Retrospective Roundup - February 2012

From snow and freezing winds one week to record-breaking temperatures the next, it is fair to say that February 2012 has been somewhat of a meteorological mixed-bag. February’s films have been similarly unpredictable with euphoric highs (Rear Window, Come and See), and depressing lows (Melancholia, Knowing). Luckily, Sidaway’s Retrospective is on hand to provide a forecast you can rely on!

Melancholia (2011) – Lars Von Trier

Lars Von Trier, the once famously outspoken messiah of European avant-garde cinema, has completed his descent into the murky depths of self-indulgent, self righteous nonsense in the form of Melancholia. Antichrist was the warning shot, high quality visuals only served to highlight the worrying lack of direction and ideas at work in this post Dogme95 offering. Melancholia, another ‘style over substance’ examination of a highly abstract subject, proves that Denmark’s most belligerently implacable director has learned absolutely nothing since his last big-budget venture.

Poor editing (will the opening scene ever end?!), nonsensical script (Lead character: “I know things” – enough said), pretentious direction (a naked Kirsten Dunst is Melancholia’s sole triumph), von Trier has become a laughably hollow and irrelevant rewrite of his former self. This visually stunning but essentially listless work of pompous intellectualism is the final nail in the directorial coffin. Long gone are the brilliantly subversive days of The Idiots and Breaking the Waves. Gone too, it seems, are the days when European art-house was thought-provoking and actually entertaining. That this film has garnered mainly positive reviews should hardly come as a surprise given how out of touch the vast majority of film criticism, defender of all things high-brow, has become. 2/10

Come and See (1985) – Elen Klimov
Hollywood has a tremendous sway on the way in which the western world remembers World War 2. When we think of this moment of history, films such as Saving Private Ryan, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Schindler’s List and Pearl Harbour most commonly spring to mind. As we find ourselves getting sucked into Hollywood’s star-spangled, morally prescriptive, Holocaust-centric vortex, it is films like Come and See that remind us that Americans and Jews weren’t the only victims of the Nazi war machine.

Following a young boy’s plucky survival quest, this bleak claustrophobic, unnerving and fundamentally Russian war memorial attempts to both document the scale on which lives were lost, and reveal the depth of the psychological scars that such a catastrophic act of inhumanity wrought upon the Russian spirit. Needless to say, this is a hugely emotional and heavy going film, anyone who has read Dostoevsky will know that no nation does cathartic ‘entertainment’ better. The visual and emotional intensity of Come and See is undermined only by the awful English overdub, which proves genuinely off-putting for the first 10 minutes or so, but this is only a superficial flaw in a deeply traumatised and hauntingly intense contribution to the genre. This is World War 2 as Hollywood could never show it, for that reason some may feel alienated by its overwhelming gloom, but few films bring you closer to understanding the human cost of war. 8/10

Julia’s Eyes (2010) - Guillem Morales
Off the back of some decent reviews, and with the mastermind behind Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro) on production duties, this thoughtful thriller should have been a sure fire hit. Julia’s Eyes has some really touching moments, and the plot is enough to keep you guessing at least for a short while. However, Morales spends so much time building you up to the big climaxes that by the time you get there, the key moment lacks the satisfying payoff. In fact, the whole thing feels a bit bloated. Scenes tend to rattle on, too many characters are introduced, the plot unravels in a flat, linear, episodic fashion. Most crucially, suspense, lifeblood of any good thriller, is painfully lacking.

