Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Dir: James Cameron
1991
*****
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is without a doubt (in my humble opinion) the greatest action film ever made. The original film The Terminator had a relatively simple premise; Cyborg chases couple, couple run to save mankind. This is only slightly spoiled by the inclusion of impossible science but it didn't matter, it was a thrill ride of action and one-liners. It would be an understatement to say that Terminator 2: Judgment Day took the original idea and bettered it. The sequel didn't just quash the idea that no sequel is as good as the original, it blew it out of the water in terms of idea, intelligent sci-fi and special effects. It also signified the big switch from 80's cheesy action films to intelligent 90's sci-fi. Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity had grown hugely since 1984 and so James Cameron very cleverly turned his character's role around and gave us another cult bad guy, the T-1000. He even gave the T-1000 (played brilliantly by Robert Patrick) his own scary theme tune, like all good villains should (and do) have. The special effects were gob-smacking in 1991 and are still impressive today. The development of the characters was quite original too, making this a very different film from the first even though the premise is pretty much the same. It is also one of the most quotable films of modern cinema, providing Schwarzenegger with some of his best known catch-phrases. It's not a perfect film, it still retains some cheesiness of the first but nothing that can't be overlooked, perfection is in imperfections and all that. Action films weren't meant to be this intelligent, as well designed or well produced. The mindlessness was extracted from an already popular genre and completely revolutionized. It's a huge film and a huge film in the development of cinema, not entirely for the good but it was certainly the shakeup that Hollywood needed.

The Terminator
Dir: James Cameron
1984
****
James Cameron's 1984 sci-fi action The Terminator was a huge hit on release, although it was never expected to be. It's a pure action film with a little bit of sci-fi for good measure. An android is sent back from the future to assassinate the mother of a future leader. A simple premise and the perfect recipe for action, violence, explosions, fights, car chases etc etc. The special effects were pretty advanced for the time and the people who produced them were pioneers in their field. Arnold Schwarzenegger was beginning to get noticed thanks to his turn in the Conan films and it is now hard to imagine another actor who could have played the role of the T-800 quite as well, the character and performance becoming something prominent in popular culture and reaching cult status. However, the story makes absolutely no sense at all. Kyle Reese is sent back in time from the future by Sarah Connor's son (his best friend) to protect her from the T-800 and when they weren't dodging bullets, they were falling in love, which in turn lead to the bedroom and an unexpected pregnancy. The child turns out to be Kyles best bud, John Connor. This is an impossibility and one of the stupidest mistakes of modern cinema but no body really cares, we should but we don't. It is a popcorn classic, it's about the action, the one liners and the special effects and everyone loves it, for its faults as well as its strengths.

The Muppet Movie
Dir: James Frawley
1979
*****
Life has very few constants but for me, watching a Muppet film, particularly the original three, has always given me instant happiness and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time. By 1979 the TV show was in full swing and was a global phenomenon. While the chaotic madness of the show was still present in the film, the structure was new and it really did look the business. What I've always liked about the Muppet films is the fact they always acknowledge they are making a film within the film. This helps the Muppets stick within a familiar and comfortable formula while spoofing many a genre at the same time. Celebrities were clambering over each other to get a guest spot on the TV show, so when the movie came along they had the pick of the bunch and it is fair to say that The Muppet Movie can boast one of the greatest cast ensembles of all time. Guests included; Charles Durning, Edgar Bergen (in his last ever role), Milton Berle, Mel Brooks, James Coburn, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Cloris Leachman, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas and Orson Welles. Interestingly directors Tim Burton and John Landis were also guest puppeteers. James Frawley was hired as director after the successful and rather funny The Big Bus (a spoof of the popular disaster genre that actually pre-dated Airplane which is credited as being the first of its kind) and his style matched the film perfectly. The Muppet Movie is so many things, it's a very funny comedy, it's a highly regarded musical and it's the ultimate film about positivity, the American dream and friendship. The jokes are hilarious, the songs are beautiful and the script is quick-witted and sharp as a knife. The Muppets themselves are so lovable that they could have just sat there for 90 minutes but they travel across America on the ultimate road trip, meeting all kinds of life along the way. It doesn't have dud second within the whole film, the opening scene that sees Kermit the Frog singing 'The Rainbow Connection' is one of the greatest in the history of cinema (I know I'm not alone in thinking this) and the last scene is one of the most glorious conclusions to a film ever. Everything in-between is Gold (and fuzzy). One of the greatest films of all time. I even had a line from the film put into my wedding vows, that is how much I love it.

