"St. Vincent"

Vincent is far from being a Saint, in fact anything but.
A little down on his luck, he drinks, gambles, is usually in a permanant sombre mood. His disposition does not improve when new neighbours arrive, a Mom and her young boy Oliver.

He drinks to forget his problems, most of which are a combination of his mounting gambling debts, and that his beloved Wife is in a care home that he cannot maintain the payments on.
In order to try and get some more stake money for the dog track, he finds himself the most unlikely babysitter. So Oliver finds himself being taken to all of Vincent's regular haunts, the Bar, the Race track, and frequenting with his Stripper friend too.
Oliver finds himself getting bullied at school, so as an unlikely father figure Vincent steps in with guidance on how Oliver can defend himself. But alas time is running out for Vincent what with his money worries, and a loan shark breathing down his back. Also unbeknownst to Oliver, his Father has filed for full custody, something which terrifies his loving mother.

Oliver and Vincent do strike up the most unlikely of friendships, but it does work, for two reasons, the great writing from Theodore Melfi, who also directed the movie, and from the great performances courtesy fo Bill Murray and newcomer Jaeden Lieberher.
It also especially nice to see a dramatic turn from comedy queen Melissa McCarthy, who proves she is not just for laughs, and I for one would like to see her doing more drama.

If Vincent is not bitter enough, things are not helped when he suffers a stroke. And whilst recovering from this condition, he receives the most devastating news. And it is in these scenes that Bill Murray reminds us all what a great actor he is.

All in all it is a highly enjoyable film, whilst not in the same league as my all time favourite Murray film - "Lost In Translation" - it is still a great movie and a delight to watch, and this despite a slightly over sentimental ending..................7 out of 10

"Black Sea"

After 11 years of service to his Company, Submarine Pilot Captain Robinson finds his services dispensed with. Needless to say he is more than a little annoyed by this news. He seeks solace with his former colleagues in the the local Pub.
Whilst conversing, one of the sea-goers mentions of a potential gold mine sitting at the bottom of the ocean. It consists of a sunken U-Boat full of Nazi gold, just ready for the taking.

Having secured finance for the venture from a shady businessman, for upto 40% of what they get, and having assembled a crew of both British and Russian crewman, their well travelled Submarine hits the water. 

Everything seems to be going swimmingly, forgive the pun. They are on course for their golden rondezvous. But a little tension has started to build, mainly to do with the fact that all the men on board get a even split of what they get. Some of the British object to the Russians getting the same, and soon enough tempers start to flare. Eventually the inevitable happens, knifes are involved are the number of men on board starts to lessen. Now distrust starts to really set in, as some of the crew have realised that their share becomes bigger with less men on board, howver the flip side is that it takes a certain number of men, minimum to operate the Sub.

But soon a fight for a share of the gold, becomes a fight to survive, and the very U-Boat that they have come to plunder, is set to be their very source of salvation. Their Sub is without power and need the Drive shaft from the U-Boat to make their getaway.
Unfortunately for the Crew, things start to reach breaking point, with a revelation from one of the Crew regarding the distribution of the gold. Soon the urge to survive becomes the primary goal, no matter what the cost.

The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide. These are great Submarine movies, and though "Black Sea" does not hit the same high standards, it is still worth the watch. The great thing about these movies is the way the tension is built, especially as the men are all confined in such a small space, with no way of getting out.
Robinson is estranged from his wife and child, and clearly bonds with the youngest member of the Crew, Tobin. Soon to be a Father himself, maybe Tobin reminds Robinson of the bonds he had with his own child, and goes someway to explaining why he is so keen to protect Tobin.
To create great tension can need a skillful Director, and given his previous track record, the film is in good hands with Kevin Macdonald.

A decent effort, well worth the watch............7 out of 10

"The Drop"

Whenever we lose an actor far too soon, especially someone with the screen presence of James Gandolfini, it is hoped that their final film will be one to remember. And I think that it is fair to say, that "The Drop" is a film that he could be proud of.

A New York Bar, 'Cousin Marv', formerly owned by Marv (Gandolfini), but muscled out by Chechen mobsters, who leave him as manager, but take all the profits. By Marv's side is Bob (Hardy). The Bar is part of a network, where money is constantly hands, for any variety of deeds. Best not to ask too many questions. But one Bar will be assigned 'the drop', amd this is where all the money will be left behind the  car to be collected and handed over to the powers that be. And sometimes it can be a tidy sum.
One night two small hoods decide to rob the takings from the Bar, despite knowing who owns the bar, and risking deadly retribution, they go ahead, and profit by a few thousand dollars. But soon the Police are investigating, and also the Chechens are keen to reclaim their money.

In a seemingly seperate strand, when walking from the Bar one night, Bob hears a cry, and finds an abandoned dog in someones trash can. Nadia is the owner of the trashcan, and both she and Bob take a shine to the dog, and possibly to each other.
The downside is that the owner of the Dog turns up, a rather nasty piece of work - Eric, who is wanted in connection with a recent murder, and it seems he has a past connection with Nadia, and is keen to get both his Dog and Nadia back, and extort both money and information from Bob.
As you can see all the strands start to merge together, as not only is Eric keen to line his pockets with Chechen money but someone else is looking to do the same.

It is very much a dialogue and characeter driven piece, there are no larger than life characters, no big over the top gestures, just everyday people, surviving, and it makes for great viewing. There is the odd surprise along the way.
The three main leads are all excellent, as one would expect. Hardy is especially good as the quiet and soft spoken Bob.

A great film, which reminds us all what a great actor James Gandolfini was, and why he will continue to be missed........8 out of 10

"The Imitation Game"

Like so many, I have been fascinated by the story of Alan Turing. It started with the drama "Breaking The Code" which starred the amazing Derek Jacobi as the code breaker, a role he had previously played on stage.

The story of Turing's life is as complex as the man himself, with many layers. The film looks at three keys areas. His work at Bletchley Park, his arrest for indecency and his schoolboy days. All of which are based on the biography from Andrew Hodge. For me the section that provides the greatest insight into Turing are the school days, where we find he is bullied and attacked for being different, and a loner. He strikes up a friendship with Christopher Morcom, and it is when that friendship starts to blossom, that Turing finds his world shattered, and his loss is tremendous.

We see Turing apply for work at Bletchley, treating his superiors at times as far lesser men, even high ranking officials. We see the team struggle in their battle to crack the Enigma machine codes, the desperation as War raged on, and more lives were lost.  The majority of the team firmly believe that Turing is wasting valuable time and resources with his work on the machine to crack the machine. But in his mind, it is a simple matter of logic, that a mind cannot beat a machine, only another machine can. It is a remarkable journey we see them on. The elation we see them feel as they realise that they have done the near impossible is soon shattered with the stark truth that they cannot reveal what they know. Despite parts of the British military being attacked they cannot warn them else it would give the game away, the machine coding would be changed and all their years of hard work would be for nothing.
His relationship with fellow worker Joan Clarke is examined, as we see his friendship with her take a more marital status, as he asks her to marry him, trying to cover up his homosexuality.
But it is his treatment as a result of his arrest that provokes the most anger. One really has to ask that was being gay back in the 1950's so abhorent that this could not have been swept under the carpet? Given what Turing and the others did in Bletchley, surely given the countless lives he saved by ending the war early must have counted for something. But ultimately not. Being gay was the lowest of the low, to love or feel affection for another man was so bad. The British nation treated Turing in a truly terrible way, to give him the choice of medical castration or prison, it was not much of a choice.