Though the cupboards are bare in the thrill seeking department, the film handles some interesting concepts with an impressive delicacy of touch. Lluis Homar and Belen Rueda, as husband and wife respectively, give the Julia’s Eyes a sincere and humble aesthetic. Their ever more strained relationship is an achingly concise metaphor for Julia’s deteriorating eyesight. Indeed, it is their relationship that constitutes much of the film’s appeal, the touching ending proving a suitable climax to their celestial romance. If only Morales had the conviction in his ideas to do away with all the superficial clutter, Julia’s Eyes would have been a much more poignant and well proportioned film. As it stands, it gets 5/10

Drive (2011) – Nicolas Winding Refn

With another dreadfully predictable year at the Oscars behind us, now is an opportune moment to highlight a quite frankly stunning omission from the academy award shortlist. You may remember me panning Bronson in no uncertain terms. Ballsy British brawlers were obviously not Refn’s thing. The same cannot be said, however, about his ability to create stylish, sexy city slickers.

Following the mercurial hero of many different professions and talents around a beautifully dangerous urban jungle, the audience is constantly reminded of Drive’s striking audiovisual prowess. Reminiscent of Blade Runner in all its neon lit glory, with an electronica inspired musical score to match, this film is unashamedly retro in its stylisation. Despite the nostalgia, Drive’s substance still outweighs its considerable style. Throwing romance (an angst-fest between Gosling and Carey Mulligan), violence (and plenty of it), gang warfare, even the odd hint of comedy (thanks to a limelight snatching cameo by Ron Perlman) into the bargain, the film represents 98 minutes of all singing all dancing cinema.

However, Drive’s greatest strength is its intoxicating allure, you don’t just watch it, you are enveloped in it, you become part of its very fabric. The key source of this power is Ryan Gosling. Reminiscent of a certain Taxi Driving De Niro as the neo-noir protagonist around which the whole film revolves, he delivers a refreshingly understated performance, sporting the entire spectrum of human emotion whilst maintaining an ultra-cool air of complete indifference. With class acts such as Blue Valentine and The Ides of March on the CV, Gosling will have Di-Caprio and Damon, Hollywood’s golden boys, looking over their shoulder before too long.
Clever, slick, sexy, fun, this takes the best that The Transporter, Taxi Driver, No Country for Old Men and Blade Runner have to offer, and fuses them into a formidable piece of cinema. 9/10


Notable Mentions:

Infernal Affairs (2002) – Sui Fai Mak & Andrew Lau
Something of an institution in its native Hong Kong, Infernal Affairs is a breakneck action thriller reminiscent of the cop dramas so ubiquitous in the 90s. The complex plot is made even more mentally taxing by the punchy dialogues, so be prepared to read at a furious pace. Nonetheless, Infernal Affairs, which inspired The Departed, is a well executed and immensely fun watch which builds to a spectacular crescendo. 7/10

Knowing (2009) – Alex Proyas
And so Nicolas Cage continues to mop up the roles nobody else will touch with a barge pole. In this thankless task, he plays John, a university professor who has uncovered the equivalent of a world disaster almanac. Once you realise that there are events predicted that are yet to pass, you know (pardon the pun) exactly how things are going to unravel. With wooden acting, soggy scripting redeemed in part by some whopping explosions; the sum total is spectacularly dull. 3/10

Rear Window (1954) – Alfred Hitchcock
At its glittering best, cinema transcends the boundaries of time. Though Rear Window is nearly 60 years old, it feels decidedly fresh. Part satire, part thriller, part romance, this is a wonderfully intriguing urban tale about an adventurous photographer turned voyeuristic sleuth thanks to a broken leg. We follow the lives of his neighbours through the zoom lense of his camera (start metafilm discussion here...), whilst ogling over Grace Kelly as she attempts to dissuade her man from any more wild sojourns, and lure him into holy matrimony. Oozing class, style, sex appeal and charm, it is little wonder this is one of Hitchcock’s most revered masterpieces. 10/10

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – Rupert Wyatt

This clumsily titled sci-fi prequel is a modern day morality tale, documenting humanity’s fatal transgression into god’s domain, with the inevitable consequences already revealed in The Planet of the Apes. James Franko, as the leading human, is a real disappointment in this. Looking well out of his depth, he lacks the emotional dexterity required for the role, occasionally breaking the film’s grip on its audience. Fortunately, this lack of humanity is ironically atoned for by CGI. Caesar (Andy Serkis aka Gollum), a flawlessly rendered chimp, is an incredibly engaging character with a particularly moving narrative. Stunning visuals with a real grandstand finish, this is a hugely enjoyable watch with a fair dollop of intellectual cud to chew on too. 7/10

The Road (2009) - John Hillcoat

The success of I am Legend (2007), Children of Men (2006), 28 Days Later (2002) and Wall-E (2008) would suggest that ‘post-apocalyptic’ cinema is undergoing something of a renaissance. The God-like power of CGI and humanity’s post millennial anxieties have combined to bring audiences closer than ever to a tangible vision of the end of the world. The Road represents a devastatingly realistic and familiar vision of the future. We are not asked, like The Road’s post-apocalyptic predecessors, to believe in Zombies, Robots or some freak medical mutation, only to realise a painfully inevitable truth: that the earth might one day yield to forces beyond the control of humans.


At first glance, The Road appears to be a simple survival story, adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, we follow a father and son in their fraught and hopeless quest to the South coast of America, battling the slow but certain onset of starvation, whilst evading the constant threat of cannibalistic hunters in a world that has inexplicably shrivelled and died. As far as slow, simmering action goes, it is gripping stuff, and director John Hillcoat times the key skirmishes in such a way that the vast intervening scenes of relative inactivity and silence (the script is as sparse as the food supply) are permanently saturated with a sense of trepidation.

However, this is much more than an entertaining simulation of good versus evil, The Road’s real source of power and artistry is the hugely complex and moving relationship between father (a disturbingly rakish Viggo Mortensen) and son (Kodi Smit-Mc Phee’s charming debut). The chemistry between the two actors is an absolute joy, but the real credit goes to Hillcoat for moulding Mortensen (best known as the impenetrable fortress of masculinity that is Aragorn) into a terrifically complex and intriguingly androgynous character. Some have levelled criticism at The Road for its gender one-sidedness (females are few and far between in Hillcoat’s dystopia), I would argue that a superior gender discourse is allowed to surface due to this very fact. The father’s masculinity is illustrated through his impressive pragmatism, finding food when it is needed most, a strong figure of authority to his son, even driven to murder when it is required, alpha male status seems a given. However, as the narrative unfolds, the boundaries of gender begin to blur. The Road is awash with Mortensen’s tears; frequent are the times when his spirit is utterly shattered and breaks down into tearful hopelessness. The prevailing image of the father is not as a bullish figure of manhood, but as the gentle guardian: stroking the boys face to comfort him, holding him in his arms to calm him, staring lovingly at his face as he sleeps. This perfectly balanced relationship, stripped of gender prescriptions, is the white light in a world of grey pestilence.

As the audience is invited to share in their deeply intimate and beautiful complex companionship, it becomes clear that The Road is not so much a post-apocalyptic fantasy. Rather, it is a painfully humble tale, a psychological portrait of a pair of ordinary individuals who have endured unimaginable trauma, and who have nothing left to live for but each other. The universality and poetic power of their plight can hardly be overstated.

However, the almost lyrical perfection of their relationship is overshadowed by the cruelty the father appears to show towards outsiders. Soon after disaster strikes the father vows ‘I would do whatever it takes’, and by the conclusion there can be no doubt as to his sincerity. These actions of inhumanity leave a bitter taste in the mouth, that Hillcoat makes little attempt to explain away or redeem these acts of cruelty burdens the audience with a troubling yet necessary moral dilemma about the lengths people will go to in the name of self preservation.

From the most intimate privations of father and son, represented through extreme close up, the camera pans out to reveal the (ironically beautiful) wasteland they inhabit. From the miles upon miles of crumbling black woodland to the vast grey sea, the post apocalyptic earth is as spectacular as it is deadly. The monochrome pallet, adopted for the vast majority of the film, adds a strong visual aesthetic to the pessimistic trajectory of the film. However, if The Road has a weakness, it is the ending. The redemptive conclusion, perhaps representing a concession to an American audience demanding poetic justice, undoes much of the asphyxiating bleakness the film works so hard to engineer. That said, The Road endures and evolves long after the end credits roll, repeat viewings reveal yet more intricate detail, and the beautifully desolate landscapes are seared onto the memory.

Masterful cinematography, subtly brilliant direction, with Mortensen delivering the most complete performance you can hope to see from any actor, The Road epitomises the very best in post-apocalyptic cinema. Bleak and unrelenting, it is hard to recommend this as a cosy Saturday night flick, but rarely has cinema been more vital and relevant. Essential viewing. 9/10.

Bronson (2008) - Directed by Nicolas Refn

This bold, brash, oh so British biopic about the most notorious criminal to ever grace Her Majesty's prison service is a real shocker, in both senses of the word. An opening scene, in which our freshly incarcerated hero smears a swastika onto the lilywhite prison wall with his own shit makes clear that provocation is high on the agenda. The shock and awe tactics, along with what can only be described as a dubious moral landscape, has warranted anger and rage of Bronsonian proportions amongst some critics (notably, Time Out's Dave Calhoun who dispatched Bronson with a solitary star, when five were on offer, which you can read here). Though it may be considered wide of the mark for a film to celebrate and eulogise a man bent on wanton destruction, with strong homophobic and neo-Nazi tendencies in the way that Refn's disconcertingly comic tale does, this is only a superficial flaw in a film that is riddled with more obvious inadequacies.

Firstly, despite its relatively slim 92 minutes running time, Bronson feels clumsy and laborious. Poor direction and apathetic editing are the main culprits. Slow-mo montage after slow-mo montage of the eponymous hero smashing up every prison he's ever been in serves as a gruelling test of the audience's patience. Secondly, the film takes a punt at art-house, and fails. The scenes in which Bronson gesticulates in front of a theatre audience as a deranged magician (the relationship between magician and audience acting as a crude metaphor for Bronson's hold over the hapless prison system) are so poorly executed and, for want of a better phrase, pointless, that you feel genuinely sorry for Tom Hardy who is evidently uncomfortable, going along with a painfully undercooked concept.

A 'pro' in a sea of cinematic 'cons' are the scenes in which Bronson is admitted into a mental hospital. Clockwork Orange-esque in its visual intensity (whitewashed walls bringing a strong visual aesthetic to the bizarre purgatory in which Bronson finds himself), the vital question of whether or not he was criminally insane, or just playing one big, sick game with the penal system is posed in an intriguing and engaging way. That said, this brief moment of quality, and Tom Hardy's raw, visceral, unhinged portrayal of the central character is not enough to drag Bronson out of the bog of inept Cinematic turgidity. Pretentious, unfunny, uninspiritng; needless to say it has 'British cult-classic' written all over it! 2/10

2011: A Retrospective Round-Up in Film

2011 has been, for want of a better phrase, one hell of a year. We have seen political (Arab Spring), geographical (Japan Earthquake), social (London Riots) and Economic (Occupy Wall St./Eurozone crisis) shifts on a scale few would have thought possible. Those famous words of Bob Dylan, "Oh the times they are a changin' " ring out ever more clearly as we launch ourselves headlong into a brave new future in which we hope for the best, but fear the worst. But as a historical document, a social commentary, a provoker of thought, an igniter of imagination, a prophecy, a warning, and above all, a means of escape; the value and significance of great cinema is most brilliantly clear when fate seems to be forever pissing on humanity's bonfire.
And so I move swiftly on to my 2011 in film. In this post I will share my thoughts on recent Cinematic and DVD releases, along with other, perhaps older films, which are worthy of note (for better or worse). 2011 has surpassed all others in the sheer volume of films that I have seen, so this retrospective will be in no way an exhaustive list. There are, however, a quite sizeable list of films in this review so my comments on them shall remain brief. Onwards with the round-up!


