Film Reviews Blog

This page only shows films that have a review. By default in date order of reading with newest at top

Sunday 18th August 2024

USA 2022

Running time: 144 mins

The Fabelmans

Director : Stephen Spielberg

Film Summary :
Spielberg's autobiography of his teenage years

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 18 Aug 2024

Not much to like

Flawed because I didn't really like the family or any of the people in it. Living the effing american dream in the 50s/60s and playing on the wimpy jew-boy trope. Obviously a competently made film as you'd expect




Wednesday 7th August 2024

Finland 2006

Running time: 78 mins

Lights in the Dusk

Director : Aki Kaurismäki

Synopsis extract :
Loser security guard in a shopping mall, social misfit, is approached by beautiful girl who ...

Reviewed by Roger CO, Streamed proj @ home on 07 Aug 2024

Review Summary :
If Camus had made films this might have been one

Existential Angst

Strangely compelling




Saturday 27th July 2024

Korea 2009

Running time: 129 mins

Mother

Director : Bong Joon Ho

Film Summary :
Retarded son is wrongly picked up and jailed for murder of a girl. Mother seeks to find the truth - perhaps not what she was hoping to discover

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 27 Jul 2024

Review Summary :
Ultimately did he do it?

Korean Hitchcock

Poor mother vs Lazy Cops and Justice. The cops are absurdly lacadasical, but that's the point. The atmosphere is great. 




Saturday 20th July 2024

UK 1965

Running time: 86 mins

Rotten to the Core

Director : John Boulting

Film Summary :
Gang heist film robbing army payroll

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 20 Jul 2024

Review Summary :
Mid 1960s cusp of the old staid and new swinging styles

Mildly swinging amusement

Notable because I watch some of the scenes being filmed at the school station. Fleeting glimpses of boys in uniform but in the background of two shots!

Interesting because it is made by the old school british film industry picking up on the new vibe - at least in the writing, if not in the casting, acting, mise-en-scene, cinematography or direction.

One of Charlotte Rampling's first films - definitely showing her star potential.

Basically a caper crime comedy film without a lot of laughs to the modern eye. The 'young' gang members all look middle aged. The Duke's control room (model train set) is very far from an early James Bond villiians lair. Talking of which the film came out at the same time as Thunderball where Bond cooks a villain in a sit down steam cabinet just as the three dumbo crooks get cooked - presumably reusing stuff from the bond set? Although Bond was at Pinewood, and this was at Shepperton.




Saturday 22nd June 2024

UK 1978

Running time: 78 mins

The Rutles : All You Need Is Cash

Director : Eric Idle

Film Summary :
Spoof on the Beatles story with Eric Idle and Neil Innes
Film Category
Film Tags

Rated by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 22 Jun 2024

Review Summary :
Entertaining light spoof, some jokes a bit repetitive and obvious (eg the interviewer chasing the camera)