Drama > J Drama

Advantages: A masterpiece of a Mini-Series
Disadvantages: Nearly 10 hours long and thats without the DVD extras

Shaka Zulu is an epic tale of an unwanted son. Who took a minor South African tribe and forged them into a vast empire, through military conquest and fear. Filmed on location in South Africa, in 1986, when apartide was still very much in force. The government attempted to stop its production. Fearing that the Zulu nation would feel justifiable pride in Shaka's exploits. However Harmony Gold pushed and pushed. Till it was made. There were terrible ...
...Lord Bathurst = Christopher Lee Shaka = Henry Cele Nandi = Dudu Mkhize The series is spread over 4 discs, 3 episodes per disc with the 4th disc given over to the 10th part and the DVD extras. Episode 1 The series begins at the end of the Anglo-Zulu wars. With the defeated king of the Zulus, Cetshwayo, meeting Queen Victoria to ask for his Kingdom to be returned to him. The Queen asks him to tell her about Shaka. So we go back in time to the 1820's ... Read review

Advantages: Agatha Christie-like
Disadvantages: Too many characters

Introduction As soon as I heard about this film, I knew it would be right up my street. Described as a murder mystery, it is set in a stately home in 1930s England. With a large number of famous actors and actresses, including Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Helen Mirren, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry and Clive Owen, it couldn't really go much wrong. And I wasn't disappointed, well, not too disappointed anyway - it takes a while before any action ...
...it's a must-see for anyone that enjoys crime fiction by writers such as Agatha Christie. The director Robert Altman, who came up with the idea for the story, along with Bob Balaban, was born in Kansas in 1925. He has written, directed and produced a number of films, although the majority of them are not particularly well-known. He is probably best-known for directing Alfred Hitchcock's TV show and writing the script for MASH. The plot Sir William ... Read review

Advantages: great story, with great actors
Disadvantages: need to know the background of the story and a bit of old english

I think Kenneth brannagh is the best 'Hamlet' since Mel Gibson, he is very funny, interesting and weird in this production. With Kate winslet as his girlfiend, they both make a good pair as they both turn mad...(not to give the plot away) i would recommend this version to anyone who needs to watch 'hamlet' for school use, private use or any other purpose.... Although every version has a different way of portraying hamlet's character, in my opinion, ...
...is in old english, you should know the background of the story and a bit of old english, otherwise it is easy to understand. I believe it is one of Shakespeare's best plays. It also sticks to the original play very well but in alot of ways it is better. Also, nominated for 4 oscars so then you know its good!! ... Read review

Advantages: Unique and imaginative
Disadvantages: DVD presentation not of reference quality

...convincingly presents a world where strings mean life. The story is strong enough to keep you going and make this a fully-featured film, not just an impressive technical exercise. This is a must-see movie and one you want to tell your friends about. >>> Plot teaser In a marionette world, a despot ruler is about to try and rectify his own misdeeds by committing suicide and letting his son make a new start and move towards peace. An evil uncle, however, ...
...world of marionettes where all strings stretch up into heaven and so houses don't have roofs and you die when your headstring is cut. The genius here is in presenting this using marionettes. While that seems an unnecessary observation, you just know that if this was Hollywood produced, it would have been a CG movie. There are a number of wonderful highlights in the movie regarding this world of marionettes. The One Stringed, the birth (very cool), ... Read review

Advantages: Olliver Reed, oddly fun in a way...
Disadvantages: ... all the negatives you expect from direct-to-video films and soap operas!!

I have the strangest feeling that The Lady and the Highwayman, apart from obvious direct comparisons to Robin Hood, was an attempt to bring back the spirit of the old classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood" that starred Erryl Flynn, Olivia DeHavilland, Basil Rathbone, and Claude Rains. The feeling is strange in that, in almost every respect, that is what this film utterly fails to do. But I do think that they at least tried. Set amid the backdrop ...
...and then King Charles II, The Lady and the Highwayman stars a host of well-known British actors. Michael York (Logan's Run) plays the King, who entrusts an important mission to the gallant Lord Lucius Vyne (well okay I guess you'd have to be gallant with that name or you'd have no chance...). After Charles regains the throne, however, Lucius recognises the need for work to be done that the king could not do openly - so in the guise of a highwayman ... Read review