Rashomon (1950)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshirō Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Masayuki Mori, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki, Kichijirô Ueda, Noriko Honma
Certificate: 12
Genre: Mystery
Awards: None

Arguably most important film in bringing Japanese cinema to the international forefront, Rashomon is still a fascinating and rather unique film today. The film shows multiple accounts of the murder of a samurai during the Heian period (11th century) of Japan. None of the stories correlate with each other  and could even all be false.

Using a short story by Ryunosuke Akutogawa, Kurosawa uses the Japanese cinema tradition of recounting a story rather than showing it in order to show that there is no such thing as an absolute truth. Everyone holds there own version of reality. The short story is expanded, however, to portray a Japan that needs to look for hope in a time of despair. Rashomon is perhaps one of Kurosawa's more hopeful films (compare the ending of this with Seven Samurai or Ran).

Kurosawa's triangular shots and mastery in action keeps the pace of the film flowing at an enjoyable rate whilst the performances always entertain. Mifune again shows how interesting an actor he is with his portrayal of the bandit. Yet most of the characters get to be played from multiple perspectives due to the story and thus performances become even more engaging. Kyô shows how a Japanese woman of the time would be seen by different classes and societies as she plays the part of the raped samurai wife, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes manipulative.

Rashomon would be worth a watch for the novelty of its storytelling alone but under the direction of a master-craftsman just coming into his element, the film shines incredibly bright. Although not as awe-inspiring as his later films, Kurosawa's breakout film is rightfully placed in his pantheon of great achievements.

****Good

Tokyo Story (1953)

Director: Yasujirô Ozu
Starring: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura, Sô Yamamura, Kuniko Miyake, Kyôko Kagawa, Shirô Ôsaka
Certificate: U
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

Tokyo Story focuses on an elderly couple who visit their adult children in the Japanese capital. When the two arrive, however, nobody seems to have time for them. Both their daughter and son are too busy with their own lives and treat them as more of a burden to bear. The characters that seem the most interested in the grandparents are in fact the two who are not related to them. Fumiko (Miyake) - the wife of their oldest son - shows a caring for them whilst Noriko (Hara) - the widow of their son killed in World War Two - becomes the kindest person in their visit to Tokyo.

One of Ozu's greatest strengths is the ability to create brilliant, fully fleshed characters that feel like real people. With Tokyo Story, he achieves this to a magnificent degree. Every character feels like a plausible person with their own reasons as to why they act in the way they do. Both Ryû and Higashiyami perform flawlessly as the central couple, never revealing what they actually think due to the society of formality that 1950s Japan was. It is very rare to have an old couple as the central characters of a film - even in social realism, the focus is usually on an individual rather than a duo - which allows the film to hold a unique position in cinema.

The rest of the cast is all flawless. Sugimara portrays an arguably negative view of the modern woman who has stepped away from tradition and does so in a memorable fashion. The most up-front and honest character in the film is also perhaps the most dislikable. Kagawa is brilliant as the young idealist who has not been corrupted by the world yet. It is, of course, Hara as Noriko who stands out due to her complex and conflicted character.

Ozu uses his unique style of shooting to create a film that could be the closest to objectivity possible. The use of low shots, front on faces and lack of camera movement allow us to see the family as if we are within it, not necessarily identifying in any of the characters but rather becoming engaged in their lives.

Tokyo Story also seems to tie the two main themes of Ozu's earlier work together. The idea of modernism arriving and the resignation people must face because of it which was so prominent in There Was A Father and The Only Son is shown by the couple being left behind by their family and their disappointment of their children's lives. The ideas of family being a bond that should not be broken is also extremely prominent. Ozu does not seem to be as hopeful as he was in Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family anymore, with the same event happening in both films but with very different responses.

If you have any interest in Japanese Cinema or Social Realism in general, Tokyo Story is more than worth your time. Ozu has become legendary for his unique and thoughtful way of showing the lives of his characters and this film is known as his crowning glory. Definitely a good introduction to a truly intriguing director.