The poster for the film is very truthful in that Benedict Cumberbatch really is outstanding as Turing. A complex man brought to life with a complex but engaging performance from one of our top actors. If nothing else, it would be nice to think that a new young audience will see the film just because he is in it, and if it gets across to them how great a man Turing was, then  it will be a job well done.
Keira Knightley is good as Joan Clarke, as is Charles Dance as Turing's military top ranking officer at Bletchley. All the cast are really good, but I have to give a special mention to Alex Lawther who plays Alan during his schoolboy days. It is a wonderful performance, with so many emotions to go through, but the most heartbreaking scenes are the ones where Turing finds out what has happened to Christopher Morcom. Very moving indeed. And also the same can be said of Cumberbatch as we near the films conclusion, and we see how close he is to his beloved machine, and the reason why, though this may be a touch of Hollywood rewriting.

As with all great films like this it just makes you want to find out more about the subject matter. But the downside is that if one were to read Hodges biography, I am sure that there would be a number of inaccuracies, and this could lead to one reassessing the film, which given how much one loved it, would not be best for the movie. I know that the film has been attacked by some, for its referencing that Turing was being investigated for possibly being a Russian Spy, and this was never the case. So it is a double edged sword, whether finding out more could depreciate ones enjoyment of the film.

But one thing is clear, as a stand alone film, it quite remarkable. An utterly compelling story of a man, who brought his life to an early end, despite all that he did for so many, and someone we owe so much to.

No imitation here, just a first class movie..........9 out of 10

"Mr. Turner"

A two and a half hour biopic of a British Painter. I have to say that it cannot have been the easiest pitch to a studio in order to get a film financed. But if anyone was capable then it would be Mike Leigh.
Where with some biopics they may take just a section of someones life to provide the cinematic material, given the broad canvas that Leigh has given himself, we really do get to know J.M.W. Turner, and the world that he inhabited.
We see him at home, enjoying family time with his Father, and yet estranged from his past love and the children he fathered. We see him trek across the country, viewing landscapes, looking at nature, seeing first hand the inspiration for his work. He has a housekeeper who clearly is in love with him, but he just uses her for his own sexual gratification.
He is a fascinating man, not common, but rough around the edges. Sometimes a conversation with consist of the odd grunt here, a hurrumph there.
There are some wonderful scenes where the artists of the day have their works displayed and are given licence to amend them. Here he takes great pleasure in winding up fellow artist John Constable. It is a scene full of humour, but also great skill as we see how Turner takes what seems to be an attack on his competition and turn it into a mastery of art.

We see Turner experience loss, both of his Father and also one of his Daughters. And in these scenes especially Spall does truly amaze. But his performance throughout the film as a whole is dazzling, and that is bearing in mind he is on screen for the majority of those 150 minutes.

As the years progress, instead of continuing his fumblings with his housekeeper Hannah, he begins a relationship with Mrs. Booth who runs a Boarding House in Margate where he has visited many times, on his inspirational treks. Once her husband has passed, their relationship moves to a more intimate one. He clearly had an eye for the ladies, and it is the ladies who are at the heart of the film. His love for Mrs. Booth comes at the expense of his relationship with his house-keeper Hannah. The latter sets out to find out why he is spending less time at his London home, and upon discovering the truth is clearly devastated.
And it is Dorothy Atkinson, who plays Hannah, who gives the best work of her career. Watching this skin diseased woman shovel about the house, doing her masters bidding, she conveys the character with both humour and drama, Hannah is clearly longing for so much more from Turner, but is never going to get it.

Seeing some of the landscapes and scenery is like sitting back and looking at a beautiful work of art, and the film is wonderfully photographed, it does at times take ones breath away. Director Mike Leigh has one again created another wonderful character driven film, with performances from an outstanding cast, and stunning visuals.

Painting by numbers......more like watching a great Master at work...........8 out of 10

"Nightcrawler"

Lou Bloom scrapes by on his day to day existence. Or more so his night existence, as this is when he goes round the city, stealing drain covers from here and chain link fencing from there, this he sells on to make a fast buck.
When driving through the City one night, he comes across a road accident being attended to by Paramedics, as whilst there a video crew arrive and atart shooting the aftermath. He soon discovers that this could be a quick and easy way to make more money.
So by his ill gotten gains he manages to obtain a video camera, and sets about finding that piece of footage that he will be able to sell to the news network teams.
He learns his craft quickly, and also that it is a cutthroat business. There is stiff competition from small outfits all trying to get to accidents or crime scenes ahead of their rivals, so they can be first to offer the footage for sale. Initially he is laughed at, and derided for his amateurish effort, but soon he is the one laughing. His inital sale goes well, and from there he is soon on the Streets, getting more footage, earning more money, and thus able to buy better equipment, and Police scanners etc.
Soon the competition is coming to him, making him an offer to merge their units, but he declines, instead hiring an extra pair of hands to aid with his growing business.
He forms a relationship with Nina, who is a more mature News director, she sees potential in Lou, and pushes him to get more juicy footage that she can use. As desperate as Lou is to make a name for himself, she is equally desperate as her contract is almost up for renewal, and without improving ratings, it is doubtful she would be returning. The film is ultimately about desperate people, and the lengths they go to. Can we go too far to get what we want?  For some the answer is clearly no. For some it is kill or be killed, there is no place for morals. And clearly Lou and Nina are similar to each other. He is depserate to please her, make a name for himself, as well as earning money, and she wants to get the better ratings and please her Boss, so she gets her contract renewed. Both pushing the boundaries on ethics, with Lou entering crime scenes before the Police arrive to film a massacred family killed in their home, and Nina justifying to her creative team why they can show the footage.

Lou sees Nina as his ticket to a far better life. She sees him as a way to keep the life she has. They constantly bicker over the price of footage.She tries to buy it for as low a price as possible. He knows he is being used, and Lou uses that method when hiring his extra hand Rick, who he hires on an apprenticeship, thus meaning he does not have to pay him a wage, whilst Lou starts driving round in a very expensive looking sports car. Rick tolerates this for only so long, and eventually Lou does pay him, bare minimum wage. But soon through circumstance, Rick gets the upper hand on Lou, and tries to use this to his advantage. Will Lou tolerate this position he is in?

It is a fascinating and absorbing look at the media, ethics, the intrusion of those being filmed, and I guess also gets us to question our morals, as we are the ones watching. The lines in the sand really do start to get blurred, as everyone tries to get more for themselves.

Riz Ahmed is great as lackie Rick. And it is wonderful to see a great actress like Rene Russo shine as Nina, a determined and focused woman, driven to any lengths to maintain her career. It is hard to believe that is Dan Gilroy's first time in the Directors chair. He has an assured hand that really brings this fascinating story to life.
And Jake Gyllenhaal really gives a career best performance as Lou, from his appearance, looking gaunt, seedy & desperate to  his delivery of great dialogue. In a year when there will be a dozen names vying for an Oscar nomination in lead actor category, it would be nice to see Gyllenhaal's name up there, but I suspect because of the high volume of  great performances this year, I think he may lose out, and that would be a great shame.

As a good as film as you will see this year....................9 out of 10

"Horns" "Fury" "Interstellar"

Due to time, I am offering a brief outline of my thoughts on three recent cinematic visits.

"Horns" - Ig, short for Ignatious is in deeply in love with girlfriend Merrin, but soon finds himself the most loathed man in town when she is found brutally murdered. Naturally he is main suspect #1. Feeling no love from his fellow town folk he gets drunk and pisses on a great height upon the religion that Merrin enjoyed. Someone high above takes exception to this, and the next morning Ig finds himself starting to sport some rather fetching horns. Along with the horns, which no-one finds unusual, comes the ability for people to tell him quite openly their deepest desires and secrets. A lot of these desires are soon being acted upon. He hopes to use this new honesty that people throw at him to find the real culprit behind Merrin's death.

It is a bizarre concept, and a bizarre film. At times interesting, at times amusing, especially involving two Cops who fancy the pants off each other, and at times just odd. For the most part it fails to entertain, it is quirky and different but just does not deliver.

Merely ok, and only scores what it does for sheer audacity and the humour.....5 out of 10

"Fury"  - A bleak and honest look at the futility of War, and all that it brings with it. We join a group of Soldiers who serve together as a unit in their Tank home, they call Fury. When one of their number dies, the replacement is less than promising. A young Soldier who barely knows one end of the rifle from the other. And it mostly through his eyes that we see the story unfold.
As the War is drawing to a close, and defeat is inevitable for Hitler, the German leader seems determined to throw every last Man, woman and child into the conflict, they will not go down without a fight.
Even despite the day to day horrors of War that they see, Don (Pitt) and Norman (Lerman) still try to enjoy some civility, and this is beautifully illustrated when they dine with two German ladies. But the peace and calm is soon shattered as normality comes crashing around them when fellow soldiers barge in and become unwelcome dinner guests.
When their tank team and two other groups are assigned a mission, they head off but come under heavy fire, and soon Fury is the only left to carry out its duty. After going over a mine the Fury is out of commission and a large contingent of German and SS Soldiers is heading in their direction. Woefully outmanned and outgunned, it is the ultimate choice. Stay and fight, and almost certainly die, or make their escape and hopefully live to fight another day.
Strong performances in a great movie, which is wonderfully photographed. It pulls no punches, but if I do have a very minor quibble, it is that the ending is just a little too Hollywood.

That aside a truly great movie.........8 out of 10

"Interstellar" - This was always going to be a must see movie, especially on the IMAX. The latest from visionary Director Christopher Nolan.
The Earth is in trouble and it would seem that our planets days are numbered.A huge dust cloud regularly causes havoc,this has led to starvation on a huge scale, and many more problems besides. But Scientists believe that they may have a solution. A wormhole has been discovered and they have been secretly sending probes and manned ships into to find if their is an alternate World that we can inhabit. The solution comes in two possible scenarios. The pereferred is that we find a new alternate planet, and then send the Population of Earth to it to live happily ever after. The other option is if this is not possible then with this new voyage will go the DNA of so many of Earths inhabitants for possible cloning to populate a new Earth.
So in act one we discover the plight of the Earth.
In act two we get the possible solution, and see it being implimented, mainly thanks to the help of Professor Brand (Caine)and his astronaut daughter (Hathaway). Given the amount of time needed to reach the wormhole, which is near Saturn, they will sleep for the duration of the journey, thus time will passby differently for them as for those on Earth. They do find new worlds, and there are surprises in store, not least of which is a revelation from Earth.

Will the Earth recover from the ravages we have inflicted upon our Planet?  Will the crew make it to and find a new home for us?

As one would expect, the visuals are literally out of this worlsd, and have to rank as some of the most stunning sights I have ever seen on film. And it is this fact that stops the film from being a total letdown. This is an event film. And it was a disappointment. Not a complete loss, as I say the visuals are worth the price of admission. But the film is all over the place, trying to decide what it wants to be, but clearly is an homage to "2001: A Space Odyssey". Kubrick would be very happy. I am reliably informed that the science is very quesitonable, and the end.....well it defies belief.

The cast are all good, but none really shine, and for me Michael Caine is woefully underused, but then again I am a huge fan.
A lot has been said about the overuse of sound, and it drowning out dialogue, and this is the case in quite a few scenes.

It is worth seeing on the big screen, and will not be for everyone. It is good, but a sci-fi classic it will not be.......7 out of 10

"'71"

The troubles in Ireland have been the basis for many great movies, and here is the latest.

During 1971, Gary Hook finds himself and the rest of his Army buddies being sent to Northern Ireland, to assist with Security for the Irish authorities. As well as having superior officers to deal with, the Lieutenant in charge of the unit also has to answer to the MRF (Military Reaction Force), which was a covert team working undercover in Belfast.

On the streets of Belfast they find themselves, as they have the unenviable job of keeping the peace whilst the Authorities search houses for weapons and suspects. During one such day, the Police get a little heavy handed and a mob promptly arrives. Tempers really start to rise, and things quickly get out of control, and it soon is clear that the Army is woefully outnumbered. As soon as the soldiers come under attack, and are getting injured, the pile into the truck to make their escape.
However, Gary and a fellow soldier are still on the Streets, and in a shocking attack, one of them is killed. So Gary finds himself badly injured, and on the streets alone, and in great fear for his life.

Right from the first frame, the film has a documentary feel to it, which really enhances the tension. The graininess of the print, the colours, the detail of recreating early 1970's Belfast is done with great precision, one might almost think it was shot at the time.

There are outstanding performances from all concerned, but special mention to Barry Keoghan, who with very litttle dialogue manages to instill a great sense of anger, and also to Corey McKinley who plays a cocky young Irish lad who befriends Gary, and is his salvation.
But ultimately it is Jack O'Connell who shines in another wonderfully brilliant example of why he is one of the finest young actors of his generation. Anyone who has seen "Eden Lake", "Starred Up" or "Harry Brown" will know exactly what I am referring to.

I did feel like I aged about 5 years watching this film, as the tension is remarkable. From the moment Gary is left behind, to the gripping finale, one really does fear for his life, and given that he has warring Irish to desl with, but also there is an equal threat from his own side, after he witnesses some of the MRF clearly working outside of their remit.
The wonderfully unplayed score adds to the gripping tension that slowly builds, as we see people trying to find Gary Hook, but whether they will help him or kill him I will leave you to wonder.
Directing this biopic docu movie is Yann Demange, and what a phenomenal job he does. And he has assembled a first class team to work on this film.

Powerful, tense, and a top notch example of truly fine British film making........9 out of 10

"A Walk Among The Tombstones"

Scott Frank is the writer and Director of this latest thriller, which sees Liam Neeson as an alcoholic Police Officer, who battles his demons, after a shoot out on thee streets gets an innocent bystander killed. Jump forward several years, and he is now on the wagon, attending meetings, and doing private Detective work. He is approached by Drug Trafficker Kenny Kristo, whose wife has been abducted, and is being help for ransom.

I could go on with the plot, but that is the gist of it. The characters are all either dispicable or have little to redeem them/ The plot is dull, cliched, and been visited upon many times before, and far more successfully.
For the most part I am enjoying the reinvention of Mr. Neeson, but sadly this is one film that just numbs the brain.

From Downton Abbey to this......such a shame Mr. Stevens.............3 out of 10

"Gone Girl"

Ever since I first saw the trailer, this film has really had my interest. From the subject matter, to the cast, to the first class Director, namely the man who brought us "Se7en", "Zodiac" and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", Mr. David Fincher.

It is the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, and Nick Dunne returns home from a brief trip out to find his wife not home, and there are signs of a struggle in the lounge. After an initial search finds no sign of his good lady, Amy, the Police are called in. The immediate area is searched but no clues are uncovered. A television appeal is made, involving Nick, and Amy's parents, desperate to all be reunited.

