set up as a tool of political oppression after the russian revolution of 1917, the system was much increased when Stalin came to power. 18 million people were sent to the Gulag from 1930 to 1953, of which roughly 1.5 to 1.7 million died. Political opponents, pro-democracy advocates, prisoners of war, criminals, the middle-class of countries occupied by Russia as the Nazis retreated in WWII all were worked or starved to death in freezing conditions. I found the film rewarding and it stimulated me to find out more about the Gulags. As a family doctor I had a polish patient who had survived time in the Gulag and her friend wrote a riveting account of their time there. As in concentration camps, those who survived often had moral lines to cross.

Mind control and brainwashing are all grist to the mill of religious cults, as is the policy of marrying only within the cult and a system where those who question or reject the cult's beliefs are then isolated and shunned by the membership. In Jehovah's Witness territory this alienation of those who transgress is called "disfellowship". I found this film authentic and sad. Great acting and a moving story.

This film supposedly covers an event in the Battle for Moscow in WW2. Turns out this was a piece of soviet propaganda during the war that has little authenticity. Russians still celebrate it and there are statues to the heroes.Check out the truth on wikipedia. I hate it when historical films or TV mess with actual events.

There were millions of heroic deeds during the horrendous russian campaign,unfortunately this film portrays one dreamt up by the authorities to bolster morale. The idea that 28 guardsmen saved Moscow is complete bollocks.

All a bit unnecessary as basically the Russians won the second world war and their population paid the most horrific price.

I loved this film despite the sad context of a Viet Veteran living in the wild with his teenage daughter. Acting is brilliant and completely convincing. More american soldiers committed suicide after their experiences in Vietnam than actually died in the war itself. The average age of amerian soldiers was 19 and they spent 12 months in hot, humid and hostile conditions where at any moment they could be ambushed or blown up by booby traps. Over half of american forces towards the end of the war resorted to heavy use of marijuana or alcohol to deal with the stress and 22% used heroin. These are the realities behind the two best VIetnam war films...The Deerhunter and Apocalypse Now. Leave No Trace does the same of highlighting the ravages of PTSD amongst the survivors and is a great and moving film. Youtube has some great documentaries on Viet Vets living wild.

Fun idea of a singer who wakes up after an accident to find that no-one in the world has any memory of the Beatles or their music. Harmless fun.

Loved this film. A modern german masterpiece IMHO. Real insights into developing as an artist and finding your own individual voice. The acting is superb and it covers an important era in Germany coming to terms, or not, with the crimes against humanity in the second world war. As a doctor I found the ex-SS gynaecologist totally believable, a ruthless psychopath flourishing under both nazi and communist regimes.

The central love story holds the film together. Beautiful and intense film.

This is the most intense of the True Detective series with piercing and convincing focus on some complex personalities. As a UK citizen I needed english subtitles to understand the dialogue. Mahershala Ali gives a riveting if moody performance but his speech was the most difficult to understand. Presume this is local dialect.

The film takes place in three eras, 1980, 1990 and 2015 and the programme flits endlessly between these three time periods. The plot is complex and the characters are generally damaged goods. The central love story between Mahershala Ali and Carmen Ejogo is convincing and as complicated as most marriages are. Ejogo is cute and smart in her role. The friendship between the two investigating detectives has many ups and downs but is a subtle study of good buddies separated by race.

The plot is clever and suitably labyrinthine for a near 8 hour series. You get the impression that the whole creative effort must have been pretty draining, you cannot fault their work ethic. It certainly catches the baffling complexity of human nature and the massive ramifications a crime can have on a tight-knit rural community. Collateral damage is far more intense than the original crime.

Overall True Detective has been a compulsive and original take on the detective genre and generates a spooky and ominous milieu. Hard to forget and sometimes hard to watch.

As a pro photographer I was interested to see this film. After 10 minutes I couldn't watch any more. Never seen such drivel in my life.

Well made documentary based on an unfinished book by James Baldwin who subsequently died of stomach cancer. Gives a good account of the similarities and different viewpoints of the leading black activists of the 1960's and 1970's, most of whom were murdered by white supremacists. Baldwin moved to Paris, as a black homosexual activist he would have been particularly vulnerable. My visit to the USA 2 years ago suggest they still have a long way to go but attitudes are slowly changing, I believe a recent poll showed 80% of americans are now supportive of inter-racial marriage. As a teenager some american friends tried to show me a Klu Klux Klan meeting. Each junction on the country roads had a man with a shotgun. By the time we found the meeting, there was only a burning cross remaining.

Shocking footage of the hate that some white people had for black americans. Bobby Kennedy appears weak-willed and short of compassion.

Two dimensional characters engendering no real empathy with the emotionally hostile backgrounds that most people of this underclass have suffered. Bratty mother, bratty daughter and hours and hours of nothing of any credible interest. The acting was good, the script is dire. My experience of working with people of this ilk is that their upbringing and lives have been universally dreadful.

Really enjoyed this film. A lot of thought had gone into the set and logistics. Authentic Africa and locals employed as actors. The central performance from the little girl was outstanding. Memorable music and photography. Interesting insights into how outsiders and misfits can be ostracized in society into formal roles.

Loved this film. The characters were suitably wacky for teenagers and the mother's performance of a bereaved and stressed widow was superb, very moving. The ending felt realistic and is was a great portrayal of grief.

I loved this movie about a novice nun discovering from her only living relative that she is Jewish and her parents and brother were murdered in World War 2 by local poles who then took over their home and farm. Agata Trzebuchowska was hypnotic on camera and i found the plot quite believable having listened to many polish people over the years. Much of the film is silent so when music appears it has a magical effect. Brilliant photography. Altogether beautiful and profound.

Interesting film about balancing ambition and freedom for those fortunate to have a gifted child in their midst. Mckenna Grace was absolutely brilliant and convincing, reminded me of my 9 year old grand-daughter and surprised she didn't win the Oscar for this performance. Lots of laughs and some sadness, Chris Evans was great and seemed to have genuine affection for Grace, Lindsay Duncan was less convincing as a tiger grandmother.

I really enjoyed this film and found it very interesting. Something I recall vaguely as a teenager but clarified exactly the excitement and sense of discovery of this unique mission which was only possible because of the particular alignment of our planets at that period of time.