Reviews

This is the most intense film I've seen in a long time. Thoroughly captivating. It grabs a hold of every fibre of your being for over 2 hours solid.

Tom Hanks delivers one of his most mature performances as the unfortunate Captain Phillips. Barkhad Abdi also delivers a very convincing performance as Muse, round of applause. Everything about this film fits together so well. The build up. The background information. The camera work, the sound, the scenes, the dialogue. All of it fits together so beautifully to deliver a highly intense portrayal of what happened just 4 years ago.

Be prepared to be moved. Be prepared to be struck hard. They don't make many films like this.

Rocky 4 is generally a very good action film. Agreed: the plot is fairly simple. Agreed: the music is very 80s. Agreed: the characters don't develop much, except Rocky. Agreed: Stalone much have been very tired and out of ideas when he wrote a robot into the script (silly idea). But lets be frank: Rocky 4 is really good fun. There's a reason it grossed world-wide 10 times as much money as it took to make, i.e. over twice as much gross as Rocky 3. That's because most people seemed to really enjoy it. Why is that then? What can you expect from it?

It's 90 minutes of excitement, pretty much from beginning to end. And it builds. By the time you know Rocky is going to fight the Russian, you just cannot wait to watch it. The training scenes, the guest appearance from 'the Godfather of Soul' and the montage are all memorable. But without question it's the fight scene that takes centre stage. We have here, in Rocky 4, one of the best fight scenes in any action movie ever made. It doesn't get much better than this. Of course, all the actors hold their own very well, as we've come to expect of the Rocky movie stars. And the film is a very convincing show of determination and suspense.

We know that Rocky is determined. It's one of the main themes of these films. But I don't think you'll ever know how determined the man is until you watch this. It's a classic action flick and worthy of more than 6.3. All things considered, it has to be an 8.

Paul Edgecomb is the 'Boss' of a prison for men sentenced to the Electric Chair during the Depression, in 1935. In comes John Coffey ('like the drink, only not spelt the same') - a massive, black man. But as Paul gets to know John Coffey, he discovers that there's far more to this amazing man than just his size and race. John Coffey is about to change the lives of these prison-guards forever, in a way few would except...

This excellent story is brought to life by some terrific acting from all the cast members. I'm staggered that Michael Clarke Duncan didn't win the Oscar, since his performance is so captivating. John Coffey is one of the most lovable and original characters I've ever seen. Tom Hanks is obviously brilliant too and I'm surprised they didn't think about nominating him for an Oscar. The direction of 'The Green Mile' is clearly similar to 'Shawshank Redemption', as the Director uses some of his usual trademarks. The music is perfectly suited, especially to a movie which would not be easy to interpret musically. There is one potential down-side, in that it's a long film - very nearly 3 hours. I watched it in bits over 3 days. Due to the length, it's a fairly slow moving film.

Previously I gave this 8 out of 10, because I hadn't seen it since I was 15. Empire and Total Film gave it 4 stars. But I've just finished watching it (I'm now 23) and I've changed my mind. It has to be five stars - 9/10 or 10/10, it just has to be. It's too good a film - it's too flawless and engaging. It's too unique. It's a very mesmerising film and will stand the test of time, I think. If you haven't watched it, then see it, as soon as possible!

I've just watched 'Snow White' for the first time in a long, long time. Man alive, I really enjoyed it! What a good film! Seriously, by any standard, it's stood the test of time beautifully and it's a wonderful piece of cinema.

The story we should all know. You have Princess Snow White - perhaps the most stunning cartoon woman ever? Not only is she beautiful, but she's extremely lovely and pleasant. If she existed, she'd be the next Princess Diana or Mother Teresa. It seems that everyone who meets her grows soon enough to adore her. But not everyone loves our dear Princess. Her wicked step-mother hates her and is terribly jealous of her. That's because Snow White is thought to be the 'fairest in the land'. So the Queen plans to have her killed by a Huntsman. When this plan fails, Snow White runs away and finds a place to stay - the house of 7 utterly lovable dwarfs! In a short time, they are completely crazy about her and love having her around. She's the ideal woman! But the Queen discovers her plan has failed and decides to take matters into her own hands...

