Drama > P Drama > De Niro, Robert > 1996

Advantages: The first half of the film is excellent
Disadvantages: Second half drags

Growing up in Hell's Kitchen in the mid sixties is great fun for Tommy, John, Michael and Shakes. They play hard, but they are generally good kids, much liked in the neighbourhood. But a prank one day changes their lives for ever - they steal a hot dog vendor's stand and let it go at the top of some stairs, seriously injuring someone who got in its way. Sent to a detention camp for a few months, they are bullied and brutalized at the hands of the ...
...and John most of all, who end up in and out of prison. Then one day, Tommy and John come across one of the wardens and shoot him dead. Mike and Shakes, both lawyers, try to help them out, bringing to justice the other wardens responsible for their fate. What will happen to the four friends? And will their friendship remain intact? This is an interesting film, which can easily be divided up into three parts. The first part is the most pleasant, for ... Read review

Advantages: Challenging, engaging and intelligent.
Disadvantages: Sometimes harrowing and disturbing.

For its quite all-star cast I found it a little strange that I'd never heard of this film since its release in 1996 and it was only on a television rerun that I actually caught seeing it. The film is an excellent portrayal of young wasted lives and eventual revenge but mixes this with questions of conscience and loyalty. The story begins telling the tale of the lives of four young boys, John, Michael, Tommy and "Shakes", living in the Hell's Kitchen ...
...of immigrant families, usually Italian, and it is ruled by the unspoken rules of how the immigrants all protect each other. The two sources of authority are the church featuring the charismatic Father Bobby and the local mafia boss King Benny. The four boys are solid friends and spend their days playing stick ball, performing altar duties at the church and getting into usual youthful pranks. Their lives are set to change forever when one such prank ... 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