Source Code (2011) - Duncan Jones

I begin with Source Code because, quite simply, it is the best film I have seen all year by some margin. This sci-fi cum political thriller is not the kind that lends itself well to a punchy, easy to follow synopsis. However, that is not to say that Source Code is exasperating, cluttered or overly complex like so many of its sci-fi predecessors. Gylenhaal is at the heart of everything that makes this film so compelling, showing subtlety and emotional dexterity that makes his B-list status baffling. The visuals and effects are exquisite, the plot is sure to make you pick your jaw up off the carpet on a few occasions, and the closing scenes are beautifully moving. A masterpiece. 10/10

Saw VII (2010) - David Hackl
From the sublime to the ridiculous. I think I convinced myself to watch the SEVENTH instalment of this frankly awful franchise just to be sure that, like they promised, this was the last one they would ever do. Each Saw film has had a habit of sinking even lower than the previous one, and to make matters even worse, there has evidently been a big slash in the budget. It would appear that the first choice makeup artist did a runner when they realised just how bad this film really was, given the fact that the 'blood' looks more like the kind of thing Antonio would be applying to your Mr Whippy. Yes, they really have used the same plot formula for the seventh time and you can see the so called 'twist' coming from the opening credits. For the love of film AVOID. 1/10 (the only reason it got 1 is because they promised not to make another. In the likely event they abandon popular opinion and good taste by making another, my mark is amended to 0)

The Usual Suspects (1995) - Bryan Singer
It has taken until now for me to discover this critically acclaimed crime heist (before you ask, I don’t know what took me so long). The fact that The Usual Suspects surpasses the majority of the 2011 films I have seen this year illustrates how technology is temporary, class is permanent. The cast is heavyweight, Spacey's character is cinematic dynamite, and I can guarantee you will find yourself looking round the room in bewildered amazement as if to say 'did you just see that?!' when the end credits roll. Undoubtedly the biggest kick to the nuts i've had all year. 9/10.

Hereafter (2011) - Clint Eastwood
Directed by Clint Eastwood, starring Matt Damon, Hereafter certainly has the pedigree. It follows the likeable George (Damon) as he reawakens the sleeping giant that is his ability to speak to people from the 'hereafter' (dead people, to put it bluntly). The concept intrigues, but the films reverent seriousness towards the idea of talking to the dead is undermined by the unfeasible sequence of events, and a peculiar lack of conviction evident in a script that seems more concerned with ideas than with the characters that are supposed to have them. Net result being that the characters appear hollow and insincere. We are steadily spoon-fed a watered down plot, redeemed only by the soft, almost lyrical cinematography. One is left wondering how an actor of Damon's class, and a director of Eastwood's clout, combined to create such a tepid nonentity. 3/10.

The Social Network (2010) - David Fincher
Films about criminals derive their entertainment from the fact that there is usually an element of their character which is misunderstood, which redeems all the evil turns the protagonist has taken; there is no such redeeming feature to The Social Network's Mark Zuckerberg, no matter what the critics might tell you. This documentary style account of the dark beginnings of the worlds most lucrative social networking website infuriates and irritates more than it entertains. At the film's conclusion I was left wondering what the actual point of the film was, other than to tally up the backstabbing, squabbles, lies and deceit amongst a group of people upon which the world could not have heaped more privilege. It was like a nightmarish, 2 hour long version of Made In Chelsea, only these people are meant to be intelligent, and should supposedly know better. This is why The Social Network leaves you blackly pessimistic about the fate of humanity if this is the kind of thing that Harvard, engine room of the world's greatest minds, is churning out. The fact that the film moved me to such strong emotions, however, is testament to its ability to provoke, if nothing else. 4/10.