*****Brilliant

The Fallen Idol (1948)

Director: Carol Reed
Starring: Bobby Henry, Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Denis O'Dea, Sonia Dresdel
Certificate: PG
Genre: Film Noir
Awards: None

Carol Reed's winning streak, starting with Odd Man Out, continues with The Fallen Idol. Adapted from the story by Grahame Greene, the film shows a murder case from the perspective of a child. Believing that his closest friend, butler Baines (Richardson) has killed his wife, Phillipe (Henry) tries to protect him from the police by lying. He only makes things worse, however, as Baines is in fact innocent but broods suspicion due to the secrecy of all the witnesses.

Like Reed's other films, the cinematography is astounding. The noir-ish glare of the exterior scenes are the highlight with the cobbled streets and tall buildings creating a terrifying version of London yet there is a lot of memorable imagery taking place within the house most of the story is set.

Richardson does great justice to the character of Baines, a rabbit caught in the headlights who seems almost defeatist in his calm manner whilst Morgan and Dresdel both play their characters with obvious talent. O'Dea seems to be channelling James Mason in his performance as the detective. It is Henry who steals the show, however, as Henry. He can be both sympathetic and irritating for all the right reasons considering the story. As it is Philipe's story, Henry's performance was vital for the film to work and it does.

Whilst not as ambitious a film as Odd Man Out or The Third Man, this picture tells a smaller story that is just as engaging.

****Good

Spirited Away (2001)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Takashi Naitô, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Tatsuya Gashûin
Certificate: PG
Genre: Animation, Fantasy
Awards: Best Animated Film

Spirited Away is often credited as Miyazaki's masterpiece, partly due to the fact that it broke into the mainstream for western audiences, thus allowing Studio Ghibli to become as well known internationally as it is today. The film tells the story of a young girl who travels to a world where the gods life and has to take a job in a bath house where they come to rest in order to save her parents. Throughout the film she learns about the values of tradition whilst keeping hold of the modern parts of thinking that makes her exceptional in this strange world.

The creativity of this film is absolutely amazing. Drawing from the Shinto gods, Miyazaki creates a vast array of memorable and unique characters. There's the greedy witch-like leader of the bathhouse, Yubaba, a strange cloaked character named No Face and three giant green heads that act like dogs just to name a few. Each scene is mesmerising and beautifully animated. The music is also incredibly notable due to its melancholic tune. Spirited Away is a great successor to stories such as The Wizard Of Oz or Alice In Wonderland where we discover a world of wonder and by god is it wonderful.

*****Brilliant

Silence (2016)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Yoshi Oida, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Issei Ogata, Nana Komatsu, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: TBC


It seems almost pointless to say that Silence is a different type of film than the ones that Martin Scorsese is well known for, with so much already being said on how people missed his swinging camera movements and style that made his name, but it is an interesting point to bring up as the film seems to be unfairly compared to films that have nothing to do with it other than the fact that they share the same author.  Silence is not Scorsese first film not to use his most frequent style and hopefully it will not be his last.

The film takes place in 17th century Japan, when the country had isolated itself and outlawed christianity, where two Jesuit priests sneak into the country to try and find their mentor, Father Ferreira (Neeson), who is rumoured to have given up christianity and now lives as a Japanese. On their journey, they meet Japanese christians who have been persecuted by the government.

Scorsese's calm film style seems to be influenced by the Japanese directors of the 1950s, especially Mizoguchi and Ozu whilst the first sequence could come from a colour Kurosawa film. The lingering shots and minimal movement creates a very interesting atmosphere that I enjoyed immensely. It did make the film seem slower yet I think it works as the story is a long meditation on the meaning of faith.

