Reviews

Pure silliness - if that's not your type of humour, then skip it. But for me the excellent execution of each episode was worth 9 or 10 stars. Ken Morley is brilliant at visual comedy, Peter ?? As Kenny does the gorgeous gormless part perfectly, and "student" is delightful. I personally find Martin Freeman weak, but that's my taste. I loved the assistant Julie in the Cafe, but felt that while her boss was good, she was outshone by the rest of the talent. Scripts were quick and witty without over-labouring the point. Some of the episodes were laugh out loud funny and some were just smile and chuckle. One of the best ever - glad they quit while they were ahead.

I've seen this a couple of times but something about it is not right. The storyline is reasonable, but it doesn't hang well. I don't know what the problem is - is it the casting? Lola seems fine to me, but Charlie is a bit wooden, almost unsympathetic. Obviously the factory workers are going to save the day, and they are the strongest part of the story - Britain is lucky with its strong supply of character actors - but if left to Charlie, I really wouldn't care if it was a successful venture or not. I don't think I'm supposed to feel like that - and I'm almost inclined to side with the girlfriend. Feels like a missed opportunity to me. So much potential, so little pizazz.

Spoiler - I loved Victoria Wood and still love her work.

I have had the boxed set of Dinnerladies on my shelf for a few years, never had time to get into it. I think I've seen an episode or two before, but last week was a bad week and I needed something to cheer me up. Well, she had me laughing out loud within the first episode and it took me a couple of nights but I've polished the lot off. Love it. Love it. REAL people, people you've met and worked with (UK mainly) and real situations, probably with the exception of Petula Gordino. I knew most of the cast from other work - I'm very old - but I hadn't realised what excellent comedy talent the younger members had.

It's a terrific series, and one that I shall watch again. I've already started recommending it to others - buy your own - and I have nothing but admiration for the writing, casting, acting and performance of the whole thing. It's up there with the Ballad of Barry and Freda!

I'm not Australian, but I wish those who are and who put this programme down could see what genius it is. Five bunches of Aussies sent on a mission each week to report back. They can be in luxury accommodation or living in a tent on a beach, you can depend on a variety of responses and reactions. I can never guess who is going to rave about their week or hate it. It's a good way to relax and enjoy fun tv - something that is becoming rare. Some weeks, it is the group of lads who drive you nuts, other weeks it's the Fren family (I do wonder how they manage their accommodation ?) or perhaps Kevin and Janetta? Noooo..... It's good tv because you see various places and can work out if you'd like to visit by the teams' reactions.

I'm saddened by the negativity in the reviews, because this was a sparkling new comedy, very relevant and different when it came out - I know, I saw it then. A few years ago I searched and found the dvd and was overjoyed to discover it had lost nothing, or I had not mis-remembered. Cary Grant, of course, stole the show as he embarked on more of his light comedy genius (and there are very very few who can carry it off without the "look at me being funny" air) with his usual charm and style. Samantha Eggar, beautiful and typical of the time, a young lady trying to be modern but desperately old-fashioned despite the times - it was only 1964 remember, things were pretty staid then. The Beatles may have exploded onto the music scene but most of the freedom came later in the decade. Jim Hutton reminds me of a young Jimmy Stewart, it's a pity he wasn't still around to develop, having made an early demise in his forties.

The plot is simple, and very silly. Woven around the Tokyo Olympics to make it relevant, it's a colourful and interesting view of Tokyo, which most of the Western world would not have seen. I'll bet it helped tourism after the Olympics died down.

It's an enjoyable, light hearted film, fast moving in parts, with expert players. A wonderful era for movies.

This is one of those that should have been lost in the mists of time. The whole idea seems to be how funny it is that Connie Booth and John Cleese are naked, but not supposed to be, in a lead up to a formal event. It simply doesn't work, and what's more I suspect it didn't work in 1975 when it was made. The humour is arch and 'daring' but not. Mr Cleese uses his usual stock of mannerisms and Connie Booth has a very nice body, but I suspect nobody cared if she could act or not. It's schoolboy humour, but not for grownups. British humour is usually known for its wit and silliness, neither of which are present in this. Disappointing.

