MrGoodMovie

Ancient Apocalypse (2022)

Thumbing a nose at Academia

"Ancient Apocalypse" is, quite simply, the best documentary series I've ever watched and I am amazed at the vitriol in the sustained attacks by what I'll loosely term "academia" on both the series and Hancock personally.

Luckily I watched the entire series before I read an article penned by members of said "academia" suggesting that Ancient Apocalypse was racist and white supremacist, because there is nothing to suggest that either of these labels is remotely correct.

Hancock himself makes it clear he's an investigative journalist and not an archaeologist - but that doesn't appear to be sufficient to stem the tide of wrath from professionals who should know better. I might understand if Hancock was simply espousing some fanciful theories but in every episode he provides compelling evidence that may, just may, confirm some, or even all, of his theories.

He provides great footage of little known archaeological sites (well I'd certainly not heard of many of them before) that often provide objective, quality evidence to back up his narrative.

Unfortunately he actually gets banned from one site in the US, for no other reason than espousing his alternative theories. Yes, not Russia, not North Korea but the "land of the free" - the USA!

Graham Hancock may be a contrarian (or far, far worse in the eyes of the slavering academia mob) but he has as much right as anyone else to seek to interpret our human history - and in my view he has done an outstanding job.

Please, please watch it - if only to thumb your nose at the unpleasant people who are trying to gag Hancock and stifle his theories.

The Irishman (2019)

Making House Painting Interesting

The Irishman is much, much more than a "mafia movie". It is a lens into the US culture in the second half of the twentieth century and, probably, one of the most definitive lenses.

Reuniting De Niro, Pacino and Pesci was certainly an amazing feat but if you're expecting another Godfather or Goodfellas, forget it. This movie is not an insight into the mafia and its various manifestations but juxtaposes three different elements, each of which in its own right could easily justify (and in some cases has) a one or two part series.

Scorsese and his team very effectively intertwine the mafia, the Teamsters and the Kennedy clan into a bubbling cauldron that spits out some interesting overspill, such as the line "if they can do that to Kennedy, then.......".

At 3.5 hours long you might think this is a long movie but it really does not feel like that, it is so well made. Granted some of the earlier scenes can get a little confusing as we move from very old Frank, to old (middle-aged?) Frank to "young" Frank (still old De Niro) but get that past that and you have a fascinating movie that steers you towards answers to some of the fascinating mysteries that define the Kennedy/Nixon era.

Gold (2016)

Gold Currency

If you don't already know the story retold in "Gold", do not research this film before you watch it, and don't read any "spoiler" reviews.

You will find it a far more rewarding journey as you get sucked in to the surreal world of prospecting portrayed in this masterpiece.

Whilst gold is but one of many precious metals prospected for down the ages, it just seems to hold a special place in our hearts, and this film is a perfect illustration of that.

Many modern-day politicians and economists would have us believe that gold is not a currency and is of limited value to us. Look no further than this movie for compelling evidence to the contrary. That the mere potential for discovering a rich seam of the yellow metal beneath our feet has us all a quiver.

There are many different angles from which one could review this film, most of which can't be explored in a review that implores you to watch it unburdened by any prior knowledge of the subject matter.

However, the main angle for me is one that is easily shared either pre or post watching this great movie. It is that gold definitely is a currency in its own right, and always will be, no matter how much the politicians and economists tell us otherwise.

War Machine (2017)

War Truth

War Machine is amongst that special breed of movies that defy categorisation.

At times laugh out loud funny - at others devastatingly, gut-wrenchingly tense and moving. This film takes us on an interesting journey through the mind of a 21st century US General. Maybe he genuinely believes in the hopelessly futile mission he's inherited ("winning the hearts and mind of the people"). Certainly he's portrayed as a man nearing the end of a distinguished career, ever more desperate for that decisive battle that would guarantee his name passing into US military folk-lore alongside the likes of Lee and MacArthur.