Intermingled with this tale is also the story of their marriage leading upto the events of when Amy goes missing, We see their initial meeting, and subsequent occurances, from job losses to moving house, and dealing with family loss.
We also find out that Amy has been the victim of harrassment on more than once occasion. Could this have something to do with her disappearance?  Eventually the finger of suspicion starts to the point to home, and that husband Nick has possibly murdered his beautiful wife.
More suspicion falls on Nick as further evidence incriminates him in the crime, even though there is no body, so technically the Police cannot charge him with murder, unless there is a confession.
His Sister stays ever loyal, constantly at his side. The media however is out for blood, especially one female Newscaster who sees it as her personal mission to destroy Nick and all he stands for. He is another example of a Man belittling, undermining, and ultimately killing his good lady.

The question as to whether Nick did or not kill his wife is answered about half way through the film, and this did initially surprise me. But there is a good reason why. To go into more detail would be to give away what happens, and of course I would never do that.
On the plus side there is as ever great Direction from Fincher, who slowly shows us the life of this couple, like peeling an onion, and revealing the many layers underneath. The film is beautifully shot, as one would expect, and comes with a nice subtle score from Fincher regulars Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Performances across the board are excellent, Affleck is on good form as husband murder suspect Nick, but it is ultimately Rosamund Pike who really shines, giving a career best performance as Amy. There is a lot more to her character we discover as the film progresses, and it really gives her the opportunity to flex her acting muscle. Nice support too from Tyler Perry and especially Neil Patrick Harris as a former lover of Amy.

The way the media are portrayed in this film is fascinating, and very much mirrors real life. They clearly want their pound of flesh when they have a possible murderer, happy to tarnish his name, make accusastions against him and his family. And when they want to have him as a prime time guest interviewee, they are all over him like a rash. Anything to increase ratings, no matter what the cost, no matter whether guilty or not.

The truth being revealed makes for compelling viewing, however, I still feel that the film is slightly too long, and could have had about 20 minutes shaved off. Also, I am still undecided how I feel about the ending, and whether with what happened, I feel somehow cheated or that it should not have ended the way it did.

It is still a great film, but not the masterpiece I was expecting. It fell just a tad short, say of the superior "Prisoners" from last year.

Really good, but fell short at the end.............8 out of 10

Before I Go To Sleep

I am sure that in numerous of the reviews for this film, that a certain British Director is named, as the film will undoubtedly be compared to that of Alfred Hitchcock. The legendary Director has no fear that his toes are being stood upon, for this latest thriller is no threat at all to his reputation.

Christine wakes up each day, knowing that any memories of her previous days have been wiped from her mind, as she is an amnesiac. Have suffered an ordeal, and severe trauma to the head, this is the end result. Each morning she awakes to find her husband in bed next to her, not knowing who he is. She gets phone calls from her Doctor, telling her that they meet regularly, and to retrieve a camera, on which she has been recording thoughts and memories for herself, to know who she really is.

But who was behind the trauma that she sustained?  Does her physician Doctor Nash have some hidden secrets?  And who is the mysterious Claire?

By the time the answers to these questions start to appear, severe boredom has crept in, and one is not at all fussed about knowing the answers, and it is a shame as there is a nice little twist within the movie.
Clearly the two leads, Firth and Kidman, enjoy working together as this is at least the second time they have done so, previously playing together in "The Railway Man". And adding Mark Strong and Anne Marie Duff should make for a great thriller, but that is not the case, and the trailer promised so much, but alas so little was delivered.

Instead of "Before I Go To Sleep", the film actually put me to sleep.......4 out of 10

"What We Did On Our Holiday"

A warring couple on the brink of divorce, making the lengthy trip to Scotland for a 75th birthday party. The kids so used to seeing their parants spar verbally with each other. But appearances must be maintained, especially for the Birthday boy, Gordie (Billy Connolly) especially as he is dying of Cancer.
Once they eventually arrive in the Highlands, Brotherly rivalry begins between Doug (Tennant) and Gavin (Miller). This is offset by much humour from the honesty of the children. Grand-Dad tries to show the elder grandchild not to to take life so seriously.
The stress of organising the big event is taking its toll, on the whole family. So a much needed trip to the beach is called for by the children, and Grand-Dad. A trip they will never forget.

The script is wonderfully written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, who also Directed the film, so given their track record, you know that the movie is in save hands.
Performances are all very, but especially from Connelly and Tennant. The three juvenile are all played wonderfully too, especially the youngest. A delight to watch.

A nice little movie, entertaining and a good way to spend a couple of hours.......7 out of 10

"A Most Wanted Man"

I will be honest and say that I am not going to review this at length, because I have more important things to do with my time.

I expected greatness, especially as it stars Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and comes from the makers of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy". Such a pairing had to be viewing, and I really wish that I had not bothered.
A muslim is being observed, and another Muslim is coming into money, and the German authorities wonder what the money will be used for. And do we actually give a flying ****? The film is dull and boring, I fell asleep several times due to a lack of interest, and could not wait for it to finish.

That's all I have to say really.

Painful to sit through...........2 out of 10

"The Riot Club"

I had debated about seeing this for some time, as having seen the trailer, and the main characters depicted, I had a feeling I knew how I would react to them, and boy was I right.

At Oxford there is a special for the Elite, started many years ago by a wealthy rich Lord, who regarded as the best at what he did. This Club carries on in his name, and it is quite the honour to be asked to join. The initiation is somewhat distasteful but can you expect?
The Club have regular meets, and dine together too, though the problem they have is that have been barred from most of the local establishments, and woth very good reason.
They manage to arrange a dinner at a country pub, under the banner of it being a Young Entrepeneurs meeting,the Pub owner delighted at welcoming this new business.

The meal, though not up to their usual fine dining goes well. They even manage to sneak in a 'Lady of the Night', to service each of them, much to the disgust and annoyance of the Landlord. But she does not fully realise the extent of the service she is providing and promptly scarpers. But then things start to go downhill. There is an altercation, and soon after consuming too much alcohol, they start to wreck the room they are in. In fact more like destroy the room. Upon discovering what they have done, the Owner is appalled. And these hooray henries just think they can buy him off. But he does at least have some intregrity, and goes to call the Police. Panic sets in and he is badly assaulted, and thus hospitalized. And this is where my anger started.
Yes I have seen films where you either feel no connection or have no sympathy for the characters, and thus can find nothing to relate and get no enjoyment from said movie. With this group of tossers, all I felt was anger. Here was a hard working man, running his business, and they intimidate, insult and ultimately attack him. Just because they think they are better than him, and that they can. Money does not give you the right to do this.

Thankfully the Authorities are involved, and they do spend the night behind bars, but one is certain that soon enough their fancy Lawyer will march in and exonerate them of all charges. I will not reveal what the outcome is, but soon enough, as the fingers are pointing in their direction, they soon start to turn on one another. Did I feel sorry for them?  Absolutely not.

 The main reason for watching the film was that it featured both Ben Schnetzer and Freddie Fox, both of whom has appeared in "Pride", and did such wonderful work. How could two films differ so  dramatically?
Very little to commend, and just left a bitter taste and one feeling rather angry.

Such a waste of talent.....3 out of 10

"Pride"

Two groups, alone, despised by many, attacked by Politicians and the Police, both fighting to be who they are. Surely this would lead to an easy alliance.

Thw two groups in question are The Miners, and a small Gay and Lesbian Group in London. Mark is the main spoksperson for the Gay group, and decides that, like them, the Miners are constantly being attacked, and that their group should help to raise funds for the struggling miners. This they do, but the Miners are not so ready to accept the money, especially given as to who has raised it. Despite families going hungry and going without, they are willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces just because they disagree with the gay lifestyle.
They manage to make direct contact with a Group of Miners in the Welsh area of Dulais. They meet one of the main members in London. He is aware of their acronym, LGSM, Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners, and assumes that the opening letter is for London. So he is quite surprised to find out that it is a gay group. But it does not put him off. In fact he attends his first Gay bar and gives a big thank you to those who have contributed. Some however feel it is a step too far having been attacked by men, some of whom are Miners.
Yes mining is a tough job, and hard working men do the job, and it is not a world where Gays and Lesbians are usually tolerated. But the coming together of these two groups started something quite remarkable. It would not be an easy journey, but it was one well worth taking.

