sanguine_sailor Reviews

Official Secrets (2019)

Mightily Impressed

[8/10 · 19 November 2019]

Very informative film about just how corrupt the reasons for the UK going to war with the US in Iraq were, based on Blair's kowtowing to Bush and a certain damning document which demanded to be leaked.

Buoyed by an excellent performance by Kiera Knightly in the lead role, it doesn't over-dramatise reality and just let's events play out mostly as they happened.

The end result is an engrossing film and a good history lesson in one, and you wish today's politicians displayed an ounce of the courage that Catherine Gunn did.

Essential viewing. 8/10

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

For a Compton neophyte such as myself, pretty damn good

[6/10 · 18 November 2019]

Considering I know little about the group N.W.A and their chequered history going into this movie, it held my attention well enough.

Who knew such musical luminaries as Dr. Dre and Ice Cube had such interesting pasts? I wasn't aware of Eazy E before, but poor guy. And obviously, the music is wall-to-wall rap, so if that's your jam prepare yourself for an aural treat.

And that's not even to mention the constant violence and bad language... but I suppose, considering the rough neighbourhood these guys came from, the racism of the police and the various 'grudges' the group members had along the way, it does kinda come with the territory.

This genre of music and gang culture is not really my thing, but by the end of this two-and-a-half hour 'epic' I didn't feel bored, and indeed I was quite enlightened as to what life was like during this period in history when N.W.A's and their contemporaries music began making it big.

Or in the unique wording of our profane protagonists 'this is DOPE'. 6/10

Starfish (2016)

He's not half the man be used to be...

[6/10 · 7 November 2019]

The make-up in this movie is a marvel. Tom Riley (also playing a guy called Tom Ray, Natch) sure looks like he's got a disfigured face and four missing limbs. Poor fellow.

He contracts sepsis after eating some out-of-date sausages which cause his immune system to overreact (yes I did my homework after the movie was over) and, upon returning home, immediately starts taking out his anger on his family. Not their fault, dude.

This, as you can well imagine, creates a rift... and Starfish is at it's best when it shows the breakdown of this once happy brood. His wife is no longer physically attracted to him, his young daughter no longer recognises him and his newborn son... well, he's just a baby. He doesn't get a vote.

The film also shows Tom's struggle to adapt physically to having four new prosthetics to deal with, and the actor's movement is almost enough to convince you he has them under his clothes. Less persuasive is others reaction to his new appearance and gait... in the hard world we live in now, I think he'd get a bit worse treatment than one boy staring at him in a newsagent.

If nothing else, we're reminded of the salient fact that life can change in an instant and we should make the most out of every second. Starfish isn't a great movie, but it educates and entertains and won't leave your head anytime soon. 6/10

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

They're in DEEP doo-doo

[7/10 · 7 November 2019]

I'm not sure I know much about the true story this flick is based on, but I know a quality action movie when I see it.

Mark Wahlberg of the critically acclaimed 'Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch' stars as some roughneck on board an oil rig at sea when an explosion rips through said plant. Ouch.

Exactly the cause behind the tragic incident and the shortsighted people responsible for the stupid mistakes which got them this far makes the film worth watching by itself.

The highlight though, is definitely the blowing up of the station and the dreadful aftermath. Fire everywhere, collapsing structures aplenty and people scrambling for lifeboats... total chaos. I love it.

Give it a whirl. 7/10

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

No Bruce Springsteen doesn't star

[5/10 · 7 November 2019]

...Er, not too sure what to make of this one.

The plot is very confusing, with all the effort seemingly put into the blockbuster musical numbers.

Bjork is excellent in the lead role, maybe she should've starred in more movies instead of releasing music no-one listens to.

It's also definitely overlong. I bet you could trim half-an-hour of fat round the edges without noticing the difference.

It's moving in parts, overwrought in other, but I did like the suddenness of the ending.

Overall, I would say: probably worth seeing at least once, but not something to I'll return to in a hurry. For curiosity value, perhaps. 5/10

Shut In (I) (2016)

A load of Shut.

[4/10 · 6 November 2019]

There have been many movies like Shut In before. In fact, I'd argue far too many.

Grisly opening, followed by a quieter first act, then a few hints at something something spooky, then comes THE TWIST.

After we've finished picking our jaws from the floor (yeah right), the movie then concludes in one of those pointlessly elongated chase sequences which would be over much sooner if anyone here had any common sense whatsoever.

A disabled kid's life is in danger, the bad guy hams it up like his life depended on it, and Naomi Watts...

Poor lamb. She deserves much better than this reheated tripe, that's for sure.

But she signed the contract, cashed the cheque and turned up on time to each days shoot... so my sympathy can only go so far.

Oh well. Avoid avoid avoid. 4/10

Alice (1988)

Sorry to go against the grain, bbuutt...

[3/10 · 6 November 2019]

An impressive achievement in stop motion animation, yes.

A creepy exploration of a young girl's descent into a Fantasyland, no doubt.

But is it also repetitive, largely boring in huge chunks, with little story structure to keep you interested? 'Fraid so.

Others may not mind the complete lack of anything resembling a compelling narrative. But I do, and so am marking the movie accordingly.

Maybe I don't 'get' the reasons why this is such a 'stunning achievement', or perhaps I'm one of the 'non-purists' who prefers a more coherent version of Lewis Carroll's book.

Whatever. I think what I think, and I think this movie kinda stinks. 3/10

Afternoon Delight (2013)

Not as good as it could (and SHOULD) be

[4/10 · 24 October 2019]

Starts with an interesting premise... married mother takes in stripper as houseguest... and rapidly goes downhill.

Too much endless scenes of middle-class thirty-somethings rambling on about nothing, and not enough exploration of its interesting central idea.

Also doesn't provide enough explanation for WHY this otherwise happy woman would take in a lap-dancer half her age. Is she attracted to her? Does she want to relive her youth? Maybe she's just crazy? The movie hints at all three, without committing to any of them.

The ultimate sin is the ending, which is not only as conventional as heck but seems to have been tagged on from another movie. You know, of the cheesy romcom variety.

Overall, despite satisfactory moments and a feisty performance from whoever plays the call girl lodger, Afternoon Delight wastes most of its considerable potential in tedious melodrama and largely skirting the issues at hand.

In other words: a 'delight' it ain't. 4/10

Lover Girl (1997)

I Didn't 'Love' It

[5/10 · 23 September 2019]

Considering the controversial subject matter, this movie is a little too light to tackle these issues efficiently.

Nevertheless, the performances are good and it never gets too boring, but with a bit more work (and courage) at the screenplay level this could've been something more.

Oh well. 5/10