Film Reviews by JD

Compared to the DVD of the north west coast of Cornwall the photography is less good. The shadow of the helicopter is a frequent distraction and somehow the commentary less interesting. It does not however fail to live up to the title.

This is an Italian film of beauty and gentle nostalgia. It is not sophisticated or dramatic and I enjoyed it for that. The characters are played lovingly and I was completely immersed in the charm of this quirky Italian village.

It is well worth adopting as a company's brand name.

This is an exploration of the psychological problems of an intersexual adolescent. A deeply thought provoking view from the angles of the affected person their family and their peers. The central characters are played brilliantly well. It didn't explore the emotions of the XXY individual enough for me and some of the unimportant scenes were too prolonged.

I don't know if this is a good reflection of the Israel / Palestine relationship but I felt that I watching into another world. Seeing the huge differences between us and them and between either side of the West bank divide. Moments of levity do not hide the constant threat and oppression. I felt privileged to live in a much more liberated culture.

The idea of being completely controlled by an anonymous central computer which can access any electronic device is ingenious. It is a very significant step in evolution from 1984 and one which is easy to imagine. The build up to this concept is engaging. The chase scenes that follow, however, whilst dramatic, are considerably less novel.

Slapstick, childishly funny and in the "Carry On" "Confessions of" genre but with a hint of scrapheap challenge. Probably a blokes film but good fun.

This type of cutting edge comedy can leave you very cold. You definitely have to be in the right astral plane to enjoy this. I wasn't so I didn't. In the section "members who liked this also enjoyed....." is Blackadder. To my mind a completely different comedy genre. This is more like brass tacks.

This is now 26 years old. Some comedy can survive that (porridge or morecambe and wise) some can't. There are some good bits, my favourite is the scene where Robin recounts his really bad day.

I imagine the Martin Clunes' version will prompt comparison. They are both a product of their times but the Reggie version is focussed more on infidelity whereas the contemporary version more on management stupidity. I prefer Reggie's partly for the nostalgia and partly for his better acting and unique timing.

A dirty underworld in which a tightly controlled populace is not allowed out and so elements of resistance break out. Probably second only to cops and robbers with car chase in terms of remakes. To be interesting to anyone over 16 this is not different enough. I imagine from the cover though that this is aimed at the 6 - 10 year old audience.

Despite being a hardened Anglophile and choosing this on the basis of it having English comedians, Danny DeVito brilliantly plays his intriguing role which for me keeps the plot on track. The other characters are unconvincingly played but overall, a funny film worth a watch.

Why a four star with a critical title? Like French and Saunders or Absolutely Fabulous I know that it will appeal to women but it definitely does not have a universal appeal. I liked one sketch of a spoof pop video.

When Reeves and Mortimer broke the mould I wasn't initially sure but warmed to it. This daring mould breaker however is not a signpost to the future of comedy.

I wanted to know what the fuss was about when, previously, controversy had abounded and it was interesting for that. Try as I might however I could not find it funny.

I prefer Kay as a stand-up comedian or even just in interview. I am totally in awe of his quick, insightful and gentle humour. As an actor he is good but just a bit less good.