The performances are also solid throughout. As the main lead, Garfield does well - keeping us engaged throughout the character's journey. Driver and Neeson have less to do - In fact Neeson has only a small bit more screen time than he did in Gangs Of New York - yet also perform to good standards. It is the Japanese cast that really stand out though. Oida and Tsukamoto are absolutely fantastic as the christian leaders of their community whilst Kobozuka plays a strange character we both sympathise with as well as become irritated by him.

Silence is not Scorsese's best but it is still a very well crafted, beautiful piece of cinema that is also unique. The themes are incredibly central to viewing the auteur whilst the story and visuals also seem extremely Japanese. Mesmerising and haunting, it is certainly recommended.

****Good

Sanjuro (1962)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Masao Shimizu, Yunosuke Ito, Takao Irie, Reiko Dan, Kamatari Fujiwara, Keiji Kobayashi
Certificate: 12
Genre: Samurai
Awards: None

In the follow up film to Yojimbo, Kurosawa returns to the nameless warrior in a new adventure. This time a group of nine warriors have been tricked by a criminal and are saved from assassination by Sanjuro who then joins them on their quest to rescue the sheriff of their village.

Sanjuro has a lighter tone than Yojimbo due to its use of comedy and lack of torture scenes. Mifune works brilliantly with the same character in a different environment. Whilst in Yojimbo, he was the lone wolf who could do whatever he pleased, here he becomes the leader of the group and, after an order from a hostage he frees, has promised not to kill unless necessary. These are new challenges and therefore new sides to his character come out. Nakadai also returns as a new villain - Hanbai - and again shows what a great actor he is.

Like Yojimbo, this film is quite simple yet it is a joy to watch. All the characters pique an interest whilst the action is as good as one would expect from Kurosawa; A duel near the end is absolutely stunning and worth watching the film for alone. It defies all expectations and shows how formidable Sanjuro actually is. I preferred this film to Yojimbo (but perhaps only because I did not know the plot so well) and it should definitely get more recognition when talking about the Kurosawa catalogue.

****Good

Odd Man Out (1947)

Director: Carol Reed
Starring: James Mason, Kathleen Ryan, Dennis O'Dea, Robert Newton, F. J. McCormick, Robert Beatty, William Hartnell, Cyril Cusack, Joseph Tomelty, W. G. Fay, Maureen Delaney
Certificate: PG
Genre: Film Noir
Awards: None

During the 1940s, Carol Reed made three films back-to-back which remain monuments in cinema. Odd Man Out was the first of these three, featuring an Irish terrorist named Jonny McQueen (Mason) who kills a man in a bank robbery before being shot and left hiding in the streets as the police swarm around looking for him. As he tries to get to safety, Johnny goes on an odyssey of the city, meeting a vast array of different people who react to him in many ways.

Aesthetically, Odd Man Out is beautiful. The use of film noir cinematography allows the city to look stunningly sinister, as if a threat is around every corner. Reed also uses some phenomenal editing techniques in order to bring about the hallucinations Johnny is subjected to. On one occasion, Johnny is hidden in a war bunker before it fades into a prison cell, exactly the same room. I can't remember the last time I saw a hallucination so stunning, due to both technique and the atmosphere conveyed by the film it becomes incredibly haunting.

The real high-point of the film, however, is the characters. In the beginning of the film Johnny is the main focus and Mason fills him with charisma. He makes creating a likeable gangster look easy and his unique voice is just as loveable as ever. Other members of his gang also feature to certain degrees and get there time to shine. Beatty and Cusack bring the best out of their characters and it is disappointing how little screen-time they have but it does add to the story. By the second half of the story, Johnny has grown weaker and says less and less. Mason still acts brilliantly with his body and creates a marvellous contrast to how he was in the beginning. With Johnny becoming less and less active, this creates a hole that other character fill in with exuberance. Perhaps most notable is Robert Newton's Lukey, a drunken homeless painter who wants to draw in order to capture the element of death. Ryan is also great as Kathleen, the woman in love with Johnny and tries to find him. The ensemble paints life into the nameless city as well as its problems with poverty that could be an underlying message from the film.

