When I first heard they were remaking The Magnificent Seven my initial thoughts were why ? Then I saw the cast and my next feelings were excitement and anticipation to see if they could get close to the 1960 classic , A film that is one of my all time favourites. The story doesn't stray too far from the original . Instead of Mexican bandits being the enemy . this time it's a mining tycoon and his men. The Seven are a little more multicultural too. We have Denzel Washington playing the Yul Brenner part , Ethan Hawke as the Robert Vaughn character and Chris Pratt playing the Steve McQueen role. There is also a native American Indian , a Mexican and a Korean knife thrower. Despite the varied characters on show they all work really well together and you definitely care what happens to them. There is lots of great action as you would expect and none of the violence is gratuitous . My only gripe is that they didn't use the famous Elmer Bernstein soundtrack until the final credits .I think they missed a trick there. So the big question is , is it as good as the original ? The answer is no but it's still a solid two hours of pure entertainment.
Watched a film called 'Infiltrator' yesterday. Never heard of it before but it turned out quite decent. Bryan Cranston plays a US customs official who uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. It's based on a true story and a bit like a film version of Narcos. 8/10
The Infiltrator sees Brian Cranston back on drugs again ( not literally ) where he plays undercover federal agent Robert Mazur who is a money launderer for Pablo Escobar's Medellín Cartel. Instead of focusing on the drugs side of things this film concentrates more on the money and the dodgy bankers and that doesn't always make the most interesting subject in films. Having said that , director Brad Furman does a good job of conveying what it's like to go undercover in such a dangerous organisation. I don't think this is anywhere near as good as the recent Netflix series Narcos which it is inevitably going to be compared to because at times it feels little bit laboured but good performances from Brian Cranston , John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger make it well worth watching.
Beds - re. The Magnificent 7 - is Denzel the smartest man in the west?
I have this theory that every time Denzel gets a script, he has it adjusted so that his character is the smartest man in the movie.
For instance, in The Taking of Pelham, he's a geeky train controller guy in a tank top and glasses. But NOBODY controls trains as well as him.
In Flight he's a drunk pilot. But "Nobody could have landed that plane the way Denzel did".
Or maybe American Gangster - sure he's a super villain, but by the end he's wearing glasses and literally showing the Feds how to do their job.
Inside Man - he's been fooled completely (until the final scene when he figures it all out, cos he couldn't have his character actually be fooled).
Book of Eli? He did all that despite being...well if you've seen it, you know.
And when it comes to The Equalizer, he's so clever and bad ass, his only real enemy is time. Killing people isn't good enough, he has to do it inside his own random time limit to add a bit of peril.
Beds - re. The Magnificent 7 - is Denzel the smartest man in the west?
I have this theory that every time Denzel gets a script, he has it adjusted so that his character is the smartest man in the movie.
For instance, in The Taking of Pelham, he's a geeky train controller guy in a tank top and glasses. But NOBODY controls trains as well as him.
In Flight he's a drunk pilot. But "Nobody could have landed that plane the way Denzel did".
Or maybe American Gangster - sure he's a super villain, but by the end he's wearing glasses and literally showing the Feds how to do their job.
Inside Man - he's been fooled completely (until the final scene when he figures it all out, cos he couldn't have his character actually be fooled).
Book of Eli? He did all that despite being...well if you've seen it, you know.
And when it comes to The Equalizer, he's so clever and bad ass, his only real enemy is time. Killing people isn't good enough, he has to do it inside his own random time limit to add a bit of peril.
Beds - re. The Magnificent 7 - is Denzel the smartest man in the west?
I have this theory that every time Denzel gets a script, he has it adjusted so that his character is the smartest man in the movie.
For instance, in The Taking of Pelham, he's a geeky train controller guy in a tank top and glasses. But NOBODY controls trains as well as him.
In Flight he's a drunk pilot. But "Nobody could have landed that plane the way Denzel did".
Or maybe American Gangster - sure he's a super villain, but by the end he's wearing glasses and literally showing the Feds how to do their job.
Inside Man - he's been fooled completely (until the final scene when he figures it all out, cos he couldn't have his character actually be fooled).
Book of Eli? He did all that despite being...well if you've seen it, you know.
And when it comes to The Equalizer, he's so clever and bad ass, his only real enemy is time. Killing people isn't good enough, he has to do it inside his own random time limit to add a bit of peril.
