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Reviews
Elephant (2003)
Uneasy and subtly disturbing
This movie had a profound effect on me. It manages to shock without resorting to gory violence, and is moving without being hysterical. The most remarkable feature of the film is its total lack of emotion...the emotional effect on the viewer is subtle and will take a few days at least to sink in, but when it finally does, it is deep and profound.
The acting throughout is superb, especially when we consider that all the actors playing the students are amateurs. Anyone who supports American gun culture should see this film, and I defy them to defend such a culture when in it the students who commit the massacre order their guns over the internet.
It is also commendable that this movie manages to be everything a Hollywood production covering the same subject matter would not be. A refreshing take on American youth culture, and a commendable achievement overall.
The Land Girls (1998)
Rewarding classic of English film-making.
This is a beautiful film which received, rather unfairly, little critical acclaim when it was first released. Since then though, it has been praised highly by producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg who have since worked alongside the Director, David Leland, since it was released.
As well as being an intimate portrait of three very different young women, it also captures spectacularly the beautiful scenery of the English countryside.
The plot is not too difficult to follow: Three young women (Stella, Ag and Pru, played by Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz and Anna Friel) from the towns are sent to the countryside to work on the farms (as part of the Women's Land Army), wherein all three at one point become involved with the young and handsome Joe (played by Steven Mackintosh). The storyline is not too difficult to follow, and the film easily rewards the viewer.
This film may be hard to come by in some areas, but do not worry if you have difficulty getting hold of it, as it is likely to remain relevant and enjoyable for many years to come -- a hidden gem and undoubted classic of English film-making.