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Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom & Last Crusade) [1981]

starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, Alfred Molina, Anthony Higgins
directed by: Steven Spielberg

May 12, 2008
The reason that these movies are so popular is because there is a little bit of Indiana Jones in all of us. We enjoy the mystery of cloak and dagger, the excitement of exploring new places, the fun of discovery and the adventurous spirit that is deep rooted in all of us.

George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg were able to tap into their own psyche as boys and have done an exceptional job of bringing our dreams to life in the form of a character appropriately named...Indiana Jones!

Harrison Ford is an exceptional actor who brings to the screen exactly the right mix of excitement, entertainment, fun and spiced with a bit of tongue and cheek. The majority of the supporting actors in these series are no slouches either. ... Read More:

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Indiana Jones - Raiders Of The Lost Ark - Special Edition [1981]

starring: Harrison Ford, Frank Marshall, George Harris, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
directed by: Steven Spielberg

May 12, 2008
You are in for the ride of your life! If you love adventure, romance, murder, mystery and intrigue this movie is for you. It has it all.

The expectations were high when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg got together to make this movie. They set the bar a couple of notches higher with this film.

What boy or man hasn't dreamed of finding lost treasure? And what girl or woman hasn't dreamed of a dark mysterious man who literally sweeps her off her feet and takes her for an adventure she never forgets.

From the opening scene where Indiana Jones finds a small gold statue and almost gets crushed by a giant bolder to finding of the lost arc of the covenant we follow our hero and his romantic interest through ... Read More:

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The Draughtsman's Contract [1982]

starring: Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne-Louise Lambert, Hugh Fraser, Neil Cunningham
directed by: Peter Greenaway

February 23, 2004
We're in post Restoration England in 1694, and at a country estate filled with condescending, witty, superficial creatures dressed in heavy satins and lace, with chalk dusted cheeks, painted cupid lips and beauty spots, and wearing magnificent high wigs with cascading curls down to the waist...and that's just the men.

In their midst is Mr. Neville (Anthony Higgins), a talented, successful and arrogant artist whose father, we learn later, was a tenant farmer. He is engaged by the lady of the estate, Mrs. Herbert (Janet Suzman) to draw 12 views of the estate as a present for her clod of a husband, who will be away on business for the next 15 days. Mr. Neville declines. The unhappily married Mrs. Herbert increases his fee. Mr. Neville again declines. ... Read More:

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Taste The Blood Of Dracula [1970]

starring: Christopher Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Gwen Watford, Linda Hayden, Peter Sallis
directed by: Peter Sasdy

June 21, 2004
The 5th installment of Hammers Dracula films is excellent in my opinion. There was a review in a newsapaper stating that this was a recovery from the last film (risen from the grave). I think people said that because there was no one else besides Lee of any real substance. Ralph Bates fills that role excellently not as an adversary but as a catalyst in reviving Dracula with the help of Roy Kinnear and Peter Sallis as well as other dodgy blokes. The ending is a bit of a letdown as it isn't completly clear how Lee dies(which is why I can only give a 4)
The plot 3 dodgy repressed victorian dignitaries visit various brothels and like to think themselves adventurers in the darker part of human nature. On one of their quests they meet Ralph Bates who promises to ... Read More:

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The Trench [1999]

starring: Paul Nicholls, Daniel Craig, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Danny Dyer, James D'Arcy
directed by: William Boyd (II)

May 01, 2000
Having read all the other reviews, I think that most of them are rather unkind to this movie.
Prior to the battle, the Somme area was a quiet backwater of the Great War with activity consisting of both sides daily lobbing a few shells into "No Man's Land" just to maintain the pretence that there was a war on. Neither side wanted to do anything but have a quiet life.
As for the soldiers being too clean, well in a non-combat area, baths and showers were available as was clean clothing.
The Somme area is chalk, so there would have been none of the mud usually associated with trench warfare.
I'm old enough to have had conversations with Great War veterans, like my grandfathers and other relatives and their perception of the war was of
99% total ... Read More:

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Beyond Borders [2003]

starring: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache, Noah Emmerich
directed by: Martin Campbell

August 16, 2004
No expense seems to have been spared to film around the world in exotic - if faux - locations (Namibia for Ethiopia, Thailand for Cambodia, Canada - less exotically - for the Caucasas and - totally implausibly - for the UK) which were then brilliantly enhanced by computer technology. The director claims that he aspired to making a film like 'Doctor Zhivago' - a love story set against a wider panorama of spectacular world events. This film fails miserably on both counts.
The supposed attraction between the two individually attractive stars totally fails to gel. Enough said about the love story.
As a portrayal of humanitarian work, the film was a horrible embarrassment to the agencies directly named or implied. It is cringingly inaccurate about their work and ... Read More:

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Young Sherlock Holmes [1986]

starring: Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward, Anthony Higgins, Susan Fleetwood
directed by: Barry Levinson

February 02, 2004
I first saw this amazing film at the cinema when it was first aired. This film turned me into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's biggest fan. He might not have written this film version story, but I think he would be quite proud of this tale of mystery. Nicholas Rowe is a very talented actor and is perfect playing Holmes. I heard somewhere, that he is going to play Sherlock Holmes once again in a new tale sometime soon. Everyone in this production shines. You will not be disappointed by the cast and the story. You sort of get a glimpse of why Sherlock never married. If you love mysteries, then this is for you.

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Snake Eyes [1998]

starring: Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise, John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw
directed by: Brian De Palma

June 15, 2006
As others have said this could and should have been alot better than it is, my biggest problems with the film are as follows:-

1) They reveal who the bad guy is before the midway point of the film, this may not have been a problem, but even though the film is only an hour and a half long the rest of the film feels far too strung out.

2) Gary Senise is a solid enough actor, but the role he played here was just not convincing enough to be believable.

3) Nicholas Cage is a fine comedy actor, but he always fails to convince me that he can truly act in a serious film, the trouble with his films is that you always know how the film will pan out, he HAS to be the hero, it really does get boring filling the same serious role/s all of the time.

4) ... Read More:

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She'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas [1984]

starring: Julie Walters, Anthony Higgins
directed by: John Goldschmidt

September 17, 2007
As others have said this could and should have been alot better than it is, my biggest problems with the film are as follows:-

1) They reveal who the bad guy is before the midway point of the film, this may not have been a problem, but even though the film is only an hour and a half long the rest of the film feels far too strung out.

2) Gary Senise is a solid enough actor, but the role he played here was just not convincing enough to be believable.

3) Nicholas Cage is a fine comedy actor, but he always fails to convince me that he can truly act in a serious film, the trouble with his films is that you always know how the film will pan out, he HAS to be the hero, it really does get boring filling the same serious role/s all of the time.

4) ... Read More:

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She'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas [1984]

starring: Janet Henfrey, Gail Herring, Julie Walters, Nicky Putnam, Paula Jacobs
directed by: John Goldschmidt

June 07, 2004
Like so many other films without the big budget, this one doesn't need one. It stands up and speaks through human interaction, emotion and exceptionally good British acting (as usual.)
Humour and seriousness are two tricky ingredients to throw into the pot, but Ms. Walters and Co have certainly created something tasty, warm and inviting with this pleasant and extremely talented portrayal of a diverse mix of human beings in a temporarily unatural environement.
Inspiring, uplifting and bloody good English well made fun. Congratulations to all concerned!