Set in 1930s Korea, a con man arranges for a young pickpocket to work as a handmaiden to a beautiful wealthy heiress. His plan is to seduce and marry the latter and then have her committed to an asylum but it starts to unravel when the two women develop an intense emotional and sexual attraction.
A very loose adaptation of the Sarah Waters’ novel, ‘Fingersmith’, this is an erotic, slow-burning thriller, with more plot twists than you can shake a stick at. It is visually beautiful, with exceptional sets and period detail, although, at 2 hours 24 minutes, I thought the film was too long and I felt that it lost its way a little in the middle. It is directed by the same guy as ‘Oldboy’ and the rest of the ‘Vengeance Trilogy’, although in ‘The Handmaiden’, the trademark violence is far more limited - 7/10
American Honey (USA/UK)
An 18 year old girl, confronted with a very troubled home life, decides on the spur of the moment to join a ragtag band of dirt-poor teenagers, travelling across the US in a minibus selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door. What follows is a vibrant and high energy look at the teenage underbelly of the US, as the group live out their hedonistic lifestyle of drugs, booze, sex and petty (and, occasionally, not so petty) crime. It is gritty and unremitting and the camera work and soundtrack almost make you feel like you’re on the bus as its speeds along the highway from one destination to the next fleapit motel.
The narrative structure is very loose - probably by design, given the subject matter - and, whilst I don’t think the film is as good as ‘Red Road’ and ‘Fish Tank’, two of Andrea Arnold’s earlier ‘social-realist’ films, it is certainly very interesting, with a magnetic performance from the young lead - 7/10
Mel Gibson is looking old. Very old. Time hasn't been kind to Mel during his unofficial black balling from the Hollywood elite but one thing is for sure , he hasn't lost his acting ability. Blood Father is about a young woman who is being hunted by a Mexican drug cartel after getting mixed up in her boyfriend's criminal activities . She seeks help from her ex con father who will do absolutely anything to protect her. Although this this is a crime story it's really about the relationship between a father and daughter . There is a really good rapport between Gibson and Erin Moriarty and I enjoyed the moments between them sandwiched inbetween plenty of action. It's nothing ground breaking but i was entertained for ninety minutes. Despite what he did and said , I hope this the start of a Mel Gibson renaissance but I somehow doubt it.
Winfried’s high-flying daughter is over-worked, highly-strung and career obsessed, working all hours for a management consultancy in Bucharest. When an impromptu visit underscores his concerns, Winfried - or rather his dishevelled prankster alter ego, Toni Erdmann (replete with hairy wig and Jurgen Klopp-style teeth) - decides to do something about it, turning up unannounced at numerous business and social occasions to make mischief in the guise of a ‘life coach’. There are elements of real pathos and some tender father-daughter moments, as well as humorous swipes at the excesses of corporate culture. Fundamentally, however, this is an absurd and uproariously funny comedy, with some great lines and visual humour.
A German comedy may not sound like a particularly promising proposition but this is, in my view, an outstanding film and one which really deserves to be seen when it opens in the UK in February - 9/10.
La La Land (USA)
Set in present day Los Angeles, Damien Chazelle’s follow up to ‘Whiplash’ is really a tribute to the golden age of the Hollywood musical. Emma Stone plays an aspiring actress, working in a coffee shop on a studio lot, while Ryan Gosling is a struggling jazz pianist, who dreams of owning his own club. Both leads are exceptional, as their bittersweet relationship develops over time and they seek to reconcile their artistic ambitions with what they need from each other. The music and choreography are extremely good and the end result is a charming and highly entertaining film - 8/10.
Elle (France)
After a woman is raped in her own home by a masked assailant, she elects not to report it to the police and attempts to get on with her life as before. When she subsequently receives text messages from her attacker, she embarks upon a game of cat and mouse as she seeks to discover his identity.
This film is a most unusual psychological thriller, with lurid elements of black comedy and horror and it is certainly far removed from the classic victim/revenge format. There is a very strong performance from Isabelle Huppert, who is the victim but also a multi-faceted and morally complex individual. The film is certainly provocative and I personally found one or two scenes a little distasteful. It has generally been lauded by critics although, for me, it was good but not outstanding - 7/10.
Saw Magnificent 7 last night. Really enjoyed it even if I did have to turn around halfway through and tell the couple behind to stop talking, what is the matter with people's inability to just shut the fuck up for a couple of hours? Anyway I went in not expecting too much but thought it was very good. Some great action, a few decent funny parts and lovely cinematography throughout.