Odd Man Out is a milestone of British cinema that is often overlooked for its later sibling, The Third Man, although some - such as Roman Polanski - think it is Reed's greatest work. For me, The Third Man is slightly better due to the fact that Odd Man Out's ending is perhaps a bit too prolonged. One may argue that the film had deserved its drawn out ending but I think the pacing did take away from the ending somewhat. Nevertheless, this film comes highly recommended.

*****Brilliant

Yojimbo (1961)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Kato, Seizburo Kawazu, Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kyu Sazanka, Eijiro Tono
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Drama
Awards: None

Whilst many of Kurosawa's films have been influenced by Westerns (particularly those of John Ford), Yojimbo is definitely the one that takes the most from the genre. The empty land in the middle of a ruined town could not be more iconic. In this story, a nameless Ronin takes manipulates two rival gangs into destroying each other by playing for both sides. A plot that would be taken scene-for-scene by Sergio Leone when he made A Fistfull Of Dollars.

The film itself has some beautiful black and white imagery and some brilliant action sequences. Kurosawa again shows he is the greatest director of weather with his use of wind in the tense climax. Overall, however, the film does not have as much to watch for as Seven Samurai or The Hidden Fortress. Whilst still a good film made by a master director, I would not rank it as one of Kurosawa's greatest pieces.

****Good

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Adventure
Awards: None

The Hidden Fortress is one of Kurosawa's most light hearted films, yet it still takes part in a cynical and horrific world. After a princess (Uehara) is stranded in a hostile neighbouring province in Japan, General Makabe (Mifune) has the job of escorting her back home without being found by the enemy. They disguise themselves and there gold inside sticks whilst bartering the help of two farmers who have no idea who the princess really is.

The film is famous for showing most of the film from the perspective of the peasants, played by Chiaki and Fujiwara, as they squabble and show themselves to be selfish and cruel characters. Both characters are endearing if not completely likeable and play a great contrast to the moralistic princess and pragmatic General. Like Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress is an ensemble piece that Kurosawa does so well.

The action of the film is a beauty to watch, especially the duel between General Makabe and a rival general using lances. This is the closest Kurosawa ever got to making a simple adventure/action film and thus it is a great film to use an introduction to the filmmaker.

Mifune has the gravitas that one always expects, yet the rest of the actors don't fall by the wayside. Uehara gives just as great a performance as a woman who has never been part of the public and is only now seeing it for the first time. It's rare to see such a focus on a female performance by Kurosawa and yet - like a few others such as No Regrets Of Youth - it is done wonderfully well by both director and actor.

The Hidden Fortress may not be the most respected of Kurosawa's films yet it is certainly incredibly enjoyable. The story, performances, characters and directions allow for a marvellous experience that is most definitely recommended.

*****Brilliant

Throne Of Blood (1957)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Akira Kubo, Takashi Shimura, Takamaru Sasaki, Yoichi Tachikawa, Chieko Naniwa
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Fantasy, Horror
Awards: None

Throne Of Blood is the first of Akira Kurosawa's adaptations of William Shakespeare. This time around he takes on the dark and heavy material of Macbeth. This time, however, it is told as a samurai story about the ruler of Cobweb Castle.

A Great Macbeth has to have a great, well... Macbeth and Toshiro Mifune delivers with every ounce of his being, proving he is definitely the Marlon Brando of Japanese cinema. His brooding and powerful performance is miles away from his character in Seven Samurai. Supporting characters are also worthy of note, especially Yamada's Lady Macbeth and the spirit - played by Chieko Naniwa - who replaces the three witches.

The story is dark and thus the visuals are shown to be just as gritty, terrifying and dismal. There is little action until the end so one should not expect the violence of Kurosawa's previous samurai film as this more ponderous on the atrocities committed by the single character of Washizu and the guilt that reaches into him and his wife, leading to a brilliant climax that has become one of the most memorable images of Kurosawa's career.

