Drama > S Drama > BAFTA > up to 5 GBP

Advantages: Deep, with hidden ideas and meanings, and a great ending
Disadvantages: A bit stereotypical in places

American Beauty is a modern-day classic film, showing how restraining and boring suburban life in America can be, and how one man shows us how he breaks free. Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is stuck in a boring job under a boss he hates, has taken to masturbating in the shower because his wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), isn't sexually relieving him, and he finds himself hated by his daughter. He becomes with his stale, repetitive existence. Lester ...
...role of his career in American Beauty. His measured, dull tones work perfectly with the character of Lester, and Spacey is the best man that could have been cast. There are also good performances from Annette Bening and Chris Cooper (as the colonel), but a stand-out performance comes from Wes Bentley as the perfect Ricky. The directing from Sam Mendes was perfect, the meanings were delivered very well. For anyone wanting to watch a deep film with ... Read review

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

...home to his town of Cold Mountain in North Carolina to get back to this sweetheart Ada who he meet before the war. Escaping from the hospital, he begins the journey to his home. Ada is left alone in the town, struggling to run her rural farm after the death of her father. She has trouble surviving on her own because she's not used to the farm life and lives on the kindness of her neighbors until one of them sends over a woman called Ruby, a feisty ...
...old battle wounds. Based on the novel by Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain is the tale of two lovers torn apart and made to survive until they can reunite. Staring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Rene Zellweger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman and musician Jack White. Directed by Anthony Minghella. ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic story, direction and soundtrack
Disadvantages: Can be hard to follow if you can't commit for the full 2 hours

...in and I found both the characters, soundtrack and story incredibly compelling. The Oscar nominations were deserved. Although the plot in some respects is straight-forward, three woman at three points in time, it is difficult to fully explain what is to happen and how their three lives become intertwined. That said, it is worth devoting an evening to this and making sure there are no distractions, to fully appreciate the atmosphere created by Stephen ...
...myself afterwards and think about the choices you make in life and how we treat others. I don't mean to be too serious(!) but you need to be opened-minded and committed to this film right to the end to fully enjoy. Despite this glowing review, I recommend renting as opposed to buying though! ... Read review

Advantages: Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones + the boy is a real good actor
Disadvantages: Maybe does not compliment the book

...television, I proceeded to rent the video and read the book. The storyline is brought out very well and is made clearer than it may be in the book. Brad Renfro, the lead role is an very good actor but some people may argue that he seemed "too hard" and therefore didn't reflect his character from the noevel. I didn't quite feel sorry or scared enough for him. However, to watch this before reading the book is a good way to get to grips with the story. ... 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