Reviews

Ice Age is one of my favourite animations, so I was excited about a sequel. To ease the wait I collected nearly all the available merchandise (sadly lacking for the Original release)and pre-read the movie. I enjoyed the new story, although I realised that it could not match the emotion of their first mission. Instead it was to be a romantic comedy, reminiscent of The Land Before Time series. (Another fave.)If you've seen all the LBT sequels like I have, they share similar scenes & themes & are fully character driven. The ever unfortunate Scrat is back in even funnier, extended sequences. He's definitely the star of the picture, but the Possums, Sid & several minor characters also provide plenty of laughs. The romance between the mammoths slows the plot on occasion, but is sweet. Diego's bestscenes are with Sid. The animation is still impressive & the voice cast is top notch. The books contain scenes that are not in the final movie. (Probably turn up on the DVD.) Ultimately this is a good sequel, but the Original is still best. Listen out for occasional references.

John Travolta proves a sensual villain who is delightfully cruel. Even better, he's a security chief. Being a fan of security personnel & John Travolta, I ignored the bad publicity & watched. I was not disappointed. The actor playing the rebel leader was excellent too & there's a strong supporting cast. I thought the Psychlo make up was good. It doesn't go overboard with CGI or get bogged down by space ship scenes. Instead the film is driven by the characters. The sets, especially the ruined city, are impressive. The sculptures were too. I was gripped throughout. A much underrated film. 10/10

This has to be the most successful animated series ever. I've collected them all. This is one of the best. Our heroes help a dolphin find his way home. It's cute and full of fun. Mo is a lively new friend and the water setting creates a unique adventure. 8/10

I'm a huge Zack Allan fan and was disappointed that he only got one scene in the movie. This was also my favourite scene where he confiscates a character's weapons and directs her to Down Below. Unfortunately unlike Thirdspace & River of Souls, most of the action took place off station. I didn't care much for Garibaldi after the first three seasons and think Sheridan is okay but no Sinclair. I like Lochley but she only had limited screen time. If you like Crusade or space battles you should enjoy it. Personally I can only give it 1/10.

The way this film was advertised almost made me miss out on this heartwarming adventure. Far from being a devil in disguise, Stitch is "cute and fluffy" but is also full of mischief. That's mischief, not malice. There must have been a miscarriage of justice is all could I think. Lilo matches him because they are both misunderstood. The Elvis/Hawaiian soundtrack is an asset to the film, rather than an annoyance. That is the songs are good, unlike in Tarzan. I wasn't that taken with the supporting aliens but the humans & Stitch made up for them. After a rash of substandard animation, it's good to see a film that Walt would approve. 9/10

What's cool about this sequel is that we find out T-Rexes have their own language. Subtitles translate the roars. Chomper of course speaks English because of previous acquaintance with our favourite babies. The "Always There" song is heartwarming. The story is strong and will keep everyone entertained. 9/10

An excellent film with great performances from Zack & Lochley. Much to their displeasure (& mine) Garibaldi arrived on station. (All due respect to Jerry Doyle but in Seasons 4 & 5 I lost sympathy for the character.) It doesn't take him long to start criticizing Zack (who I love best of all on the show)and taking charge. I'm sure Zack could have coped. The Soulhunter plot is fascinating, especially if you believe in heaven as Zack does. The humour supplements it nicely. 10/10

I love Zack Allan and this contains one of his best ever scenes. It takes place in the transport tube with the haunted Lyta Alexander. Very poignant. Praise to both actors and JMS. With all due respect to Michael Garibaldi, Zack is a worthy successor and does a fine job of protecting the station. I also enjoyed the performances from Vir, Delenn, Franklin, Susan & Sheridan. The 'bots have their moment too. An enjoyable movie. 8/10