As a follow up to Seven Samurai (counting only Kurosawa's Jidai-geki films), Throne Of Blood is a very different beast and is perhaps less enjoyable (especially if one is tired of the Macbeth story) yet it is unique take on a famous play with a brilliant collection of performers and stark imagery that still makes this a great piece of cinema in its own right.

****Good

Seven Samurai (1954)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Seiji Miyaguchi, Ko Kimura, Daisuke Kato, Minoru Chiaki, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Keiko Tsushima, Kamatari Fujiwara
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Action, Drama
Awards: None

Since its release, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai has acquired quite a status, being his most famous film and the most well known samurai film in the history of cinema. It has also been the influence for many other films, from The Magnificent Seven to A Bugs Life.

The story revolves around a village in 17th century Japan, poor and in desperate need of help due to an oncoming attack by bandits which will rob the population of the means of survival. To defend the village, Seven Samurai are hired led by the wise and noble Kambei (Shimura).

Each of the samurai are given varied and enjoyable personalised that justifies their existence as each gives something different to the film. Kyuzo (Miyaguchi) stands out as the aloof master swordsman as does Katsushiro (Kimura) as the young rookie who goes through his first romance. It is Mifune, however, who once again shines the brightest as the hot headed Kikuchiyo,  stealing almost every scene he appears in.

The action is often applauded in Seven Samurai and one cannot disagree. It is fast paced and grim, with many of the battles in the village appearing a lot like an ant nest attacking invading ants thus giving it a very animalistic approach. The human drama is just as phenomenal with many characters being shades of grey rather then black and white. The farmers are found out to have killed weak and lost samurai when they have the chance whilst the samurai are not always shown to be the completely honourable characters they are normally portrayed as.

At three and a half hours long, Seven Samurai is still worth anybodies time as it is one of the finest pieces of cinema and storytelling you will find with stunning imagery, a brilliant score, wonderful characters and action scenes that put many modern films to shame. it is not as beautiful as Ran, Kurosawa's later period piece; it is more brutal and realistic. Yet that creates a beauty in itself.

*****Brilliant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniels, Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, Mark Hamill
Certificate: 12
Genre: Sci Fi
Awards: None

What other film could I do for the last review of the year if not Star Wars?

The seventh film in the series, The Force Awakens has taken the world by storm and, in a number of ways, it deserves to. Set thirty years after The Return Of The Jedi, Luke Skywalker has disappeared and the galaxy seems to be in a civil war between the first order, lead by a strange being named Snoke (Serkis) and the resistance, lead by general Leia (Fisher).

On a lonely sandy planet (sound familiar?), a young girl (Ridley) finds a droid being hunted by stormtroopers for information that it has from one of their prisoners. She meets a turncoat stormtrooper named Finn and the two escape the planet with an old veteran in order to find the resistance.

As somebody who quite enjoys the prequels (although I grant that they could never be called good films, they are admirable failures at trying something new), it was somewhat disappointing that The Force Awakens does not seem to have much ambition and instead seems just a newer version of A New Hope. Yet the film is still incredibly enjoyable and any fan of Star Wars is bound to have a good time.

The old faces returning are all great to see, although some seem to be there for no reason (cough, 3PO) other than for fan service but that is what this film was always going to be, a film for the fans. It is great to see how the world has gone on and the technology and the fact that it feels like a Star Wars film but The Force Awakens, to me, shows that the Star Wars film of the future aren't going to do anything new and exciting. Like Marvel, the films are likely to be entertaining and keep an audience hooked but the dream of something radically different is dead. This is not altogether a bad thing but it makes the Star Wars universe a smaller world.

****Good

The Purge (2013)

Director: James DeMonaco
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Rhys Wakefield, Max Buckholder, Adelaide Kane, Edwin Hodge
Certificate: 15
Genre: Horror
Awards: None

Set in the not-so-distant-future America, The Purge is a night that happens every year where all crimes are legal. The wealthy Sandin family become the focus of a siege after the son allows a homeless man being attacked take shelter in their house.

