Reviews

Great setting, cast, story and performances. A must to be seen.

This is quite an entertaining stand alone fantasy adventure that doesn’t really require you to know anything about what’s gone on before. Thanks to the sacred lotus, there’s a bit of reincarnation going on, but will that be completed in time to save the population of the “Chentang Pass” about to be attacked by an army of lava-borne devils? With certain defeat looming, the immortals start to take an hand in things - not unlike the story of the siege of Troy, and just like that take from antiquity, there is plenty of betrayal and duplicity to complement the more traditional stories of loyalty, family and team building as the story gradually builds to it’s pot-boiling climax. The CGI is better than many, much less two-dimensional, and there is lots of vibrant action as the naive but honourable young “Nezha” must find his own destiny, define his relationship with the more clean cut “Ao Bing”...

Everyone and their mother is going to write reviews about the Star Wars movies...and this one, this one actually came out before I was born. It breaks the heart. I had to wait until the re-release before I got to see this one on the big screen. This is the one that ruined my Star Wars opening night streak... ...Well The Force Awakens ALMOST ruined it further. I had to drive out to my parents house just to see it, for the sake of tradition, and when I got there they had already gone without me...twice. Some angry words later and I guilted my mom, pointing out the drive, to force her into a third go. But that is neither here nor there. This was the movie that started it all. And the first time I saw it, it was on Beta. Once upon a time my family had the movie in Beta. And then I had the trilogy in VHS. And then I had it on DVD. And it is going to repeat like that as the mediums...

A quality start to the franchise. I say start, I guess that depends on the (seemingly) controversial way of watching these films - I've decided on release order, so it's the beginning for me anyway. I've heard a lot about 'Star Wars' so I am expecting big things, this didn't disappoint whatsoever. I unquestionably enjoyed this! If I didn't know this was released in 1977 I would never have guessed, it still holds up astonishingly well. The special effects are spectacular for the vast, vast majority; even the stuff that perhaps hasn't aged as supremely still looks superb. The cast are a joy. I actually wouldn't say any performance sensationally stood out, but all the actors and all the characters are so much fun to watch together. Mark Hamill is impressive as Luke, Harrison Ford is entertaining as Han and Carrie Fisher is super as Leia. Credit also to James Earl Jones and Alec Guinness,...

Star Wars (1977) is a true masterpiece of cinema, and is definitely one of the best films ever made. For me Star Wars (1977) is the best movie of all time,tied with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Star Wars (1977) it is for sure the most iconic film of all time everything in it is iconic. The direction, the script, the performances in this film are brilliant, all the characters are captivating and well developed. Anyway, this is a totally perfect film, I only have praise for it, it is certainly a masterpiece of cinema, and my grade for it is 10\10.

A long time ago in a childhood not too far away... Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the Imperial Army as it seeks to rule the Galactic Empire. An old Jedi Knight by the name of Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi may just be hers, and the rebels only hope. Teaming up with farm boy Luke Skywalker, scoundrel Captain Han Solo, and a couple of quirky droids, Kenobi sets off on a mission that could well shape the destiny of the Galaxy, and all who dwell within it. Back in 1977 I was but a wee 11 year old boy, weened on films from all genres by my movie loving parents, I had no idea that Star Wars was to have the same impact on me as Jaws had two summers previously, where yet again I found myself queueing around the block for two whole hours to see a film in a one screen theatre. My love of cinema firmly cemented, Star Wars was the start of a love affair that lasts to this very day. As the...

'The Prestige' is tremendous! An expertly made movie about magic, one that lasts just over two hours but it is most definitely 120mins+ well spent. I was sold by the whole vibe of it from the very beginning, sometimes you can just tell you're going to absolutely enjoy something from the opening minutes and this, for me, was one of those films. The casting is terrific, many well known faces appear. Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine (how about that speech), Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson are all brilliant, the latter two do hold minimally iffy accents though; or maybe it was just me. There are a few other strong performers too, like Andy Serkis and David Bowie! No-one onscreen puts a foot wrong. Christopher Nolan is again back to his twisty best with this one. It's admittedly nothing as super deep as, say, 'Inception' and I did read where this one was going in certain aspects, though...

Nolan should make more period dramas.

There is great entertainment in seeing the two fellow-rivals battling each other, but it is only after the final twist that the viewer realises the entire film is a magic trick, a prestige, itself. 10/10

Perplexed by the storyline at the beginning, deeply attracted to the narratives of the intense rivalry between two actors in the main body of the show, and finally shocked by the revealed truth, or *The Prestige* in the end. This is one of the most mind-blowing mysteries that I've watched in recent years. One of the best part, I think, is how the characters of two young magicians are depicted -- through small but noticeable details like the facial expressions, one or two words, the novels et cetera. In fact, the title of the movie, even being explained by Cutter in the beginning, still puzzles me and I can't stopped thinking about the meaning of it. Not to mention other puzzles. But ultimately, I came to realize that the plot structure corresponds to a epic magic show as well.

