formidible-441-172674 Reviews

Soldier Blue (1970)

One of Cinema's greatest westerns

[9/10 · 22 August 2020]

I still remember seeing this in the cinema at barely legal age. It profoundly affected me. From what starts as an ordinary western, ends in scenes so shocking it left me dumbfounded. But this really was how the west was won - in blood and slaughter. For me this was an awakening to the power of cinema in general and its power to both shock, educate, entertain and bewilder. This is not a film you will forget easily. Fifty years later it still resonates.

Morgan (2012)

A very positive film in all departments

[9/10 · 28 June 2020]

No problems being "out" here. No drugs, no addictions, no tragic ending, just two ordinary gay guys falling in love, and one finally coming to terms with himself and his physical disability. A warm hearted and very positive, moving film. Its not going to win major acting or technical awards, but that's not the point.

Papillon (1973)

One of the most underrated films of all time

[10/10 · 7 April 2020]

In my top 20 films of all time. Probably the best performance both Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman have ever given in a film enthused with absorbing detail in every scene, not only of the harshness of Devil's Island but of the psychological impact on the main players and the injustice and cruelty of the life sentences. It works on two levels - psychological and emotional whilst at the same time tells an exciting and dramatic story of escape. It's riveting cinema that went unrewarded by critics - shame on them. Thankfully its proved amongst the public to be an enduring classic.

The Pharmacist (2020)

Am amazing documentary

[10/10 · 19 February 2020]

This completely bowled me over. An amazing story of one man's grief and battle for justice and then a sensed mission to save others from addiction to an opioid miss sold, miss prescribed and that eventually killed 400,000 Americans whilst the producing company pocketed 36 billion dollars. There were times when I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. Hypnotic TV series that deserves an entire accolade of awards.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

How does he get away with it?

[8/10 · 14 August 2019]

Another Tarantino monster of a film. It grabs you by the neck at once and drags you through two and a half hours of late 60's Hollywood bravaura based on the life of a TV stuntman and his body double. Its full of dark humour as you'd expect, and it's a winner in all the artistic departments, including acting. But I don't like a director who's so cocky and manipulative that he eventually can't resist the temptation to distort history by turning the Tate murders into a tale of revenge where the guilty foursome end up as the victims. How does he get away with it?

The Hours (2002)

Searing and beautiful

[8/10 · 30 July 2019]

The tale of the fictitious Mrs Dalloway as a pseudonym for the life of three different women, all a different version of the author Virginia Woolfe herself, her mind, her life and thoughts. This is a film about living in the closet and not leading the life you want through fear of prejudice or rejection which in those days the establishment too easily labelled as depression or psychosis. On one level its a depressing film, on another a work of pure brilliance. Great performances and attention to detail, both in the screenplay and sets creates an unfogettable film that most people can at least relate to in part, and for a few, can relate to completely.

Midsommar (2019)

Too long

[7/10 · 3 July 2019]

There are clear pararelels with "The Wicker Man" here but this film goes way overboard with the sex and gore apparently inherent in a fictional Swedish pagan cult. Some scenes linger for far too long and the film is teppered with moments of humour that just seem out of place. The transition from studious onlookers to victims by the invited foreign "guests" is not really smooth or even believable. After witnessing two suicides (one actually more akin to murder) one can't quite believe that all the "guests" wouldn't simply have run away. The film does deserve some artistic merit with its set designs and the performances of the background cast, and the location is well chosen, but the screenplay lacks quality and the direction is nothing more than average. The film too heavily relies on a huge shock factor to instill audience attention rather than building on genuine atmosphere and suspense (the latter of which quite frankly it has none). The relationship between the two main characters, Christian and Dina, is at best not fully explored, and at worst superficial with Christian labeled as untrustworthy from the start, but even by close we still don't really know who he is. On the plus side Florence Pugh puts in an excellent performance as Dani. Its a film that will split audiences and even if, like me, you are underwhelmed, I found it one of the oddest and strangest films I think I've ever seen. Judge for yourself.

Black Sheep (II) (2018)

Why acceptance is stronger than morality

[7/10 · 22 March 2019]

A short but engaging documentary centred on one man which shows that you can't always escape from the issues you face in life by just moving house - in this case from racism and violence. Through a series of edited interviews and acted sequences the film shows how one man deals with his perceived lack of love and acceptance from his father, dealing with the emotions surrounding a notorious murder, and the extreme racism and violence he encounters in his everyday life. Instead of challenging his oppressors he decides instead to assimilate and behave like them in order to find the acceptance he so desperately seeks.