Whilst having a great amount of potential, The Purge seems incredibly lazily written with many of the plot points being incredibly unconvincing for the scenario. The main character works in security yet is completely helpless when being attacked on a day when one should have been prepared.

The Purge is one of those films that tries too little at creating tension and fear and instead does the predictable and the boring. None of the characters feel fleshed out and narratively, the third act simply does not pay off. In the hands of a greater talent, The Purge could be riveting but it just simply is not.

**Pretty Bad

The Heroes Of Telemark (1965)

Director: Anthony Mann
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Ulla Jacobsson, Michael Redgrave
Certificate: U
Genre: Action, War
Awards: None

The Heroes Of Telemark is a WW2 film detailing the exploits of the Norwegian resistance as attempt to stop the construction of heavy water - needed for the atomic bomb - for Nazi Germany. Douglas plays the scientist, Rolf, who is persuaded to join Harris' resistance soldier to destroy a factory that creates the component.

Whilst educational (the film is based on a true story), The Heroes Of Telemark cannot stand up as one of the great World War Two films. It is overly melodramatic at points and often seems slow for no discernible reason. It is fun to see Douglas and Harris together however as two of cinemas greats and some sequences look very nice in the snow but the film is ultimately nothing special.

***Okay

Ted (2012)

Director: Seth McFarlane

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth McFarlane, Mila Kunis, Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Warbutton, Patrick Stewart

Certificate: 15
Genre: Comedy

Awards: None

Ted is Seth McFarlane's first feature film, yet it still contains many of the attributes of his TV programs (Family Guy, American Dad et al). McFarlane voices a teddy bear that comes to life when his owner John wishes it one christmas. Years on, Ted and John (now played by Wahlberg) are all grown up but now losers who won't get their lives together, infuriating John's girlfriend Lori (Kunis) who feels that Ted is holding John back.

Like McFarlane's other work, Ted is deliberately provocative which leads to some brilliantly shocking and surreal jokes. Yet, like many un-clever comedies, watching it for a second time feels a little flat. With the punches already thrown, what you're left with is a run-of-the-mill story about a guy who tries to get his life together.

The ending is somewhat predictable and the overall narrative leaves one wanting but Ted is first and foremost a comedy. Whilst the jokes may be cheap (fart jokes) and non PC, this is why people like McFarlane and nobody can deny that Ted is very funny.

****Good

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Tim Holt, Dolores Costello, Joseph Cotten, Anne Baxter, Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins, Orson Welles
Certificate: U
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

The Magnificent Ambersons was Orson Welles' follow up to his astounding Citizen Kane and features the rich family of the Ambersons including Isabel (Costello) and her son George (Holt). One day Isabel's ex lover, Eugene (Cotten) returns to the town and he and the recently widowed Isabel become close again. This does not go well with George who wishes to keep them apart for the good of the Amberson name.

Compared with Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons cannot compete as the characters feel flatter and the story not as vast and appealing. Yet on its own two legs, the film is still highly enjoyable. The spiralling saga of the family's decline is always interesting to witness. The cinematography is still brilliant with every shot being as beautiful as the last whilst the performances are still very strong.

Perhaps not as vital a watch as its predecessor, The Magnificent Ambersons is still very worthy of being a Welles film (although he had less control on this one).

****Good

Nil By Mouth (1997)

Director: Gary Oldman
Starring: Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charley Creed-Miles, Laila Morse, Jamie Foreman
Certificate: 18
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

Nil By Mouth is a british film made by Gary Oldman about a working class family and their relationships towards various drugs and alcohol. Ray (Winstone) is an abusive husband which causes his life to spiral downwards whilst his brother in law, Billy (Creed-Miles) is a drug addict who also falls into deeper and deeper holes.