Old Joy
Dir: Kelly Reichardt
2006
*****
The best way I can describe Old Joy is like this; at points in our lifetimes, our feelings change, simple feelings that effect the very core of what we are, it's part of our growth and development and sometimes it's not particularly very nice. Because it is often unpleasant, it's sometimes preferable that it be whispered in your ear, rather than shoved down your throat. Kelly Reichardt has depicted this perfectly in this short and gentle film. Even when very little is happening, there is always something nice to look at and Daniel London and Will Oldham play their parts with the subtlety and gentleness they require. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing each film Reichardt brings out as I feel she can do no wrong, each of her films being as wonderful as the next. I also now believe (partly thanks to Reichardt) that every film should have a dog in it.

Marley & Me
Dir: David Frankel
2008
*
Marley & Me made me (and my wife) very unhappy. I absolutely loved the book. I couldn't put it down and I cried my eyes out at the end which was rather embarrassing, as I was on a crowded Greek beach at the time. It's such a simple but lovely story of a man, his dog and a young family. An easy story to adapt into a film you would have thought. I respect that no film is easy to make and there is the saying 'Never work with Children or Animals' but I don't except that in this adaptation as film and book have nothing in common apart from a Dog called Marley. The casting of Owen Wilson is puzzling. I like Mr Wilson but I'm afraid he couldn't have been further from the character he was portraying. Jenifer Aniston is okay as it goes but her character is given far too much screen time due to the fact she's quite famous and expensive when the book didn't feature her much at all. The film tells little of the true story and misses out on all the really good bits and then, for reasons that are totally beyond me, makes things up. This is so unnecessary. The book is nice and simple and that's half its beauty. The film is structured really badly, the direction is nothing special and only Alan Arkin really shines, albeit, in a character that's not actually in the book. Speaking of which, what was the point of Eric Dane? Why? Apparently they used 35 different dogs, I believe it, I could point them all out to you as none of them looked the same. The last poor dog (old Marley), was actually a Greyhound with cotton wool stuck to it. Great sections of the book such as the stabbing of a neighbour, the Aunt coming to stay, heartwarming stories with the author's dad, are either missing or portrayed badly in the film. So that brings me to the ending. The books version was perfect. Just one line was needed in the book to sum up the whole story and it was tender, heartfelt and dignified. So what do they do in the film? Owen Wilson blubs incoherently, "I love you, love you so much, don't die". Please, did anyone working on this film actually read the book? I didn't feel an ounce of emotion I did reading the book. I didn't really care that Marley had died either as he wasn't really in the film. All you got was an emotionless mutt that you could see was obviously waiting for orders from its trainer who was just slightly off screen, far from the real Marley. It's just rubbish. My favourite scene has got to be when they are in the car at the airport. It's raining but you can quite clearly see people in shorts and t-shirts lapping up the sunshine outside. Be ashamed everybody involved, you have made a terrible film that should have been an easy dead cert. A beautiful piece of literature has been abused.

Warrior
Dir: Gavin O'Connor
2011
*****
There wasn't much buzz surrounding Gavin O'Connor's Warrior and I have to admit I had little interest in watching it when I first heard of it. I'm not much of a sports fan and I certainly don't like violent sports and even though I have a soft spot for certain films of its ilk; Rocky, The Wrestler, Raging Bull etc, I very much doubted it would be as good. I don't even know what MMA stands for, I just see violence without that certain honor that boxing has (or had). I was wrong. Again. Warrior is a fantastic film. I really didn't think you could tell another original, compassionate and compelling story in the genre but I was totally wrong, Gavin O'Connor has made an action packed sports film full of energy and touching drama. Along with his fantastic direction and the hard work and determination from Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton and not forgetting the heartbreaking performance from Nick Nolte, which he thoroughly deserved the Oscar for, it had all the right ingredients for a great drama, and it is a great drama. Definitely one of my favourite sports films and one of the best of 2011.

F/X2: The Deadly Art of Illusion
Dir: Richard Franklin
1991
****
Robert Mandel's 1986 F/X is an underrated 80's thriller in my opinion. It's sequel, F/X2: The Deadly Art of Illusion is an underrated masterpiece. Masterpiece might be an exaggeration but I do love it. Richard Franklin, Ozploitation genius, was the perfect choice to take over from Robert Mandel and I think his direction is better suited to the story. The overall feel of the feel is much darker this time round which makes it a far more stylish thriller. I also think the special effects are more effective, maybe not as good technically but I know a few people who have got into special effect because of this film and not the original. They've added to what made the original work and have improved it immensely, the only thing missing is Brian Dennehy's mustache.