It's a very simple but thoroughly captivating story. The characters are superb and wildly likable. They are marvellously given life by the great work of the cartoonists and the actors who voiced them. This is an excellent collection of some very fine voice actors, especially Adriana Caselotti as Snow White. She sings like an angel and her innocent voice is very lovely indeed. The music is well suited to the story and memorable, particularly the infamous 'Hi Ho' song.

The fun bits are fun; the serious bits are serious; the awful bits are awful; the feel-good bits make you feed good. 'Snow White' doesn't seem to do anything by halves. It's a truly charming gem of a film. I can hardly praise it enough. Walt Disney didn't put a foot wrong with this one. It was Walt Disney's first full-length film and in my opinion it will always be his finest hour. It's a masterpiece of entertainment. It even had me shedding a tear at the end! It's just a brilliant film - a classic. Few films have or ever will be as good, original and ground- breaking as this one.

10/10

It's got 'action film' written all over it. It's got Arnie in it. It was made 25 years ago. Seriously, how good could it possibly be? Our survey predicted: It will probably be average, at best.

You'd be wrong to think that. It's a great action film. In fact, it's the second best film I've seen Arnie in (second to Terminator 2). I don't think people really rate Arnie as an actor. But he can act, and he does action films really well indeed. He was made for a film like this. We all want to see Arnie, Mr. Muscle-Man himself, come head-to-head with a really tough and powerful Alien from another planet. I mean, nobody else can beat him up - but this Thing can!

Put simply, it's about an Alien which finds its way to Earth and into a jungle. The best man power is sent in to try to solve the problem of the missing appearance of one of their men. They eventually find themselves alone in the jungle with Something which is anything except human. It's invisible and super powerful. And it's hunting them. Simple enough plot; not so simple when it comes to killing the darn Thing! But surely Arnie can find a way - right?

It's just short of 100 minutes; it's full of action and better than half-decent acting; it has plenty of moments which are very intense; it has great special effects (even though they're relatively old now) and it's thrilling. It takes a little while to get to the main plot, but once you do it's a great Friday or Saturday night film (not that it's boring before this). It's an action classic, in many ways. I imagine it was awesome to watch in the cinema. Anyway, if you haven't seen Predator, then grab a cheap copy from Amazon, or something and give it a try. If you like action, you can hardly dislike this. Thumbs up!

If I had never seen this movie before, I would have been speechless. I don't want to overdo the praise I have for this movie, because I wouldn't want to make you think it's better than it is. But it really is very, very good indeed and when you consider the date it was made (1939), a production like this is of the very highest quality. I am surprised it didn't sweep up more Oscars but I'm glad that Judy Garland received some quality recognition as a fine performer in this movie.

All the acting is superb and nobody is badly cast. Yes, these were the good old days, days when acting was the supreme thing and if you couldn't act very well, you could not hope to make it. Judy Garland was the very best of the best. She could act very well, she could sing beautifully, she could dance and keep you very entertained. She was excellent and her performance in this film is merely an example of her extreme amount of natural ability. It is indeed a great shame that her life was such a tragedy and I can hardly believe she never won an Oscar. But her friends are all outstanding too, especially Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion. His performance shines the most in my opinion, but it would be unwise not to say that Ray Bolger and Jack Haley are just as naturally gifted. The characters these three portray are some of the finest and most infamous in movie history and rightly so. They are an absolute pleasure to watch. Margaret Hamilton is very good as the witch, especially her vocal work. Her cackle and a plenteous amount of her words ring in your ears afterwards.

The story is great and will be enjoyed by both children and adults. The scenery and production is fantastic and can hardly be improved, even to this day. I was staggered. This must have been a very expensive movie to make. It's a real triumph of Cinema.

