Drama > G Drama > Gielgud, John > 10 GBP to 15 GBP

Advantages: Moving, well acted and directed .
Disadvantages: Better for an edit, slightly too long. Unavoidably sombre.

(Sorry for the flippant title - couldn't resist) INTRODUCTORY DETAILS Direction.. ..David Lynch Genre... ..Drama Rating.. ..PG (fair) Format.. ..Widescreen, Black and White Production.. ..1980 Length.. ..118 minutes 'John Merrick'.. ..John Hurt 'Dr Frederick Treves'.. ..Anthony Hopkins SYNOPSIS With a screenplay adapted from the books by Dr Frederick Treves and Ashley Montague, 'The Elephant Man' takes up the story of John Merrick in his ...
...taken a savage beating at the hands of the showman. So the story is set for the main theme of the film as from here on Merrick is taken under Treves' wing and housed in private lodgings at the hospital where the latter is a respected physician. Lynch's film follows Merrick's life as Treves attempts to help 'the elephant man' both with his medical condition and by introducing him to polite society. Thus a moving story comprised of both joy and sadness ... Read review

Advantages: Stephen Fry's performance
Disadvantages: Not completely accurate

...his life. The story is familiar by now - Oscar becomes one of the most popular playwrights and wits of his age, only to shoot himself down at the height of his fame due to his relationship with the horrible Alfred Lord Douglas, for which he finds himself sentenced to two years' hard labour. The film goes to some pains to be historically accurate (it even gets right the almost illegible message that Lord Queensberry pinned to the theatre door which ...
...providing a happy reunion of the two lovers upon Wilde's final release. In fact Wilde didn't get a happy ending, because he never did the one thing that would always have turned his fortunes up, even after his sentence: ditch Douglas. The film is a largely accurate and involving portrait of one of the most mistreated literary figures in history, but I can't help suspecting that it would have been far less of a success with anyone else in the title ... Read review

Advantages: Can be tense, shocking and unpredictable
Disadvantages: Appears to be a typical chick-flick on the surface

My reason for purchasing Match Point in the first instance was quite simple, Jonathon Rhys Myers was in it and for me that was as good an excuse as any to buy a new film. I'm so glad however that I did buy this film because not only does Rhys Myers play a fantastic part and look extremely handsome for the main but the film has become a firm favourite of mine. Chris (Jonathon Rhys Meyers) is an Irish tennis coach who after coaching Tom, the son of ...
..."There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can go either forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn't and you lose." This line sums up the double-edged sword that the film is, as on more than one occasion the ball may go forward and Chris may uphold the life he has dreamed of but just as easily it may fall backwards and the world he has come to love may ... Read review

Advantages: Simply Superb
Disadvantages: None

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. ******************************* Produced and Directed by Frank Capra. Starring: Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey. Donna Reed as Mary (Mrs Bailey). Henry Travers as Clarence the angel. Lionel Barrymore as Mr Potter. James Stewart once said this was HIS favourite performance of all the films he had starred in. My favourite film of all time, something I oddly share with Dave Lister! I really should get out more. Introduction: ...
...in the acting stakes. It's a Wonderful Life is Stewarts crowning glory and long may it be an enduring classic. Greg. The boring stuff: DVD Features: Format: Black & White, Language: English with Subtitle option Region: Region 2 Number of discs: 1 Classification: U Run Time: 130 minutes ASIN: B000WOTTRE ... Read review

Advantages: Good film rooted in a real life story with good performances by the actors
Disadvantages: None that I can think of

...enjoyed this film. It is a emotional story which has a few twist and turns to keep you on your toes with some action scenes enlivening it. This is as well as a gritty realism from the true story behind the film of John Nash's struggle with mental illness. Lead actor Russel Crowe puts in a convincing and engaging performance as the brilliant but afflicted mathamatician John Nash. All the characters work well with Connelly combining well with Crowe ... Read review