He appears to be a humanitarian, seeking to minimise civilian casualties, but this could be purely because this is one of the key planks of his driving strategy – counter insurgency. Brilliantly played by Brad Pitt, and ably supported by a motley crew of assorted military aides, the General appears to display more disdain for politicians and his US "allies" than he does for the "enemy". The only reason he appears to be so supportive of the Afghan president, another amusing portrayal by the great Ben Kingsley, is that he is a key ally in the General's counterinsurgency strategy.

Yet the General's blinkered, one-track strategy, which only the most loyal of his followers appear to support, is not the most fascinating aspect of this movie.

The most incredible thing about this must-watch, ramshackle romp through the General's tenure as the top military man in Afghanistan, is that it is based on true events.

Gangster Squad (2013)

Good v Evil

This is a bleak movie, reminding us of an era when corruption in public office was rife, and the mafia ruled the roost.

That is until a straight talking square-jawed cop (Sgt John O'Mara played by Josh Brolin) is given the opportunity to "clean up the town" and is ready, willing and able to do so.

As always Sean Penn immerses himself in the character of Micky Cohen, a tough and ruthless "Godfather" seeking to dominate illicit activity throughout the USA's west coast with a combination of bribery and thuggery.

There is little in this movie that hasn't been seen before, but at the same time it provides riveting viewing as the cops deploy some unconventional tactics to disrupt the gangsters' cash-flow, and the tension builds between the two sides.

Increasingly the stage is set for a showdown between the tenacious O'Mara and the arrogant Cohen, and when it comes it produces an almost archetypal fight between good and evil.

As well as Josh Brolin and Sean Penn there is a sterling supporting cast including Ryan Gosling, as a seemingly ambivalent cop - but driven to action through his attraction to the gangster's moll (Patty, played by Austin Highsmith). Nick Nolte puts in an almost cameo appearance as Chief Parker.

If nothing else this movie reminds us that if it were not for the sacrifices made by real life cops similar to the characters portrayed here, who stood up to a pervading evil in the face of great personal danger (to themselves and their families), the world today would be a much scarier place.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Momentous

It is inevitable with movies such as "Zero Dark Thirty" to wonder how accurate the portrayal of historical (albeit recent) events can be. Most of us who lived through those times will be in no doubt that Osama Bin Laden was clearly labelled "US Public Enemy No. 1"

Yet this movie revolves around one woman's determination ("Maya" played by Jessica Chastain) to find this vindictive and reclusive figure-head, often forced to clash with her bosses to get her own way, as she closes in on her target.

Whether or not the portrayal is accurate it is clear that a lot of hard graft, and determined (if somewhat questionable) interrogations- plus one vital piece of previously overlooked intelligence – went in to locating the Al Qaeda No.1.

And whilst it has to be said that the CIA operatives who died at a supposed meeting with an informant were naïve in the extreme, their deaths in action can be considered no less a sacrifice than all those innocent souls whose lives have been truncated by these dangerous zealots without any real cause.

The ambivalent security situation in Pakistan is evident as three terrorists armed with sub-machine guns rake Maya's car (which luckily for her is modified with bullet-proof features) with bullets in broad daylight.

The eventual raid on the Bin Laden household is clinical and bloody – with enough intelligence captured that the CIA must still be poring over it even now.

This movie captures the powder keg that is Pakistan, the painstaking work that went into locating Bin Laden, the crucial debates in the President's office on percentages of probability that it was Bin Laden's residence (Maya was always 100% convinced), and the professionalism and discipline of the military as they planned and carried out what was, and remains, a daring military raid on foreign soil.

It does it though without fanfare or embellishment. It depicts the events but does not seek to influence, and that is what makes this a truly great movie – it is made by those who understand that it depicts one of the most momentous events of the 21st century, an event that exorcised the demons of an entire generation.

No further dramatization is required.

Django Unchained (2012)

Pure Escapism

Like most of Quentin Tarantino's work "Django Unchained" will defy the efforts of those who seek to categorise movies into neat genres. The best way to describe it is "Sergio Leone meets Quentin Tarantino meets 50 cents", though the spaghetti comes with a liberal spattering of red sauce, the western is served with a heavy dose of southern bigotry, and hey – why not throw in a little bit of rapping??!.