F/X (AKA F/X: Murder by Illusion)
Dir: Robert Mandel
1986
***
F/X is a great little action thriller from the late 80's that I feel has always been under-appreciated. The sequel is much better but the original sets it up nicely and is a great stand-alone film itself. The idea of the FBI using a special effects expert to help them set up a Mafia boss is silly, brilliant and classic 80's thinking. Bryan Brown does the charismatic special F/X character justice in a likable and sometimes serious role and Brian Dennehy plays the 'I'm gonna get you out of this' FBI agent perfectly. The big star of the film though is the great John Stears, the real F/X legend who was affectionately known in the business as 'The Real Q', having worked on many a Bond film as well as the Star Wars films.  It's a drum-machine, white trainers, red sports car 80's thriller, impossible not to love.

Beginners
Dir: Mike Mills
2011
****
Mike Mills' Beginners is really two films in one. The first is about the self-discovery of an old man entering a very different and final chapter of his life and the other is a the self-discovery of a young man through the quirky growth of a new relationship. Both parts of the story intertwine quite well and both are quite beautiful to watch. Each scene is directed, framed and thought-out excellently, making it a joy to watch. Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer and Mélanie Laurent are all equally mesmerizing in their performances. Beginners sits between mainstream and cult quite nicely, I do think it will be more appreciated in year to come as I think it flew under the radar somewhat, although I have absolutely no idea why.

Born in East L.A.
Dir: Cheech Marin
1987
***
Based on the song 'Born in East L.A.' by Randy Newman (a parody of the songs 'Born in the U.S.A.' and 'I Love L.A.') that appeared on Cheech and Chong's album Get out of my Room. Born in East L.A. is Cheech Marin's first venture into directing and is his first leading role without long time partner Tommy Chong. He carries the film well, as a man mistakenly thought to be an illegal Mexican immigrant who tries to get back into the USA illegally even though he is a US citizen. The film points out some very important and very real problems with the boarder control situation but is funny and light hearted enough for it too be not too political or at least, not so the right-wing contingent would notice or at least not enough to kick up a fuss. It's good, very of the era and is funny. It's no Cheech & Chong movie though.

The Electric Eskimo
Dir: Frank Godwin
1979
***
This little made for TV film is by no means an amazing film but to a young boy watching it one Friday afternoon during one of the fantastic 'Broom cupboard matinees' on Children's BBC it opened his eyes to the possibilities of sci-fi cinema. The best thing about it is that it doesn't succumb to the idea that all sci-fi has to be special effects and explosions. Ahead of its time but unfortunately low on budget and probably lost in some BBC archive somewhere, if you saw it you loved it but you probably didn't and never will. Shame, I would love to see it again.

That's Carry On
Dir: Gerald Thomas
1977
**
That's Carry On, officially the 29th and penultimate of the original Carry On films, isn't really a film in its own right but is instead a collection (best of bits) of scenes from the preceding 28 films of the franchise. It is introduced by Kennith Williams and Barbara Windsor in way of some rather innuendo heavy and to be honest, unfunny snippets set inside the projection room of a cinema. As its own film it's nothing really but it will make you want to watch your favorite Carry On film straight after watching. Peter rogers and Gerald Thomas were well known to be tight with their money by this point, so rehashing old stuff rather than making new material lost them credibility and this really was the penultimate nail in the coffin.

Baise-moi
Dir: Virginie Despentes, Coralie Trinh Thi
2000
*
Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi pushed the boundaries of censorship to the limits in their 2000 crime/sex drama. It may have been a pioneering film in many respects but I don't believe anything of quality has since come from it. Baise-moi isn't even that provocative. It's cheap and nasty sex and violence. Sex and violence have always had their place in cinema but neither work well when gratuitous and without real purpose. At the end of the day, if you want porn, watch a porn film and if you want violence, watch Natural Born Killers. Mixing the two in this film and showing graphic scenes of rape for the sake of titillation is just plain nasty. The infamous rape scene in Gaspar Noé's Irreversible serves a purpose, Baise-moi is just violent pornography pretending to be art.

