Reviews

Utterly superb performances from the three main actors in this unusual story. Every little detail about this movie is worthy of appreciation. The movie isn't going to appeal to the masses, but if you appreciate the art of movie making then this one will not fail to please. Lesley Manville as the sister of Daniel Day-Lewis's character is just great. She plays her role to perfection. The ending wasn't at all what I was expecting. A great movie in every sense of the word.

The one good thing I will say about the movie - it is well acted. And that's it. The characters are all one dimensional. You have to watch it as a pure fantasy - and it still fails in that category as the story is too formulaic! You know how the story will pan out. I'm incredulous that it has got so many nominations in the major awards - it really doesn't deserve it. It's not a bad movie - but certainly not one of any great worth. I wish I could say better things about it.

I was about 30 minutes into this movie when I realized that nothing worthwhile was happening! I wanted so much to enjoy this movie because it sounded like something I would enjoy.

As somebody else as commented, it feels like a remake of Close Encounters for adults - and I didn't like that movie either.

Some people are articulating the virtues of this movie - I wish I could have seen the movie they saw. I found it boring and slow. It was pretentious, arty and up its own asshole!!! Not much happens!! Yeah, I get the message from the movie about communication - but all of us with half a brain cell know that!!! I really would like to say something more positive, but I can't think of anything good to say! If you are going to the theater to see it, then I hope you get more from it than I did! Waste of time for me.

Seems a lot of people who know the book aren't too happy with the screen adaptation. But as I don't know the book I can only judge from what I see on the screen. I had seen trailers for this movie and I thought it might be good for a young man with learning difficulties that I take out from time to time.

I really enjoyed this engaging fantasy - and so did the young man. It's perfect viewing for 8 to 14 year old's - and it has a lot to offer for the adults taking them! The story-line is a good yarn and the visuals are delightful.

The pace of the movie is good and the characters are very amusing. I think this movie will stand the test of time and be a regular feature on TV in years to come at holiday times.

If you are in two minds about the movie, I would recommend that you give it the benefit of the doubt. Take a young relative as an excuse to go see it on the big screen. You could do a lot worse with two hours of your life.

I was very keen on this when I first started a binge-watch on Netflix, but I'm now nearing the end of the second series and rapidly losing interest.

There's so many red herrings, twists and turns that it's now become a little boring. The sub-plots round the two lead detectives private lives are stupid and not realistic for the type of job that they do.

There's too many unbelievable scenarios to give it credibility. For top detectives who are supposed to be in a very pressurized job, they spend a lot of time pretty much doing nothing except sitting in cars waiting to see somebody come out of somewhere - or drinking coffee and discussing stuff that presumably the grunt workers back in the office have done for them.

They should have made this a 12-part story rather than drag it out over more than one season. I see there's four seasons to get through. If they are sticking to the same story, I won't get past season 2 - I'll jump ship.

If I were reviewing this after watching 5 or 6 episodes I would have given it a much higher rating. But it's just dragging on now.

I avoided this movie when it was in the theaters, but recently I was on a long haul flight and watched this movie. I thought I would probably give up on it after 30 minutes and move on to another selection! This isn't the sort of movie I would normally watch but I'm so glad that I did. Ryan Reynolds played his part beautifully - he's good in comedy, I love his dry sense of humor!! The special effects were spectacular, and there was a reasonable story-line to follow. I was enthralled from start to finish. One minor criticism - the overuse of bad language - had it been used less it would have been more effective and have more impact.

If you're like me and avoid all kind of superhero movies, give this one a go. It really is better than you probably imagine. The consistent foul language is a bit of turn off, but apart from that, it's an enjoyable spoof and send up of this genre. I have no hesitation recommending this movie.

I was in two minds about watching this movie - I wasn't sure that the subject matter and location really appealed to me. Boy was I wrong!!! This is a very powerful drama which is totally realistic. Superb acting - especially by the lead young boy Agu. The movie contains some very harrowing scenes - it's not an easy watch, but it is worthwhile.

The movie is well directed and gives you plenty of food for thought. It will undoubtedly change your views and opinions on what actually happens in these civil wars in relatively unknown countries and regions of Africa. I'm seeing and understanding things differently now - mostly because of this movie.

If you are in two minds about watching this, there are some very eloquent reviews in praise of this movie. I was one of those people. I'm glad I chose to watch it. Very worthwhile.