This is a story of love, slavery and bounty hunters in the wild west - interrupted only by a "Blazing Saddles" type skit which nails the vacuous and ridiculous Ku Klux Klan to their own burning cross in hilarious fashion.

For all their immense acting talents Leonardi DeCaprio (Calvin Candie, an egocentric and opportunistic cotton plantation owner) and Samuel L Johnson (the obsequious servant Stephen) are reduced to mere bit players as first Christopher Waltz (bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz) and then Jamie Foxx (main character Django) hold centre stage with their single minded pursuit of their goals.

There are some unique and memorable moments in "Django Unchained", much to take in as your senses are assaulted by gun-slinging slave traders and their complicit "aristocratic" buyers, the plight of the unfortunate slaves themselves, and the twists and turns that befall our bounty hunter, and his self-proclaimed (albeit oxymoronic) "free slave".

I loved this film as a form of escapism, and I'm not sure there is a better way to enjoy Tarantino's unique and formidable talents.

The Master (2012)

Drowned in its own depth

"The Master" is an unequivocally deep movie but unfortunately that very depth works to make it practically impenetrable.

On the surface we have the story of WWII sailor (Freddie Quell, mesmerisingly played by Joaquin Phoenix) who has seen action (or mostly inaction as depicted in the film) in the Pacific. Freddie is instantly established as an oddball loner with an inordinate passion for sex and alcohol (or any mixture of chemicals that might vaguely resemble such) - giving us our first theme of addiction.

As we move through the movie it becomes clear that the character is also afraid of anything that might resemble commitment - running away when a love affair or friendship gets to stage that might require more than just pure loyalty.

After running away (again) from a threatening situation (associated more with his chemical mixing abilities than any form of commitment) Freddie stows away on a yacht bound for New York. That he is drawn to "The Master" (ably played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, but nowhere near stretching his extraordinary depth of acting talent), who has chartered the yacht for his family and friends for the trip, is no great surprise. What is surprising is the Master's seeming infatuation with this alcoholic loser.

Thus the movie revolves around the two men's relationship, though it is never really clear who is conning who, and what benefits (if any) each receives from the other.

Possibly the Master is seeking to get some form of commitment to his "cause", but why bother when there are far softer souls to be plucked? Maybe Freddie is looking for some sort of father figure, or searching for the truth, but why bother when apathy appears to be his strongest characteristic?

Since the ending sees Freddie bedding yet another female conquest, appropriately picked up in an English pub, one has to wonder if the message is simply that come what may, if ones character predisposes them to addictions and an inability to commit then "c'ést la vie" - they will always be so inclined regardless of intervention and persuasion.

A finely crafted and acted movie that, unfortunately, loses its message(s) along the way.

Looper (2012)

Looping the Loop

Think too hard and too long about "Looper" and your head is likely to explode, either now, in the future, or sometime in the past.

It is that kind of movie, a complex web of time shifts which can easily meld in to one and leave you wondering where exactly you are in the time/space continuum, a little like "Inception".

As long as you are not a total sceptic when it comes to time travel, and can put aside some of the more obvious questions (like how a pin-point accurate time travel system appears to require no more than a ground sheet and four bricks as a receiving station), this a great movie.

"Looper" has a hidden depth that reveals itself as we go, though never slow on action and subtle hints as to what is to come - some of which I'm convinced will take a second viewing to properly hit home. At some point in the movie it dawns on you why even the title of the movie has a deeper significance than being simply the name appropriated by the mob's high-rolling hit-men.

For me the revelation came at a point that I was totally drawn in to the film, and emotionally invested in both the moment and the characters.

It was one of those stomach-churning moments that turns a good movie great.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

True Love

"Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" manages to eke a little humour from the little there must be in a movie whose characters are preparing for an apocalyptic event.

There are a few laughs along the way but the mood is primarily sober and reflective, even sombre at times.

As usual Steve Carell ("Dodge") plays a forty-something nowhere man, kind and thoughtful but yet to find his true love and soul mate.

Keira Knightley ("Penny") is a twenty-something neighbour whose own superficial relationship crumbles easily under the weight of the momentous events that are unfolding.

The two embark on a road trip in an attempt to be with the people with whom they will find most comfort as the world's end draws ever closer.

It is this road trip that proves to be the ultimate cornerstone of the movie and provides us with the poignant, and possibly obvious, conclusion that facing the end of world is a lot easier if you're with someone you truly love, and whom truly loves you.

And if that true love is strong and eternal, then the end of the world is a mere blip in its infinite existence.

The Hunger Games (2012)

Good but not Great

Like "The Truman Show" "The Hunger Games" depicts a world in which real people are plunged into an enormous TV set that replicates specific environments, and then filmed 24/7 with numerous hidden cameras.

However, the similarity ends there as this movie is not about a relatively benign show with an unassuming and oblivious star. The "stars" of this show (the "Tributes") know all about these terrifying "games", and their likely fate.

The "set" of "The Hunger Games" is a far more dangerous environment, where violence and death at the hands of the other "Tributes", or "natural causes" (i.e. hazards introduced by the shows' producers), is never far away.

In this respect "The Hunger Games" is more akin to a futuristic "Gladiator" - a blood-thirsty spectator game where the Christians (or in this case the "Tributes") are cast to the lions, all in the name of entertainment for the masses.

Unfortunately "The Hunger Games" possesses neither the intrigue, subtle hints and slow revelations of "The Truman Show", nor the double crossing characters, grandiose battles and epic storyline of "Gladiator".

For me it is a better than average sci-fi movie that could have delivered much more than it did - I wanted it to be great but the formulaic and predictable ending belied the intensity of some the earlier moments, whether that be the central character, Katniss, rushing forward to volunteer for the games in place of her sister, being hunted down by an alliance of other Tributes, or comforting the sweet young dying Tribute who befriended her.

As this is the first in a sequel of films it may well be that as the overall plot unfolds this proves to be a more worthy film as the first in the series, rather than a stand-alone movie.

Taken as a stand-alone it introduces us to a compelling and chilling idea that gives us a good story line, some well executed scenes and a few memorable characters, which, for me, just scrapes it into the 7/10 league.

Any Questions for Ben? (2012)

Quintessentially Australian

"Any questions for Ben" is one of those quintessentially Australian offerings - a realistic film about real life people living in a real life world, and asking every day real life questions about their own lives.

The main character, Ben (a fantastic portrayal of a twenty-something playboy searching for the meaning of life, by actor Josh Lawson) seems to have it all - great job, wads of cash, gorgeous girlfriends, fast cars, partying mates, etc. etc.

When he is invited back to his old school to talk about his career to the next generation of job seekers his life seems complete - but it is this event that sets him off on a quest to find more meaning in what he begins to see as his superficial existence.

There is a wonderful supporting cast including a best mate who loves to party but lacks any trace of emotional intelligence (Andy, played by Christian Clark), a second bestie (Nick, played by Daniel Henshall) who envies Ben's lifestyle but is not much of a party animal himself (".....seems a bit weird to be the designated driver on your bucks night...") and Ben's ultimate love interest, Alex, a beauty both inside and out with a brain to match, played by the lovely Rachel Taylor, of whom I am sure we will be seeing a lot more (Nicole Kidman comes to mind).

The beautiful city of Melbourne makes a stunning backdrop to this thoughtful movie which will make you laugh a bit (especially the scene that rolls during the credits) and possibly cry a little - but overall you should feel that it was a very worthwhile experience.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Still a need to talk about Kevin?

"We need to talk about Kevin", whilst a little contrived at times, is nevertheless a tour de force of modern parenting.

It is clear from an early age that there is something "not quite right" about Kevin and his differential attitude. He cries solidly through the day but gurgles happily for his father of an evening, and as he grows up continues to exploit the tension he can cause between his parents, playing along with a father who appears to think he can do no wrong.