Well, my title is an old cliche, but it doesn't come near to the cliches that this series is using. I am an ex- SATC fan, having matured and given away the box set after movie 2. I never liked Carrie, she was just collateral damage, I watched for Samantha and Miranda, and sometimes Charlotte, although i would liked to have slapped her some days. Steve, Harry and Big were ok. I honestly felt sorry for Big, putting up with little miss C, and her neuroses. Well lucky ol' him and Samantha, bailing out of this before it was too late. I missed the first episode, but I've seen 2-5 and am waiting for the last (i hope). It's been well-documented about how nuts Miranda is now, how silly Charlotte is and how everything Carrie is. I went through my 50 and 60s with none of this rubbish, admittedly not in NY and designer clothes, obviously not as much money, but how realistic can it be?

Let me tell you a secret - Che is not funny. She is a striking attractive person, but funny she isn't. Bringing in people of colour and different ethnicities to be relevant is more than patronising - what they went through the previous series with never meeting a person of colour? They were teeming with gays, but oh my, we fogot transgenders, non-binary and lesbians. Sometimes you think you see the glimmer of what was once a funny idea, but it's dead on arrival.

How if Carrie is so devastated about Big's passing does she flit around wearing designer (beautiful) garments, being glamorous so soon?

The episode about Big's first wife was embarrassing and while the whole thing, once about strong, intelligent, independent women is now about snivelling ancient confused crones - in their 50s mind - it would have been funnier to put them all in a home and let them go.

The cynical heroine of this story is played extremely well, and every thought shows on her face. The rest of the cast are stellar too and it's great to see Tom Courtney back in vogue, this isn't the first recent film with him. The story is simple, somewhat predictive and some licence has been taken with facts - no blackout, people wandering at ease on beaches - but it's a beautiful story, and even on a day when the last thing I wanted was to watch a film, I was hooked. Highly recommended to anyone with a heart.

I wonder, did the producers even Read the book by Graham Norton? I have just finished re-reading it, and this bears very little resemblance to it at all. The extra characters, the "woke" (forgive me) aspects unnecessarily added - and irrelevant, distracting the plot - and the complete change in the whys and wherefores. I have never understood why, if you're going to change a story so very thoroughly, you don't just write a whole new story of your own. Brilliant actors, just a pity they ransacked a good book to given them rubbish to work with. Why change the three sisters so radically? Why waste a wonderful actor like Brenda Fricker (or any of them) and give her such utter tosh to speak. I"m sorry, but I'm so annoyed - I can't even finish watching this garbage. Graham, you should sue.

I watched Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake yesterday, and decided to see more of her today, in Finding your feet. No regrets here, it's my third time of viewing and I seem to enjoy it more. I would suggest that many of the negative comments come from overseas viewers who can't bridge the Atlantic gap, but more than that, there seems a need to pigeonhole it as one type or another.

I thought it was an entertaining film (obviously) and has an excellent cast, a good polished presentation. Life can be a bit predictable - that's not always bad - and I'm delighted to learn that Ms Staunton did not fall in the canal as it was a green screen; the water looked dreadful. Loved it and will most likely watch it again.

Usually Omar Sy can do no wrong for me, I love his work, but he came over as creepy in this, and the story didn't hold me. I did try, but couldn't finish it.

I fell across this series purely by accident - reading that Americans need sub-titles to watch it - and have delighted it the humour, typical NZ writing, so very funny and unexpected. I can't wait to watch the movie that started it all. It's laugh-out-loud funny and gets me every time. Pure joy,

I recently read a fictionalised biography of Loretta Young, and it led me to seek out movies with her in them. This is a pearl of a movie, with stunning casting and a good corny story. I sat most of it with a silly big grin on my face and may well watch it again within the week. You really cannot knock quality.

Catherine Frot is such an excellent actress that one forgets how good everyone around her is too in this film. The story has been hashed to death in the reviews, but suffice to say wonderful story, beautiful surroundings, fabulous casting and acting, and the odd quirk which added to the whole thing, like the car always breaking down (or not) in exactly the same place. The characters are so well drawn that you feel their pain and joy throughout. Even the cad at the beginning seemed to be turning. The butler has me foxed though - is he a good guy or a baddie? And those incredible notes in the concert - did I dream those?

