Only Lovers Left Alive (2013, Dir. Jim Jarmusch, UK/Germany/France/Cyprus/USA) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska

Adam (Hiddleston) is a reclusive musician living in Detroit. Eve (Swinton) has spent the last several years living in Tangiers. Both of them are centuries-old vampires and, though they live far apart now, they are also married. With Adam being depressed to the point of contemplating suicide, a concerned Eve travels out to Detroit to see him. However, both are troubled with dreams about Eve's free-spirited sister, Eva (Wasikowska) who is about to make her presence known and unwelcome.

Long famed for being one of American cinema's more unique voices, Jim Jarmusch this time gives us a tale of vampiric romance that's playing to the multiplexes and to the arthouses. Somewhat fitting in that whilst the film still slips somewhat comfortably into convention it's somewhat atypical of the mainstream. As our biblically named leads, Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton are both well cast, with their very British sense of romanticised melancholia and paper complexions and whilst they both make for compelling presences on screen, their downbeat philosophising does get a little tiresome. This in turn is lifted by a great performance from the similarly pale Mia Wasikowska who flits and flirts who time away in the film providing some nice energy. 

Backing them up are a seemingly dim friend of Hiddlestone's play by a near-unrecognisable Anton Yelchin and perhaps the film's most interesting character, an undead Christopher Marlowe (yes, that Marlowe and yes, this film does back up those Shakespeare authorship rumours) played somewhat mystically by John Hurt. Jeffrey Wright turns up as a doctor and middle-man for  satiating Hiddlestone's blood cravings but such a high-calibre actor as Wright is not really put to much use.

Atmosphere is clearly the key thing for this movie. The soundtrack is a droning mixture of arabic music and rock in an monotonous but engaging fashion, but the romantic navel-gazing gets a bit too much, even if the film is surprisingly funny in places, but on a visual level. film's constant night setting stains the eyes after a while.

 With its intriguing appropriation of classic horror archtypes and putting a twist on them, there are comparisons to some of Neil Jordan's work (especially last year's vampire flick, Byzantium) and the backdrop for our bloodsucking protagonists is a fascinating one (both on a personal level and the mythos that the film sets up). Only Lovers Left Alive is intriguing, even at times fascinating, but a little ponderous and bordering on pretention with some of the angles from which the story is tackled.

Next time, a popular lakeside crusing spot for gay men becomes the scene of a murder as danger and attraction mix together in Stranger By The Lake.

(A New York) Winter's Tale (2014, Dir. Akiva Goldsman, USA) (12a/PG-13) *

Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe

A thief from the streets of Brooklyn in the early twentieth-century, Peter Lake (Farrell) is in the midst of stealing from an upscale house when he crosses paths with Beverley Penn (Findlay) and it's love at first sight. But Beverley is dying of consumption, and Peter is on the run from his dangerous boss, Pearley Soames (Crowe). Nearly a hundred years later, an unaged but amnesiac Peter pieces together parts of his past life.

From the writer of the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind (2001) (and bringing along its stars Jennifer Connelly and Russell Crowe both in line for the upcoming film Noah as well), A New York Winter's Tale is an adaptation of an 800 page romantic fantasy novel and in translation, it gets dealt a pretty severe battering.

The film's approach to romance is one of extreme melodrama, with everything blown up to grand gestures even when Farrell and Findlay don't really have much chemistry on screen. As far as the composite parts go, both do fair jobs but Farrell's Irish accent is out of place with the character even if he did grow up under the wing of Russell Crowe, here playing up being more Irish than if he were jigging through a field of shamrocks and being ridden by Guinness-guzzling leprechauns. Meanwhile, Findlay is supposedly dying of consumption (itself an incredible cliche) whilst actually looking very healthy and even thrashing out Bach periodically on the piano. Of the cast the best performance goes to Will Smith in an uncharacteristically dark role, but he doesn't look like he's very enthusiastic with the part.