Tilda Swinton plays the mother with enough ambiguity for us to wonder, at times, whether she may be partly to blame for the social awkwardness of her errant offspring. John C Reilly offers up a rudderless father figure who is too detached from reality, or any sense of family responsibility, to see through young Kevin - preferring instead to let his wife cope with the real business of parenting.

There does come a point in the movie (and this may depend how switched on you are - it was a fair way in before I cottoned on) when you realise that you only get to see the family together in flashbacks.

And I have to say that is one of the really good things about this movie, it does build the tension well as you realise something is amiss here, and get a clue to something else awry there. You start to understand that something bad must have happened, but you're not sure what, and that is only revealed towards the end of the movie.

It is the dialogue towards the end of the film that is perhaps the most revealing as the inevitable question "why?" is asked. The answer to that question is something along the lines of "I'm not sure I know any more".

Is that often the case in reality? Maybe in the cold hard light of day, the man, woman, boy or girl that has committed a heinous crime comes, over time, less and less to understand the motivation for that crime, and may even start to find it quite repugnant.

Is that the message in this movie? Perhaps, but the movie is broad enough and has enough depth to allow each of us to make up our own minds whether there is still a need to talk about Kevin.

The Iron Lady (2011)

Balls of Steel

Love her or loathe her there can be no doubt that Margaret Thatcher's Government presided over three of the greatest challenges faced by the UK since the second world war.

• The public sector strikes that brought the country to its knees.

• The misery wrought by the IRA, PIRA and INLA as those terrorist organisations bombed, maimed and killed their way to infamy.

• And of course, the Falklands War.

It is these challenges which are succinctly portrayed in this fine bio-pic of the life and times of Lady Thatcher.

Who better to play this towering inspiration to true-blue Toryism, a political figure to match, if not surpass, her only male counterpart worthy of comparison - Churchill - than that finest of character actresses, Meryl Streep.

She is absolutely believable throughout the movie and completely nails Thatcher's speech and mannerisms - a magnificent performance from an actress whose star shines brighter as her age matures.

The focus on Denis Thatcher (whose pet name for her appeared to be simply "MT") as her constant companion, even in death, reveals her human side - a family woman rarely glimpsed or publicised whilst she held public office.

Then of course there was the interaction with her Cabinet, a motley crew from across the political spectrum, none of whom seemed to really understand this conviction politician with a ready grasp of the every-day economics of life (the price of a carton of milk for example).

Towards the end of her reign as PM, Thatcher is portrayed in the movie as an uncompromising and dictatorial figure, publicly humiliating the likes of her then Deputy PM, Sir Geoffrey Howe.

That may or may not have been the case - but one can't help but wonder whether, if this is indeed a true depiction, her attitude was born of total exasperation with her lily-livered, vacillating and sometimes disloyal male colleagues.

No matter what your political opinion surely this well made and finely acted movie reveals once and for all that the Iron Lady had more conviction, more guts - basically more balls - than the total sum of her remaining Cabinet.

Man on a Ledge (2012)

Man on ledge = viewer on edge

Don't be put off by the rather boring title, this is a quirky little movie that works quite well and will give acrophobics a dizzying run for their money.

I have to say that I figured a movie in which the plot revolves around some guy on a ledge would be relatively slow paced. However the film is in fact surprisingly fast-paced with the viewer largely unaware of the underlying plot even as our man steps out on to his ledge.

The characters and their parts in the plot are revealed as we go, with plenty to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat as our disgraced ex-cop dangles precariously on his ledge.

The revelations come thick and fast, and at one point you may well be asking yourself whether there are actually any good cops in this movie (luckily for our "jumper", there are!).

There is one really good action scene/stunt in the movie which is difficult to describe without ticking the "spoiler" box so I will leave you to discover what was for me the best jaw-dropping moment of the film.

And just in case anyone reading this review has already watched the movie and was wondering, Genesis Rodriguez stripping down to her underwear was my second best jaw-dropper scene (sad, I know!)

Not an epic but a nevertheless entertaining movie that is well worth watching, and there is even a nice little twist towards the end.

J. Edgar (2011)

An American Great

In "J. Edgar" we see the directing skills of Clint Eastwood once again deliver a superior movie that shows the human side of the controversial figure that is J Edgar Hoover.

Through more fine character acting Leonardo Di Caprio is a believable Hoover, taking us through the various events that shaped this larger than life character in his formative years. We can see why Hoover was so motivated to fight the communists and we gain an insight into his relationship with his dominating mother .

He reveals his overwhelming desire for order, from the innovative filing system in the congress library to his very precise requirements of his "G-Men".

We are voyeurs to Hoover's early, seemingly latent (and, incidentally, disputed), homosexuality, which rappears to be confirmed by his extraordinarily close relationship with Clyde Tolson (ably played by Armie Hammer) who became a trusted and loyal aide - and his constant companion.

Hoover created and empowered the FBI, protecting it from several presidents with the help of his "secret files", the contents of which will likely never been known.

When he is stung by criticism that he himself rarely gets involved in arrests he simply embellishes a few high profile investigations and the inserts himself as the arresting officer. Anything to raise the profile of his beloved bureau (including, it would appear, leaking "G-Men" stories to comic book editors) The movie tells the story but does not appear to have any particular agenda - one of the enviable traits of Eastwood's recent films. He leaves the viewer to take in the characters and events and decide for themselves the type of man Hoover was - that is the art of great movie making, and indicative of the towering talent of Eastwood as a director.

Personally I admire Hoover because there can't be many people who held such sway over quite as many presidents as he did, and surely claiming the FBI as his abiding legacy secures his place in history, alongside the likes of Lincoln, Kennedy etc. Eastwood's movie is a fitting tribute.

Margin Call (2011)

Caveat Emptor

"Margin Call" follows the events which unfold when the risk specialist (or rather his understudy, after he is summarily marched off the premises) of an investment bank realises that a leveraged collaterised debt product held on their books has gone bad, threatening the very future of the firm.

The film exposes the lack of understanding of the inherent risk in leveraged collaterised debt products within senior management, and the flawed nature of the risk models that allowed such products to flourish. Importantly it also shows that the people on the other end of these deals had absolutely no idea what they were actually buying.

There is no claim that this movie is based, even remotely, on actual events but one cannot but imagine that this indeed must have been how the whole collaterised debt product debacle started to unravel. However it is quite difficult to conclude from this film that any of the employees or managers actually did anything wrong.

The firms' management knew that further heavy losses on the collaterised debt product would bankrupt them. So in one day they sought to ship as many of the tranches as was physically possible, and not buy any more or accept swaps.

Sounds like a sensible approach to me. There was a market and there were willing buyers - and if the buyers were silly enough to buy simply on the basis that they were buying at lower prices than they were the day, or the hour, before, then more fool them.

As in all walks of life, but especially for those who inhabit the murky world of sophisticated collaterised debt products it is a case of "Caveat Emptor". That none of the buyers of the tranches of debt that this firm off-loaded was beware - even as the market price plummeted - says it all really.

Carnage (2011)

Lucky I watched it on a plane

This is a truly barren movie.

It has no plot, no wit, no fine acting and, possibly worst of all, no real meaning.

It is classified as a comedy but the most amusing moment was Winslett's high pressure vomiting - possibly the highlight of the entire movie. Hardly the stuff of belly laughs though.

The two couples' descension from rational adults to childlike drunken behaviour is very predictable and rarely amusing.

The constant mobile phone interruptions were only ever going to end one way.

The amount of time spent in recrimination and defence of their errant offspring is in stark contrast to the ease with which the those same offspring settle their differences.

Perhaps that was supposed to be "the meaning" of the movie, though to any remotely responsible and averagely intelligent parent it is blatantly obvious that getting too deeply involved in your child's battles is never going to result in a happy ending.

A film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Kate Winslett and Jodie Foster should have delivered more, much more.

Thankfully I watched it on a plane, otherwise I'd have felt cheated of 80 minutes of my life.

You have been warned.

The Ides of March (2011)

Politics in the Raw

Very occasionally a film comes along that not only holds the viewers attention with fine acting and an interesting plot, but also illustrates a wider truth.

"The Ides of March" is such a film. Both Ryan Gosling (Staffer Stephen Meyers) and George Clooney (Governor Mike Morris) play their parts to great effect, as does Evan Rachel Woods (Molly Stearns) - who I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of in the future.

Meyers is the wide-eyed buck with idealistic views and perfectly honed and timed political strategies, whilst Morris is the seasoned political campaigner, easily wooing his audiences and the media into his altruistic, though ultimately false, world - seemingly the perfect match.

As Meyers gets caught up in a challenging and quickly unravelling "situation", that could easily cost Morris the Presidency, his relationship with both the Governor and his gnarled campaign manager boss (the ubiquitous Philip Seymour Hoffman) deteriorate.

Not to be deterred from his path however, Meyers finds himself holding all the Aces that, played well, will allow him to wreak revenge on his old boss and boost his own career.

This is politics in the raw - "The Ides of March" should be watched by any youngster considering entering politics, so clearly does it illustrate the morally bankrupt world they're entering before, as with poor Molly Stearns, it is far too late to get out intact.

Setup (2011)

It's the viewer who is set up

This is a disappointing film. It travels a well-trodden path of heist-gone-wrong plots, and initially promises twists and turns as the "set up" of the title unravels.

Unfortunately it just ties itself in knots as you attempt to understand who has been set up and why, until you're past caring. It has far too many clichés (the white masks of the armed robbers, the subtitles identifying the various gangland players, the rudely interrupted poker game etc. etc.) but none of them work because this movie simply doesn't flow.

The plot is confusing, the characters shallow, the dialogue mediocre. I would not even attempt to distinguish this film by comparison to others, it is that bad.

Let's face it, a movie that can't even be saved by the presence of Bruce Willis has to be an abject failure.

Mr. Nice (2010)

Saint or Sinner?

Like the character it portrays, this film can't quite decide whether it is an affable and somewhat naïve Welshman, or a hardened international drug smuggler with terrorist and underworld connections.

The movie primarily portrays Howard Marks as the harmless purveyor of hashish from Pakistan/Afghanistan into Europe, the US and Canada. It also shows him as an intense family man, rudely interrupted by constant telephone calls to and from the front men in his drug smuggling operations. Maybe this should not be surprising, as it is based on his autobiography.

However, it is difficult to believe that someone as clearly intelligent as Marks would not have understood the gravity of what he was doing and that, sooner or later, his luck was going to run out. And this is the part of Marks' life which the film left inexplicably unexplored.

There were two moments when the veil slipped. The first was the unexplained death of a party-goer in Howard Marks' Oxford days. The second was the consignment of semtex destined for the IRA mixed with the somewhat less lethal stuff that Marks was smuggling.

I actually agree with Marks' views on the legalisation of recreational drugs. But I feel somewhat cheated by a film that looks so superficially at an individual, and the consequences of his actions on society as a whole.

All Good Things (2010)

All Good Things - Review

There are few films that illustrate the fortunes that power and wealth confer on an individual better than "All Good Things".

The lead characters are David Marks (aka Robert Durst) and his wife Katie (aka Kathleen Durst) ably played, respectively, by Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst.

It is a fascinating and ugly story that leaves many unanswered questions in its wake, and the rather bitter taste of a dangerous, psychotic killer walking free on our streets.

There can be no doubt that this is due to the immense wealth of the individual, and one has to question the extent to which his family, whilst claiming to have disowned him, colluded in protecting him (if only to protect the reputation and wealth of the old family firm).

This film has everything - the trappings of wealth, the abuse of power, land ownership, drugs, manipulation, violence, mysterious disappearances and deaths, and the mafia. And it is all based on true events.

There is certainly enough circumstantial evidence to suggest that, rather than his wife "disappearing" in 1982, Robert Durst murdered her (possibly aided and abetted by his father, Seymour Durst - Sanford Marks in the film, and his close friend Sarah Berman - Deborah Lehrman in the film). There is also some circumstantial evidence to suggest that it was he, rather than Morris Black (depicted as Malvern Bump in the film), who murdered Sarah Berman in her own home in December 2000.

