Drums Along The Mohawk (Cinema Reserve)

Advantages: A fantastic collection of shorts.
Disadvantages: None.

...Villeret plays the drummer, "le batteur", of an orchestral suite called the Boléro, in which he has to strum a very dull and repetitive rhythm for over 20 minutes (Leconte abbreviates the movement into an 8-minute version). It is rather hilarious to watch Villeret's frustrated face, as he drums along, sweaty, fed up, bitter, and sore. This is a classic short; very funny. 3. Charlotte et Véronique - France, 1957 - Jean-Luc Godard. A charming short from the infamous Jean-Luc Godard, set in the Luxembourg gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg), in Paris. The story centres around a love-triangle, involving Charlotte, Véronique and a young man called Patrick. It is very cheesy, but still demonstrates the superiority of oldschool romantic shorts, as opposed to the languor of today's cheap soap-operatic fables. A classic. 4. Copy Shop - Austria, 2001... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Moving and heartwarming story, one of the most beautiful film endings ever.
Disadvantages: That the version for UK and US release cuts out key scenes.

...to terms with life after the Second World War. Salvatore (then known as Toto) is a young boy, left fatherless by the war. He is endearingly mischievous, and while this proves to be the bane of his mother and local priest’s existence, Alfredo the projectionist at the Cinema Paradiso takes him under his wing. The two forge a firm friendship, strengthened by a variety of comic and tragic incidents along the way. The film moves on through the stages of Salvatore’s life, from boy to adolescent. Salvatore is now the projectionist himself and has embarked on his own filmmaking career, when he meets Elena. The relationship of the young lovers does not run smoothly and following Alfredo’s advice, Salvatore leaves the town to make something of his life and never look back. The older Salvatore, returning to the Sicilian town for the first time... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A few good laughs
Disadvantages: A totally cliched movie.

...Along Came Polly was not on my must-see movie list, but I went along with a friend to see it, hoping for some good laughs. Unfortunately, I left rather disappointed. Romantic comedies are, by nature, usually rather soppy, but you can usually get dragged along to the feel good endings lost in a fair smattering of humour. Bridget Jones' Diary is hilarious, and even Love Actually provided us with a good few giggles, but Along Came Polly was utterly predictable and virtually humourless. Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston were pretty forgettable in it, the best character for me being the scuba diving instructor. Although it was only about a week ago that I saw the film, I find it hard to bring to mind any particularly memorable parts of the movie. This movie is really only for romantic comedy die-hards or something to go and see... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful