Drama > Hopkins, Anthony Drama

Couldn't Put Humpty Together Again

Advantages: A great cast.
Disadvantages: Poorly written, subject to heavy handed metaphors and an overpowering score

...one for trying my patience. All the elements are here; a heavyweight cast, a universal story with contemporary parallels, an ominous score… But Zaillian goes completely over-the-top, smothering the film in clumsy visual metaphors (you know three people are going to die because he zooms in on three crosses at the side of the road). He signposts everything – characters play constantly with guns or gaze at each other in a meaningful way. He’s too fond ...
...air conditioning and it becomes all about damage control. You never see how the honest politician becomes slippery snake-oil salesman. It damages the dramatic impetus of the film, making the otherwise reasonable two-hour running time drag interminably, so every revelation and twist feels like hard work. Zaillian’s screenplay makes the fatal error of focussing on Jack Burden rather than Willie Stark’s fall from grace. Sadly this makes for a far less ...

afy9mab 30.04.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of All The King's Men (DVD)

"There's Only One Maltese Falcon"

Advantages: Great acting, great dialogue
Disadvantages: May not be for those who prefer lots of action

...I wouldn't say I'm the world's greatest fan of Film Noir or even of Humphrey Bogart. I like them, but other genres are higher on my list. When I first watched this, although I had heard of Humphrey Bogart, I had no idea what he looked like. I hadn't seen terribly many black and white films either. One fine day, some years ago, my mom got Turner Classic Movies. I can't remember why I turned it over onto TCM or even if it just happened to be on when ...
...and when I got to the end, I realised I needed to see it from the beginning as it was that good. And when I watched it again from the beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed it and have since watched it several times. The Story Humphrey Bogart plays Sam Spade, a private detective in 1930’s San Francisco. One day a woman walks into his office asking him to take on her case. She says that her sister has got involved with a man and that she wants him ...

Rebeccs 14.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Maltese Falcon (DVD)

Sam's back!

Advantages: As good as series 1 if not better
Disadvantages: sad when it ended

...two episodes a night-I live life on the edge as you can tell!).Life On Mars:Series Two was released on dvd in April 2007, but if you are like me and have been living under a rock and not heard of this show, or simply watched it on BBC2 previously but want to watch it over and over (which no doubt I will be),then you can't do any worse than buying this and the first series. Series Two~ Series one is about Sam Tyler, a detective who after a near fatal ...
...Sam Tyler literally where the first series ended; still playing good cop/ bad cop with partner(in crime) Gene Hunt. All the usual gang are back but this time Annie plays a more prominent role having been promoted but still get's treated bad because she's a "bird". The sexual tension between Annie and Sam is more intense this series and has you screaming 'Kiss her' nearly every episode! The Plot~ With series one I liked the fact that most of the way ...

supersonic75 14.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Life On Mars - Series 2 - Complete (Box Set) (DVD)

What an American Beauty!

Advantages: FANTASTIC!
Disadvantages: NONE!

American Beauty is a masterpiece in cinematic artistry! The basic premise tells of Lester Burnham -Kevin Spacey, whose having a mid-life crisis. Everything on the outside is a perfect picture of domestic bliss! His wife, Carolyn- Annette Bening, is a hardworking albeit materialistic Real Estate Agent. As Lester narrates the film, he describes his marriage as non existent and how it's all for show. As he slips deeper and deeper into depression he ...
...his daughter then forms a strange friendship with the boy next door, Ricky. As Lester continues drooling over Angela, Carolyn 'entertains herself with a work colleague' and their lives seem to fall even further apart. There are several sub-plots in the film, so it almost becomes an ensemble piece, but all the stories' intertwine wonderfully. The film was directed by British born, Sam Mendes. This was his first cinematic direction, and what a debut ...

paulyvous 14.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

When The Night...Has Come...

Advantages: Great film, likable characters
Disadvantages: None

...The Story Stand By me is based on the short story 'The Body' which was written by Stephen King. The film is narrated by one of the main characters in the film, Gordie Lachance. He narrates the film as a 40 something man, with children who is looking back on his life, at a time when he was 12 years old. Gordie and his three friends set out on the biggest adventure of their lives when they decide to go and find the body of a missing boy who was the ...
...in their life that will stand out for them as being an amazing point in their life. Mine is when I was at college between the ages of 17-19, when I had an amazing group of friends and we did the craziest things. Although most of us are settled or in different countries and don't see each other like we used to, nothing will ever be able to take away my amazing memories of our time together and Stand By Me really brings that point home. DVD Extras ...

daylehall 13.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Stand By Me (DVD)