This film certainly deserves to be classed amongst the greatest films of all time. I'm glad it is on the Top 250 list of IMDb. If you've never seen it, it's a real treat for movie and acting-lovers and most of us on IMDb seem to think so.

10/10

'Finding Nemo' is definitely one of Disney's best films and according to our dear IMDb it's one of the best films that has ever been made (currently #172). It also won an Oscar for the 'Best Animated Film of the Year' in 2003. So clearly, this is a film worth watching. But if you're still not convinced then perhaps some of these comments will help.

The story is engaging. A fish-father Marlin has only one precious son called Nemo, who happens to be the son of his now deceased fish-wife. But Nemo is taken away from Marlin. Because of Marlin's vow years ago to never let anything bad happen to his son, Marlin goes in search of Nemo. It's a journey which takes Marlin through much of the ocean. Along the way, Marlin encounters plenty of action, characters, terrible situations and is increasingly discouraged that he might never see Nemo again. But along the way he learns a few important lessons about parenting and the value of true friendship. Also, his determination in seeking to find his son is well worth viewers learning from. Family is something that cannot be replaced and should be protected and nurtured even if it costs you everything you have, including your life.

The script and characters are both brilliant. Some of the ideas are wacky, but it's the kind of thing that both adults and children have found really funny. Dory is generally the first character who everybody remembers. She is really good company and she is a classic character in Disney film-making history. Imagine it: Marlin needs help finding his son and of all the fish in the ocean he gets stuck with one who has short term memory loss! The main character Marlin is enjoyable to watch and it's interesting to see his slow, but certain progress as a father who loves his son. Bruce the great-white shark, though he is not a main character, is also very unique and entertaining. Just about every character in this film is memorable: Gill, Nigel, Nemo, and the rest. They are all great and the script-writers have made them interact beautifully and creatively!

The special effects are incredible. You really feel like you are watching a story taking place in the big-wide world called the ocean. It's breath-taking. I remember going to see it in the cinema in 2004 and it blew us all away. It was another step forward for its time.

For some reason, I always love to re-visit this film and it's never disappointing. It's a real feel-good film. It's funny, it's extremely entertaining and it will also make you cry if you're a right sissy like me. Brilliant film and worth buying to enjoy again and again.

10/10

'Kenan and Kel' is one of the few shows which is suitable for both kids, teenagers and young adults. It is genuinely funny in plenty of places and the lads got the humour just right for all. I used to love watching 'Kenan and Kel' when I was about 11. It was my sister who told me I must watch it, because I'd find it funny. Needless to say, I did. And when I was 13, I still loved it and still chuckled at it. In fact, it was the only show that I would watch on Nickelodeon, because it was always entertaining. 'Sabrina' was OK, but there were fewer entertaining episodes in that show. 'Kenan and Kel' was and still is always enjoyable - and I'm 23 now.

Kenan is a hilarious character, because he's always getting into trouble. The majority of the episodes focus on Kenan trying to avoid getting grounded or getting found out for doing something that he really didn't intend to turn out as bad as it has done. You watch with pleasure as he often tries the most ridiculously ludicrous ways to avoid getting caught or to erase the trouble he has caused. What's more, he has an irritating, but terribly likable best-friend called Kel who constantly aggravates Kenan in his bad situations! Though Kel can sometimes be a little too annoying, he can also be very funny indeed. In summary though, both of them are idiots. When you watch 'Kenan and Kel', you're watching two, young, free idiots, who thought that they could do just what they liked but have realised that they can't.

Both the lads work extremely well together. It's a joy to sit back and watch them act in their bone-headed sort of way, which brings with it a lot of fun. Chris is also a good character and he constantly brings a smile to the face. And Kenan's parents are funny too, especially Mr. Rockmore. Him and Kel clash beautifully together.