Being the Son of a miner, having grown up as a young gay man, there is a lot for me to relate to with this movie. But whether gay or straight, or from a a mining family or not, the simple fact is clear that this is a truly first class screenplay, wonderfully written by Stephen Beresford, it is hard to believe that this is his first writing credit, as there are several story strands within the film, all equally compelling, from Mark urged to live his life by his former love, to Joe, a young man coming to terms with his sexuality and keeping it secret from his family, and also the wonderful people within the Onllwyn community and their struggles too.
The film is assuredly directed by Matthew Warchus, who like Mr. Beresford, has only a couple of directing credits, but the feel of the film is one of complete control, and a very skilled man hemling the movie.
There are so many wonderful characters in this film, some real life, like Mark Ashton and Sian James, both brilliantly played by Ben Schnetzer and Jessica Gunning respectively.
But there is no way to single out any member of the cast, as they are all simply amazing. Every actor is at the top of their game, from the likes of Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Paddy Considine, to the newcomers like George MacKay, Faye Marsay & Joshua Hill, to name just a few.
And a special mention to Dominic West, who is worth the price of admission alone, as boy that man can dance.
And I have to say that in 25 years of being a regular Cinema attendee, I experienced one of my loudest laugh out moments during this film.

The film illustrates the battles that both communities went through in those tough years, and how they kept fighting against insurmountable odds. But the alliance forged would become a starting block for something very special, and that very story is the heart of this outstanding film.

I know sometimes it is easy to say that Critics do not know what they are talking about, but rest assured with this film they clearly do. Read the poster, believe the hype, this is film making as good as it gets.

A film with a compelling & true story, full of great characters, hope and most of all PRIDE......

What other score could I give but 10 out of 10

"The Hundred-Foot Journey"

A clash of cultures, a clash of personalities, a clash of menus....

The Kadam family are making their way through Europe. Having to flee their Indian homeland, after an uprising, and losing their dearest family member, they head for England, and spend time their starting a new life. But the wonderful British weather is not agreeing with them, so they head for the warmer temperatures of France, where things are really about to heat up.

Papa Kadam finds a property which he feels will be ideal for  him to realise his dream of introducing Indian cuisine to the French. But despite the protestations of his children, who believe that he is crazy for undertaking such a scheme, he goes ahead, and in the process ruffles the feathers of Madame Mallory, the lady who owns a rather chic Michelin star restaurant, right on the other side of the road, a mere 100 feet away. Mallory is someone who has never had to deal with competition, and feels that this poor effort will not last through their opening night, and she will do all she can to ensure that is the case.

Upon discovering that Mallory will resort to any level to destroy his beloved restaurant, Kadam decides it is War, and so let battle commence. But he has a remarkable weapon, his Son Hassan, who from a young age was taught the beauty of food, the tastes and textures by the best possible teacher, his Mother. He has used those skills to amazing effect, creating some truly awesome cullinary creations, and that soon turn the restaurant, Maison Mumbai, into the hottest place to eat.

The battle intensifies, til it becomes all too personal, and people get hurt.  A truce is called, and it brings about a change in the two restaurant owners, as they come to appreciate each others love of food, and their respective way of life.
With Hassan being the new chef in town, soon Paris comes calling, and he really gets to spread his wings, will he get to further create more masterpieces in the kitchen? Or will his souffle go limp?

The film comes from Director Lasse Hallstrom who did wonderful work on "The Cider House Rules" but also "Chocolat", and what he did for confectionary in the latter film, he replicates with World cuisine in this charming and delightful movie.
The screenplay is wonderfully written from Steven Knight, who has a rather varied writing CV.
All the cast are excellent. Dame Helen Mirren plays Madame Mallory to the hilt, swanning round, rather ironically like the Queen of England. You can believe that she would take no prisoners, but also conveys the characters love of good cooking with a passion. A delight to watch. Om Puri is equally brilliant as Papa Kadam, a man who will take no crap, and is determined to see his dream become a reality, a man who also has a great love for his roots, and his family. Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon are also great as young lovers but also working in opposing restaurants, will their path of true love run smooth?

There are so many great elements in this movie. A battle between the owners, a love story on so many levels, humour and drama, and a brilliant cast added to the ingredients, to make a main course of a movie that will be savoured by many.

One serving may not be enough.................8 out of 10

"The Guest"

A stranger arrives at your door. He has a connection with your deceased son. You allow him into your home. Giving him a bed for the night. But before long he becomes a more permanant fixture within the household, but is he all that he seems?
This is the premise of this latest thriller. And if it all sounds very familiar, it is because it is material that has been done many times, though I have to say it was not tiresome.

The mother, and indeed the whole family, still miss their eldest Son, brother, etc. Having this comrade in arms arrive gives them something to cling on to, memories of their lost loved one. Soon he fits right in. Helping younger brother Luke overcome bullies at school. Sister Anna has a troublesome boyfriend, and Dad misses out on a promotion, but mysterious help is at hand.
It soon becomes apparent that he is involved in some kind of military experiment, as soon a group of black SUV's turn up, with lots of men carrying guns and wearing body armour.

Yes it has been done before. Yes it predictable. But at times it works quite well. The bond the family make with him works well. And it is mainly down to a good performance from Dan Stevens in the title role.
It does however fall from grace somewhat in the latter part, pretty much from the cavalry arrives. It descends into a kind of mix between a cheaper slasher flick, and an 80's pop video, complete with smoke machine on overdrive. But at the end of the day, it works, and I enjoyed the 100 minutes spent in the cinema watching this thriller.

From Downton Abbey to American Psycho......7 out of 10

PS - Almost forgot to say, cracking music, both the score and the tracks used. One definitely to buy

Into the Storm

I had made two previous attempts to see this film, and on both occasions I failed. Maybe a Cinematic force was trying to tell me something. Should I have listened?

You're damn right I should.
I have said it before, I am a huge fan of the disaster movies of the 1970's and love to see any movie which embraces that great era. So naturally this was right up my street.

We see a group of Storm chasers about to have their funding cut due to their inability to film a decent storm. They are at loggerheads with the scientist differing on where to head next against the instinct of the group leader. But they may be hope on the horizon or rather a storm is brewing and a pretty big one.
And in its path is a small town in the process of celebrating a Schools graduating students. Once the storm hits, things are going to get pretty rough.

But not as rough as for the poor viewer sat having to watch this frankly dire effort. Good job that the film was not in 3D as the characters are barely one dimensional. I know that disaster films are well known for not putting the greatest emphasis on their characters or their story, but it is though the screenwriter was not bothered. So therefore why should we......

It is worth sitting through for the stunning visual effects, and it goes to show how things have moved on since the likes of "Twister". There is the capability to make a truly great disaster film, as long as the writer can give a decent story and flesh out the characters.
One has to feel for Richard Armitage, an actor who really shone in "Spooks" but the less said about this new film the better.

Purely for the visuals..........5 out of 10

"Guardians of the Galaxy"

Oh brother, another film based on material from the Marvel Catalogue.
But this one is a little different. Allow me to elaborate.

We see our hero, Peter Quill on Earth, and by his terminally ill mother's bedside. At such a young age, this kind of loss is a lot to deal with. Whilst outside, he has far bigger problems to deal with when he is picked up by a passing spaceship. As you do !!!