Drive

Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn

2011

*****

Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive oozes style, class and cool. It has all the ingredients of a classic thriller/neo noir but with a modern 80s twist. It's certainly already a cult classic. Visually, its stunning, captivating and just drop dead gorgeous, all thanks to the great Newton Thomas Sigel, one of the best cinematographers working today/of all time. Nicolas Winding Refn is a director you can depend on, his Pusher Trilogy is an underrated epic, his 2008 film based on the life of Charles Bronson (the prisoner) was an ace film and I loved Valhalla Rising, this is a great follow up and a continuation of greatness. Ryan Gosling is fast becoming the actor of a generation, he's living up to his reputation too, his performance seems effortless and is perfect. It's been branded by some as the best film of 2011, it's certainly up there as far as I'm concerned, it might be a three horse winner along with Black Swan and Blue Valentine in my opinion.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Dir: Kerry Conran
2004
***
I have to say that Kerry Conran's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow wasn't half as bad as I'd been lead to believe. Apart from some very dodgy blue-screen towards the beginning of the film (and throughout to be fair) this film had a certain charm to it. It doesn't quite achieve what it set out to do, I think this is unfortunate because if they'd waited a few more years then the technology that would have really made the film look as it was supposed to would have been available. Some of the effects are still brilliant though, and the 1950's inspired set pieces and designs are pretty cool and are a fitting homage to the Pulp magazines and Golden Age comics that have inspired it. I found the dialogue between Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow to be quite lively, if not a little quirky, which really worked. The last line of the film was brilliant and shows that it's not to be taken too seriously but to be enjoyed for what it is, a fun adventure film. I have to say I was entertained throughout and pleasantly surprised.

Get Him to the Greek
Dir: Nicholas Stoller
2010
**
Get Him to the Greek is an odd and not entirely warranted sequel/spin off of 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Get him to the Greek has a decent enough premise with a good idea at its core. However, the story is very shaky, the first half making much more sense than the second half. The editing goes out the window in the second half and it feels as if they're just making it all up as they go along and they settle for a cliche ending due to running out of either steam, interest or time. It's not without its moments though. P Diddy is pretty funny in his scenes, some of the one-liners are golden and they obviously did their research for the London scenes, acknowledging Brixton Academy as an important music venue for example. More miss than hit but was perfect for the mindless nonsense I was in the mood for at the time. It's a bit odd and a little distracting how Jonah Hill plays a different person then he did in the first film though, showing it to be the afterthought that somehow got the green light.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Dir: Nicholas Stoller
2008
**
Jason Segel's Forgetting Sarah Marshall (directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow) isn't bad, I did like Segel in it, he is instantly likable but he has written better (funnier) stories than this. Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russel Brand are all good in their performances and the likes of Paul Rudd, Jason Bateman and Jonah Hill provide the laughs in their supporting roles but it really is the lighter side of what you'd expect from an Apatow comedy. It's as good as Knocked up and in my opinion funnier than Superbad but still doesn't top the 40 year old virgin for me. Of all the Apatow films made in the late 2000s, this is the one that gets a sequel?

Carry on Cowboy
Dir: Gerald Thomas
1965
***
Carry on Cowboy, the 11th Carry On film of the franchise, is certainly one of the best looking of the films. It was of course filmed in Pinewood studios as all the Carry On films were but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was filmed in one of the big Hollywood lots. The cast also rise to the occasion, playing spoof versions of classic Western characters brilliantly. You can see that Sid James relished the chance to play the The Rumpo Kid, a wild man bringing nothing but trouble to the little town of Stodge City. The opening scene whereby Sid James and three extras recreate the classic shootout scene of many a Western is brilliant. The Rumpo Kid wanders over to the three horsemen and shoots each one before either had a chance to draw and as the dust settles he asks openly "I wonder what they wanted?". Carry On Cowboy is interestingly the first Carry On film to feature both Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw, is the first of four Carry On films that Angela Douglas made and features a cameo appearance of one time Doctor Who, Jon Pertwee.

Dreams of a Life
Dir: Carol Morley
2011
*****
Dreams of a Life is one of the most haunting films I've ever seen. In 2003, thirty-eight year old Joyce Vicent died alone in her flat and wasn't discovered for another 3 years. Although she was relatively popular, her friends, family and work colleagues didn't realise she was gone. The film raises interesting and disturbing home truths about relationship, community and social issues of today as peoples emotions, reactions and memories are all laid bare. The reconstruction of the clearing out of the flat, littered with memories is very effective amid recreations of Joyce Vincent singing as a child and wrapping Christmas gifts the night before she died. The interviews of Joyce Vincent's friends are quite telling of the sort of person she was, all of them speak about her in a positive light but it is her ex-boyfriend Martin who is the most compelling - a really nice guy full of frustration, guilt and sadness that makes for one of the saddest endings to film ever. Powerful and emotional but never dwelling on how she died but very much telling a story of who the person was and why she shouldn't have died, which is a much better way of being remembered and is a life lesson for all of us. A must see.

The Descendants
Dir: Alexander Payne
2011
****
Alexander Payne has written another killer script with The Descendants and I just love the way Hawaii is shown for what it is rather than the idyllic postcard that we think it is like. George Clooney is great as always and I was also impressed with the young Shailene Woodley.  Robert Forster was a nice surprise as well although I barely recognised him. A welcome feel-good movie made just that little better by a great script and some particularly brilliant scenes. It also answers the question 'what ever happened to Matthew Lillard'?

The Other Guys
Dir: Adam McKay
2010
**
Cop films have been parodied to death, so if you're going to make a new one it's got to be fresh and original and as much as I liked Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson's scenes and the fact Will Ferrell toned it down a little, it just didn't entertain me. There are a couple of good lines and a particularity funny Johnson and Jackson scene but I thought 21 Jump Street, that came out around the same time was much funnier and stole its thunder somewhat by doing something different with the sub-genre.

What to Expect When You're Expecting
Dir: Kirk Jones
2012
*
Kirk Jones's What to Expect When You're Expecting is beyond awful and is a brilliant advert for contraception but not because the kids were horrible but because some people just don't deserve children and shouldn't reproduce. Calling a Child a Spaz is not nice. The careers of Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Chris Rock continue on to slip down that downward slope but in this instance I think it serves them right. I don't have kids, I wish I could afford to but although I don't have any I'm under no illusion that they aren't hard work. To have people who are lucky enough to have them tell the rest of us how tiring parenthood is, at every given moment, is currently the most recurring condescension I experience and it still isn't conjuring any sympathy for them. An unfunny comedy version of a daily slap in the face isn't something I want to watch or enjoyed very much. Enough already, having kids is nothing new, millions of people have done it before you. This is Hollywood tapping into something that has become fashionable, which is an alarming and quite worrying situation.

The Piano Teacher
Dir: Michael Haneke
2001
*****
Michael Haneke's The Piano Teacher is as intense as it is disturbing. The Piano Teacher isn't so much enjoyable to watch but is more a case of being impossible to look away from. Isabelle Huppert's performance is one of the all time greatest in modern cinema, and I don't mean for her, I mean ever. This film is awesome, unpleasant and one of the best in the last decade. There are so many great scenes here but the last one has to be one of my all time favourites, deliciously disturbing and relentlessly anti-Hollywood, probably my favourite Michael Haneke film so far.

Melancholia
Dir: Lars von Trier
2011
*****
Melancholia is probably the most depressing film of all time (well, it is part of Von Trier's Depression Trilogy after all) but then misery has never looked so good, needless to sat, this old miserable bastard loved it. It's pure Lars Von Trier. I'm already a fan, I'm one of the few that actually liked Antichrist too. I think Von Trier will always be misunderstood, even when he's poking fun he's taken too seriously. Melancholia is a study (or a meditation as some have put it) of depression and melancholy and the very thin line between the two. I'm not going to go into detail because I don't want to spoil it but anyone who knows and likes Von Trier need not worry if they're going to like it or not. I think it's fair to say you either love or hate rather than like or dislike this kind of film but on declaring this the most depressing film I've ever seen I will also point out that it is also one of the most beautiful, exciting, climactic (no one does endings like Von Trier) and engaging films I've ever seen. Von Trier has always been one of my favourite directors but adding this to his body of work he may just be the favourite now. I adore it.

Tapeheads
Dir: Bill Fishman
1988
****
Bill Fishman's madcap comedy Tapeheads is a music satire that was so ahead of its time that no one really noticed it, which is a terrible shame really as I think it is one of the best (and most overlooked) 80's films ever made. To be clear, I don't think it is one of the best films made in the 1980's (although I think it is brilliant), I think it is one of the best examples of the decades essence. It is a film for the MTV generation that actually pokes fun at the MTV generation somewhat, the spoof videos could really be genuine though, such was the decade. The editing is a complete mess but it doesn't really matter and actually fits the film quite well. This is an energy driven film and it never looses pace, thanks mainly to John Cusack (in one of my favorite performances of his) and Tim Robbins. The music related cameos from people such as the brilliant Don Cornelius, Sam & Dave, Coati Mundi, King Cotton, Ted Nugent, Doug E. Fresh and Weird Al Yankovic make it look like a budget version of The Blues Brothers, and it is a little bit like that albeit an MTV version but all serve a purpose and no one is there to purely bulk up the cast names, Don Cornelius is particularly good. It's a chaotic mess, totally dated and rather silly but that's what I love about it. It's an explosion of the 80's, is very knowing and rather good fun.

