> FILM REVIEWS
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Junsui Films’ team of resident and guest reviewers explore, analyse and critique all areas of
cinema’s vast landscape, from the contemporary, classic and foreign movies to documentaries.
Our reviews offer an individual rating for script and direction before concluding with a final verdict.
OUR RATINGS EXPLAINED:
5 Cinematic Perfection
4 Outstanding
3 Good
2 Passable
1 Dire
> April
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While Kosinski confidently soars in the visuals stakes he once again falters with his characters…
> March
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A decade on and Stanton’s beautifully realised underwater universe remains one of Pixar’s finest ever achievements…
> February
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A highly derivative work, which cries out for a voice of its own and some original thought…
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THE FALL OF THE ESSEX BOYS (2013)
The [continued] fall of the British gangster film…
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We never find out, and it’s certainly hard to care in this mind-numbingly pretentious ‘ethereal drama’…
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> January
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Under that eclectic and gory surface Tarantino again succeeds in smuggling bold and intriguing ideas into his mainstream work…
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Dumont slams the narrative into a moral grey that asks a myriad of complex questions but refuses to offer any answers…
> December 2012
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A compelling piece of work that should be required viewing for all…
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Fricke’s expert use of time-lapse photography remains a cinematic feat seamlessly interacting through the juxtaposition of contrasting objects…
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Reality collides with fiction in a flawed but bloody entertaining farce…
> November
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Ayer revisits old ground with a fresh POV, and while it’s a ride worth taking, it fails to offer anything that hasn’t been seen before…
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JASON BECKER: NOT DEAD YET (2012)
Vile’s timely and sincere portrait reveals the man behind the myth fully justifies the legend…
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Kubrick’s seminal attempt at the genre-movie remains a pungent, meticulously crafted statement on the nature of fear…
> October
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Ursula Meier’s minimalistic, character-driven narrative is both emotive and rich in detail, whilst never resorting to melodrama…
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IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (1947)
Hamer evokes the likes of Renoir and Altman, as he slowly edges this postwar gem into the progressive terrain of kitchen-sink drama…
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BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (2012)
A remarkably ambitious and original début. Prepare to be swept away…
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Perhaps not vintage Burton, but a welcome return to form nonetheless…
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A brief, yet compelling insight into the pursuit and trappings of fame…
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SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE (2011)
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While the horror is somewhat tame and rooted in comic-book sensibility, the comedy is often whip-smart and ruthlessly cutting…
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> September
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It’s hard not to be seduced by Carax’s daring vision with Holy Motors, a film of grandiose attractions, fuelled by an inexhaustible number of fantastic thrills…
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HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET (2012)
No blood, no terror and no satisfaction…
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A bold and mesmerising assault on the senses that is nothing short of a cinematic triumph…
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Maddin’s labyrinth of ideas and images are nothing if not arresting and minutely crafted…
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ANTON CORBIJN INSIDE OUT (2012)
While Quirijns may have not cracked her subject entirely, she has done a remarkable job at reaching the heart of Corbijn’s creativity…
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WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT (2012)
Sometimes fact is more interesting than fiction…
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THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO (2011)
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A thoughtful and poignant watch, if a touch preachy and simplistic…
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Nick Love’s admirable attempt at ‘going large’ is, for the most part, a success…
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Hillcoat and Cave’s highly anticipated return to the Western is an exciting, if somewhat uninspiring attempt to storm the mainstream…
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Harper struggles for focus and clarity in this messily handled directional début…
> August
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Mularuk’s ambitious attempts to combine a dramatic portrait of lives in a time of flux with a crime thriller isn’t a complete success but provides enough flashes of inspiration to hold interest…
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Playful, sly, smart, Welles’ essential head-spinner remains one of cinema’s greatest ever acts of trickery…
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The Farrelly brothers and their Stooges struggle for breath and laughs in a genre that has long since passed them by…
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Artist, activist, rebel, tweeter. There isn’t anyone quite like Ai Weiwei…
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Yet another prime example of big ideas better suited for the small screen…
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Harold’s 76-minute descent into zombieism becomes a strange, but ultimately rewarding journey…
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MacFarlane’s wickedly filthy, pop-cultural jokes tickle, tease and pound your funny-bone with consistent ease…
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Zhang delivers a lavish and sentimental touch to horrific themes, much of which are wildly out of context…
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> July
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Antonioni’s first foray into the cinematic world of colour charges his quintessential Red Desert with unexpected expressiveness…