Jump forward several years, and Mr. Quill has acquired himself a trade, he is basically the Indiana Jones of space, obtaining the unobtainable and selling to the highest bidder, though I grant you Indy was never so financially orientated. He also has acquired a new name, though few have heard of it, 'Star Lord'. Not pretentious at all !!

It is during a quest for an Infinity Stone that his adventure really begins. He gets arrested, and is imprisoned with a group of other disperate space travellers. Together they aim to break out of their confinement, and to  get their hands back on the Stone, and stop it from falling into the wrong hands, and seeing worlds get destroyed because of its immense power.

There are three main reasons why this film really works.
1) There are no over blown super heroes here. Everyone is pretty much an average every day kind of Joe.
2) The characters have there own bickering arguements with each other, they would almost kill each other as much a help one another.
3) All the characters are brilliantly realised, and well played by their respective cast member.

Visually the film is stunning, a real treat for the eyes. There is great direction from James Gunn, who also does an excellent job in co-writing the screenplay.
From start to finish, just pure entertainment, with some great moments, a highlight has to be involving Groot, and a to camera smile.

All the cast are great, yes that does include Karen Gillan. But ultimately the film is a triumph for Chris Pratt, he combines the looks of a hero, also he has sarcasm and wit in abundance. Look forward to seeing more of 'Star Lord' and the rest of the gang with the recently announced sequel

A Marvel film to marvel at....................8 out of 10

"Lucy"

Lucy is a girl who should keep better company. Her so called friend Richard uses her to deliver a briefcase of unknown contents to a scary looking Japanese gentleman. Then bodies start to appear, and Lucy finds herself being herded into a room, with some other unsavoury characters. Soon she finds she has been cut open, and a cosmetic drug, in a pouch, has been put inside her. This, along with four others, will be smuggled through Customs, and the drugs handed over to their Collector.
During her ideal she is beaten by a gang of men, and the bag ruptures and the contents leak inside her. The drug has the effect of enhancing the cerebral capacity that we use, and she finds herself being able to do the most amazing things, and soon the world and his wife is after her.

I am not going to waffle on about this pointless film. The premise whether scientifically possible or not was just ludicrous, almost laughable. There is very limit to commend about the movie, at times visually it is impressive but that is one positive against a plethora of negatives.
When one thinks of Director Luc Besson, one thinks of the those great movies he amde, films like "The Fifth Element", "Nikita", and "Leon", but he is reduced to doing trash like this.
The film may have two leading stars but neither come out of it with any commendations.

Such a waste of time, enough said........4 out of 10

RIP - Richard Attenborough - A Tribute

What can one possibly say?

The phrases like 'Film Great' and 'legend' are given out so freely these days, but Lord Attenborough was someone who deserved being called that, and so much more.
I cannot think of any other individual who has done as much for the world of Film and also Television. The remarkable work he has done will live on as we say goodbye to a true pioneer.

There are so many great films that he has worked on, whether as a Director, Producer or an Actor.
He is best remembered for his work on the multi Oscar Winning film "Gandhi", which he was quite rightly rewarded with 2 Academy Awards. But there is so much more.

There is his brilliant performances in films like "Brighton Rock", the classic that is "The Great Escape", and his chilling work on "10 Rillington Place". After a gap of some 14 years, he returned to acting in a big way when he played Billionaire 'John Hammond' in Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park", and although there are many who regard the film as too sentimental, I still love his work as 'Kris Kringle' in the remake of "Miracle on 34th Street", a role he was born to play, and did so beautifully.

He also Directed the great war epic "A Bridge Too Far", and dramas like "Magic", "Cry Freedom" and "Shadowlands".
His biopic of "Chaplin" was a real labour of love, having been such a huge fan of the great comic.

Although ill health meant we have not enjoyed any recent work as either Director or Actor, his legacy will live on, and so will our enjoyment of a true craftsman.

RIP Dickie......

"The Expendables 3"

Ever since this film was green lit and went into production, I have been eagerly counting down the days to seeing this third in the franchise.
I must say that I was in complete awe and amazement that Stallone managed to get Harrison Ford to appear in the movie, and real coup for sure. And the other new 'mature' cast members are also quite impressive.

The film opens with a big style prison break. Well a movie train prison break, as former Expendable 'Doc' is being transferred, and his former colleagues want him back to join the group, so they engineer an audacious prison break from a heavily armoured and well manned train. There are more than a few passing nods to a cast members recent incarceration !!!
With 'Doc' safely out of Prison, the gang head on to a simple matter of an arms deal, all is going fine until the dealer arrives. It turns out to be 'Conrad Stonebanks', former Co-Founder of The Expendables, and longtime nemesis of Barney Ross, who believed his former friend was dead, by his hand. But he is very much alive, and now Stonebanks aims to make the group history. With one of the crew in Hospital, and Trench being sidelined, Ross has to decide what course of action to take, and deal with his new boss, Drummer (Ford). Ross believes that given the suicide nature of the mission, he does not want to endanger the lives of his best friends, so goes it alone, but hiring some new blood, some younger carefree blood, with the help of 'Bonaparte' (Grammer). So with a new team in place, and they bringing technology and know how way over Ross's head, they head after Stonebanks.
All goes well, in fact a little too well. And soon Ross and the team are attacked, and he is left for dead.
The Fed's are not too happy that Ross has once again failed to deliver his arch nemesis. But they find the location that Stonebanks is holding his young team, and Ross heads off, and has a few extra passengers!!
This all leads to the big finale showdown, and what an action packed piece it is. One of the biggest finales I have ever seen, it really is quite something, but how does this compare with the rest of the film?

As much as I really wanted to love this movie as much as I did the second one, it is not in the same league. The biggest issue I have is that it does not feel like an Expendables movie. It is a nice idea having the new young blood, now whether it was the idea to have them permanantly take over, or that they would need rescuing by the older members that Ross leaves behind I do not know, but the whole fun of the first two films was this gang of aged characters, working together, the great banter, and these great names from the 1980's all on screen together. And that chemistry is well and truly lost here.I appreciate that the elder cast are not getting any younger and may find it difficult to the more action packed or stunt related work, so maybe did they they go a film too far?
The main body of the original expendables are benched for the main centre of the film. Blink and you miss the likes of Jet Li and Robert Davi.
I also have to say that one the biggest letdowns is Mel Gibson as 'Stonebanks'. I cannot decide whether we cannot relate to him as a villain, or that he is just not nasty enough. A huge step down from the brilliant Jean Claude Van Damme in the second movie.

There are some things to enjoy. The opening prison break is great, as is the follow on job. The hugely action packed finale is worth watching. And there is, as ever, a great score from Brian Tyler.

If there is to be a fourth film, and judging by the newly released opening box office takings that will be a HUGE IF, then they need to take the film back to the style of the second. If they cannot fulfil a film with mature leads, and recreate that great  banter and in-film jokes, then maybe it is best to leave the franchise at three films.

Good but much room for improvement.....7 out of 10

RIP - Robin Williams - A Tribute

I have to say that this is one tribute I did not expect to be writing just yet. Despite some personal demons, Robin Williams was always someone who struck me as being so full of life.
A short while ago we Brits said goodbye to one of our Comedy legends, gone all too soon, when we said farewell to Rik Mayall. Now America has lost one of its truest comedy talents.