The Girl with all the Gifts ...not as good as the book but a reasonable watch. The young actress in the main part is excellent. 7/10
Your thoughts agree pretty much with my own. I guess you read the book first, like I did. I wonder how good we would have thought the film if we hadn't read the book first?
Saw Magnificent 7 last night. Really enjoyed it even if I did have to turn around halfway through and tell the couple behind to stop talking, what is the matter with people's inability to just shut the fuck up for a couple of hours? Anyway I went in not expecting too much but thought it was very good. Some great action, a few decent funny parts and lovely cinematography throughout.
You should have a copy of Mark Kermode's and Simon Mayo's 'ten commandments of cinema going' with you, then you can show it to such thoughtless people. If that doesn't work, roll it up and shove it down their throat.
Saw Magnificent 7 last night. Really enjoyed it even if I did have to turn around halfway through and tell the couple behind to stop talking, what is the matter with people's inability to just shut the fuck up for a couple of hours? Anyway I went in not expecting too much but thought it was very good. Some great action, a few decent funny parts and lovely cinematography throughout.
You should have a copy of Mark Kermode's and Simon Mayo's 'ten commandments of cinema going' with you, then you can show it to such thoughtless people. If that doesn't work, roll it up and shove it down their throat.
I am aware of them but I have to admit to breaking the no eating rule, can't help but have popcorn when I go. I make sure to only eat during the non silent parts.
Forced to sit through scouts guide to the Zombie apocalypse last night and found it quite amusing.
Daughter has so far got me to watch zootopia twice today. Quite enjoyed it. The sloths are how I imagine Charlton to do transfer dealings.
I watched scouts guide to the zombie apocalypse and whilst it was daft it had some really funny bits and was worth a watch. Not a patch on Zombieland but amusing all the same
The best way I can describe my feelings about Jason Statham movies is that they are a guilty pleasure. Sure they are dumb for the most part but on the other hand they are entertaining. Mechanic:Resurrection breaks that rule. It's still dumb but this time it's really really dull. Statham returns as Arthur Bishop who is forced into carrying out a series of seemingly impossible assassinations to save his girlfriend played by Jessica Alba. The first half hour of this feels like a vanity project. We see Statham and Alba going in and out of the sea , James Bond style , in exotic locations looking like they have just come out of the gym. It's cringeworthy at times. It's obvious that they have both got themselves in good shape for the film but do we have to have it rubbed in our faces? The rest of the film is a series of action sequences with below par special affects mixed with Jessica Alba pulling silly faces pretending , badly , that she is in peril. This is probably the worst thing I have seen Statham do and to be fair I would rather see Harold Bishop than Arthur Bishop if it means me sitting through something like this again.
Saw The Girl on the Train last night. Having previously read the book, it stuck very closely to the story apart from relocating from the UK to the US, which made no material difference.
Well acted, with a plot that reveals itself steadily through the film, culminating in a climactic final scene.
7.5/10
PS - yet another cinematic experience wrecked by a rustlypopcornwanker who took over an hour to crunch his way through a giant bucket of that sticky filth. What is the matter with these people? Next time that happens, I'm taking my shoes off. That'll serve them right.
Saw The Girl on the Train last night. Having previously read the book, it stuck very closely to the story apart from relocating from the UK to the US, which made no material difference.
Well acted, with a plot that reveals itself steadily through the film, culminating in a climactic final scene.
7.5/10
I recently read this and was disappointed to hear it had received very negative reviews, glad someone enjoyed it - might have to give it a try.
A troubled and drink-sodden indigenous Australian detective rolls into the remote and desolate mining town of Goldstone to investigate the disappearance of a young woman. He finds himself confronted with endemic corruption from the local mayor, the Aboriginal land council and the mining boss, all of which places the young town-based cop on the horns of a moral dilemma - does he assist with the investigation or collude with the local ‘barons’ ?
The film touches upon the issues of Aboriginal relations, together with other social, cultural and economic issues which are highly topical in present day Australia (as, indeed, did the director’s previous film, ‘Mystery Road’, another standalone story featuring the same detective). At its core, however, ‘Goldstone’ is a powerful, slow-burning and tremendously atmospheric thriller, enhanced by some stunning cinematography of the Australian outback. Recommended - 8/10.
