Category Archives: 4 stars

Films that scored 4 out of 5.

Blood Diamond (2006)

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2007 #19
Edward Zwick | 143 mins | cinema | 15 / R

Blood DiamondIn some respects this also suffered from hype, though only to a small degree — Jonathan Ross loved it, which is usually a very good recommendation to me; I ‘merely’ thought it was very good.

Its most impressive achievement is mixing important real-life information with a compelling narrative in a way that does not feel preachy. It also doesn’t compromise on its moral messages for the sake of a twist, and has some great action sequences to boot. There are almost as many endings as Lord of the Rings mind.

4 out of 5

Blood Diamond placed 10th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Notes on a Scandal (2006)

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2007 #17
Richard Eyre | 92 mins | cinema | 15 / R

Notes on a ScandalI hear that this is displeasing as an adaptation. But I haven’t read the novel, so that doesn’t cloud my judgement.

Judi Dench is brilliant as ever in a rare villainous role (the Oscar would’ve been hers were it not for Helen Mirren’s equally brilliant but more obvious turn in The Queen), Cate Blanchett gets to spar with her as the flawed ‘hero’, and the rest of the principal cast are very good also.

It lacks something towards the end, perhaps because it functions better as a character piece than as a thriller, but is still worth a watch.

4 out of 5

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

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2007 #16
F.W. Murnau | 91 mins | DVD | U

Sunrise: A Song of Two HumansMurnau’s first film in America, throughout the decades hailed as one of the greatest film ever made.

Maybe it is, in some respects — for a film made 80 years ago it certainly stands up very well today. It’s helped by being a fable, giving it added resonance for any time period, though probably hindered by being silent (virtually — as one of the first films with a synchronised soundtrack there are some effects).

Certainly recommended to anyone interested in the history of film.

4 out of 5

This is Spinal Tap (1984)

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This is Spinal Tap2007 #15
Rob Reiner | 80 mins | DVD | 15 / R

I think my viewing of Spinal Tap may have suffered from years of hype. In some ways it was exactly what I’d expected; in others, not. There are plenty of funny moments, and the odd hilarious one (Stonehenge), but there were times when I felt a little underwhelmed by it.

Maybe you had to be there; maybe it is indeed a victim of hype.

4 out of 5

This is Spinal Tap is on ITV4 tonight, Thursday 18th June 2015, at 1am.

The Prestige (2006)

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2007 #14
Christopher Nolan | 130 mins | cinema | 12A / PG-13

The PrestigeThe latest effort from the director of Memento and Batman Begins is an intriguing one.

A well-handled complex narrative (it again jumps about in time, but never to the audience’s confusion), even if the twists are relatively easy to guess. A credit, then, that the film doesn’t totally rely on them.

I’m a big fan of Nolan’s work and definitely continue to be; this may gain that missing point on re-viewing. See it.

4 out of 5

The Prestige placed 4th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

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2007 #11
Gabriele Muccino | 117 mins | cinema | 12A / PG-13

The Pursuit of HappynessWill Smith gives up the comedy act and blockbuster action for the sort of true story that you thought only happened in movies.

His relationship with his screen-son is impressive acting, ’til you realise it’s his real-life son too, but even that does little to undermine things. It manages to avoid the sugary sentimentality that you might expect and in the process makes for a fair tale of the underdog succeeding.

Cute kid too.

4 out of 5

Ong-Bak (2003)

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2007 #8
Prachya Pinkaew | 108 mins | DVD | 18 / R

Ong-BakThis is a tricky film to rate. The plot is pretty inconsequential and drags things out a bit toward the end, but that’s not what you come to a film like Ong-Bak for — it’s here for the action.

When it comes (the pointless plot machinations hold it off for a while), it delivers pretty well indeed, with some impressive work from star Tony Jaa.

I err on the side of generosity with my score.

4 out of 5

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

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For Your Eyes Only2007 #7
John Glen | 122 mins | DVD | PG / PG

As you may have gathered from #6, I think that both of these films are fine examples of Bond filmmaking. FYEO is probably the better of the two, but not without its faults — no Moore film would be complete without some moments that threaten to utterly balls it up, and this one has a painful, outdated comedic ending, as well as an unnecessary pre-titles.

4 out of 5

Octopussy (1983)

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2007 #6
John Glen | 126 mins | DVD | PG / PG

OctopussyI dislike Roger Moore as Bond, mostly based on the number of piss-poor films he starred in. It seems I may just have been watching the wrong ones.

Whereas FYEO (see #7) is relatively widely praised, Octopussy is relatively widely panned. I’m not sure why. Yes, there’s a crap bit for about 10 minutes in the middle; yes, the clown outfit is a little silly; but, for the most part, it’s pretty darn entertaining.

Not the franchise’s all time high, but far from the worst entry.

4 out of 5

Boogie Nights (1997)

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Boogie Nights2007 #4
Paul Thomas Anderson | 150 mins | DVD | 18 / R

I loved Magnolia. I thought Punch-Drunk Love was dire. And this is how I come to Boogie Nights.

I didn’t fall for it in the same way I did for Magnolia, but it is nonetheless a very good film that shows a step on the path to that more complex and more rewarding picture. One I may get a better feel for when I see it again some day.

4 out of 5