Why do I live in a world where we have a film that stars Michael Wincott and he is not one of the major villains? Ghost in the Shell is one of the anime world’s most influential, and possibly even among its most important pieces of work. The Matrix, Dark City, Equilibrium, these are just three sci-fi films that took influence. So, it is to my shame I admit I haven’t seen it myself; this is most likely due to my indifference to anime in general. I love such examples as Cowboy Be-bop and the Studio Ghibli canon; but I also find myself hating stuff like Dragon Ball, Naruto and I wasn’t a fan of the classic Akira either. But still, the idea of an adaptation for the more general audience wasn’t an unwelcome one.

Ghost in the Shell follows a character simply called the Major. The Major is a human brain within a robotic everything else, and the top agent in an organisation that…actually the films doesn’t do a good job of explaining that; they beat up bad-guys and save innocents so I guess it’s legit. But when the Major is up against another cybernetic villain, she realises that her forgotten past is entwined with his, and when she starts remembering who and what she once was the line between good-guys and bad become more and more blurred.

Ghost in the Shell might have influenced sci-fi for the generations after its release, but it is also really easy to see what influenced it: Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. In this version at least, it’s the same philosophy and even the same designs and look of Blade Runner. So, I guess it’s a good thing that I love Blade Runner and the look of Blade Runner. If there is one thing that steals the show for this film it’s its visual design. This city is a metropolis. The buildings are huge, with the entire city mixing western and eastern architecture together and is just covered in advertising and neon. It’s the basic definition of cyberpunk, and I have to admit that I have a massive soft spot for cyberpunk (and also streampunk and dieselpunk). The designs, on buildings and characters are immaculate and every single aspect of it works. Every now and then there is a moment of botched CGI, but for the most part the effects are up to standard too.

Another aid to the visuals is the cinematography. I have a feeling that most of the best shots from the film are ripped from the anime, but they’re still impressive to look at. The action too is very well shot and edited, even at the film’s most chaotic I could still tell what was going on, and it was exciting and fun to watch. The film is also helped massively by Clint Mansell’s musical score. I am very tempted to buy the music separately it’s so good, but I’d expect nothing less from the man who gave us the score of Mass Effect 3.

Where the film sadly falters, though is in its characters and story. The film was directed by Rupert Sanders, who gave us the pretty awful Snow White and the Huntsman, and his skills as a story teller have not even slightly improved. This story is better told than Huntsman, but I feel that’s because of the anime he’s essentially just retelling. Also, from what I’ve heard he appears to have pulled the teeth out of the story with this one. For example; I heard that in the anime the Major fights naked (as that’s the only way her cloaking device will work), but being a robot she has no genitals or nipples, here it’s just a bodysuit. It makes sense to make that change, but I don’t know, it kind of makes the film feel less daring. There is another example that involves her past; without spoiling that’s changed here, so where in the anime we got themes of transgenderism, gender identity, gender equality and homosexuality; here we are given…well, nothing. It just feels like a waste of an opportunity for deep discussion.

The writing’s not great either, but considering that one of the three writers on this project gave us Scream 3 that wasn’t very shocking to me. And as for the acting, it was a mixed bag. The Major’s team and the main scientist were pretty good, but the other side characters, and especially the major villain (distinguishable by the fact that he wears a black suit) were awful, and I mean really bad. And then we have the Major, played by Scarlett Johansson, and yeah, let’s talk about that. I hate this topic, I really do but I feel that it needs to be mentioned. Anime is Japanize made, therefore most characters in anime are Japanize; but for the Major they cast a white, American woman, and everybody flipped. Or more to the point, everybody in America flipped, Japan actually seemed pleased with the choice. Personally, outside of the fact that Johansson in this film looks exactly like the anime character, I think that that she did a great job. This is far from her best performance, but it’s still good. And she is more than capable of carrying a film and doing her own stunts in action scenes. Maybe I’m blinded by the fact that she is one of my favourite actresses, but I still don’t see the fuss behind this one.

However, the film’s biggest flaw is of how little consequence it feels. Stuff happens, people die, shots are fired, the Major discovers more about herself, but nothing is achieved. When we hit the credits I really did just feel like we’d walked in a circle. This would be helped if the villain felt like a threat, but…well, you know the answer to that. He’s only going after the Major, and absolutely nothing else. And all other things just feel consequential. And without wishing to spoil, there is a battle that I thought was the build up to the climactic battle, that at the time impressed me…and then I found that it was the climactic battle. I actually turned to my partner and asked “Is that it? Where’s the rest of it?” I actually felt a little cheated by the unintentional anti-climax at the end.

In the end I can, and actually will recommend Ghost in the Shell for its visuals and music, but the characters are uninteresting and the story falls flat. If it’s any consolation, it’s easily the best anime adaptation yet. Although, take that with a pitch of salt because anime adaptations have had the same run as videogame adaptations. Still, just its existence proves the love and power the original has. That’s got to count for something.

The Hatton Garden Job attempts to portray one of Britain’s most notorious heists in history £200 million of diamonds stolen from inside one of the most secure environments in the world.

Suspenseful…right?

Well, as fun as the film is, unfortunately in some respects it doesn’t quite reach that adrenaline rush you need watching a heist film, especially with a true story of such caliber.

£200 million of diamonds? Sure, why not!

A nameless leader slowly recruits all his old friends and colleagues for one last job – the heist to last a lifetime. They meet, predictably, in an old warehouse to hash out their plan. Apart from a few genuinely hilarious jokes, and some moments of artful foreshadowing, this film generally follows the vein of every other heist film in existence, which sadly doesn’t add anything new.

Monday night movie? Great. Saturday night? No way.

The only part of this film that genuinely seemed alive, creative and fun was the editing. It was the only part that was truly breathing – everything else was formulaic. It’s a good movie, but we have plenty of those. Show me a great heist movie to make my hair stand on end, to keep me on the edge of my seat – then you’ll have stolen my heart.

The Hatton Garden Job is in cinemas 14 April. Why don’t you go judge it for yourself?

Dirs. Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbühl.

This documentary is supremely researched, and its findings turn up a delicious pot of history for us to sink our teeth in to as we watch. It tells the dramatic and inspiring story of Gertrude Bell, who was at any one time:

a spy, an explorer, a dignitary, an archaeologist, a translator, and politician.

This woman has an incredible resume, especially for a female Briton at the turn of the 20^th century. And yet almost no one has heard of her.

This documentary changes that, and exposes the colourful and wonderful life of Gertrude Bell.

She’s described as an ‘orgy of independence’, a fiercely headstrong woman who rode in to the Middle East on camelback and never wanted to return to Victorian London. She was a friend and confidant to Arab people, and ‘most of all, to Iraq itself’. This female Lawrence of Arabia (who has her close friend and colleague) traversed the Arabian desert and found new water wells, languages and tribes – invaluable knowledge for Iraqis and colonialists alike.

The documentary shows glorious colour graded footage, nearly 100 years old at this point, giving us a sumptuous glance at the Middle East that’s a welcome detour from the current smorgasbord of violence and despair on our modern screens. Instead we were served images of a bustling high street, thriving businesses and smiling happy faces in the desert. This is a culture that is rich in history, family values, and ancient culture.

And yet the issues explored in this documentary are eerily current: foreign imposed rule, governmental instability, poverty and rebellious uprisings – Iraq’s history, while beautiful, is also frequently blemished with dark moments of difficulty and suppression.

Bell saw the country for all its glory though, and never once faltered in her conviction of its eventual blooming. She fell in love with Mesopotamia, and as well as drawing the modern borders of Iraq, she is also the founder of the Iraqi National Museum, opened after 10 years of diligent curation.

A friend and powerful ally to the Middle East, this story of Gertrude Bell is a beautiful exploration of primary sources and information that shed light on a new corner of history, that not only teaches us lessons of the past but also of the future.

What Free Fire basically amounts to is a very violent game of paintball with some of the best character actors of today. I don’t know a single person who saw this trailer and didn’t laugh. It’s one of those ideas that are so good that it makes you wonder why nobody has really done it before, not for a whole movie at any rate. It’s most certainly the kind of thing that’s up my alley and I couldn’t wait to see it. And now I have, and I think it may not be the only time I do.

If you’ve seen the trailer then you know what the story is; a black comedy about arms dealing. This particular deal goes wrong and so the sellers and buyers end up on opposite sides and starts shooting each other, and it carries on for the duration of the film. Let’s be honest, you’re not hear for the story, you’re here to laugh, whoop and have a good time. That’s the target this film sets and it manages to hit bullseye almost constantly.

Our cast is very impressive, in that they’re not exactly the most well-known of actors but, as previously stated, are definitely among the best working today. Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Jack Reynor, Sam Riley and Michael Smiley are among the talent on offer here. Every single one of them, unless you really know your films, are actors who you have loved and will recognise in that “oh, what’ve they been in” way. And, of course, they are on top form here. Not a single one of them felt like an actor having fun, Which I’m sure this film was to them, but characters in a chaotic and obscene situation. They knew exactly what to do to deliver a good performance; nobody was falling behind and taking us out of the film, and at the same time nobody felt like they were over doing it. It’s exactly what the film needed and they all delivered it perfectly.

But the film would not work without stylish direction and quippy writing. Luckily Ben Wheatley knew that too. Personally, I am not a fan of Wheatley’s work. I saw Kill List and Sightseers and was very disappointed by both. He also directed a couple episodes of Doctor Who, but that’s not a show I like. But, for Free Fire I feel he brought enough style and crazy to make the whole thing really work in his favour. The sets are just derelict factories, or specifically a derelict factory, which could have been bland and uninteresting but the set is used to its full potential. It not only has different items and equipment around to keep you guessing as to what will be used against who next, but the layout feels like a paintball or laser-tag arena. This game like set-up easily makes the film feel a lot more fun. And setting the film in the ‘70’s was an oddly inspired choice. The costumes, weapons and make-up make this film feeling like a live-action cartoon. In fact, now I think of it there is an oddly Looney Toons like feel to the film; though I wouldn’t bring the kids.

And the writing is hilarious. I never got sick of hear these people talking. It’s on the same level as Quentin Tarantino and Shane Black with how witty and clever and just funny it is. It has you listening carefully for fear that you will miss any joke. It is very British in humour, mostly sarcastic remarks and laughing at the expense of others, but I’ve always found that to be my favourite humour so I love it. It’s also well-paced and toned so the writing does extend beyond the dialogue too. In fact, Wheatley does such a good job of it that it hides well the fact that the characters themselves are as shallow as the story. It does pain me to say it, but if you are wanting something that speaks for a cause or is a social satire or an interesting character drama beyond the chaos, then you will be disappointed. Free Fire is only here to entertain, and it does it very well, better than most of the films released this year, but it does suffer as a narrative and character arc.

I, however, find this easy to look past thanks to the films style and wit, and the chemistry of the actors. Free Fire is easily the oddest film I’ve seen so far this year, and it’s glorious. One I certainly recommend. Lock and load and join in the fun…or just grab your popcorn and enjoy the show.