Revolutionary Road (2008) - Sam Mendes

Di Caprio and Winslett are perhaps best known for making cinemas around the world awash with tears at the sad demise of their fiery romance in Titanic. Revolutionary Road is a far less optimistic enquiry into whether true love conquers all. 'The Wheelers' (as the neighbours affectionately call them) are a loving, genuinely interesting couple living in Middle-America, who slowly see their free spirits crushed by the mediocrity of suburban living. We watch the relationship unravel, and eventually disintegrate. Director Sam Mendes shows a real eye for the little details, such as the ubiquitous brown furnishings, the ever present cigarette upon which Winslett tugs so furiously during times of stress, and the hearing aid of a fellow suburbanite who can no longer tolerate the eternal prattling of his control-freak wife. The real mastery is in the deliberate and painfully slow pace at which the film moves. There is nowhere to hide, and as the film inches towards its desperate conclusion, it becomes deliciously unbearable. 8/10.

The Lives of Others (2006) - Florian Von Donnersmarck
This is the pick of an exceptional crop of World Cinema viewing for me this year. Few moments in history reflect the waking nightmare of Orwell's 1984 more vividly than the so-called 'Democratic Republic' of East Germany before the Berlin wall fell. This is the story of a member of Orwell's Thought Police, a government voyeur named 'Weisler' who becomes so enveloped in the life of the man he is monitoring, that he resolves to covertly aid him in his revolutionary plans. In this world of surveillance and CCTV, one does not have to look hard for the relevance of this film to our lives today. It is a gripping drama, but also a fascinating psychological portrait, illustrating the phenomenal depth and scope of the human psyche, and the power it has to overrule reason and personal preservation. 9/10.

Seven Pounds - (2008) Gabriele Muccino
This heavy going psychological drama is about a man who goes to extraordinary lengths to redeem himself for the seven lives he believes he took in a devastating car crash. It is sobering stuff, and some critics have panned this film for being dull and too obviously attempting to wring every last tear from its audience's eyes. However, I found this a particularly tender and nuanced fable, dealing with particularly complex and unusual subject matter with a delicacy that gives the film an effortless, poetic quality. Ben (Will Smith), the film's protagonist, is a genuinely mercurial and intriguing character, his relationship with Emily (Rosario Dawson) provides most of the films highlights, and I found the revelation at the climax to be genuinely surprising, unlike many critics who thought it predictable (so call me stupid!). Seven Pounds could be said to be a bit too morally prescriptive, perhaps preachy or self righteous, which is why critics have been keen to put the thing down. I would agree with detractors that this film is not without its faults (the final scene, for example, is a peculiar disappointment), but it is a charming and ambitious tale and most definately a worthwhile watch. 7.5/10.

Invictus (2009) - Clint Eastwood
It is the type of film critics are meant to love. Huge director: tick, solid cast: tick, monumental moment in history: tick. Whatever 'it' is, Invictus, it would seem, has 'it' in spades, and the warm reception and words of praise duly followed Invictus like the delirious crowds of emancipated South Africans followed Nelson Mandela when he rose to power in 1994. Invictus is concerned with this moment in history, and Mandela's desire to unite apartheid SA through Rugby. There is tonnes of mileage in this source material, that point need hardly be made. But one is more aware of what the film lacks rather than what it has. Where are the flashbacks to Mandela's colourful past? Where is the violence on the streets barely hinted at in the film? Where is the scrutinizing eye of the international community? We hear so much about apartheid Africa, yet we hardly see it. One gets the impression that Eastwood could barely get to grips with his admittedly colossal source material. The result is that the script is fractured, the key relationships forced, the end result: uninspiring. Mandela, played by Freeman, only adds to the film's woes, wooden and lifeless with the American accent often rearing its ugly head; Mandela just doesn’t feel real. It was never going to be easy, as far as filling shoes go, they don’t get much bigger than Nelson Mandela's, but Freeman could have at least tried. Promising so much, delivering so little, this was perhaps the biggest anticlimax I have known. 4/10.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) - Guy Ritchie
A highly enjoyable and much improved sequel to the intriguing opener. Holmes' infamous nemesis Moriarty takes centre stage as the famous detective duo attempt to stave off all out war in Europe at the turn of the century (don’t bother lads, it's going to happen in 10 years anyway!). The chemistry between Holmes (Downey Jr) and Watson (Law) is a joy to behold, and again Downey Jr's intoxicating (and intoxicated) rendition of Holmes positively glitters in the gas lit backstreets of Victorian London. The action scenes can feel slightly lengthy at times, the plot is also a little cluttered, but above all this film is immensely fun and it is refreshing to see how A Game of Shadows doesn’t take itself too seriously. The franchise is very much alive and kicking with a worthy adversary in the form of Moriarty (played exquisitely by Jared Harris) kicking things up a notch. It iss just a matter of keeping up the good work for the inevitable third instalment, and knowing when to quite whilst you are ahead. This was a big highlight in what has been a disappointing year at the cinema in my opinion. 8/10.