Forget the big budget. This animation introduced me to this classic tale of good & evil. I loved Gollum best of all & he's just as good here as in the modern adaptation. The voice is perfect. My favourite member of the fellowship is Pippin. His youth, curiosity & bravery are charmingly captured. Frodo & Sam display close affection and the Ringwraiths are truely menacing. The remaining cast also come over well. Arwen's absence did no harm to the main thread since her role in events was largely minimal. The music which I purchased recently on CD is atmospheric, especially the jolly Hobbit theme & the sinister Nazgul accompaniment. The animation style helped convey the otherworldliness of the villains, although it does appear odd in places. The events move swiftly, unlike in the recent version. The only scene I didn't enjoy was Helm's Deep. Battle scenes aren't that interesting for me though so no blame to the makers. They managed to include most of my favourite scenes from the book without tampering with them. It wasn't over-long like the live action Fellowship (6/10) and I would have been ready to watch the next installment. Alas, this was never to be, but this does not diminish the achievement. Although I loved The Two Towers (8/10) almost as much, this original film will always be the best. 9/10 "Precious."

This is a delightfully silly Christmas film with lines & lyrics to make you laugh out loud. The lead characters come over strongly, the animation is good and the message clear. However it is the songs that make this film a must see. I was lucky enough to catch it on Cartoon Network and I bought the video soon after. I've not regretted it. 9/10

Everyone in this movie from the main stars to the hundreds of dancers clearly enjoyed themselves and so will you. My favourite character was Kenickie played by Jeff Conaway. (He also plays Bobby in Taxi.) He was the coolest in my opinion and he really ought to have sung Greased Lightning, saying it was his car. At least he got some cool dance moves to make up for it. The T-Bird trio were fun to watch, providing a steady run of practical jokes & gags. John & Olivia had great chemistry especially during the fantastic end sequence. The songs stick in your head, especially Summer Nights, You're the One & We Go Together. The dance routines were electrifying and well worth seeing again. The plot is thin but who cares? It's the music & actors who make this film what it is. 9/10

Although many of the cast return this "midquel/sequel" lacks the enchantment of the original. The wardrobe was the notable absentee. The new characters were likeable enough and seemed to fit, apart from Forte. He's just there because no Disney film would be complete without a villain. The songs are the worst part and the plot is not without flaws. What I liked best was that my favourite character, Chip, had plenty of screen time. The rest of the ensemble were doing their best but the scripting & humour could not compare with the first story. However it is still enjoyable enough for the Christmas season. 6/10

I am a huge fan of the Land Before Time series & I'm 24. This is one of the best adventures. Dil & Ichy are a good pair of villains and Ali & Tickles are cute additions to the cast. The plot is warm, the animation nicely done. The rainbow covered waterfall was a lovely shot. The songs are pleasurable too. 9/10

The characters in this fantasy are memorable & funny, in particular Inigo, Vizzini & Fezzik. I love the fencing sequences & the dialogue is sharp. There is the occasional unconvincing special effect like the giant rodent but this does not harm the story. The interruptions are a little annoying though not detrimental. One of the best films in this vein ever. 9/10

The original film was brilliant. This sequel is less grounded in reality and less satisfying but is still worth a look. Balto's friends from the first movie just don't get enough screen time. The songs weren't necessary and the plot borrowed from Disney a lot. (Especially The Lion King) What makes it stand out though is the weird totem imagery and Balto's recurring dreams. I liked the mouse best. Aleu was cute as a pup and grew into a strong heroine. This adventure does not have the heart of the previous but is still likeable. The ending was good but left some questions. 7/10

Balto & his friends, Boris, Muk, Luk & Jenna are characters to capture the heart. Romance, humour & determination lead us on an epic adventure through the snow. The voicing is excellent and the soundtrack is too. Steele is a good villain. There are some impressive animated sequences especially with the wolves & the bear. An overlooked masterpiece. 10/10

Just three of the words I could use to describe this anti-cute, anti-Disney movie. I can only remember laughing once. Most of the time I was horrified. I didn't appreciate some of my favourite animations being slandered. None of the characters appealed and there was nothing outstanding about the artwork. My favourite CGI film is Ice Age which is the complete opposite of this. It has plenty of charm, humour, great characters & some of the best animated sequences ever. I'll take cuteness over cynicism any day. 2/10

