Musicals & Music Films > Plays & Performances Musicals & Music Films

Who Calls So Loud?

Advantages: Fantastic acting, lurid characters, excellent drama!
Disadvantages: VERY long but worth every minute!

This filmed version of the Royal Shakespeare Company's famous production of 'Nicholas Nickleby' is utterly timeless. In hours and hours of non-stop entertainment, virtually the whole novel is transposed to the stage, and much of Dickens's original lurid prose survives this translation. The huge cast narrates and dramatises the lengthy tale, encompassing virtually every theatrical genre. There is pantomime-style audience participation, farce, melodrama, ...
...the adventures of the young Nicholas Nickleby and his family. It opens as the Nicklebys arrive in London after the death of their father, and seek the support of their rich but harsh uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Nicholas is sent to become a schoolmaster in Yorkshire. The cruelty he finds there launches the story's main action. Nicholas finds himself Ralph's enemy, as well as the enemy of the headmaster, Wackford Squeers, and his grotesque family. On his ...

Olly_Plimsoll 23.04.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby - The Royal Shakespeare Company (DVD)

A beautiful production of a poignant piece.

Advantages: Great acting and superb production
Disadvantages: Might need a few watches to fully understand it in its full genuis

...Plot Overview Death of a Salesman is a tragedy of Willy Loman, an everyman's character. The play is mainly concerned with the fulfillment of the American Dream, but it also shows the nuances of familial relationships and commercilalism. Willy is a failed salesman, who forces his aspirations and dreams onto his two sons, Biff and Happy. Biff had a promising future but soon has an epiphany and refuses to partakein the American dream, and chooses ...
...father's annoyance. His brother Happy is the assistant to one of the assistant buyers, but sees himself as a great success. Miller concentrates on how the characters lie to themselves about who and what they are, and this is ultimatly the downfall of the central characters. * Perhaps the highlight of this versions Dustin Hoffman's performance, animated and brilliant, which brought him the 1985 Emmy Award for Outstanding lead actor in a TV movie ...

arsenalskydivers 22.12.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Death Of A Salesman (DVD)

The sun'll come out tomorrow....

Advantages: The songs
Disadvantages: corny in places

Annie is an orphan who tries to escape from the orphanage time and time again due to the horrid orphanage owner. One day Annie get's chosen to live with a millionaire 'Daddy Warbuck'. She is treated like a Princess but Annie has this dream of finding her mother and father so escapes from his home too. Daddy Warbucks decides to place a ad on the local radio for Annie's sake encouraging anyone who knows the whereabouts of her parents to come forward ...
...that she is there's. Will Annie find her real parents? If you aren't a fan of musicals then this one is definitely not for you. At every whip stick the cast burst into song and sing their little hearts out. I'm not really into musicals as such but the songs featured in the film are so well known that I can't help but sing along and tap my foot as if I'm enjoying myself. The main character Annie is very sweet but has an adventurous edge to her which ...

claribella 16.11.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Annie (DVD)

High School Music Number One!!

Advantages: GOOD ENTERTAINMENT
Disadvantages: NOT FOR THE OLDER TYPE

The very first High School Musical... This makes me want to say 'It's the start of something new!' I fist got this DVD in 2006 when it was first brought out. Obviously there has been a further two DVD's been released but I still prefer this one. The most famous actors/actresses in it are Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. This film made me want to get up and sing the whole way through! The DVD Itself This is a Disney channel original movie which is very ...
...the story itself. High School Musical is very popular and lots of children go crazy for this. The reason why I like this is because once I watched it I got hooked on it and wanted to see more. This is a great film and I would recommend to those who have children and would enjoy this film! I would give this 4/5 from me due to the fact that it is not suited for all ages. ...

hstokoe44395 10.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of High School Musical (Encore Edition) (DVD)

A Dream or a Nightmare?

Advantages: Great singing, acting, outfits.
Disadvantages: A bit boring, a bit samey all the way through.

Dreamgirls is probably most notable for starring Beyonce Knowles as Deena Jones. Also starring are the handsome Jamie Fox as manager and Cadillac sales man, Curtis Taylor Jr., and Eddie Murphy as the lengendary Jimmy Early. The plot follows a trio of young, black, female singers called 'The Dreamettes' as they fight their way onto the pop charts against a tide of prejudice. Whilst this movie includes songs in the form of stage performances at the ...
...third of the way through when Effie (Jennifer Hudson) finds out she is to be replaced as lead singer by Deena. From then on, random musical outbursts take presidence and since I really can't stand musicals (however, I love music), this really began to annoy me. Whilst the acting is good and the scenary is good and everything is pretty much ok and good in this movie, nothing but the singing is great. Unfortunately, when I say the singing is great, ...

Bojack 09.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Dreamgirls (DVD)