For anybody who has an interest in the music of the 60's, this is a must-see documentary. This one - along with Standing In The Shadows of Motown - show you the real musical talent behind some of the greatest Pop hits of the 60's. At least with Motown - we knew it was the musicians in the studio that created the sound the sound that we loved to hear on the radio and on our 45's - even if we didn't know the musicians by name.

With the Wrecking Crew, they played the instruments in the studio on so many big Pop hits of the 60's while we watched bands looking as though they played them!! For me, it doesn't detract from how great those songs were then - and now!!! It was surprising to realize that a lot of the Beach Boys hits were created by the Wrecking Crew under the guidance of Brian Wilson while the band were out on the road touring! The anecdotes by several members of these session musicians were very entertaining. I doubt they got paid anywhere near their real worth - but for these guys, it was a labor of love - and as long as they had enough money to pay the bills, that was fine by them.

When you re-visit some of these old hits from the 60's you will listen to them with a different set of ears!!! That intro riff to Wichita Lineman by Carol Kaye is one example. The artistry of all these musicians needs to be recognized and acknowledged - and it is through this documentary.

Stumbled on this one on Netflix and am glad I did. A delightful comedy/drama around the lives of four individuals who plan to commit suicide for different reasons. Sounds depressing doesn't it? Very impressive performances - especially from Pierce Brosnan and Aaron Paul. Toni Collette plays a character that is well within her range and scope.

There's a great mix of comedy and drama in this story - and some food for thought too. Believe me, the film is a lot better than the synopsis. If in doubt, read some of the reviews here of the people who enjoyed it. It is ultimately a movie of hope. Give it a go - you won't be disappointed.

I revisited this movie recently after many years. I remember enjoying it when I first saw it, but this time I was totally blown away with it.

It is one of the most charming and delightful movies told in hindsight about a young boy growing up in a small town in Italy. The story goes back to before WW2. The young boy is in love with the films shown at the local movie house. Most of the townsfolk use the cinema as their main source of entertainment watching Hollywood movies that have been dubbed into Italian.

The young boy builds up a lifelong friendship with the projectionist and becomes his protégé. There are wonderful snippets of the quirky inhabitants of the town. As the young lad matures, he's encouraged to spread his wings and make something of himself in the world - eventually he does.

Many years on, he has reason to return to his old home town which he hasn't seen for twenty years. It gives him a chance to reminisce.

The story is so cute, beautiful, tender, heart-warming and funny. It's a must-see movie for any movie lover. It's rare for me to rate a movie 10/10, but I have no hesitation with this one.

This is an insult to most people's intelligence. This movie should not be taken seriously by any adult. I can see some appeal for youngsters - they are more prone to having their feelings manipulated.

It wasn't till the end of the movie that I checked out all the details and that's when I discovered it was directed by Spielberg. I should have guessed!!! An over sentimental load of rubbish with a totally unrealistic and unbelievable story line. If you are a fan of Spielberg's popular movies then this may appeal to you. Personally I'm not one of his fans - save for the 'B' movie Duel from the early 70's which was unique for its day.

I've given this a rating of three - for the acting by the horses and the wonderful cinematography. It was so far from reality and so formulaic. Read the eloquent reviews by people who rated it two stars or less and take their advice.

I have nothing new to add to the many eloquent reviews that have been posted here. I just watched this on Netflix and wanted to agree with the other reviews.

This is a well scripted and well acted movie with very believable characters. Due to the subject matter it's not going to appeal to everyone, but it really is worth a watch.

Superb performances by the two main characters. You empathize with the situation they find themselves in. You know it's not going to be a happily-ever-after ending - there's gonna be some heartbreak. Well directed too.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good drama. There are plenty of erotic man-on-man scenes which might make some people uncomfortable, but times have got better - it shouldn't offend most people. And those scenes aren't played for sexual arousal (although it does have that effect!!!), they are there to show you that homosexual acts are just as natural as anybody else's sexual acts. The movie doesn't disappoint and I have no hesitation in giving it an eight star rating.

Well directed movie which tried to explain the collapse of the USA financial market which rippled its way round the world into a global depression. The movie was careful to explain some of the jargon to us in a way that's reasonably easy for us to understand. But this isn't a movie for everyone - it has limited appeal.

It's too simplistic to put all the blame at the door of the big banks – but they do deserve a major chunk of the blame. The SEC and the Ratings Agencies share an equal amount of blame for allowing this situation to become the monster that it did. It's a fact of life that in any disaster, there are winners as well as losers.