I didn't care for most of the characters in this film. They were too mean spirited and I don't like Tom Hanks. The story was sadistic and I have seen better films on this theme. The Christmas Toy by Jim Henson is much warmer. On the good side I enjoyed the minor characters, especially the snake. I also liked the end title duet. The score was good too. I wasn't over impressed by the animation since I consider story & characters to be more important. Since I didn't like those I can't recommend this. But if you do want to see great animation Ice Age & Anastasia are two of the best. Disney are not as cute as they used to be and that is not a good thing. 3/10

This was a fair attempt but more had gone into the effects than character & humour. The best actors were Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy & Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid. They were spot on. Unfortunately my favourite character, Hermione, was not as sympathetic as in the book. Instead I prefered Draco but he didn't get as much screen time as he deserved. The ghosts were under used too & Peeves was absent entirely. Since he and the Weasley twins provide most of the humour there wasn't much to be found. I liked the moving figures in the paintings and the floating candles but again these moments were only fleeting. I didn't like the Quidditch Match but then it wasn't that interesting in the book either. I was relieved the Dursleys were cut short as they are just annoying and hateful. The snake could have been left out though. I'm not too fond of the species so had to close my eyes for a few minutes. There is more fun to be had reading the book. 6/10

Sy is one of Robin William's best performances. He keeps the viewer gripped throughout with his sympathetic portrayal of a lonely man driven to obsessive acts. The makeup job was well done. I enjoyed his voiceovers which make you think about photography in a whole new way. There are humorous moments hat don't detract from the sinister story. The filming is impressive and there are several surprises. The music went well with the images. This is Robin's film but there was good support from the other actors. A brilliant new feature. 10/10

Although the original film (10/10) can never be matched, this heartwarming sequel comes close. This time Ducky & Spike take centre stage as their "sibling" relationship is tested. They love each other but know that they are different. Spike faces a difficult decision when a herd of spiketails, including a cute infant, invite him to join them. The friends see snow for the first time and learn how it can be good and bad. The story has laughter, tears & adventure. The characters are as loveable as ever and the songs are not unpleasant. I am proud to own all 8 films and this is one of the best. (9/10) I look forward to future releases. Long live the Land Before Time!

Unlike today's sitcoms Happy Days is filled with loveable characters who stand by each other. Quarrels are easily mended and everyone ends up happy. Fonzie & Richie make a great pair as do Potsie & Ralph and Mrs & Mrs C. Everyone has a heart of gold especially the mega cool Fonzie. There is no crisis he cannot handle and his fingers are pure magic. But everyone shines in this series. They're all stars. If you loved the film, Pleasantville, be sure to catch these re-runs. Life doesn't have to be miserable. 10/10

When I first saw this movie I had no idea who Andy was. I'd never seen Taxi. But I'm crazy about Jim and he didn't let me down. Andy is one of his most memorable performances and he was backed by equally talented actors. But I didn't realize just how brilliant this feature was until I became Danny's fan as well. This prompted me to watch some Taxi episodes where I warmed to the characters of Latka, Louie, Bobby, Jim & Alex. So on this 4th viewing I enjoyed spotting them in the Taxi segment. The film is funny, warm & tragic. Great music too. 10/10

This may not be one of the best comedies but I can give you one reason for watching it. Timothy Spall. Although he's only in the film for a short time he gives a genuinely moving performance. The others had their moments but were harder to empathise with. There are a number of humorous scenes, especially when they are rehearsing the musical. The main plot is thin but I was satisfied at the end. The credits are brilliant so don't even think of switching off. 6/10

I usually avoid Clint Eastwood films but Jim Carrey is my movie hero so I watched. For the first few minutes I had my doubts but from the moment Jim appeared I started enjoying myself. His scene was one of the best (obviously) but I also liked the remote controlled car. The horror elements worked well and so did the humour. 8/10