Film Review: ENEMY AT THE GATES (2001)

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Writers: Jean-Jacques Annaud, Alain Godard
Running time: 131 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama/History/Thriller
UK Release date: 16^th March 2001

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 4^th August 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I saw this film quite a few years ago but really couldn’t remember much about it and so decided to give it another viewing when it came up in the listings recently. The first thing that struck me is that it is long; very very long. So having got comfortable with a good supply of snacks and drinks, I settled down for the ordeal. As it transpired, it wasn’t as painful an experience as I had expected, but it was still too long. Here’s a very brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

When shepherd Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law) is drafted into the Soviet Army in 1942, he finds himself in the front line facing the Nazi’s at Stalingrad. Finding himself trapped after a charge on enemy lines he uses great marksmanship skills to save both himself and Commisar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), a political officer. Danilov uses Zaitsev as an example to inspire the people and as a result he becomes quite famous. He is promoted to the sniper division by the Commander of the defending forces, Nikita Khrushchev (Bob Hoskins) and all his kills are made public. This soon comes to the attention of the Germans and they bring in expert sniper, Major König (Ed Harris) to deal with Zaitsev. Thus begins a game of cat-and-mouse as the pair face off amongst the ruins of the city. Enter the love interest, Tania Chernova (Rachel Weisz), who Danilov falls in love with but who would like to be with Zaitsev. Add to this a boy, Sacha Filipov (Gabriel Thomson), who Danilov uses to get information about the whereabouts of König and that’s about all I can say. Oh, and there’s a brief appearance from Ron Perlman as Koulikov, a Russian sniper who had worked with König before the war.

A film with some great set piece battle scenes involving hundreds of extras; it does look quite epic in places. I would have liked to have seen it on the big screen, I’m sure it was quite impressive. The music was pretty good; mainly relying on great sweeping themes throughout it did put me in mind of another epic war film set in Russia. All the performances were very good with Jude Law, Rachel Weisz and Ed Harris standing out for me. It was one of those films that was good, with ambitions of being great but never quite getting there. Sadly I felt that the love triangle got in the way, a bit, of a decent war film. I say ‘sadly’ because I thought Rachel Weisz was particularly good in this one. Over all though, I found it a bit too long but still quit a decent watch.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED

My score: 7.3/10.

IMDb Score: 7.5/10 (based on 122,529 votes when this review was written).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/

MetaScore: 53/100: (Based on 33 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 54/100 (based on 137 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 79/100 (based on 221,585 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enemy_at_the_gates/

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LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Trailer:

Film Review: DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2009)

Writer (Screenplay)/Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer (Novel): Charles Dickens
Running time: 96 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

Genre: Animation/Drama/Family
UK Release date: 4^th November 2009

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 26^th November 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I remember this coming out in theatres and deciding I’d wait for it to come on TV. It didn’t really appeal to me and anyway it was another vehicle for the 3D ‘phenomenon’ that I want no part of. So, time passed and it finally arrived on my TV screen and I must say I’m glad I waited. It’s very well made and beautiful to look at, but for me, sadly, that’s where it ends. A very well known story and so I’ll make my summary very brief and to the point before I give you more of my thoughts.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miser, he keeps his money very close to his chest and really doesn’t like spending any of it. He treats his only living relative, his nephew Fred, as badly as he treats his clerk, Bob Cratchit. His business partner, Marley, had been dead seven years when he is visited by Marley’s ghost. The ghost warns him that if he does not change his ways he will be doomed, like him, to wander eternity in chains. Scrooge is to be visited by three ghosts who will each show him the error of his ways in an effort to make him mend them. Will the miserly Scrooge be swayed by what they show him? Well, the Spoiler Police (Classics Division) have deterred me from revealing the answer here, so I’ll end my summary on that cliff-hanger.

As I’ve already said, it’s a beautiful film to look at, with some excellent animation, although I did find the picture a tad dark at times (& I wasn’t even watching in 3D!). The music was every bit as expected the traditional Carols and classical tunes of the day, fitted the visuals perfectly. Many of the voices of the main characters, and the ghosts (except Marley) were performed by Jim Carrey, who I must say, did an excellent job. Other voices were supplied by; Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and Bob Hoskins, amongst others. All did an excellent job also.

I guess the clue is in the title… DISNEY’S A Christmas Carol… and it is very much a Disney film, although I did find the story a lot darker than I expected. My favourite adaptations of this story have always been comedies; films like ‘Scrooged’ and ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’, both of which I have reviewed previously, are far superior (IMO). I guess this adaptation didn’t work so well for me because it did stick quite closely to the original novel (with a few twists), and as such it doesn’t quite work for a modern audience. It plays very much on Scrooge being in fear of his mortal soul and, for many, I think that is of very little, or no, consequence in modern society. It’s still very well made, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for the very young… some of the ghosts are pretty scary. Over all, sadly, not recommended.

My score: 5.8/10

IMDb Score: 6.9/10 (based on 22,962 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1067106/

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53/100 (based on 183 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008502-christmas_carol/

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FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Ebenezer Scrooge: What do you want with me?
Jacob Marley: You will be haunted by three spirits.
Ebenezer Scrooge: I'd rather not.

Fred: A Merry Christmas to you, uncle!
Ebenezer Scrooge: Bah! Humbug... What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.
Fred: What reason have you to be so dismal? You're rich enough.
Ebenezer Scrooge: BAH! Humbug!

[last lines]
Tiny Tim: God bless us. Every one.

LINKS:
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/achristmascarol/?cmp=dcom_VAN_WDSHE_ACC_van_dcomcc__Extl
Trailer:

Film Review: MADE IN DAGENHAM (2010)

Director: Nigel Cole
Running time: 109 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Biography/Drama
UK Release date: 1^st October 2010

Watched on Sky+ Tuesday 15^th November 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I remember when this came out the director came on the radio and complained bitterly that it had been given a 15 certificate. The main reason for this was the amount of swearing used, particularly in the first half of the film. Well, I’m sorry to say Mr Cole, but the BBFC were right, I’m pretty sure 12 year olds swear enough without seeing adults doing it to that extent on the big screen. But enough of my ramblings… more after this very brief summary.

It is 1968 and the Ford motor company have several large manufacturing plants here in the UK. One of the largest is at Dagenham in the South East of England and part of their operation is the women who sew together the seat covers etc. Their job has been downgraded as unskilled and they are paid the minimum Ford can get away with. With the help of their union representative, Albert Passingham, they take a vote and decide to stand up for their rights. A meeting is convened with the management and Rita O’Grady is one of those picked to represent the workers. At the meeting, Rita is unhappy with the way they are treated and tells them that they are going out on strike. It turns out there are bigger issues at stake and this little dispute is soon making national news as the people come to the realisation it’s more about equal pay for women than anything else. I won’t say any more or the Spoiler Police will be checking my union card.

Well made with some nice comic moments, but it’s FAR from the comedy much of the publicity may tell you it is. Decent performances all round, particularly from; Sally Hawkins as Rita O’Grady, Geraldine James as Connie, Bob Hoskins as Albert Passingham, Jaime Winstone as Sandra, Daniel Mays as Eddie O’Grady, Rosamund Pike as Lisa Hopkins and Miranda Richardson as Barbara Castle.

One of the things that put me off seeing this at the cinema was the fact that it was being touted as a comedy. Imagine my surprise when I found it was actually a semi-biographical drama about the struggle for equal pay for women with some comic moments thrown in. A much better proposition in my book and one I pretty much enjoyed. Throw in a few tunes of the day and you’ve got something certainly worth a look. I may be slightly biased because these events occurred during my lifetime, although I was pretty young at the time, but still, it’s a pretty good film and worth a viewing if you get the chance.

My score: 7.1/10

IMDb Score: 7.1/10 (based on 3,829 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1371155/

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http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Rita O'Grady: All right, um, everybody out!

Rita O'Grady: Look I know you're not mentioning it because you're being polite and everything, but that day when we met in the corridor, well I was really upset, and I never really use that type of language.
Lisa Hopkins: Don't you?
Rita O'Grady: No.
Lisa Hopkins: Well I called Mr Clark a complete cock.

News Reporter 1: What if Mrs. Castle says "no deal"?
News Reporter 2: How will you cope then?
Rita O'Grady: Cope? How will we cope? We're women. Now, don't ask such stupid questions.

LINKS:
Official Site: http://www.sonyclassics.com/madeindagenham/#/home/
Trailer: