Music, like war, is a great leveller. During World War Two, Youko (Leon Masuda), a little girl living in Japan with plans to train to be a concert pianist, sits at her grand piano playing Chopin. Across the way, an Allied prisoner of war listens and catches her eye. Based on a true story, An… An American Piano (Short Film) Read More
Das Boot (Director’s Cut) 5 stars
*** Check out my submarine movies section *** “They are drinking at the bar, celebrating our sinking! Not yet my friends, not yet!” shouts U-96’s captain with delight, as they practically bounce up onto the surface of the narrow Straits of Gibraltar, which they’ve been marooned at the bottom of for 15 hours. He’s not a lover… Das Boot (Director’s Cut) Read More
Black Sea 4 stars
*** Check out my submarine movies section *** Black Sea is a brutal watch, almost a horror film as the deaths mount, with fear itself a virus. And although not a straight East-West underwater battle, it still has Westerners fighting with Russians. At one point they each take over different ends of their submarine, with the Brits… Black Sea Read More
Deciphering The Making Of Short Film The Code With Director Patrick Ryder
Award-winning director Patrick Ryder’s latest short film is The Code, a World War 2 drama set in the forests of France shortly before the events of Dunkirk. It follows brothers Will (Kevin Leslie) and Eddie (Jacob Anderton) and their friend Tommy (Robert Dukes), separated from the rest of their regiment and desperate to get to… Deciphering The Making Of Short Film The Code With Director Patrick Ryder Read More
The Code (Short Film) Short Film 4 stars
*** Read my interview with director of The Code, Patrick Ryder *** Three British soldiers, one horribly injured, come across a wounded German, still attached to the silk parachute which is splayed out across a tree trunk lying on the forest floor. The German he utters remains mostly un-translated. He can speak English though, and… The Code (Short Film) Read More
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society 3.5 stars
There’s a cosiness to the word-count guzzling Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, in a lie-back-and-think-of-postwar-England kind of way. We know what we’re going to get: fabulous 1940s fashions (wide-leg high waisted jeans, here I come); clattering typewriters; bosom-hoiking landladies; beautiful views. Plus love, loss, and employment for several British national treasures. But it… The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Read More
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story 4 stars
Technologies based on Hedy Lamarr’s invention are now so ubiquitous, and have had such huge effects on our lives, I rather feel that a little Hedy avatar should pop up before we email, tweet, or indeed go to war, that says “are you SURE you want to do this?” Think how many hot-headed, post-1990s wifi-enabled… Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story Read More
The King’s Choice 4 stars
The actual German invasion is swift, though not entirely unexpected. A battleship sails into the Straits of Norway, the home forces attack, and a huge ship burns orange against an inky blue night sky. It’s an impressive initial volley, and also a heartbreaking last stand, as more German warships follow it into Norwegian waters. A… The King’s Choice Read More
Darkest Hour 4 stars
Let’s get it out of the way right now, Gary Oldman’s physical transformation into Winston Churchill is simply astonishing, and his performance absolutely Oscar-worthy. This is the fourth film in a year covering some of the same WW2 ground, and I’d be lying if I claimed I hadn’t been concerned about Wartime Britain Fatigue setting… Darkest Hour Read More
Dunkirk – 1 Minute Video Review Includes Video 5 stars
Click here for the full Dunkirk review
Dunkirk 5 stars
If there’s one thing war films have taught me it’s that conflicts are long periods of quiet boredom interspersed with flashes of horrific fighting, injuries and death. Dunkirk isn’t boring but it is a film that feels remarkably quiet, which is odd as though there is little dialogue there is music everywhere, along with screeching bombs… Dunkirk Read More
Zookeeper’s Wife, The 3.5 stars
The Zookeeper’s Wife is a movie that shouldn’t so much have a star rating as a hankie rating – though the atmosphere is lightened slightly by the world’s bounciest baby camel, which joyfully careers around the zoo paths with exuberant delight during the early scenes. Until it’s shot dead by an evil Nazi. Exuberant delight is in… Zookeeper’s Wife, The Read More