This isn't so much a drama as an intimate observational documentary following the lives of people recently arrived on the island of Taiwan after the Chinese communist party took control of the mainland. There is still a considerable degree of militaristic life amongst the population, and the secret police are never far from the minds of the adults whilst the adolescents come to terms with their own, quite often gang-related, issues too. Those are not, initially at any rate, gangs in the violent sense of New York's "Jets" and "Sharks", but they are just as important in providing a degree of structure, identity and security for a rootless youth who are as uncertain of their future as they are of their past. With more than an oblique nod to "Romeo and Juliet", we meet "Si'r" (Chang Chen) who has a curiously ambivalent relationship with "Ming" (Lisa Yang), with both affiliated to opposing...

I might be asking for trouble here, but did Charles Laughton ever actually make a bad film? He leads this one as the brilliant but curmudgeonly barrister "Sir Wildred Robarts" with oodles of charisma and style. Marlene Dietrich portrays the evil, manipulative "Christine Vole" marvellously and even Tyrone Power, more the matinée idol than the serious actor, delivers as required in Billy Wilder's outstanding rendition of the Agatha Christie story about a man accused of murdering an elderly lady who has just happened to leave him a great deal of money in her will. Elsa Lanchester is suitably annoying/scary/lovable as the nurse trying to keep her ailing charge from keeling over mid-trial and a slew of other capable British actors - including a wonderfully charismatic turn from Una O'Connor in the witness box - fill in the supporting roles well. It is one of those very rare occasions where...

I'm constantly surprised that women's hats don't provoke more murders. Leonard Steven Vole finds himself on trial for the murder of a wealthy widow from whom he has inherited a fortune. Top barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts takes up the defendants case, but he, along with everyone else, is stunned when Vole's seemingly loving wife Christine turns up to testify against the defendant. Based on Agatha Christie's successful 1953 play, "Witness For The Prosecution" benefited from fine tuning from master director Billy Wilder and writing partner Harry Kurnitz. Here the dialogue becomes razor sharp and the characters are fully realised with quite wonderful results, but chiefly the masterstroke here is not letting a court room drama become just that, a court room drama. The film plays out with no wasted scenes, no moments of boredom, and it has such vim and vigour you sometimes forget that there...

Why don't they make THESE movies anymore? Apart from being a GREAT courtroom drama(which some people don't think this movie is), this movie is so much FUN and ENTERTAINING to watch.Especially because of the characters of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester. But Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich were convincing too in their portrayal of an innocent, afraid for his life man and a disloyal, unloving, poker faced wife respectively. Some people might say that they predicted the ending half way down the movie but i am not quite sure as to how they predicted the ACTUAL ENDING before it really unfolded before their eyes? This movie is great not only in the part played in court but also in the scenes shot in Sir Wilfrid Robarts's office(also due to Miss Plimsoll's caringly lovably irritating character!). Perhaps the people(the minority I'd like to believe) who don't think this movie deserves...

Great thriller with superb classical interpretations. The plot moves sometimes too lazily.

“Hana” is one of those kindly people who wants to help out, so when she encounters a quiet young man who seems to be gatecrashing their lectures, she offers to share her books with him and pretty soon they are an item, living together and have two children “Yuki” and “Ame”. She (and we) know that he has quite an unique secret that comes in handy when they needed a nice pheasant for dinner, but when he is found dead in a storm drain, not only must she bring up the two children on her meagre savings, but move to somewhere where her children - who have inherited their father’s quirk - can be more relaxed than they can be in a city full of scrutinising eyes. She finds them a remote and ramshackle house which they have fun renovating and as the kids grow up, “Yuki” finds it easier to relate to her school friends whilst “Abe” suddenly turns a maturity corner and begins to yearn for a wilder...

A modern approach to the myth of the wolverine in the wolf extincted Japan. The animation is really fantastic, specially the background staging. The story is interesting and is quite touching the struggle of the mother to raise her children but at some point it becomes a bit boring for lack of rythm.

The movie is beautifully animated and an emotional Rollercoaster ride. Topped only by the excellent Soundtrack by Takagi Masakatsu.

"Jesper" is a sort of "Verruca Salt" type of character. He's spoilt and lazy and lives the life of Riley because his father indulges him. Finally, though, his Postmaster General dad decides it's time for his son to stand on his own to feet. Well more likely skis, as he's dispatched to a remote island well above the Arctic Circle - think Svalbard but without the polar bears - and told that he has one year to deal with 6,000 letters or he is done. No more living the high life. Upon arrival in this community that makes the "OK Corral" look like the "Waltons", he is soon embroiled in some local conflict and swiftly realises that nobody here cares less about the postal service. Curiously enough, amidst all this lawlessness, there is a teacher called "Alva" who sort of takes pity on him and stops him freezing to death, and then there is the enigmatic woodcutter "Klaus" who lives in the forest...

Klaus reinvents the classics of Christmas with charm and creativity. It belongs on your holiday tradition list. Klaus is a surprisingly sweet and heartwarming animated Christmas story that reimagines Santa's origins. The story is unique and creative, standing out from many other Santa Christmas cartoons. The animation style creates the feel of a living storybook, and the voice actors delightfully march the lighthearted tone of the crazy little town of Smeerensburg. Klaus leaves its audience feeling cozy, nostalgic, and content. This will be on the yearly Christmas holiday watchlist in my home.