Unthinkable
Dir: Gregor Jordan
2010
****
Gregor Jordan's Unthinkable tackles a very big subject matter. The film could never do the issue total justice in its time frame but I think for a 1 hour and 40 minute film it has a fairly impressive impact. Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic in the lead role and the supporting cast are a great example of well known actors who should be on the a-list and aren't but not because of their acting talents. It kept me guessing throughout and leaves the conclusion in a well handled manner as it raises the question that really has no absolute answer. People who don't get the question will probably be disappointed. This is bold cinema and its makers should be congratulated accordingly.

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Dir: Mat Whitecross
2010
****
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is an excellent 'mini-biopic' of a British punk legend. I'm a big Ian Dury fan, if you don't know who he is then you should google him this instant and buy his greatest hits. Better still, watch this film, it would be rude of us Brits not to share him with the rest of the world. Mat Whitecross has executed the concept beautifully, never pussy-footing around the grimy truths of the cherished idol and taking notes from Dury's real life son gives it a certain authenticity that many alike films lack. Andy Serkis puts in a really impressive performance too, probably his best to date, handling Dury's handicaps tastefully without exaggeration. It's a brilliant film.

Ip Man (AKA The Legend Is Born – Ip Man)
Dir: Herman Yau
2010
***
Herman Yau's 2010 martial arts drama Ip Man is just as much about China during WW2 as it is about the legendary martial arts master and is handled beautifully by the director. I didn't care much for the actual visual direction though, the awesome fight scenes aside, it was a bit 'Hallmark' for my tastes and the continual change of colour filters got on my nerves. I think a hardcore kung-fu fan would tell you otherwise but for me this was good but not amazing as many of the reviews I've read have suggested but it's definitely worth checking out, like I said, the fight scenes are awesome and Donnie Yen is one cool guy.

Definitely, Maybe
Dir: Adam Brooks
2008
*
I hate the way Ryan Reynolds talks to his daughter Abigail Breslin in Adam Brooks's 2008 romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe. I find people who talk to their kids like this pretty hateful and that's pretty much how I feel about most of the characters Ryan Reynolds plays but this one in particular. Most of the characters are likable, particularly Kevin Kline's but Ryan Reynolds is so vacuous that I felt myself hoping that the film would have an unhappy ending for him. It's fairly horrible and is best avoided.

Hannah Arendt
Dir: Margarethe von Trotta
2013
*****
It's quite amazing to see the similarities and the differences in Margarethe von Trotta's films since her debut The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975) and her most mainstream film to date, 2012's Hannah Arendt. I dare say she has learn't more as a director and has developed her skills but The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum is an amazing film, Hannah Arendt is very different in style but just as amazing. I think the big difference in style is in the provocative 'devils advocate' attitude in much of her work. She was close to Rainer Werner Fassbinder and shares a deconstructive style often found in his work, I love what both have done but I think the passionate antagonist has now become yet another great German conductor. Most directors wouldn't touch Hannah Arendt's story with a barge-pole, the fact that her words are still misunderstood (and unread in their complete form) pretty much proves what she said was correct too. Margarethe von Trotta gets the balance of intelligent thinking and unspeakable loss and the passion (for want of a better word) that comes with it. Hannah Arendt was never going to convince everyone of her theories (even though she was in the best position to do so) and she probably never will, projecting this into a film and indeed, making a film about intelligent thought/theory/philosophy/an idea is terribly difficult, especially when it is about an idea rather than the person. Hannah Arendt is about both but the fact that Arendt herself remained relatively quiet about the reaction to her articles, it must have made it even harder. This is where great direction, screenwriting and performance come in and all are perfect in re-telling the story. Margarethe von Trotta very wisely uses real archive footage in the courtroom scenes which grounds the film in truth and was far more effective than any recreation could have been. It's a subject that isn't going away and is still relevant today, Arendt may have been forgotten by many but her political theories and philosophies on hate should be studied further and I thank and congratulate Margarethe von Trotta for bring it to the public's attention once more. Lest we forget is a line often uttered once a year, but only with learning and analysis can we know what it is we must remember. It's a battle, this film makes this clear perfectly and deserves a couple of hours of your time.