Son of Rambow *** - Interesting if somewhat implausible coming-of-age type drama about two boys with very different backgrounds who begin an awkward friendship over a shared desire to shoot a short film.
The Fox And The Child **** - Thoroughly beguiling dramatised nature documentary from the makers of March Of The Penguins that does exactly what it says on the tin.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Quarterly film roundup - January to March 2010
Up In The Air **** - A masterfully understated performance from George Clooney is just one of the highlights of this film. The supporting cast also shine but it's the intelligence and humanity of the story that linger.
It's Complicated ** - In stark contrast to the above, a massively over-the-top performance from both Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep make this farce completely forgettable.
Memoirs Of A Geisha **** - Sumptous costume drama that manages to be affecting and engrossing.
Happy Feet *** - Fun and timely (in the sense of environmentally aware) animated comedy.
Over The Hedge ** - Zany animation aimed squarely at kids with little to interest more mature viewers.
Coyote Ugly ** - Potentially interesting drama with a good cast, but cannot reach the heights to which it aspires.
It's Complicated ** - In stark contrast to the above, a massively over-the-top performance from both Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep make this farce completely forgettable.
Memoirs Of A Geisha **** - Sumptous costume drama that manages to be affecting and engrossing.
Happy Feet *** - Fun and timely (in the sense of environmentally aware) animated comedy.
Over The Hedge ** - Zany animation aimed squarely at kids with little to interest more mature viewers.
Coyote Ugly ** - Potentially interesting drama with a good cast, but cannot reach the heights to which it aspires.
Friday, 1 January 2010
Quarterly film roundup - October to December 2009
Up! 3D *** - Its haphazard story arc and awkward juxtaposition of reality and fantasy make this a lesser film than the Pixar average, but it is still sumptuous to watch. The opening five minutes or so have more emotional bite than any film I've seen in the last year but sets the expectation of quality for the remainder of the film too high.
The Hangover *** - Hilarious, what-will-they-think-of-next slapstick that doesn't overstay its welcome (but is forgotten quickly after watching).
The Ugly Truth ** - Unsubtle, unoriginal and unfunny "romantic comedy" that manages to incorporate every worthless cliché of that genre.
Metropolis **** - A complex and stylish work whose sheer scale of ambition is staggering. Made by Fritz Lang in the 1920s, in some respects it hasn't aged a jot. A superb DVD release including re-recorded original score and sympathetic, detailed intertitle explanations where parts of the original film have been lost is let down in only one respect - running at 24fps (where the original was almost certainly at 18fps) means that everybody seems to be in a hurry all the time; using a DVD software player to slow the film down by around a quarter makes the action seem much more fluid and natural.
The Hangover *** - Hilarious, what-will-they-think-of-next slapstick that doesn't overstay its welcome (but is forgotten quickly after watching).
The Ugly Truth ** - Unsubtle, unoriginal and unfunny "romantic comedy" that manages to incorporate every worthless cliché of that genre.
Metropolis **** - A complex and stylish work whose sheer scale of ambition is staggering. Made by Fritz Lang in the 1920s, in some respects it hasn't aged a jot. A superb DVD release including re-recorded original score and sympathetic, detailed intertitle explanations where parts of the original film have been lost is let down in only one respect - running at 24fps (where the original was almost certainly at 18fps) means that everybody seems to be in a hurry all the time; using a DVD software player to slow the film down by around a quarter makes the action seem much more fluid and natural.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Quarterly film roundup - July to September 2009
Kung Fu Panda *** - Funny but hardly groundbreaking mistaken-identity / fish-out-of-water comedy. Entertaining but largely forgettable.
Mamma Mia! *** - Surprisingly watchable (with gritted teeth, at least) musical in which a young woman, on the eve of her marriage, tries to determine which of three of her mother's lovers is her father. Absolutely implausible in every way but fun, tongue-in-cheek performances from the all-star cast.
The Dark Knight *** - Long, twisting and portentous - befitting its subject matter, perhaps, but less conducive to action or even plot development. The performances are good (not outstanding, as was suggested by many reviewers) but as a piece of popular entertainment it is somewhat gruelling.
The Other Boleyn Girl ** - Revisionist and too-often hysterical retelling of the story of the falling out of favour and execution of Anne Boleyn, via her lesser-known sister, Mary, who had an affair with Henry VIII. While a handsome production in many respects, the film is necessarily pared down to the most sordid plot aspects - from secret affairs, through political machinations, to incest - leaving little room for empathy with any of the characters.
Waltz With Bashir *** - Animated "documentary" in which an Israeli ex-soldier tries to come to terms with his past. Deeply stylish visuals work most effectively when conveying the horrors faced, but become rather confusing when switching between timeframes and in some of the longer conversation / exposition scenes.
Mamma Mia! *** - Surprisingly watchable (with gritted teeth, at least) musical in which a young woman, on the eve of her marriage, tries to determine which of three of her mother's lovers is her father. Absolutely implausible in every way but fun, tongue-in-cheek performances from the all-star cast.
The Dark Knight *** - Long, twisting and portentous - befitting its subject matter, perhaps, but less conducive to action or even plot development. The performances are good (not outstanding, as was suggested by many reviewers) but as a piece of popular entertainment it is somewhat gruelling.
The Other Boleyn Girl ** - Revisionist and too-often hysterical retelling of the story of the falling out of favour and execution of Anne Boleyn, via her lesser-known sister, Mary, who had an affair with Henry VIII. While a handsome production in many respects, the film is necessarily pared down to the most sordid plot aspects - from secret affairs, through political machinations, to incest - leaving little room for empathy with any of the characters.
Waltz With Bashir *** - Animated "documentary" in which an Israeli ex-soldier tries to come to terms with his past. Deeply stylish visuals work most effectively when conveying the horrors faced, but become rather confusing when switching between timeframes and in some of the longer conversation / exposition scenes.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Quarterly film roundup - April to June 2009
Persepolis *** - Stylish, educational but flawed analysis of the move to ultra-conservatism in Iran, as seen through the eyes of one young woman. The animation is impressive but, by concentrating on one individual's story, many of the implications of the regime change are missed: the fact is that she escapes the worst of the oppression and so her opinion of it is inevitably softened.
Hancock ** - Irritating extension of the tired vogue for superheroes-as-flawed-humans, in which Will Smith plays the eponymous rebellious, thoughtless, drunk man of steel, who undergoes an image transformation at the hands of a marketing consultant. From the theme to the pointless plot twists to the very name of the film, nothing quite works as it should. Unlike the travails of Bob "Mr. Incredible" Parr, or Peter Parker, there is little to empathise with in Hancock.
Hancock ** - Irritating extension of the tired vogue for superheroes-as-flawed-humans, in which Will Smith plays the eponymous rebellious, thoughtless, drunk man of steel, who undergoes an image transformation at the hands of a marketing consultant. From the theme to the pointless plot twists to the very name of the film, nothing quite works as it should. Unlike the travails of Bob "Mr. Incredible" Parr, or Peter Parker, there is little to empathise with in Hancock.
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