Another appealing aspect of this show is its harmlessness. There's no swearing, sex, nudity, drugs and the like in this show. I've never even come across one innuendo. It's completely innocent. The obvious reason for this is because children are one of the target viewers. Yet, the two main characters have a more 'grown-up' feel to them. You really don't feel like you're watching a nerdy, childish sort of show when you watch it, because it's much too cool for that. You watch it as a kid and think, 'These are not boys, they're adults really'. You watch when you're a young adult and you think, 'These are not boys, but they sure act like it!'

I just finished watching an episode, the one where Kenan is not allowed to attend his own high-school graduation. And the lads asked the audience at the end, 'Did you all enjoy the show?' and I had to say: 'Yes!' How could I not? These two guys are great together and they tend to strike a cord with you for 25 minutes. It's such a simple show in many ways, and yet it is better than many other shows. I'm glad to see that it is rated 8.4/10 on IMDb, because it deserves it. For many years I've thought that it was worthy of greater recognition in the UK. It would help if Nickelodeon played it more, but then again, I know that Nickelodeon have played all the episodes many times before. There comes a limit to how often you can repeat an entire show. But at least they still show it.

If you ask me, 'Kenan and Kel' is one of the best shows that Nickelodeon have ever broadcast.

Here are some things I picked up from watching this film.

Acting: Very good and what you would expect from Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston.

Plot: The script is quite poor. It centres upon a married couple's relationship and experience with a dog called 'Marley'. One of the main points of the film is that the dog is supposed to be really naughty and really bad - but he isn't THAT bad. You don't watch the film with eyes wide open, staggered at what is happening. In other words, the plot is touching the 'boring' category. The film is certainly pretty good for the first hour or so. But then for the next 40 minutes (like so many films) it drags, frankly. A decent number of the twists do not engage much, either. Two twists engaged me, and one was definitely predictable, so it was not really a twist. However, the tale is still somewhat intriguing anyway and it keeps one fairly entertained - sort of.

Soundtrack: Well, they added 'Lucky Man' by The Verve, so that's a huge plus! Other than that, not much stood out.

Humour: It's quite funny. But it's not that funny. One scene had me laughing a lot, but most of the film is geared to bring some light chuckles.

Morals: The film ends with a good moral. But this is not enough to save the movie from being little more than average.

The major disappointment with this is that I do not think the plot justified making the film. When I think 'cinema', I think 'Terminator 2', 'Jurassic Park', or with respect to comedies 'Megamind' or 'How to Train Your Dragon'. Those are films worthy of being made and deserve to be put into the cinema. But 'Marley and Me' really does not stand out in any special way. This obviously (to me at least) begs the question of the point of making it. What's the point in so many people watching it? What can this film offer that will make people say, 'Yeh - that was worth it' or 'I've never seen that before!' It's not life- changing and you don't see anything in this film that you can't get from everyday life.

This is one of the best films I've ever seen. Let's briefly look at why.

Firstly, it's a biography. It wasn't made up. Much of this is based upon historical fact. Some of it is certainly overdone for Hollywood, but most of it is spot on (costumes, music and Mozart's drink problem, for example).

Secondly, the acting is brilliant. O this is a drama student's feast! The intensity! The naturalism! You'll love it if you love acting. Both main actors got Oscar nominations for this film and F. Murray Abraham won the Oscar that year. (I wonder how the highly talented Tom Hulce felt about that!)

Thirdly, what a plot! You can't dream up this stuff. It's so sad, so unpredictable and so engaging.

Fourthly, the music - ah the music. What beautiful, powerful music. All of it was genuinely written by the great classic composer.

Other reasons make this film a grand piece of cinema. If you like it, you'll want to watch it a good few times. And it's never boring.

I can't think of any negatives, except I personally never appreciate female nudity in films - it cheapens them. Other than that, it's one of the most excellent of all films I've ever seen. Wonderfully compelling and extremely powerful. It deserved every Oscar that it won and it's simply a shame that the film isn't more popular.