The Birth Of A Nation (USA)
The film is loosely based on the life of Nat Turner, a literate slave and Baptist preacher, who was required to preach submission to his fellow slaves, against a backcloth of simmering unrest and insurrection. Eventually, the atrocities that he witnessed and suffered led him to orchestrate a 48 hour rebellion in Virginia, setting in train a sequence of events that eventually led to the American Civil War 30 years later.
This is a powerful revenge thriller but one which lacks subtlety, both in its characterisation and in the way in which it almost bludgeons its audience with the numerous scenes of violence. Nate Parker wrote, directed and produced the film, as well as playing the leading role; I was left with the feeling that he would have been better advised to have spread the burden - 6/10.
When a semi-professional actor couple have to leave their flat in Tehran because of structural problems, they are grateful to take up the offer of an empty apartment from a fellow cast member. Unfortunately, it transpires that the previous tenant had regularly entertained numerous male clients there and when one of them visits the apartment and finds the wife alone, it results in a traumatic event. The film examines the corrosive effect of this on the couple’s relationship and their conflicting responses to it.
This is a high quality and well scripted drama with powerful performances, but it is not, in my view, at the level of Asghar Farhadi’s previous two excellent films, ‘The Past’ and the Oscar-winning ‘A Separation’ - 7/10.
Neruda (Chile/Argentina/France/Spain)
Pablo Neruda was an influential poet and senator for the Chilean Communist Party, who went into hiding when communism was outlawed in 1948 and subsequently escaped over the Andes into Argentina. The film constructs a story around those facts based upon the fictional pursuit of Neruda by an obsessive young detective (played by Gael Garcia Bernal). Pablo Larraín’s resulting film is clever, surreal, humorous and entertaining, with a particularly strong performance by a guy called Luis Gnecco as the hedonistic, champagne-swilling Neruda - 7/10.
Aquarius (Brazil/France)
Clara, a retired music critic and widow in her 60s, lives in an attractive apartment block overlooking the beach in a Brazilian seaside town. A property company has resolved to redevelop the site and has purchased all the other apartments in the block. However, to their intense frustration, Clara (who has lived there for decades) refuses to budge, notwithstanding a series of increasingly lucrative offers. What follows is a story of spirited individual resistance in the face of mounting harassment and intimidation.
Driven by an outstanding performance from the lead, this is a nuanced and subtle film, but one which also conveys an understated anger with nepotism, cynicism and corruption in Brazilian society. Although it is perhaps a little long at 145 minutes, I thought this was a very good film - 8/10.
A glamorous, successful but unhappy gallery owner (Amy Adams), whose marriage is unravelling, receives, completely out of the blue, a draft manuscript of a novel from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal), the man she left nearly twenty years ago. Her reading of it stirs up all sorts of memories, regret and anguish and the film then switches between these and the story in the novel, a savage revenge thriller involving psychopathic rednecks.
Nocturnal Animals has been very well received critically and has garnered a number of five-star reviews. Personally, I found it pretentious, distasteful and over-stylised; despite the talented leads, a poor and self-indulgent film - 4/10.
Free Fire (UK)
When an arms deal in 1970s Boston between a group of gangsters/arms dealers, a couple of IRA men and the intermediaries to the transaction turns sour, blows are exchanged, shots are fired and all hell breaks lose within the confines of a derelict factory.
This is a stylish and entertaining piece of nonsense from a fine ensemble cast and, in fairness, it does not purport to be anything else. There are some good moments of humour and black comedy, which certainly helps to lighten a epic shoot out, which lasts for well over an hour of the 90 minute running time - 7/10.
A glamorous, successful but unhappy gallery owner (Amy Adams), whose marriage is unravelling, receives, completely out of the blue, a draft manuscript of a novel from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal), the man she left nearly twenty years ago. Her reading of it stirs up all sorts of memories, regret and anguish and the film then switches between these and the story in the novel, a savage revenge thriller involving psychopathic rednecks.
Nocturnal Animals has been very well received critically and has garnered a number of five-star reviews. Personally, I found it pretentious, distasteful and over-stylised; despite the talented leads, a poor and self-indulgent film - 4/10.
Sounds very much like Ford's previous film A Single Man.