The fantasy element may show signs of promise, but it's quickly blown out of the water. Given that the plot was probably ruthlessly condensed for the screen, plot points that may have worked with more detail just seem inexplicable and bizarre (Farrell rides a flying horse, that's mentioned to also be a dog...nothing comes of that last bit of information). The plot seems only partially thought through and was probably going to be set in a slightly different period given the oddities of ageing (one character in the 2014-set part of the plot is supposed to be at least 105 and yet she's an editor of a major paper and seems remarkably active mentally and physically, befitting a woman decades younger) and throughout we're also told little gems of treacle like how the stars are related to the wings of angels.

I would genuinely like to believe that a novel as clearly ambitious at the source material could one day be adapted again into something grander, and perhaps another one or two rewrites would've corrected this but here something went wrong and disappeared into a hole of too little sense and too much sentiment,

Next time, Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton are two vampiric lovers who reunite from disparate climes in Jim Jarmusch's latest film, Only Lovers Left Alive.

Cuban Fury (2014, Dir. James Griffiths, UK) (Cert: 15/R) ***

Starring: Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris O'Dowd

As a child, Bruce Garrett (Frost, Ben Radcliffe) was an extremely talented dancer, specialising in Salsa. When he's assaulted by bullies, Bruce turns his back on Salsa and twenty-five years later is a draughtsman for a company making lathes. When a beautiful new employee named Julia (Jones) catches his eye (and of Bruce's uncouth colleague Drew (O'Dowd)) Bruce discovers that she dances Salsa and takes out his dancing shoes once again.

With Simon Pegg becoming a major international star off of the back of major Hollywood projects (most notably Scotty in the rebooted Star Trek franchise) you can be forgiven for thinking that his partner-in-comedy Nick Frost has been left behind a little. Here, Frost takes the lead in Cuban Fury and provides a light and enjoyable rom-com with a twist (literally) even if it doesn't quite have the right kick.

Nick Frost may not be a conventional leading man but his amiable everyman presence is a big reason as to why this film works. He plays his part well and is always entertaining playing the slightly oafish nice guy. Chris O'Dowd (who has played similar roles to that as well in the past) also does well as a thoroughly unlikeable rival to Frost, a role that is fairly out of step for O'Dowd. Rashida Jones does well, but feels slightly out of place and lacks the distinct characteristics of her co-stars whilst Olivia Colman, playing Frost's sister and former dance partner, also could've done with more screentime.

The film is undemanding. Yes, it has the dance element, but that's not fully used to its greatest potential (save for as a means to give us Kayvan Novak's turn as an extremely camp dancer) and the film lacks anything approaching real drama despite being, for all intents and purposes, a romantic comedy. It's also predictable as hell with the same familiar beats being hit at every turn. Still, audiences for this will probably just be looking for something funny, a little sweet and not very taxing. For those things, Cuban Fury is, all things considered, worthwhile.

Next time, Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay play star-crossed lovers, joined together through the mysteries of the universe in A New York Winter's Tale.

The Monuments Men (2014, Dir. George Clooney, USA/Germany) (Cert: 12a/PG-13) ***

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett

It's World War II and the Nazis have just taken Paris. A centre of art and culture, the French capital is instrumental in the a plan being put forth by the Third Reich. Upon their victory, Berlin is to have a massive museum, filled with fine art, whilst other art (namely by those openly opposed to Nazism and by Jews) is to be destroyed. Art expert Frank Stokes (Clooney) is commissioned by President Roosevelt (Michael Dalton) to assemble a crack team of art experts and servicemen to go to Europe and beat the Nazis to the endangered art.

Directed, partially written by, produced by and starring George Clooney, it could be easy to dismiss The Monuments Men as something of a vanity project. The film isn't an all-out Clooney exercise in self-congratulation but thankfully more of an ensemble piece that owes more of a debt to classic World War II movies of a bygone age where amidst the action and drama of combat there are colourful characters and, to be honest, a sense of fun.

Of course the film also calls to mind the Ocean's series of films that George Clooney starred in alongside Matt Damon, his co-star here as well and this element is a little crowbarred into proceedings within the ensemble cast. Given that the group assembled for the mission are significantly made up of older actors this also means emphasis is more on character than all-out action sequences. They may not be the kinds to go charging into battle, but there are some entertaining and humorous performances by the comedically-experienced likes of Bob Balaban, John Goodman and, of course, Bill Murray.

However, whilst the film has charm it also has a tendency to be annoyingly simplistic and incorporating some of the worst expectations you could expect from a film of this nature. It may not be a right-wing martial bloodbath, it still throws about a sense of being very America-centric. Of the ensemble of heroes, four are non-Americans (a very English Hugh Bonneville, English Dimitri Leonidis acting a little German, a very French Jean Duijardin and Australian Cate Blanchett...acting very French) despite the real Monuments Men being a much more collaborative effort from a larger group. This side-lining is also only made worse by later proceedings in the plot. Every change of scenery is also hammered in clumsily by an insistence to mention the city and country ("Paris, France" being a particularly egregious example).

The film also needed some tighter editing as much of the film (like an interrogation scene that is well-written but completely unnecessary to the plot) wanders on for too long but it does boast an impressive and likeable score by Alexandre Desplat, who has clearly been indulging gleefully in listening to the back-catalogue of Maurice Jarre and John Williams.

Overall, going into Monument's Men you might find yourself a little disappointed by the film's several and blatant flaws, but when looked upon as a tribute to the kind of films that would've had once been a home for Frank Sinatra or John Wayne, it can be enjoyed for its sense of old-fashioned fun which is, to be honest, a little lacking these days.

Next time, underdog nice guy Nick Frost reignites his passion for Salsa dancing to win the heart if Rashida Jones in Cuban Fury.

Her (2013, Dir. Spike Jonze, USA) (Cert:15/R) ****

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johannson, Amy Adams

Theodore Twombley (Phoenix) is feeling lonely following a messy recent divorce from his wife (Rooney Mara) confiding largely in technology to fill the void, Theodore learns about OS; the world's first fully intelligent operating system. Upon starting it up, he begins to talk to the conversational operating system known as Samantha (Johannson) and "she" and Theodore begin to form an unorthodox romantic relationship.

Having filled the last couple of years with short films, Spike Jonze has returned to directing features with Her; a deliberately rather oddball sci-fi romance that despite its sense of detachment and sterility, does pack some power.

Whilst science-fiction films tend to be noted more for their effects work, it is the drama and the human element that is more evident here even if it strange considering only half of the central romantic relationship is human. It's a task that both leads Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johannson live up to admirably, especially Johannson in an entirely vocal performance (that wasn't even hers originally as the role was cast for Samantha Morton, hence the character named Samantha, with Johannson being casted during post-production). Amy Adams also makes for a likeable side-character as Phoenix's best friend. 

Although the film is based around a contentious topic, it's largely non-judgmental and presents a relationship that is strange and will (intentionally) seem to some rather creepy, it can also be seen as a happy relationship, even though the relationship seems lacking in conflict (this could be reasoned with Johannson playing a tool designed for company she's supposedly submissive, but this does contradict some of the film's unseen depictions of similar relationships). The film also has a realistic and consistent depiction of the near-future but the looks do sometimes fall towards a slightly out-of-place hipsterdom (mostly River Phoenix wearing small spectacles, wearing a neat moustache and occasionally plucking a ukelele.). Regardless, Her is an intriguing and rewarding piece even if it is an acquired taste, Her is a film of rare intelligence and insight into human relationships.

Next time, George Clooney directs and leads an all-star cast, rescuing art from the hands of the Third Reich in The Monuments Men.

The Invisible Woman (2013, Dir. Ralph Fiennes, UK) (Cert: 12a/R) ***

The Invisible Woman (2013, Dir. Ralph Fiennes, UK) (Cert: 12a/R) ***

Starring: Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Joanna Scanlan

A wildly popular writer, Charles Dickens (Fiennes) is staging a production that he has written to be performed at Manchester. For the production, a family of actresses all take the opportunity to perform but it is the sister with the least talent, Nelly (Jones) who catches Dickens' eye and with whom he begins an adulterous and tempestuous affair.

Having made his directorial debut in 2011 with an adaptation of Shakespeare's Coriolanus, Ralph Fiennes  now turns his hand to another one of Britain's legendary writers, Charles Dickens, in a real-life drama with Fiennes also taking on the role of the novelist. The results are mixed but in a way that might come as unexpected from someone with Fiennes' background.

The film's greatest strength is its cinematography. The film is often bathed in this intimate yet smouldering light that provides a characterful glow to much of the scenery and provides a rich atmosphere. Aside from this, the film affords a look into Dickens' personal life that is not seen very often and whilst the gravitas of his actions are put across, the film never descends into character assassination, helping you stay with him as the story progresses.

Whilst The Invisible Woman shows that Fiennes has potential as a a director, this brief and rather forgettable film is better viewed as a technical exercise, but there's room to build on.

Next time, Joaquin Phoenix is Theodore Twombley. A man who falls in love with an operating system (with he voice of Scarlett Johanson) in Her.

Robocop (2014, Dir. José Padilha, USA) (Cert: 12a/PG-13) ***

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman

All around the world, the streets are being policed by armed robots produced by Megacorp. However, despite their success overseas, the American public is reluctant to allow the Detroit-based company to produce robots policing American cities. Raymond Sellars (Keaton) hits upon the idea of making such a creation more marketable to Americans (and exploit a legal loophole) by instead placing a man in a robotic suit. At the same time, cop Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is severely injured in an explosion and without his consent becomes the new force in law enforcement: the Robocop.

Released in 1987, the original Robocop was one of the best science-fiction films of its era, combining comic book violence, an introspective subplot and a subtle, but unmistakable sheen of left-wing satire that softly derided the authoritarian and ultra-capitalist setting, whilst not alienating audiences on either side of the political spectrum. With the arrival of this reboot/remake, there have been expectations for it to crash and burn. But, whilst this new Robocop is doubtlessly inferior to the original film, it is a fairly decent effort when judged on its own merits.

A lot of the elements that made the original Robocop so special are still present, albeit to lesser degrees. The satirical edge really only sticks in with Samuel L. Jackson's turn as a jingoistic TV political pundit which makes for probably the best performance of the film. The film alsocomes with the same sleek "not-too-distant future" vibe that gives the film some seeming relevance, although it's probably not exploited to the greatest extent.

As Alex Murphy/Robocop, Kinnarman puts in a solid performance, in a role that does require more dimension than most action heroes. However, he seems to lack quite the amount of skill that Peter Weller brought to the role. Michael Keaton brings just the right amount of playfulness as the film's villain, with Keaton always being an enjoyable presence as a baddy. Meanwhile, Gary Oldman does a turn as a creator and mentor for Robocop; not an original kind of role, but one which Oldman seems to slip into like a well-tailored suit.

The music also deserves a mention, with a nicely appropriate reprise of the original Robocop theme, the film also features some gleefully apropos pieces of music to bring again the lightness of touch over what could easily have been a far grimmer story, which is also at times over-complicated.

To summarise, Robocop is no masterpiece and inevitably it doesn't stand up very strong alongside the 1987 variation with its convoluted plotting and dropping some promising themes with less satisfying ones. However, this film has picked up some strengths as well and occasionally shines with them.

Next time, Ralph Fiennes directs his own portrayal of Charles Dickens, involved in an adulterous affair with Felicity Jones in The Invisible Woman.