For fans of Cinema or Comedy it is a very sad day. To lose someone who has given so much to the World of Entertainment is always upsetting, but he really did go too soon.
From those early beginnings on "Mork & Mindy", to Oscar winning success, he really was an incredible talent. Initially best known for film Comedy roles, but he did eventually move into drama and gave some quite remarkable performances.
Anyone who has seen either "Insomnia" or "One Hour Photo" will know what I am referring to. Such dark and powerful peformances, in roles that you remember long after leaving the Cinema.

As a Stand-Up comedian, there are few who could equal his humour, his energy, his love of what he did. I have seen numerous routines that he did, and you cry with laughter time and time again.

Of his varied career, there are many highpoints. His tremendous success in "Mrs. Doubtfire" was rightly deserved. Strong performances in films like "Goooooooooood Morning Vietnam", "Awakenings, and a personal favourite of mine, and one I think he should have won the Oscar for, namely "Dead Poets Society".
He did however win a Supporting Actor Oscar, and rightly so for his work on "Good Will Hunting". I can picture now host Billy Crystal beaming with such pride as his best friend gets the Award. It was a moving moment, and a great Oscar celebration.
There are so many great movies, and some which were not as beloved by others, but I still love all the same, films like "Jack", "Father's Day" and I loved seeing him in the remake of "The Birdcage".

As a fan of Parkinson, the appearances by Robin Williams on the show, are now the stuff of legend, even managing to upstage Stephen Fry.

As we shed tears at your all too early passing, we know that heaven will soon be full with tears of laughter. You entertained us, you made us laugh and cry in equal measure. You are a one off, and someone we will never EVER forget. RIP Robin......"Nanu, Nanu"

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Special Preview Screening

Ten long winters have gone by since the events of the first film. Things have considerably calmed down. The virus has really taken its toll against the humans.
The apes have created their own colony in the woods and forests that surround San Francisco, and given that they have had little contact with the humans, believe that they could be all alone once more.

But things are about to change. There are some humans who have become resistant to the virus and have survived. The few that remain continue to exist but their fuel supply is rapidly disappearing, and their only hope is a water hydro dam. The only problem is that it is located within the very forests populated by the apes. During an investigatory visit there is an altercation and an ape is shot and killed. Naturally this rather agrivates the apes. They go to the humans and tell them they remain in the City, and the apes remain in the forests.

Malcolm knows the great need for restoring electricity, and so sets off to see Caesar, and see if there is anything that can be done, but he also knows full well that if he fails in the task, Dreyfus will take the stockpile of automatic weapons that they have, and wage war on the apes.

Willing to know why the humans want access to the forest area, Caesar allows Malcolm to show him what is needed, and why it is so vital. Caesar seess this as an opportunity, if he gives the humans access to the dam, once the work is done, they will go and leave them in peace, as he knows that outgun the apes.
But this willingness to move on is seen as weakness by some of the other apes, especially by Koba, and even his own Son. Koba has visited the City and has seen first hand the arsenal of weapons at the humans disposal. But it seems that trust between both parties is very hard to gain and so very easy to lose. Koba knows that he has a hard battle to instill his views on Caesar, so does the only thing he can, and that is, in an apt Brutus style moment, take down his leader and blame the humans, thus insighting the apes to declare war.
But the Apes are not the only ones to be dealing with a power struggle, as Malcolm and Dreyfus  do battle. One trying to avert war, and the other keen to destroy all the Apes.

It is fascinating seeing how the Apes have developed, and how much the different characters have been fleshed out. They are brought to life by some truly awesome visual effects. Caesar once again is brilliantly given life and breath by Andy Serkis.Oldman and Russell are decent enough in their respective roles. Clarke is great as Malcolm, one who is keen to both protect the humans, and see no harm befall the Apes.
There is however some predicatability with the film, which means that it does pale somewhat at the side of the first film, which was far more unnerving and more compelling.

But it is still a decent movie. And according to internet sources, a third film has been greenlit.

Monkey business well worth watching........7 out of 10

"The Fault In Our Stars"

Right from the start, you get the message. This is going to be no sickly sweet young teen romance story, nor will it end happily, but what is clear is that this is a well made movie, and it is evident why it has taken the box office by storm.

Hazel is a young girl dealing with cancer. In order for her to get out of the house, and also to try and express what she is feeling, she goes to a Cancer support group, more to apease her parents than anything. The head of the group is a God loving nut, and she clearly finds it tiresome attending. But there could be some entertainment from winding up one of the newest members, Gus, who has come partly for himself, as he too has cancer, but mainly he is accompanying his partially sighted friend Issac.
Hazel finds Gus to be very cocky, and she takes pleasure in having fun with a battle of words with him. But soon a friendship does develope. They find out more about each other, discovering each others likes, trading books. Which leads Hazel to lend Gus a book which she regards as her bible. He too finds the book a revelation.
She has tried on numerous occasions to contact the author, but with no joy. Gus however proves to be more successful, and they decide to have a trip to Amsterdam, to meet the author.  The trip does not go to plan. Prior to the trip, Gus had always been more infatuated with Hazel, than Hazel with Gus, she being happy to just stay as friends. But the short break changes that, and their love for each other starts to blossom.
But a secret is told, and we discover that one of the two teens is more seriously ill than we imagine, and the inevitable starts to unfold.

I am sure there are so few people in this World who have not been affected by cancer, whether it be themselves or a family member. So certainly there will be many who have something to relate to with this film.
Director Josh Boone does a great job, admirable considering he is a relative newcomer, making the film engaging without being too sombre or too over sentimental. There are some good performances in the film from seasoned veterans like Laura Dern, as Hazel's mother, and Willem Dafoe as the author that Hazel and Gus seek out.
But top marks to both Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, playing Hazel and Gus. They really convey a sense of friendship, love and loss with great performances. A very minor quibble would be that maybe they are a few years too old for their roles, but that aside it leaves little wonder why it has been so successful, and fair play to a film on such a small $12 million budget that can do te business that this movie has been doing.

Have the tissues at the ready.....8 out of 10

"Locke"

This review may seem late in coming, but I missed it first time round, and thanks to something our local Cinema chain does, I was give the chance to this movie.

I have to start by saying that I cannot recall in recent memory of having been so misled by a films trailer. Watching it, you see a desperate man, alone in his vehicle, clearly under immense pressure, having some very heated phonecalls. And considering that the film is just him in the vehicle, and dealing with this pressure, the sense of confinement would surely make for a very tense and atmospheric film.

It is still tense and atmospheric but not to the level that was indicated in the trailer, and certainly not through the reasons that one was led to be the cause of his bad night.
Dont get me wrong, the film is worth watching as it is a vehicle, forgive the pun, to show the great acting talents of Tom Hardy who does a great job of man under pressure. The lead character should be in the circus with howmuch juggling he has to do.
Naturally with his making a lot of phone calls, there are several well known names doing the voices for these various characters, and i have to say that some may find more fun in identifying the unseen cast. I was surprised by some of the names I saw in the end credits.

Good but could have been so much better...... 7 out of 10

RIP - Eli Wallach - A Tribute

Just found out about the sad passing of an amazing actor - Mr. Eli Wallach.
A truly remarkable man who was still acting well into his 90's.
Such a versatile list of films within his CV, from the films that he made his name in, like the spaghetti westerns of the 1960's, to comedy opposite Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster in the highly amusing "Tough Guys", and returning to crime with his wonderful appearance in "The Godfather Part III".

And even into his tenth decade he was still stepping in front of the camera, whether on the small screen appearing in smash hit "Nurse Jackie", or back on the big screen with movies like "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps" and "The Ghost".

