"Colette" (Preview Screening)

This film has everyone talking about how great Keira Knightley is in the title role, a role that sees her playing French novellist Colette, who was one of several ghost writers used by her well known Husband 'Willy'. She creates a series of nevels which become a huge success, and understandably she wants to have her name added to the book, but her Husband refuses saying that it will impact sales, and He is the face behind the book.

From humble Country life beginnings to the hustle and bustle of Paris, Colette becomes aware of their lack of funds, not only is Willy frittering away their money on wine and song, but women also. Colette finds solace in the kindred spirit of 'Missy'. They embark on a relationship, one that lasted for many years.

Naturally given recent events with all the MeToo campaign, and gender pay equality, the film has a great deal of relevance, and I'm sure that there is much that people can relate to. It seems that things have not changed much over the last 120 years.

Keira Knightley is very enchancting as Colette, and is her best performance for some time. I did see one review that said "It is the performance that Keira will be remembered for some time". Well I wouldn't go quite that far, but certainly it is an excellent piece of work. Dominic West is ok as Husband Willy.
One actress who is always a delight to watch is Fiona Shaw, and she is on top form playing Colette's Mother. Another great peformance is from Denise Gough as Missy, the love interest.

It is a good film, enjoyable enough. It just did not have that punch to make it an extraordinary film.

7 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

"Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"

The cinematic life of Jack Ryan has been an interesting one, almost as thrilling as the books that he originates from. We have gone from Alec Baldwin, to a more mature Ryan in the shape of Harrison Ford, who originally turned down the role, and then there was the reboot from 2002, that featured Ben Affleck as the CIA Analyst.
All the films have been greatly received and successful in their own way. But certainly as a franchise the series has never really been a constant, especially with the ever changing faces of the lead character.

2014 and we have the fourth actor to play Jack Ryan. Could this second reboot see the character get the series of films he so richly deserves?

We get the back story for Ryan's life very quickly out the way. Jump forward to present day where he is working undercover for the CIA sniffing out dodgy dealing within Russian finances. He is requests to visit Moscow to investigate further, in particular one Viktor Cherevin, head of a major Corporation.
His arrival in Russia is eventful, getting the hospitality he deserves. He has to balance his need to do his job, and also keeping his fiance, Cathy, happy. Unknowing of his job description, she starts to suspect that there could be more afoot. Before Ryan knows it, Cathy has joined him on the other side of the World. She quickly becomes a pawn within the game, her life very much at risk.

Through his analytical skill, Ryan uncovers what Cherevin intends to do. His aim is to use the US Dollar, and a terrorist attack to destroy the US economy, plunge America into its darkest hour ever.
With the help of his mentor, Harper, they race back to the US to stop Cherevin's plans.

This is the first film that has not been based directly on a Tom Clancy novel. And for me that is where the film suffers, in the story and the writing. The books from Clany have sold in their millions because they are so well written, and the films from those books have been equally well adapted to make their cinematic counterpart as entertaining.
The World of Ryan is fighting within a competitive arena, what with the Bourne and Bond films being major money spinners, and more so critically successful too.  A second reboot, a third stab at the franchise and the fourth actor in the role, almost seems to me like desperation. Maybe Doctor Ryan should remain within the films and books that have gone before, and leave it at that.

Chris Pine is ok in the title role, but does little to shine in my opinion. Kenneth Brannagh is, as ever, excellent, he really does make one quiver as Cherevin. Nice to see Kevin Costner back on the big screen, he does a nice job as Ryan's boss. It is nice to see the love interest of Ryan given more to do than just be the usual token female in the background, and Keira Knightley places the role well.
Brannagh's direction is first class, and assuming there is a sequel, hope he fills the Director's chair again.

So to recap, we have merit for Brannagh's acting and directing, for Kevin Costner, but there are points lost for the writing and for Chris Pine. There are so many great movies out there, and it is hard to sometimes stand out, and sadly this one did not do it for me.
It's good but could have been better................7 out of 10