He certainly did murder Morris Black in September 2001, but managed to evade justice with a last minute "self-defence" plea, and some very expensive lawyers.

This is a disturbing film, and even more disturbing is the seeming lack of publicity it received when released, and its lack of showings in US cinemas. Whilst I am not normally given to conspiracy theories one has to wonder why this interesting and provocative film, with stars of the calibre of Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst, appears to have been starved of the oxygen of publicity it so richly deserves. Could one family's wealth, power and influence be the answer?

Unfortunately the darker side of human nature is on display in this film, and the tragic events it depicts. Watch it and weep.

Piranha 3D (2010)

Save the Piranhas

If you prefer your bodies sliced, diced and pureed then this is the film for you.

Alexandre Aja (the director) should be congratulated for coming up with so many different ways for his unfortunate stuntmen (and women), and bloodied extras, to either die or be extensively injured.

And it is quite hard (if you'll forgive the pun) for me to decide whether it was the dismembered-penis eating piranha, or the vacuous- blond's-brain gorging piranha, that stole the show.

To think there was a time when we were shocked by that single scene in the "Omen" showing a sheet of glass slicing off a chap's head in slow-mo.

Not a lot can be said about the plot, the acting or the dialogue – a lake, lots of speedboats and teenagers, a wet-teeshirt competition (and an even wetter soft-porn director), and an errant baby sitter's charges trapped on a sinking boat - standard B-movie fare. However I thought the ending was a classic – and for a couple of different reasons.

Firstly it really was very funny, and perfectly delivered by that most manic of comic straight men – Christopher Lloyd. Secondly it intimated that the wonderfully dentured prehistoric piranhas had survived the incursion of the dopey humans - and after millions of years of existence, had not been driven to extinction in a single day of mayhem.

So I say forget the whales and the dolphins - Save the Razor-Toothed Piranhas!

The Three Musketeers (2011)

A First Class Romp

The Three Musketeers is as good a romp as you'll get for your money.

Great SFx (watch it in 3D to best effect), fantastic CGI, interesting plot, and a quirky bow to some great scenes from other movies.

When D'Artagnan arrives at an inn on his way to Paris and demands an apology for an insult to his dappled mount "Buttercup", you just know this is a romp of the highest order.

Don't take it too seriously and you will enjoy the action and mayhem – if you are expecting to see a serious swashbuckling spectacle worthy of Errol Flynn them…ummm….. go watch an Errol Flynn movie….

Absolutely loved it, pure escapism and why not? God knows we need it in today's climate.

Oranges and Sunshine (2010)

Britain's Shame

Should anyone ever question the value of the film industry then the innocently titled "Oranges and Sunshine" is a film that, on its own, could quite easily justify its existence.

Whilst the acting, production and direction are superb, the film's dark subject matter overshadows all, and its disturbing revelations require no dramatisation. As the psychological damage caused to a whole generation of "stolen" children becomes clear, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer immensity of the systematic betrayal of trust suffered by a staggering number of British families, and perpetrated by those in authority who should have known better.

"Oranges and Sunshine" covers a mere handful of tragic stories in various ways, all very effective. These stories expose a truly shameful episode in British history, and the way in which those affected adapted to their fate - with varying degrees of success. What is clear though is that for better or worse, this childhood experience has indelibly marked them for the rest of their lives.

Although the children who were torn away from their mothers may not have been marshalled roughly onto rail wagons, on a one way trip to oblivion, a very clear parallel can be drawn between the ghastly regime in Nazi Germany, and the ghastly regimes that allowed this despicable scheme to continue, and which do not appear, from the facts as depicted in this film, to have been brought to account.

The parallel is that when good men and women fall silent, and no-one challenges the systemic abuse of power by those in authority, then the arrogant, the incompetent, the weak-willed, the lazy and, indeed, the downright evil, triumph.

To me that is the enduring message of this brilliant yet incredibly sad film. It is a repeated lesson we seem incapable of learning, no matter how many times emotionally evocative films like this attempt to remind us.