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EL BULLI: COOKING IN PROGRESS (2012)
Despite being granted access to the ‘research kitchens’ and behind the doors of El Bulli itself, Wetzel’s film is far too light on revelation…
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While the somewhat controversial ending offers hope of future re-visitation, the Batman’s arc feels rightfully and satisfyingly complete…
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REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR (2011)
Anyone interested in the challenges western capitalism faces in adapting to climate change will come away from Revenge of the Electric Car enlightened and informed…
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A rapid dose of genius…
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NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT (2010)
A fascinating and intellectual exploration of historical amnesia and eternal cosmic memory…
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An understated yet compelling narrative with some darkly humorous moments…
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Aboud’s erratic début lacks any sort of urgency and is all too quick to sacrifice story for style…
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SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD (2012)
All quirk and no substance…
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A novel, but surprisingly appropriate platform for Verhoeven’s filmic statements on politics, violence and sex…
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A quietly intelligent film, which charts the emotional, if not always credulous, journey of a man grappling with nature and his own philosophical beliefs…
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A solid, subjective visualisation of a radical work of art…
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Webb’s web slinger offers something a little more sinister than Raimi’s aim to please attempts…
> June
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Skarsgård and Joner steal the show with complex and compelling characters in an otherwise, slightly run of the mill, prison escape drama…
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A rom-comic collection of delightful set-pieces…
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A beautifully defined fable told with a true sense of poetry and meditative reflection…
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Lawes’ poignant and skilfully constructed documentary is half history lesson, half love letter to the British picture house and the projectionists who worked there…
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER (2012)
Bekmambetov’s return to the genre where he made his name lacks serious bite…
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If only more Brit independents showed similar ambition the industry would be in a much finer state…
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Maïwenne succeeds in creating a multifaceted ensemble piece that is brilliantly chaotic and full of life…
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Nikolaj Arcel has assembled a fascinating costume drama that shows there’s much more to the recent Nordic revolution than just crime fiction and a certain tattooed bad-ass…
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The ultimate summer blockbuster…
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McCarthy creates a chilling, yet almost banal sense of evil with his haunted San Pedro bungalow…
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With his ninth and supposedly last film, Béla Tarr’s persistent research of cinematic minimalism, both narrative and visual, is as good as complete…
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A beautiful disappointment…
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The Angles’ Share isn’t afraid to embrace a lighter more humorous tone, which though effective in parts, jars against the lazy plot contrivances and bristling performances…
> May
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Aschan impressively infuses the disjointed narrative with mesmerising dream-like visuals that mark her as a talent to watch…
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THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943)
A national treasure…
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IF I WANT TO WHISTLE, I WHISTLE (2010)
A socially aware prison drama that loses its voice in the crowd as it succumbs to unconvincing narrative twists…
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Burton brings his unique and eccentric edge to proceedings, but even his madcap enthusiasm can’t disguise the shoddy plotting and poor characterisation…
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HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION (2012)
Direct to video Mel…
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Aleksandr Sokurov completes his tetralogy of films with a potent, cinematic fever dream, albeit one that leaves a slightly bitter after-taste…
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JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME (2011)
The mumblecore movement marches forward…
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A relevant, poignant chamber piece about the necessity of communication…
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Yakin’s confident direction is assured and bold, with a script that opens up a narrative far more intricate than the usual genre smash up…
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Hawkes’ debut effort abandons a potentially intriguing set-up in favour of a standard revenge narrative which slowly but surely falls apart in the final act…
> April
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Whedon balances Marvel’s franchise juggernauts with care and confidence, delivering a blockbuster worthy of any summer…
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More atmospheric misfire than flawed masterpiece…
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A strange and inconsistent piece of cinema, that neither delivers on its premise nor satisfies on an emotional level…
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Buck Brannaman’s life and philosophy creates a poignant, emotionally charged basis for a worthy documentary…
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A well made, if unfocused study of sexual exploration and repression that disappointingly sidesteps the major issues and is found lacking as a result…
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Budget restraints and hammy performances aside, the Vicious Brothers showcase inspired use of lighting and technique to elicit fear and suspense…
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Roy Ward Baker’s, A Night to Remember remains the most precise filmic recreation of the sinking of the Titanic…
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Whedon and Goddard’s script has its tongue so firmly in its cheek it breaks flesh…
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An inventive premise derailed by unconvincing narrative decisions…
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Tyldum has crafted a slick, quick-witted comedy thriller which offers sophisticated fare and largely justifies its (already in the works) Hollywood remake status…
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This Must Be The Place isn’t without it’s flaws, but remains a journey well worth taking for Penn’s performance alone…
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A cinematic miracle…
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A clumsily executed, run of the mill horror yarn, which fails to be elevated by its Spanish location…
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A sweet and attractive film, with dazzling artwork that comes as a refreshing change to Hollywood’s frenetic animated offerings of recent years…
> March
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As compelling a death-row documentary as you will ever see…
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Dizzying, disconnecting, CGI fuelled action that impresses in parts but ultimately fails to engage…
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A hugely atmospheric tale of desperation, grief and motherhood…
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Rude, crude and humourless…
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A poignant and reflective romantic drama…
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One of those rare documentaries that anyone and everyone, regardless of their political persuasion, can get drawn into…
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A visually enthralling, sentimental blockbuster with a hard edge…
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The Dardenne Brothers beautifully visualise their unrelenting ability to transcend socially charged topics and create striking religious parables…
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The narrative spine remains solidly anchored to bereavement and loss, without being hysterical or morose…
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA (2011)
Cinema at its most essential…
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A well-balanced true story of courage and heroism told with passion and authenticity…
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Another forgettable addition to the bloated found-footage sub-genre…
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BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK (2010)
Richard Press impressively encapsulates Bill Cunningham’s love-hate relationship with New York without ever simplifying it…
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Decent popcorn entertainment, but after a near 100 year wait this feels like a missed opportunity…
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A chilling depiction of true evil…
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> February
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A realistic and thoughtful journey of a man left behind in the wake of new thinking and political influences…
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Preminger and Webb come together to create a powerful portrayal of pride and obsession…
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This latest low-budget Brit thriller is yet another muddled, predictable and horribly expositional affair…
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Pawlikowski’s welcome return to the screen is a gentle one with a mysteriously infectious edge…
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Radcliffe, Watkin and Goldman provide a winning formula for vintage horror fans…
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Falls into the trap of many biopics: interesting in terms of its facts, but not emotionally engaging in terms of characters and relationships…
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Gets under the skin of the modelling industry to produce a disturbing yet fascinating film…
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MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (2011)
Bold, fresh and truly unique. Indie cinema doesn’t get any better than this…
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Polanski-light perhaps, but this is still sparkling in its capture of embarrassment and awkwardness in a comedy of manners…
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Smart, original and distinctly modern…
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Har’el has created a poignant and at times breathtaking look at the underbelly of the American dream…
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Like those before it, Man On A Ledge only has a certain amount of mileage…
> January
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Payne successfully shifts between lightly humorous scenes and well delivered dramatic revelations…
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PATIENCE (AFTER SEBALD) (2012)
Gee has clearly never felt constrained by commercialism or hard and fast rules, and here he has created a work that captures the essence of Sebald’s book perfectly…
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Bonello’s intoxicating film suggests that with pleasure comes pain; men get their gratification but it’s the women who suffer, no matter what the generation…
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For sheer ingenuity and guts, this is a cinematic curiosity that shouldn’t be missed…
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Eastwood provides an interesting analysis of Hoover for those unfamiliar with his work, but does little more than expose some of the historical facts and rumours surrounding the man…
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Kept short at 81 minutes, it still manages to outstay its welcome…
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The play’s key themes, the manipulations and corruption of power, are seized upon by Fiennes who felt the Bard’s lesser-known work had sufficient contemporary overtones…
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As predictable as a Bourne comparison but boasts enough cool to keep it serviceable…
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The sentimentalism is certainly overdone, but Spielberg manages to keep it on course and it’s fascinating to view the First World War from such a unique perspective…
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McQueen has created another unforgettable character and mis-en-scene that is pure, potent cinema…
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A stinging portrayal of the financial crisis…
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Shot in black and white and with a run time of just seventy minutes, it’s a quick but beautiful blast of nostalgia for film lovers…
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Tatsumi’s focus on real people and the darker twists in life should appeal to those with a more subversive frame of mind…