I watched this years ago - I thought I'd reviewed it, but can't find one - because I really love Mike Leigh's work, Brenda Blethyn's work etc etc. I knew I'd enjoyed it, so prepared to sit back and do so again, but my mistake, you don't sit back with a Mike Leigh film, you sit up and take notice. The threads weave themselves relentlessly drawing you in, until you really can't bear the pain that the characters are enduring and you are committed.

Wonderful film, wonderful acting and well worth the revisit.

I'd not heard of this film before it popped up on my dvd mail-order rental catalogue, and eventually landed in my letterbox. By then of course, I had forgotten all about it, and it was a delightful surprise. An exceptionally young Jeremy Irons, with a brilliant Anthony Hopkins, pulling all the Welsh stops out, with a poignant and touching Prunella Scales head the cast, but there are smaller parts - not quite cameos - played by Sylvia Sims, Lionel Jeffries and Richard Briers, all quite satisfying.

The story has come from a stage production obviously, and it transitions to screen quite ably with bits of North Yorkshire added for flavour. Many good giggles throughout, although my particular favourite was the tea shop battle. Thoroughly enjoyed it, glad I found it.

I read this book not all that long ago, and when I saw the dvd was available I jumped at it. Then it arrived and I had fear in my stomach. What if they had ruined it? Film-makers do that all the time. Not this time, I'm happy to report, it's perfect and I wanted to keep watching it over and over. Perfectly cast, beautifully told and not a moment too short or too long. Love it.

I picked up on this purely by chance, and watched it over 2-3 days. Amazing, heartbreaking, uplifting, funny, sad and brilliant. The acting is excellent, you live it with them, and the story just flows. Absolutely perfect. Can't pick out any favourites - they are all so good. Phew!

I have seen this several times over the past 20 years and every time it just gets better. The acting is superb and the feeling is thar you are watching a bunch of mates living their extraordinary lives. Very, very good (I am not a western fan)

I heard Hugh Grant blame a lull in his career on this 'turkey' and I tried to watch it again to see if it was that bad...... well I've seen it before, twice, and it is pretty bad. Not helped by SJP, who in my opinion, is the same person in everything she does, the story is amusing, but HG is basically the stammering youngish man from so many of his rom-coms, altho he Can act. Supporting team very good, its weak but take at least one viewing if you like fluff.

What a cast! What an idea! This is basically a French farce using so many really well known beautiful people of stage and screen (mostly screen) and it works really well. It is laugh out loud funny in parts and the pretensions of the fashion industry are laid bare for mockery. Only fault, maybe it could have been slightly shorter? Love it, and just to say that Sophia Loren has only grown more beautiful with age.

I belong to a dvd rental place, whereon I have a wish list of movies to watch. This sometimes means that when they arrive, I have completely forgotten what it was that made me order them, or piqued my interest. This is the case with Funny bones (I suspect Richard Griffiths had something to do with it) and it arrived and I spent a good part of the film feeling as though I'd been hit on the head with a newspaper with a metal rod rolled inside it. By the time it ended, I was enjoying it and starting to understand it, so I watched it again the next evening and whaddya know, comprehension! It's a lot of fun, it's very clever and it's great to see some wonderful actors performing. Leslie Caron is NOT faded (as I think one reviewer intimated) but as stunning as ever and like a fine wine. There is a mixture of fine performers, and the story is quirky and fascinating. I loved it, and I couldn't promise I wont try to buy a copy.

Foolishly I left the UK to live abroad round about the time this was aired on TV, and so have come to it later than most, via DVD. If I said it was perfect, you would say I was exaggerating, but I would not be. Not only does it capture the era, the mood and the battles therein exquisitely, but the characters are drawn and portrayed with straightforward subtlety and affection. There are no horrible surprises, but it is a gentle very funny mystery which is sorted out tidily. I look forward to the next two stories - also contained in the boxed set - to watch them again too. I'm lucky in that I remember very few things thoroughly, no, it's not dementia, I've always been this way. The poor reviewer who didn't get it - I hope he's not still in therapy.