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The Descendants – even paradise has its bugs

Although not having quite reached the dizzy heights of The Artist, and a little more surprisingly Hugo, The Descendants is electrifyingly pulsating with Oscar Fever. With five nominations, including best picture, best actor (George Clooney) and best director (Alexander Payne), … Continue reading

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Carnage unleashed

When 11 year old Zachary Cowan hit classmate Ethan Longstreet round the head with a stick, he can have had little idea of the monster he had unleashed. Two sets of parents meet in the Longstreet’s New York City apartment … Continue reading

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War Horse – Black Beauty enlists…

Ever since Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, two of the first films I ever saw in the cinema, I have been happy to grow up to, or stay a child with, Stephen Spielberg’s films. Spielberg has explored … Continue reading

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Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – is Bond outbonded?

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (aka MI4) was a big surprise to me. Having found the first Mission Impossible film pompous and the two sequels unwatchable, I saw the fourth on the strength of its enthusiastic reception. Thank heavens for that. … Continue reading

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The Artist – silent and golden: a big shiny sun among movies

The Artist is one of those movies that seems to have been around for quite a while, making its way around the film festivals, attracting praise and acclaim. Finally, it has reached our screens (or, at least, some of them), … Continue reading

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The Iron Lady – and I needed nerves of steel to watch it…

Against all better judgement, and largely because of a sincere appreciation for the work of Meryl Streep, today I saw The Iron Lady. My instinct was right on both counts. The emphasis throughout The Iron Lady is on the older … Continue reading

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Movies 2011 – the fabulous, the less good and the downright horrible – and worse

In 2011 I saw approximately 70 movies at the cinema. Obviously, I would have seen many more if it weren’t for cinema prices and the fact that teens and certain other people are allowed in theatres without being gagged or … Continue reading

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Apollo 18 – the Christmas Blu Ray Turkey

Apollo 18 was one of those films that a) I wanted to see at the cinema, b) was sorry I missed at the cinema, and c) was rather relieved I didn’t see at the cinema when I heard what others … Continue reading

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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Fincher style

I’ve not been looking forward to writing my review or impressions of the 2011 version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. This is because I haven’t seen the 2009 original (and nor will I) and I have no interest … Continue reading

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Arthur Christmas – what happens when you mix Magic Dust with a flask of Christmas Spirit

I may be one of the least festive people I know and, as such, there are very few Christmas movies that can entice me into a cinema – I find elves particularly wearisome, except if they’re Will Farrell. Nevertheless, with … Continue reading

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