The best way I can describe my feelings about Jason Statham movies is that they are a guilty pleasure. Sure they are dumb for the most part but on the other hand they are entertaining. Mechanic:Resurrection breaks that rule. It's still dumb but this time it's really really dull. Statham returns as Arthur Bishop who is forced into carrying out a series of seemingly impossible assassinations to save his girlfriend played by Jessica Alba. The first half hour of this feels like a vanity project. We see Statham and Alba going in and out of the sea , James Bond style , in exotic locations looking like they have just come out of the gym. It's cringeworthy at times. It's obvious that they have both got themselves in good shape for the film but do we have to have it rubbed in our faces? The rest of the film is a series of action sequences with below par special affects mixed with Jessica Alba pulling silly faces pretending , badly , that she is in peril. This is probably the worst thing I have seen Statham do and to be fair I would rather see Harold Bishop than Arthur Bishop if it means me sitting through something like this again.
Comments
The Magnificent Seven
When I first heard they were remaking The Magnificent Seven my initial thoughts were why ? Then I saw the cast and my next feelings were excitement and anticipation to see if they could get close to the 1960 classic , A film that is one of my all time favourites.
The story doesn't stray too far from the original . Instead of Mexican bandits being the enemy . this time it's a mining tycoon and his men. The Seven are a little more multicultural too. We have Denzel Washington playing the Yul Brenner part , Ethan Hawke as the Robert Vaughn character and Chris Pratt playing the Steve McQueen role. There is also a native American Indian , a Mexican and a Korean knife thrower.
Despite the varied characters on show they all work really well together and you definitely care what happens to them.
There is lots of great action as you would expect and none of the violence is gratuitous .
My only gripe is that they didn't use the famous Elmer Bernstein soundtrack until the final credits .I think they missed a trick there.
So the big question is , is it as good as the original ? The answer is no but it's still a solid two hours of pure entertainment.
8 out of 10
The Infiltrator
The Infiltrator sees Brian Cranston back on drugs again ( not literally ) where he plays undercover federal agent Robert Mazur who is a money launderer for Pablo Escobar's Medellín Cartel.
Instead of focusing on the drugs side of things this film concentrates more on the money and the dodgy bankers and that doesn't always make the most interesting subject in films. Having said that , director Brad Furman does a good job of conveying what it's like to go undercover in such a dangerous organisation.
I don't think this is anywhere near as good as the recent Netflix series Narcos which it is inevitably going to be compared to because at times it feels little bit laboured but good performances from Brian Cranston , John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger make it well worth watching.
7 out of 10
I have this theory that every time Denzel gets a script, he has it adjusted so that his character is the smartest man in the movie.
For instance, in The Taking of Pelham, he's a geeky train controller guy in a tank top and glasses. But NOBODY controls trains as well as him.
In Flight he's a drunk pilot. But "Nobody could have landed that plane the way Denzel did".
Or maybe American Gangster - sure he's a super villain, but by the end he's wearing glasses and literally showing the Feds how to do their job.
Inside Man - he's been fooled completely (until the final scene when he figures it all out, cos he couldn't have his character actually be fooled).
Book of Eli? He did all that despite being...well if you've seen it, you know.
And when it comes to The Equalizer, he's so clever and bad ass, his only real enemy is time. Killing people isn't good enough, he has to do it inside his own random time limit to add a bit of peril.
Set in 1930s Korea, a con man arranges for a young pickpocket to work as a handmaiden to a beautiful wealthy heiress. His plan is to seduce and marry the latter and then have her committed to an asylum but it starts to unravel when the two women develop an intense emotional and sexual attraction.
A very loose adaptation of the Sarah Waters’ novel, ‘Fingersmith’, this is an erotic, slow-burning thriller, with more plot twists than you can shake a stick at. It is visually beautiful, with exceptional sets and period detail, although, at 2 hours 24 minutes, I thought the film was too long and I felt that it lost its way a little in the middle. It is directed by the same guy as ‘Oldboy’ and the rest of the ‘Vengeance Trilogy’, although in ‘The Handmaiden’, the trademark violence is far more limited - 7/10
American Honey (USA/UK)
An 18 year old girl, confronted with a very troubled home life, decides on the spur of the moment to join a ragtag band of dirt-poor teenagers, travelling across the US in a minibus selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door. What follows is a vibrant and high energy look at the teenage underbelly of the US, as the group live out their hedonistic lifestyle of drugs, booze, sex and petty (and, occasionally, not so petty) crime. It is gritty and unremitting and the camera work and soundtrack almost make you feel like you’re on the bus as its speeds along the highway from one destination to the next fleapit motel.