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Thatcher without politics. One’s own political leaning will probably dictate how easy it is to digest…
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It’s a simple tale, but what works so beautifully is that, aside from the silent element, it’s incredibly accomplished and thoroughly riveting…
> December 2011
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THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011)
Fincher’s version is as faithful to the novel as Oplev’s was, but he also brings the material up by its cinematic bootstraps…
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MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL (2011)
Despite its obvious faults, Ghost Protocol remains an impressive spectacle, especially on the IMAX screen…
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A slow burning, compelling piece led by strength of performance and intimate style…
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A fascinating and disturbing subject handled with skill, care and imagination…
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SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS (2011)
A Game of Shadows is more action-packed, its protagonist more eccentric and its plot even more farcical than the original…
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With its whimsical charm and visually irresistible fervour this is a solid first foray into 3D territory for Scorsese…
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Effective for its market, but fans of the 1982 original will undoubtedly be disappointed by this soulless retread…
> November 2011
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Simon Curtis has conjured a wonderful tale, giving a revealing insight behind the scenes of the film and the make-up of Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe…
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A meditative, poignant study of war that will be appreciated by those wanting to look beyond the actions of the frontline…
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A stand-out contender for turkey of the year…
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Jeff Nichols’ Sundance hit deftly plays upon emotions and expectations delivering an intriguing take on a possible impending doom…
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Whilst the subject matter has been well covered, Davies manages to create something effective and absorbing with his delicate direction…
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Nothing more than a style-over-substance exercise only without much style….
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A sensitive yet utterly explicit film, a balance rarely achieved in cinema…
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The decision to capture the essence of the novel is the right one, to strip it down to the visceral and ragged core, and Arnold establishes a tone that is hard as it is beautiful…
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It may be nineteen years since Bruce Robinson last directed a film, but he certainly hasn’t lost his touch…
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A surreal slice of delight…
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Some genuine spine-tingling moments but not enough to save it from the contrived final act…
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Typical of the British social realist films of late; dark, brutal and extremely moving…
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An intricate and interesting debut but disappointing given the extraordinary and bold talent of Hoffman as an actor…
> October 2011
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Worth making a noise about…
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A competent exercise in illustrating political conniving with solid performances from an all-star cast…
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THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN (2011)
Spielberg proves he is still one of the best when it comes to directing family-orientated action adventure…
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WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (2011)
An astonishingly eloquent and elegant film that deals brilliantly in raw hopeless emotions on a deep level…
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Whilst it’s a lot better than the second instalment, it hardly wets the appetite for Paranormal Activity 4…
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One can see why Soderbergh might have thought we needed a viral movie like this given the hysteria in recent years and yet disaster films in this genre are rarely successful…
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A bold piece of cinema that will no doubt divide audiences…
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In what is a well-furrowed documentary genre, Danfung Dennis captures some startlingly honest and expressive imagery…
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Not without its faults, Retreat is a solid, entertaining and occasionally tense three hander…
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Will Ferrell ditches his frat-pack roots and tries his hand at serious acting…
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THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD (2011)
If only the news was this fun…
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British realism at its most beautiful…
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Holds enough surprises to keep most entertained throughout…
> September 2011
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You’ll probably only ever see it once, but it must be seen…
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A missed opportunity for McKee…
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A powerful film that blurs the boundaries between horror and drama with intelligence and heart…
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Hard to believe that the man responsible for Clerks wrote this…
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Satisfying enough while it lasts but leaves you longing for more…
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A truly unique movie experience…
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There’s no denying the film is a well-observed parody that will strike a chord with many fans of the slasher-horror genre…
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There’s no hiding from the fact that this is production line cinema in all its polished glory…
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TINKER TAILOR SOLDER SPY (2011)
An intelligent, atmospheric thriller, without a car chase in sight…
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A roaringly fun, fresh take on the found footage genre…
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A competent if shallow adaptation of the classic tale….