A lesson to us all, a man who clearly loved the profession that he was in, and carried on right til the end, thank you for so many great movies....Rest In Peace Eli

"Edge of Tomorrow"

 A science fiction, alien version of Groundhog Day, is what we have on offer here.
Tom Cruise plays Major William Cage, a soldier, who spends most of his time in this battle with the aliens, avoiding battling with the aliens. He is constantly able to avoid being sent to the front line but nos his lack of combat activity finds him being seconded to a Unit which is going to be deployed into action. He stands out like a sore thumb, and does not get on well with his fellow soldiers. Soon enough they are dropped via aircraft into the thick of it, and Cage promptly engages one of the alien creatures known as mimics. Both die in the fracas, and as the creature dies, this special alien type bleeds onto Cage, and the next thing he knows, he wakes up alive and well. But back on the base before they have left for battle.
It seems this particular alien has special qualities, that can allow a human to relive the past day, and if need be, the events can be altered. Should he die, he will just go back to that same day, but if he is hospitalised and his blood is changed then he will lose the ability.
The arrival on the battlefield is a massacre and the aim is to kee reliving the day, and use the information to get away, and stop the alien attack.

The film has been garnering rave reviews especially from critics, and I am seriously puzzled as to why. The film was dull and boring. The groundhog day, understandably became repetitive. The reason as to why the aliens attack is never made clear, it is also unclear as to why they are called Mimics. And don't get me started on the ending.

Disappointing......5 out of 10

"A Million Ways To Die In The West"

What can one say about Seth MacFarlane? Well despite what a disaster he made of hosting the Oscars, he would appear to have a love of the western. And that is the genre that is the setting for his latest comedy.
Albert is a sheep farmer, and he has never really amounted to much. Still living with his folks, but he does have the love of a good woman, Louise, well that is until she dumps him, feeling she can do better elsewhere. So he is feeling understandably low, that is until he meets Anna, who has just moved into town with her 'brother'. She brings him alive, but there is a inevitable downside. She is married, and not to just any old cowboy, but the most terrifying sadistic gunslinger this side of Dodge City, wonderfully played by Liam Neeson.

Will Albert prove his worth when challenged by Clinch in a duel?
How far can an unsheared sheep see?
And just how many cameos can you have in a movie?

All these questions and many more are answered with the comedic style that made "Ted" such the hit that it was. I have to be slightly critical of the fact that a lot of the laughs are seen in the trailer, but fret not as there is still plenty to laugh at. There is some toilet humour which is not for the faint hearted.
But as mentioned MacFarlane does seem to love the westen, as the opening features some stunning cinematography, huge credits done in the style of a 60's western, and a great score. During the scene you would almost be forgiven for thinking you were watching the wrong film.

If you have not seen the trailer, loved "Ted" and like a western, then there is no reason why you will not thoroughly enjoy this latest film, which MacFarlane, starred in, wrote, produced and Directed.
As mentioned there are some cameos to watch out for, and a nice little surprise.

A comedy with some good laughs and a nice western homage......7 out of 10

"X-Men Days of Future Past"

Following on from the events at the end of "The Wolverine", we find that the feuding mutants have joined forces, to try and do battle with an adversary that seems unstoppable.
The sentinels seem to be the all conquering opponent, and there is very little that the mutants can do to stop from having their kind destroyed.
So, in a plot reminiscent of a certain James Cameron film franchise, their aim is to go back in time and avert the creation of the Sentinels by killing their Creator.

It may sound like a brief overview but literally that is all there is to the film. Now the delivery is another matter. We see Wolverine step into his past, meeting up with younger versions of the characters that he knows so well from the current day. At this stage, in the past, there is still some animosity certainly between  Xavier and Magneto, and takes some effort from the others to get them to combine their powers.
There is an additonal strand to the story, and the possible repercussions of the timeline involving Mystique. It all adds to the wonder of this entertaining movie.

There is the whole question of whether the film breaks the rules of time travel, and I am sure if one sat down and gave it some thought it would all become clear as to whether it does. But then one could end up destroying the fun. Best not to think about it too much.
Bryan Singer returns to the Directors chair, and fashions these characters that he so wonderfully brought to life in the original film.

I do really enjoy seeing two great thespians like Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen on screen together. It is a real treat for any film fan. It is a shame that they have so little screen time. But at the end of the day the film is about the past.
As one would expect there are some excellent set pieces and action sequences, all delivered with great cinematic style, and a delight to watch. There is one stand-out sequence involving Quicksilver  when the gang are seemingly surrounded.
One of the few downsides is that there are so many mutant characters in the series, that as many of them appear in this new film, some have just so little screen time. I know that Wolverine is probably the most popular character, and he had rather taken over the francise, but it would be nice to have some expansion on some the other characters.

A fantastic, Xciting, Xcellent romp with great visuals, and a great cast.......8 out of 10

"Godzilla"

Toho Studios finest is back, and bigger than ever.

The most famous lizard ever to walk the cinema screen has returned.
Japan 1999, and at a dig site a most remarkable find, a truly huge set of bones have been uncovered. What could they possibly belong to?  But startling is that something is found and it is far from extinct, and making its way to the main land. Also there are tremors being felt within the grounds of a nuclear power plant. Concern is being raised by Scientist Joe Brody. His protestations go unheard, and it causes him much pain when he suffers personal loss during the quake. The area is evacuated, and many questions are left unanswered as the Powers that be try to cover what is really going on.

We then jump forward to the present day. Things have quietened down, or have they?  Scientist Brody is still getting into trouble with the Authorities, as he still is desperate to find out what happened all those years ago. In order to try and instill some sanity in him, his Son is sent for, who is currently serving with the Army as an Explosives expert. Son Ford tries to get his Dad to see that his efforts are futile and a waste of time, but somehow Brody manages to get both he and his Son back to the site of the Nuclear plant, where they do some investigating. They are promptly arrested for trespassing and taken to a secret area, wherever the full picture of what is happening is revealed. And this happens just as those pesky earth tremors reoccur. Is history about to repeat itself?

Within this compound is a creature, one that feeds on nuclear energy, and is very destructive. Its intentions are unclear, but it is not the only large creature walking the Earth. A large lizard from a time gone by is lurking within the waters, and its size is tremendous, and likewise its intentions are unknown. It is greatly feared but has been given a name appropriate for its legend and size, that of Godzilla.
The nuclear feeding creature is making its way to Nevada, and the full picture becomes clear, in that it is not alone, there is another one of its kind, and its intention is to breed. Fortunately for mankind, Godzilla is aware of this, and this is why he is walking the planet to save humanity from possible death and destruction.

I had the great pleasure of seeing the film on the IMAX screen, and whilst the 3D aspect is not that enthralling, the overall film and sound quality were really enhanced.
As a lover of 70's disaster movies, it is like a dream of a movie. I grew up watching both the old Godzilla movies, and yes I also watched the cartoon series. So to see this new imagining of the legendary creature is a real delight. There are many great action sequences, plus lots of disaster based  scenarios.
There are varying results from ther cast. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is ok as the Army Bomb expert, but his character is one of the very few minor weak points of the film. The more mature members of the cast really shine, the likes of Juliette Binoche and Bryan Cranston are doing sterling work. But one shines above all others. And he is the remarkable Japanese actor Ken Wattanabe, who turns out high quality performances which each film he does. He gives the film some real gravitas, and an air of class.

Gareth Edwards wonderfully fills the Directors chair with air of confidence of someone who has been directing for many years, let alone the few films that he has made.
Key to the success of the film is the visual aspect, the effects are universally top notch, and a delight to see. Both the creatures and the destruction they create are wonderfully realised. These images coupled with thunderous sound and a great score make for a fun two hours at the cinema.

Godzilla IS back, and those dreadful memories of 1998 are long forgotten.....9 out of 10