The narrative structure is very loose - probably by design, given the subject matter - and, whilst I don’t think the film is as good as ‘Red Road’ and ‘Fish Tank’, two of Andrea Arnold’s earlier ‘social-realist’ films, it is certainly very interesting, with a magnetic performance from the young lead - 7/10
Blood Father
Mel Gibson is looking old. Very old. Time hasn't been kind to Mel during his unofficial black balling from the Hollywood elite but one thing is for sure , he hasn't lost his acting ability.
Blood Father is about a young woman who is being hunted by a Mexican drug cartel after getting mixed up in her boyfriend's criminal activities . She seeks help from her ex con father who will do absolutely anything to protect her.
Although this this is a crime story it's really about the relationship between a father and daughter . There is a really good rapport between Gibson and Erin Moriarty and I enjoyed the moments between them sandwiched inbetween plenty of action. It's nothing ground breaking but i was entertained for ninety minutes.
Despite what he did and said , I hope this the start of a Mel Gibson renaissance but I somehow doubt it.
7 out of 10
Toni Erdmann (Germany)
Winfried’s high-flying daughter is over-worked, highly-strung and career obsessed, working all hours for a management consultancy in Bucharest. When an impromptu visit underscores his concerns, Winfried - or rather his dishevelled prankster alter ego, Toni Erdmann (replete with hairy wig and Jurgen Klopp-style teeth) - decides to do something about it, turning up unannounced at numerous business and social occasions to make mischief in the guise of a ‘life coach’. There are elements of real pathos and some tender father-daughter moments, as well as humorous swipes at the excesses of corporate culture. Fundamentally, however, this is an absurd and uproariously funny comedy, with some great lines and visual humour.
A German comedy may not sound like a particularly promising proposition but this is, in my view, an outstanding film and one which really deserves to be seen when it opens in the UK in February - 9/10.
La La Land (USA)
Set in present day Los Angeles, Damien Chazelle’s follow up to ‘Whiplash’ is really a tribute to the golden age of the Hollywood musical. Emma Stone plays an aspiring actress, working in a coffee shop on a studio lot, while Ryan Gosling is a struggling jazz pianist, who dreams of owning his own club. Both leads are exceptional, as their bittersweet relationship develops over time and they seek to reconcile their artistic ambitions with what they need from each other. The music and choreography are extremely good and the end result is a charming and highly entertaining film - 8/10.
Elle (France)
After a woman is raped in her own home by a masked assailant, she elects not to report it to the police and attempts to get on with her life as before. When she subsequently receives text messages from her attacker, she embarks upon a game of cat and mouse as she seeks to discover his identity.
This film is a most unusual psychological thriller, with lurid elements of black comedy and horror and it is certainly far removed from the classic victim/revenge format. There is a very strong performance from Isabelle Huppert, who is the victim but also a multi-faceted and morally complex individual. The film is certainly provocative and I personally found one or two scenes a little distasteful. It has generally been lauded by critics although, for me, it was good but not outstanding - 7/10.
On the contrary, you've entirely missed the point of a light - handed comment. I know you're in the game but don't take it so seriously.Mechanic: Resurrection
The best way I can describe my feelings about Jason Statham movies is that they are a guilty pleasure. Sure they are dumb for the most part but on the other hand they are entertaining. Mechanic:Resurrection breaks that rule. It's still dumb but this time it's really really dull.
Statham returns as Arthur Bishop who is forced into carrying out a series of seemingly impossible assassinations to save his girlfriend played by Jessica Alba.
The first half hour of this feels like a vanity project. We see Statham and Alba going in and out of the sea , James Bond style , in exotic locations looking like they have just come out of the gym. It's cringeworthy at times. It's obvious that they have both got themselves in good shape for the film but do we have to have it rubbed in our faces?
The rest of the film is a series of action sequences with below par special affects mixed with Jessica Alba pulling silly faces pretending , badly , that she is in peril.
This is probably the worst thing I have seen Statham do and to be fair I would rather see Harold Bishop than Arthur Bishop if it means me sitting through something like this again.
4 out of 10
Having previously read the book, it stuck very closely to the story apart from relocating from the UK to the US, which made no material difference.
Well acted, with a plot that reveals itself steadily through the film, culminating in a climactic final scene.
7.5/10
PS - yet another cinematic experience wrecked by a rustlypopcornwanker who took over an hour to crunch his way through a giant bucket of that sticky filth. What is the matter with these people?
Next time that happens, I'm taking my shoes off. That'll serve them right.
