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The Remains Of The Day [1993]

starring: John Haycraft, Christopher Reeve, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Caroline Hunt
directed by: James Ivory

October 22, 2001
"Remains of the Day" will be regarded as one of the great film masterpieces of the Merchant-Ivory team, now tragically ended with the untimely death, earlier this year, of Ismail Merchant from cancer. Their films were the quintessential cinematic epics respectful of both the settings and characters adapted from both period and contemporary novels, blessed frequently with elegant scripts from their literary partner Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and of course superb acting from their casts. "Remains of the Day" excels in all of these categories, as a spellbinding, faithful adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel, with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as the star-crossed would-be lovers and servants of the pacifist Nazi sympathizer Lord Darlington (James ... Read More:

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Flashbacks Of A Fool [2008]

starring: Jodhi May, Helen McCrory, James D'Arcy, Daniel Craig, Alfie Allen

September 22, 2008
This film had a lot of minor flaws, which could have been major ones, except for the fact that it had bundles of charm, which made it oddly attractive to me and the person I went to see it with. It was very much like an old stlye british drama that could have been made in the sixties ("Spring and Port Wine" springs to mind). However, I appreciate that many people do not have the patience for such movies nowadays. These days the public seem to want all-action, or violence, sex or melodrama. Anything more slow paced and gentle just won't do. I am glad Craig is the sort of actor who will lend himself to this type of work and I would applaud him for it.

Certainly if you were a teenager in the seventies it helps to appreaciate this film. To quibble ... Read More:

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Boston Legal: Season 3 [2006]

starring: James Spader, Bernadette Peters, Michael J. Fox, Candice Bergen, Rene Auberjonois
directed by: Michael Pressman, Oz Scott

January 14, 2008
Looking at the other reviews I can see that people still think Boston Legal to be as good as it ever was. This is not my opinion. For me this season is where the series lost its way. Jerry Espenson, the assbergers (apologies if spelt incorrectly) sufferer became a semi-regular cast member in this series and this is where it began to lose its way. Jerry worked fine as a rare guest star but it appeared that all involved with the show thought his character to be so good that we simply had to have him every single week. Personally, whenever Jerry is on screen I lose all interest and find his antics irritating. Thankfully the brilliant double-act of James Spader and William Shatner is still prevalent. The other cast members (no idea who they are by the way) work well ... Read More:

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A Passage To India [1984]

starring: Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox, Alec Guinness
directed by: David Lean

March 31, 2003
I heard quite a bit about the book, so started reading it. Never really got into it so decided to rent the film out (as you do)...although i have to say, i really was disappointed.

I thought the story was mediocre, the start and middle was quite good, it was like a big build up to something. Something like an unexpected twist; although i waited and waited..then it was over.

I was left thinking, is that it??

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The Rescuers [1977]

starring: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Joe Flynn, Jeanette Nolan
directed by: John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, Art Stevens

January 28, 2002
This film is not a very famous disney, however it is one of mine and my sisters favourites!
Funny, happy and tear jerking, this film is fantastic and a classic that can be watched over and over again.

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A Bridge Too Far (2 Disc Special Edition) [1977]

starring: Dirk Bogarde, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O'Neal, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann
directed by: Richard Attenborough, Sidney Hayers

May 24, 2004
This is almost a classic war movie, with A Cecil B DeMille "cast of thousands", including a multiplicity of stars as noted by other reviewers. At the time of release (1977), it was critiqued as "an hour too long" by some reviewers, which is too harsh a verdict for such a detailed overview of one of the much-analysed battles of World War 2.

The film has both narrative and action which capture the viewer and character performances which are finally toned, remembering that many of the key participants were still alive at the time of release. The battle scenes are well done, albeit with very obvious use of 1970s artillery pieces and tanks in certain scenes.

The major flaw in the movie is its obligation to the 1970s Zeitgeist of the "all war is evil" movement. In the film, war is ... Read More:

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A Bridge Too Far/The Great Escape/Battle Of Britain

starring: Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Christopher Plummer, Michael Caine, Edward Fox
directed by: Richard Attenborough, Guy Hamilton, John Sturges

October 16, 2006
There is nothing I can add to the reviews for each of the individual films which rate as classics in the war film genre. I'm of that generation that can remember it being a really big event especially at Christmas when the Great Escape was on the telly and like many people can remember it scene by scene but still feel its better than most modern films relying on computer generated effects. Myself an ex RAF man its always thrilling to see the aerial scenes of the Battle of Britain made ironically with the help of the then fascist Spanish air force who where still flying Heinkels, Dorniers and Meschershmits a left over from Franco's friendship with Hitler. A bridge too far made in 1977 came later but is true to Corneleus Ryans book being historically accurate in all the details representing the true individuals ... Read More:

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Lynda La Plante - Trial And Retribution - 5 To 8

starring: David Hayman, Kate Buffery, Victoria Smurfit, James Fox, Charles Dance
directed by: Aisling Walsh, Ferdinand Fairfax, Charles Beeson, Paul Unwin

March 14, 2005
Insp.North (Kate Buffery) was a totally credible charactrer as a police officer just like Jane Tennison. Unfortunately her replacement, Victoria Smurfit is quite beyond belief. She has no credibility whatsoever as a polce officer (in episodes 7 and above).

She spoils an outstanding series - Don't bother with the more recent short episodes..

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Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (2 Disc Deluxe Edition) [2005]

starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor
directed by: Tim Burton

November 21, 2005
I grew up watching the original film so I expected not to like this version as much but I actually prefer it.
It's a lot darker than the original film and I found it very amusing.
I wasn't so impressed with all the added parts about Willy Wonka's father but apart from that it was all good. I think it's one of those films that's just as good for adults as it is for children.
And of course it has Johnny Depp in it, which is a great bonus!

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Performance [1970]

starring: James Fox, Mick Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, Michelle Breton, Stanley Meadows
directed by: Donald Cammell, Nicolas Roeg

March 05, 2007
A stylish, provocative, very influential watershed movie which helped break barriers in what films could show and get away with. It is pretty groundbreaking in its style as well, and Roeg brings his film art touch to the movie, with his trademark lurid, intense, always full of character cinematography. Infact he overdid it here, in my own opinion, helping make this an overtly arty flick.

As a narrative the film works really well up until Chas finds refuge in Turner's cavern. From then on we get bogged down in a self indulgent trip devoted to another world entirely, that of the 60s rock 'n roll hedonist scene, and it just loses all the carefully portrayed London gangsters plot to focus on a bit of trendy rock n roll, sex and drugs, for the sake of looking cool, really. Mick Jagger is indulged totally, and while ... Read More: