HiFi’s Film Reviews

353 Films have been rated or reviewed by HiFi.

All the President's Men (1976): People talking, typing, telephoning – so, pretty uncinematic, then – but made gripping by a lucid script, a raft of committed performances, Willis' understated but effective cinematography, and Pakula's evident intelligence as a filmmaker.
Hobbit, The - The Desolation of Smaug (2013): Surprisingly enjoyable. Felt like a very tarted–up 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Only a nodding acquaintance with the book – in a way its saving grace: wholly Jackson's creature, now, with his fabricated elf/dwarf romance the most compelling feature.
Flight of the Phoenix (2004): Maximum popcorn, with beautiful desert photography. I always enjoy this, and if you approach it as a Monster Garage/Survivor crossover episode, you won't be disappointed. Plus, there's aaaaabs aplenty!
Man on Fire (2004): Starts well, nice photography, Denzel's great, the relationship with the mother & daughter's convincing, but the film degenerates into cartoon violence. And it's very long. Gaudy junk, but absorbing enough.
Grand Budapest Hotel, The (2014): Charming Ruritanian bagatelle with deep undercurrent of melancholy, stuffed to the gunwales with high–powered thesps and production design. Fiennes' wonderful performance glues it all together. A mixed bag, but full of marvellous confectionery.
Monuments Men, The (2014): A bit like those star–studded romps of the '60s & '70s. Meandering, shallow, and while it misses no opportunity to pontificate about preserving art in order to honour Hitler's victims, actually seems to be doing them a disservice.
Saving Private Ryan (1998): Spielberg sets the scene with such terrifying realism, but the rest seems contrived, manipulative, awkward, dishonest. In a word, Spielbergian.; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015): They fitted a new engine and tyres, tightened up the steering, polished the wood and chrome, took off the embarrassing fluffy dice and hood ornament. But it's still just a fairly basic family saloon.; Blu-Ray ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013): Noirish folk–themed odyssey which seems closest in spirit to 'A Serious Man'. Isaac's wonderful performance kept me right there with the character, every step of the way...
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): I had fun, but these don't seem like movies to me, more like the ganglia of the Marvel universe – everything's paying off, servicing, setting up or referencing something else.; Blu-Ray $59.95

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HiFi’s Film Reviews