I couldn't wait to see this movie when I bought it. I had heard that it was hilarious and really good. Alas - I don't think this is a correct analysis.

For starters, it's just nowhere near as entertaining as it promises. Bits where the directors have sought to make people laugh are often long and drawn out and don't get much more than a smile or quick chuckle. The film certainly is not 'hilarious' - at all. Some moments are definitely funny (the son who likes to sing, for example) - but for what it promises in terms of humour, it fails miserably.

Secondly, the film is totally dated. 'Jaws', 'The Matrix' and 'Terminator 2' will never get old. But this film has not stood the test of time. I honestly think that most young people who watch this today will get bored pretty quickly.

Thirdly, the plot is rubbish. I don't know how such a mindless story- line entertains people. It's boring; when I watched it, I felt like I was wasting time. That's really bad news.

Fourthy, where is the music? If there is any, it's totally unmemorable.

One or two things are positive. The acting is pretty good, especially considering the script is so poor. Also, some of the ideas are interesting and stick in your mind long after you've seen the film. For example, the knights who say 'Nee'; the rabbit; and the time when one of the men is teaching the common people about how you learn whether someone is a witch.

But overall, the film is average - if that. I think it's only because it's a Monty Python film that people watch it. I am baffled that it has reached No.75 on IMDb's top 250 best films ever. What on earth went wrong here?

So aside from what many people seem to think about this film, this Monty Python effort really is not very good. (In fact, I remember once watching some of 'The Life of Brian', but that too was so boring. I never finished watching it.) I've watched loads of films better than 'The Holy Grail'. And I think what I've written is just based upon a sound understanding of what makes a good film. I don't see how any faithful film-critic can think much of this film. Very disappointing, especially from such a talented group of men as the Monty Python crew. I mean, seriously, I'll give you my final plea: you've got a choice of the top 10 films of all time. Are you really going to pick this? There was a reason it didn't get a single Oscar Nomination...

This is a funny film - genuinely. It produces a few giggles and one or two howls of laughter.

Chris Farley is great, as usual. Totally unique and talented. But he plays a really talentless young man in this film, who screws up everything. Skinny David Spade is the perfect choice as the exact opposite of the over-weight Farley. Things he says, especially some of his side remarks, are really quite amusing.

The funniest scene is at the petrol station. I find that just hilarious.

If you're looking for a 90 minute piece of half decent entertainment that is really simple to follow, then here is a film for you. It'll be cheap wherever you get it from.

'The Terminator', when it was released in the 80s, had perhaps more potential than any other movie of that decade. It was highly imaginative and therefore needed a very convincing delivery of the film-script from the actors. It succeeded. But 1984 was far too soon for James Cameron to pull off a special effects feast. For that, 'Terminator' fans would have to wait about 7 years.

So finally, in 1991, what 'The Terminator' promised in ideas, 'T-2' delivered in substance. Don't get me wrong: 'Terminator' had action. But it is second rate compared to this. The special effects of 'T-2' were tremendous and thoroughly ground- breaking. They were like nothing that had ever been seen. From beginning to end, it delivers a proper dose of quality action footage. Many action films fail to deliver the kind of quality action you find in this film. It's the very best of the best and not a scene is wasted.

The plot is thrilling, scary and fast-paced. Two terminators are sent back in time. The more powerful terminator is sent to kill John Connor; the other (Arnie) to protect him. The entire future of the human race depends upon Arnie, the weaker terminator, protecting John Connor (a young lad) from termination.

The music is iconic and memorable - well suited for a 'Terminator' movie. Cameron likes to pull at the heart strings.

The acting is superb, especially from Linda Hamilton. Her character is very different to the first movie - she has developed a lot. And many would agree that this is Arnie's best performance. Not only is he brilliant in all the stunts and action pieces, but Cameron brought out Arnie's abilities to produce on-screen a terminator with feelings and with heart. The scenes where Arnie and John Connor show how much they care about each other are very special, but also very sad. Edward Furlong delivers an influential performance, with depth and maturity. The characters are deep and engaging, including the terminators. That's quite an achievement from Cameron.

What is so great about this movie is that it can stand alone. It doesn't need the first instalment, nor the later two instalments, to be well appreciated. I watched it about 5 times before I saw the first movie. On the whole, I think this is one of my favourite movies of all time. It's not just an action movie. It is an action movie, yes. But what makes it the grandest action movie ever is that it's got heart. It hits you hard and leaves you thinking for ages afterwards. It's a really excellent film and I think this is better even than Cameron's 'Titanic'.

When 'Jurassic Park' was released around the mid-90s it changed movie history forever. It terrified a whole host of young school children, who couldn't keep themselves from watching it. It thrilled all those teenagers who had never seen anything like this before. And it even entertained all the adults too. And yet, here we are in the 21st century, almost 20 years later, and this movie is still wildly popular. Almost everyone has seen it and most people love it. Why? I'll offer a few reasons.

Firstly, the characters. The characters are all interesting and most are unpredictable (except the lawyer). What is so intriguing about them all is that they are depicted as fairly normal people. And yet, O what awaits them! Richard Attenborough is excellent as John Hammond and Sam Neill is the perfect choice for Alan Grant. Jeff Goldblum was also a great choice as the total opposite to Grant and Laura Dern is the attractive - but not provocative - Ellie Sattler. So the cast and characters are perfect. I don't think I've ever seen a movie with such a well selected group of actors for their roles. They clash because they're all so strong; and yet they are forced to unite to save each other from the dinosaurs.

Secondly, the plot. The plot is really imaginative (even if it's seriously fictional). The story line is presented in such a way that you are almost led to believe that this is possible. And depending on who you are, the film seems to meet your desires. The kids watch it for the dinosaurs; the adults want a bit of terrifying action. Well, you get what it says on the tin.

Thirdly, the music. What memorable music! John Williams wrote the theme tune and it is certainly one of the best theme tunes he's ever done. It's the iconic 90s soundtrack. 'Titanic' cannot hold a candle to it.

And finally (for now): the special effects. This film is spell-binding in it's movie effects. Every proper film-lover takes the work of the special effects in 'Jurassic Park' very seriously. They were ground- breaking effects. Certainly when the T-Rex comes onto the scene, you are absolutely blown away with the realism!

Overall, it is right up there with the top 10 best films of the 90s. It's certainly one of my favourites. I've seen it about 6 or 7 times and it's always enjoyable. I would go so far as to say that if ever there was a movie made especially for the cinema, this is it. Hence why now in 2011, they want to re-release it in cinemas in the UK for a limited time only. Can't wait. It's going to blow us all away once again.

I watched this film endlessly as a youngster. As an adult now, I just watched it today. It was great! It's absolutely wacky and thoroughly nonsensical, which is of course the point. I suppose also there's a moral in there about how sometimes wishing for what we want, and then getting it, isn't always best. Getting what we want and ignoring the good advice of others tends to leave us (especially young children) wanting to return to our previous situation.

The animation is superb, the score is good, the voices are top notch and the characters, well - if ever a film could win an Oscar for characters, it would be this one. Also, it's a very short film, only lasting a mere 70 minutes - if that. But in that time, it manages to deliver a healthy dose of idiocy and madness, and I must admit that it was genuinely hilarious on more than one occasion. The Mad-Hatter and the March Hare are the funniest and every scene they are in is just brilliantly entertaining. It's no wonder why they have gained such popularity for decades. In addition, there are plenty of other ways that this film can cheer up a downcast soul on a rainy day. The sheer variety is also a pleasure.

It was really enjoyable! I think it's one of Disney's best films and I'm glad I managed to find it for just 20p in a charity shop earlier! Well worth it!