A troubled and drink-sodden indigenous Australian detective rolls into the remote and desolate mining town of Goldstone to investigate the disappearance of a young woman. He finds himself confronted with endemic corruption from the local mayor, the Aboriginal land council and the mining boss, all of which places the young town-based cop on the horns of a moral dilemma - does he assist with the investigation or collude with the local ‘barons’ ?
The film touches upon the issues of Aboriginal relations, together with other social, cultural and economic issues which are highly topical in present day Australia (as, indeed, did the director’s previous film, ‘Mystery Road’, another standalone story featuring the same detective). At its core, however, ‘Goldstone’ is a powerful, slow-burning and tremendously atmospheric thriller, enhanced by some stunning cinematography of the Australian outback. Recommended - 8/10.
The Birth Of A Nation (USA)
The film is loosely based on the life of Nat Turner, a literate slave and Baptist preacher, who was required to preach submission to his fellow slaves, against a backcloth of simmering unrest and insurrection. Eventually, the atrocities that he witnessed and suffered led him to orchestrate a 48 hour rebellion in Virginia, setting in train a sequence of events that eventually led to the American Civil War 30 years later.
This is a powerful revenge thriller but one which lacks subtlety, both in its characterisation and in the way in which it almost bludgeons its audience with the numerous scenes of violence. Nate Parker wrote, directed and produced the film, as well as playing the leading role; I was left with the feeling that he would have been better advised to have spread the burden - 6/10.
When a semi-professional actor couple have to leave their flat in Tehran because of structural problems, they are grateful to take up the offer of an empty apartment from a fellow cast member. Unfortunately, it transpires that the previous tenant had regularly entertained numerous male clients there and when one of them visits the apartment and finds the wife alone, it results in a traumatic event. The film examines the corrosive effect of this on the couple’s relationship and their conflicting responses to it.
This is a high quality and well scripted drama with powerful performances, but it is not, in my view, at the level of Asghar Farhadi’s previous two excellent films, ‘The Past’ and the Oscar-winning ‘A Separation’ - 7/10.
Neruda (Chile/Argentina/France/Spain)
Pablo Neruda was an influential poet and senator for the Chilean Communist Party, who went into hiding when communism was outlawed in 1948 and subsequently escaped over the Andes into Argentina. The film constructs a story around those facts based upon the fictional pursuit of Neruda by an obsessive young detective (played by Gael Garcia Bernal). Pablo Larraín’s resulting film is clever, surreal, humorous and entertaining, with a particularly strong performance by a guy called Luis Gnecco as the hedonistic, champagne-swilling Neruda - 7/10.
Aquarius (Brazil/France)
Clara, a retired music critic and widow in her 60s, lives in an attractive apartment block overlooking the beach in a Brazilian seaside town. A property company has resolved to redevelop the site and has purchased all the other apartments in the block. However, to their intense frustration, Clara (who has lived there for decades) refuses to budge, notwithstanding a series of increasingly lucrative offers. What follows is a story of spirited individual resistance in the face of mounting harassment and intimidation.
Driven by an outstanding performance from the lead, this is a nuanced and subtle film, but one which also conveys an understated anger with nepotism, cynicism and corruption in Brazilian society. Although it is perhaps a little long at 145 minutes, I thought this was a very good film - 8/10.
A glamorous, successful but unhappy gallery owner (Amy Adams), whose marriage is unravelling, receives, completely out of the blue, a draft manuscript of a novel from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal), the man she left nearly twenty years ago. Her reading of it stirs up all sorts of memories, regret and anguish and the film then switches between these and the story in the novel, a savage revenge thriller involving psychopathic rednecks.
Nocturnal Animals has been very well received critically and has garnered a number of five-star reviews. Personally, I found it pretentious, distasteful and over-stylised; despite the talented leads, a poor and self-indulgent film - 4/10.
Free Fire (UK)
When an arms deal in 1970s Boston between a group of gangsters/arms dealers, a couple of IRA men and the intermediaries to the transaction turns sour, blows are exchanged, shots are fired and all hell breaks lose within the confines of a derelict factory.
This is a stylish and entertaining piece of nonsense from a fine ensemble cast and, in fairness, it does not purport to be anything else. There are some good moments of humour and black comedy, which certainly helps to lighten a epic shoot out, which lasts for well over an hour of the 90 minute running time - 7/10.
but this is really awful, it jumps around way too much and the lack of explanation in the plot is awful.
Add in the most pointless cameo by Tommy lee Jones ever, I couldn't wait for it to end.