Drama > I Drama > Ivory, James > up to 5 GBP

Advantages: Well acted, scripted, directed
Disadvantages: The character of Stevens will always be Antony Hopkins to anyone who has seen this film!

...film. Okay, it's not in the most obvious way, but this is the way true romantic films should be. In this adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel of the same title, Anthony Hopkins plays a Butler, Stevens, who is so loyal and dedicated to his job, that he appears almost inhuman. The film tracks his memories of his relationship with Miss Kenton, the housekeeper, played by Emma Thompson, as they carry out their daily duties in the house, unaware, or turning ...
...the Second World War begins to erupt. Although there is no physical romance, or even spoken words of love to show how close the butler and the housekeeper become, it is obvious to the viewer, and the subtle way in which their relationships is presented makes each look, facial expression and sentence ten times as meaningful as it would otherwise be. The scenery is really lovely, and captures the era well, with subtle changes in weather reflecting ... Read review

Advantages: Could be worse. Reeves and Redgrave form a formidable on screen duo.
Disadvantages: Could be better. Not an awful lot happens, at all, really.

...Henry James’ novel set amongst the repressed social foibles of 19th centaury middle class America women, which pays careful attention to period costume.’ now would you? Would you? Ok, so perhaps you would, being the conscientious, cerebral, open-minded reviewer that you are, but for us the rest of us, the fickle masses who live from one fast paced thrill-filled moment to the next, the Hollywood hordes who gravitate with herd-like instinct to merest ...
...huffy and depart to read the 367th review of ‘Shrek 2’ (I know that’s where you were going...) I haven’t enticed you here on completely false pretences. This film does star Christopher Reeve, who is, and ever will be, the original, iconic Superman, (although there were no phone booths in the early 1900’s so he sadly remains in his moustached alter-ego for the entire film). And yes, there really are some distinctive lesbian undertones, which, although ... Read review

Advantages: great dramatic movie with so much realism.
Disadvantages: none at all

Director: John Singleton Producer: Steven Nicolaides Writer: John Singleton Stars: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding jr, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long and Angela Basset Released in the summer of 1991 this brilliant hour and forty minute movie takes a look into the lives of the gangs who struggle to survive in the ghettos of South central Los Angeles… **BRIEF PLOT** When a bright student, Tré Styles, (played by Desi Arnez Hines), moves ...
...until he is reunited with his old friends, Ricky Baker, (played by Donovan McCrary), who is a up and coming American football player, and Darin "doughboy" Baker, (played by Baha Jackson), who is spends his time selling cocaine in the ghettos… Years later, and set in 1991, Darin, (now played by Ice Cube) spends most of his time hanging out in the "hood" after being released from prison with no real hope for the future… Ricky, (now played by Morris ... Read review

Advantages: Enthralling story telling, mixing a very serious story with charming humour
Disadvantages: The movie has dated rather a lot

...some really old fashioned qualities, Don't Talk To Stranger's is actually a far superior offering than the movie it accompanied. The movie offers a very serious message, padded out with a lot of quirky 60's British humour; Jean's younger sister Ann for example is carrying out a single handed campaign against hunting, citing her father as one of the very people she protests against "Mummy do you know how many innocent defensive foxes are slaughtered ...
...over 20 years ago. Don't Talk To Strange Men is a marvellously well crafted piece of low budget film-making directed by Pat Jackson who later went on to make The Prisoner and Enid Blyton's Famous Five TV serial. Despite the dated aspects of the movie, I feel this is an amazingly pertinent story because the link initially is created by a wrong number, and now 46 years on there are more telephone numbers than ever before, and more young people owning ... Read review

Advantages: Wonderfully real and well written
Disadvantages: None

Believe the hype. This is possibly one of the best TV programs ever made. On the face of it The Wire will come across as a Hill Street Blues or St Elsewhere type of well written and realistic piece of programming, but it seems to take that trend one step further which I didn't believe could be possible. Before I wax lyrically about this first series I have to warn you that The Wire isn't for easy watching. It makes 24 seem like watching an episode ...
...but a programme like The Wire shows up other TV shows for being the pure entertainment that they are. The Wire truly makes you think and as I said it doesn't make for easy viewing. Some friends of mine enjoy spending an entire weekend watching 24 in real time (i.e. a whole series in one sitting), but it's difficult to do that with The Wire as you want to sit and contemplate what you are watching. The main theme of the first series is drugs. But ... Read review