'The Good.....'

Limitless (2011) - Sexy, fun, cool. Limitless ponders over the effect of the perfect drug, and what people will do to get their hands on it. Rarely letting you pause for breath, this breakneck action thriller delivers a pretty satisfying, and suitably mind bending 'hit'. 9/10

Atonement (2007) - Marketed as a costume drama, I didn’t think this was going to be my kind of thing, but there is enough history and psychological Chess-playing to keep most people happy. Interesting use of time sequencing and a pretty nice musical score too. Ticks the boxes: 8/10

Fred Claus (2009) - Sweet, charming, funny, this is the perfect tonic for a lack of Christmas cheer (not that you are gonna need it now). A little over-ambitious and cramped, yes, but stick with it, and you will watch the credits roll feeling sufficiently entertained and heart-warmed. 7/10

Das Experiment (2001) - Everything you could hope for in a horror film but with an added psychological kick that gives a frighteningly familiar and believable dimension to the astonishing events which unfold, bear in mind this was based on a real experiment which took place...9/10

A Beautiful Mind (2001) - I had been meaning to see this for some time and I wasn’t disappointed when I finally got the opportunity. Like Shutter Island only better, this film really gets you into the psyche of the genius Nash (Crowe). The emotional investment in the protagonist that the film demands makes the climax a real tear-jerker. 8/10

The Death of Mr Lazarescu (2005) - Another impressive offering from our European friends. This gritty-grotty drama follows the inevitable plight (come on the title gives it away!) of an old drunk as he is ushered through the infinite cogs of a highly inefficient healthcare machine. Profoundly depressing yet often comic, this bleak thought provoker is a must see for anyone who prefers the glass half empty. 8/10


'The bad and the ugly...'

127 Hours (2010) - Since Slumdog, critics have been clambering over each other to heap praise on Danny Boyle. I found this film laboured and dull. The ending confirmed my suspicions that this film thought it was far cleverer than it actually was. 5/10

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) - And so this lengthy franchise grinds to a halt. The last book should never have been dragged out into two films, but such is Hollywood. This last effort degenerates into a kind of Terminator for teenagers. Not a lot happens, the final battle is tepid. 4/10

Green Lantern (2011) - Beginning to grow a little tired of comic book films, this one being more formulaic than the Fibonacci sequence. Same old set-pieces, same old world being saved from eternal destruction, same old happy ending. Yawn. 4/10

The Fighter (2010) - Probably one Mark Wahlberg will want to forget. OK reviews, based on a true story blah blah blah. The Fighter is frightfully boring and more predictable than the odds of another Saw Movie. 5/10

Cowboys and Aliens (2011) - I thought there might be more to this than meets the eye, there isn’t. And just to confirm, yes, this film really is as bad as the title would suggest, you also pretty much get the whole point of the film just by reading the title too, so please, don’t bother watching it. 2/10.


Film criticism, in my opinion, is at its best when it takes the form of a dialogue. So I would gladly welcome any comments, alternative opinions or criticisms you might have.