The film is grim and dark and unpleasant, as would be expected. Most of the characters are unlikeable and even terrifying, yet the don't lack charisma making them seem much more real. The main arc of the story considering Ray and wife Valerie (Burke) feels incredibly raw and allows the viewer to feel invested. Billy's story is a little bit more of a lackluster yet still stands as a subplot.

If you are familiar with the darker side of british social realism you have probably seen films like this already but at the time it stood out as something different. Performances are great and well directed, Nil By Mouth still might not be for everyone.

****Good

Meantime (1984)

Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: Phil Daniels, Tim Roth, Jeffrey Robert, Marion Bailey, Gary Oldman, Pam Ferris, Alfred Molina, Tilly Vosburgh
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Awards: None

Meantime is a British social realism film by Mike Leigh which has very early performances from actors such as Tim Roth and Gary Oldman. The film shows us the lives of a family living on benefits in the east end. When Roth's character, Colin, is given a job by his aunt Barbara (Bailey), it causes tension between him and his brother, Mark (Daniels).

Mike Leigh's film (like his later film, Naked, to a lesser extent) doesn't seem to be interested in telling a story more than giving us a glimpse into the lives of these characters. Nobody is shown to be happy and sometimes their motivations seem unclear yet they still seem believable people you could meet in east end London (which is where I actually live, by the way). The film tries to make us understand the problems of the working class rather than one individual problem, leading to many parts seeming unresolved. But that seems to be the point.

If you enjoy British social realism, Meantime is a grim and despair-filled slice of it. The fact that it features young versions of some now-massive stars just adds another interesting aspect to it as they started in the same place as their characters (if not the same circumstances).

****Good

All About Eve (1960)

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Gregory Ratoff, Marilyn Monroe
Certificate: U
Genre: Drama
Awards: Best Picture, Best supporting actor (Sanders), Best director, Best screenplay, Best costume, Best sound

All About Eve is a film about the ruthless profession of the theatre and a girl who rises from nothing to become a star of the stage. Eve (Baxter) is taken under the wing of ageing actress Margot (Davis) but after a while the older woman becomes suspicious of the younger and her intentions.

This film contains twists and turns throughout that kept me surprised. The power games being played here are a wonder to behold with each of the six main characters all seeming to be playing for their own agenda. George Sanders' critic Addison DeWitt is a stand out character due to his elitist but devil-like position but Bette Davis is a wonder to behold as the paranoid and aggressive Margot who the audience turns against as the story progresses.

All about Eve has brilliant performances and a narrative that keeps you enthralled and guessing until the very end. There is no doubt that this is one of Hollywood's immortal greats.

*****Brilliant

Legend (2015)

Director: Brian Helgeland
Starring: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Paul Anderson, Christopher Eccleston, David Thewlis, Taron Egerton, Paul Bettany, Colin Morgan, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, Sam Spruell, Mel Raido
Certificate: 18
Genre: Gangster, Crime
Awards: None

In this Kray twins biopic, Hardy plays both the cool headed Reggie and the mentally insane Ronnie as they take over London and experience their rise and fall. The two characters seem incredibly different and show off Hardy's acting ability to an even further degree this year.

The story is narrated by Reggie's love interest Frances (Browning) and her character is also a shining star as she gets more and more caught up with Reggie and Ronnie's life until it all flies into a never ending spiral. The rest of the supporting cast is filled with veteran actors such as Eccleston's obsessive police detective, Thewlis's brilliant scheming legal ally and Bettany's sinister crime boss as well as upcoming actors like Anderson's top goon and Morgan and Egerton's lackeys. Whilst some are given more time to shine than others, they make a eclectic collection of characters that keeps you entertained throughout.

Legend isn't as ground breaking as the British gangster films of Guy Richie or even Mathew Vaughn's Layer Cake, but it is still very enjoyable, very glamourised but that is what one would expect from a film called Legend.

****Good