Capitalism does have its faults – make no mistake. But for now there isn't a better option. It is evolution at work. It's natural and right for all of us to want to better ourselves. But once greed rears its ugly head, then it gets nasty. As always, it's the have-nots that suffer the most – losing their jobs and struggling to keep a roof over their heads through no fault of their own. That's the reality and sadness of the whole situation.

It is horrendous that very few people were brought to answer for their actions – there was definite criminal activity. There were many people who weren't doing their jobs correctly in order to have prevented this debacle. Sadly, white collar crime isn't treated quite as seriously as all other crimes of theft and fraud by poorer people. But we all have some blame to bear. If we didn't give all our money to the Investment bankers looking for the best return on our dollar, then these situations wouldn't be as dramatic as they were. Society as a whole has to bear some blame too.

I did struggle a bit towards the end with exactly what was happening with these Investors and their funds, but just about hung on. Not enough emphasis was put on the real sufferers – the lower class poor public. People who lost their jobs because the banks collapsed and loans and investments to small businesses dried up. That's the REAL story. Even today people are still suffering from the after effects. It's a dog eat dog world – make no mistake.

I did like the fact that a lot of the events were based on actual events. Superbly acted and well directed. A very good effort. I was somewhat surprised that others in the theater laughed out loud when some of the characters used profanities in the workplace while at tense meetings....c'mon, grow up people - it's not funny to hear people use the F-word. It was used in context of a serious situation and because of the urgency of what was happening in the financial world. The people laughing were adults - not just College kids! Grow up. The words were there as a part of the reality - not for laughs!

The concept was a good one to take on as there have been a number of high profile abduction cases over the past twenty years or so. But I wasn't totally convinced with the script on this one.

It was a good effort in showing the psychological problems and scars that the victims are left with. For me, the best part of the movie was the last 15 minutes - they were the most realistic. And the final narration by the young lad was well written - but a five year old wouldn't be that eloquent. The first half of the story based in the room didn't really work well in my estimation.

Despite that, all the major players did a fine job, although I wouldn't say Oscar worthy. I wouldn't recommend people to go the movie theater to see this one - you can wait till it comes round on streaming or a movie channel - or Red Box.

Firstly, I have to admit that I'm a Star Wars virgin! I have never seen any of the previous movies. I didn't go to see this for myself, I took a young man with learning difficulties for a fun activity. For the most part, it held his attention. As for me – well, I just don't see the appeal of the movie for adults. Sure it's great for under 15's and wouldn't dream of knocking them for their enjoyment!

I found the storyline too formulaic – and there are more holes in it than a moth eaten blanket! The special effects are just adequate – nothing new or ground-breaking. The screenwriters didn't exactly have to work hard on this one!! Pretty much, it's the good guys versus the bad guys and generally the good guys win out – for the time being!! Needless to say, the movie leaves plenty of scope for a plethora of sequels. And all the time there are youngsters out there, they will lap it up!! I know some adults go because of taking their kids – that's fine!! But I seriously have to wonder about adults that go for their own enjoyment. Maybe I'm just getting old.

I've rated this a three – and not from my personal enjoyment, but for the effort that has been put in for its intended audience. I feel they have been somewhat cheated by a mass produced franchise. It's the McDonald's of the movie world.

If you go to see a Tarantino movie, you have some idea of what to expect - the unexpected!! I did find the first hour somewhat plodding in pace and felt it could have been edited down a tad. But once the real story kicks in, it's kinda like a Tarantino version of an Agatha Christie whodunit. That's not a criticism, just an observation.

Samuel L Jackson and Kurt Russell are just superb in their characters - I hope they get nominated for Best Actor come Oscar time. A great cast with a typical Tarantino storyline. If you are a fan of Tarantino, you will love this one too. Everyone can argue which is Tarantino's best movie - I wouldn't dare to suggest that my favorite would be everybody else's.

I enjoyed it - but my attention waned a little in the first hour. A good movie that benefits from a large screen! I also agree with one reviewer who says there are political undercurrents in the storyline - I felt that too! But don't let that put you off. I look forward to revisiting this movie in a couple of years. It will always be considered as a Tarantino classic.

What else is left to be said about this masterpiece sit-com? All sit-coms since this aired tries to use the formula that this show has! Shows like 'How I Met Your Mother' relies heavily on the perceived successful formula.

Friends is unique. It features six of the most lovable flawed characters that you could hope to meet. They each have endearing characteristics and hilarious quirks. From series one, the scriptwriters had molded their characters perfectly, and none of them swayed from how we knew them.

Each show had at least two themes running through it. Each character had their starring moments. The jokes and laughs were shared out equally among the cast. I can't recall a single episode that fell short in any way. Even the secondary characters that appeared in just a few episodes were wonderful - the Janice character popped up at least once in every series and was a great addition to the slick team. Ross & Monica's parents were funny, as was Phoebe's brother. It's kinda wrong to pick out a favorite character from the main six as they were all great in their own way.

Every screenwriter in this genre would love to be able to create a 'Friends' - but it requires more than one great writer - you need a great team of writers to keep the standards high. But just as importantly, you need the right actors/actresses!!! This is the benchmark for all sit-coms. Perfection!

This is a cleverly constructed sit-com. It doesn't try to be 'Friends' or anything else. If you are new to this show, it may take a few episodes for you get drawn in. But you really should make that effort.

Great characters with individual flaws. Plenty of comedic moments, and also many dramatic moments too. There are also a lot of running jokes throughout the series. The Bro-mance between the two main characters is hilarious and heart-warming. As actors, they must have really got on well to be able to put in convincing performances.

It's not the laugh out loud humor of 'Friends'. It is cleverly constructed humor. I also enjoyed all the narrations over many scenes. You could do a lot worse than sit through a box set of this show - especially in the winters of the northern States!!!

For some strange reason I avoided this movie for all this time. I presumed it would be a routine movie around the subject of racism with stereotypical characters.

I should have known better - as it stars and is directed by the great Clint Eastwood. Admittedly the movie does start out fairly predictably and you kinda think you can guess how the story might pan out.

Good performances by all the major players - the goodies and the baddies!!! The thug gang types were very realistic. I do think that Clint's racist character is very in-tune with the 'average' racist in as much as he has preconceived ideas and beliefs about 'recent' foreign immigrants. Clint's character himself is an polish immigrant from many years ago and regards himself as a true American, rather than a Polish immigrant! Worth a watch - it comes round on TV fairly regularly - it is more than just a routine racism movie, it goes a lot deeper.

I predict now that Cate Blanchett will get the Oscar as Best Actress for her starring role in this movie.

Well crafted story that doesn't quite go the way you expect it to. All the acting performances by the major players are worthy. This is a slow moving story but the performances keep you from straying. Not really a guy's movie. Years ago this movie would have shocked - not because of what you see on screen (very tame by today's standards), but the subject matter itself. I enjoyed this movie more because it doesn't concentrate on the sexual side of the relationship. It has more to do with the love between two people - in this case, two women.

Cate looks absolutely stunning in almost every scene. Her style of acting through her visual expressions goes back to the Bette Davis and Joan Crawford era of acting. Stylish, classy and atmospheric.

Also the attention to detail in this movie was first class. It's set in the early fifties, the clothing, the autos, the stores, restaurants, diners, motels etc etc - I was in awe of the artistic side of the movie too.

The only reason I haven't given this movie a 10 rating is because I probably won't re-visit this movie for some years despite how good it is. But that's only because I know how the story ends. It really is worth seeing if the synopsis appeals to you. If I was able, I would give this movie a 9.5/10. I'm sure it will get a few nominations come Oscar time - and deservedly so!

This movie isn't sure what it wants to be. A straight out comedy, a drama or a black comedy. For me it misses out on being a straight comedy or a drama - and just about fits into the black comedy genre.

I will say that the basic premise of the story is pretty good - fairly original. You can pick holes in the story like moths on a blanket - too many to mention.

In some ways, it reminds me of Waking Ned Devine - a small town full of bizarre characters (set in Australia). I don't feel able to recommend you go the a movie theater to see it, but it is worth a watch on Netflix or Red Box. I didn't dislike it, but I wanted to like it more.

I feel that the movie would be better in the hands of a more experienced Director.

Full of clichés and a third rate storyline! I'm surprised this movie attracted a few heavyweights - maybe they have a big IRS bill to pay?? This is just a TV movie for the Lifetime channel. No acting performances of any note and a story that is just mediocre. I wasn't expecting an Oscar blockbuster, but I hoped that the movie would offer something worthwhile. I'm sorry to say it didn't. Come tomorrow, I will have forgotten it completely.

Don't waste your time going to see this at a theater - if the movie appeals to you, wait for it on Netflix or your choice of streaming. It didn't move me or touch me at all.