Film Reviews by CD

The positives first - this is quite an original western with good actors and acting.  However, it is a long and frustrating film with a very uneven pace, much gratuitous and unrealistic violence and confusing linkage between the scenes albeit with an overall plot that just about hangs together.  Certainly not in my top 30 westerns but enough critics and viewers like it for it to be worth a watch.

Very disappointed in this film given the quality of the cast and the epic story of Odysseus.  While the imagining of the palace and the suitors piques the interest early on, the slow dramatic presentation sucks the life out of the action.  One is left scarcely caring how it ends given that Odysseus seems content to stay a beggar for most of the film.  It needed a spark in the story and dialogue which for me never came.

This is a very British comedy in a windswept and rocky coastal landscape. The comedy is very much driven by the lead character (Charles) and in the detail of the dialogue. There is a gentle but definite dig at the hubris of music celebrities and enough character-depth and a little sadness in the background to make this a deeper film than it appears at the start. The tennis match is a great bit of comedy and reminded me of the scene in "Les Vancances de Monsieur Hulot" by Jacques Tati. Highly recommended.

I found this a very strange film but very much enjoyed it, and have thought about it a lot since veiwing it. Emma Stone and other leads are excellent and I really like the gentle relationship between the two male characters. The conspiracy theory angle suddenly changes to a much more interesting plot, and there is enough drama and action to keep the momentum to the very end. Really worth a look if you want to be challenged a bit.

I was a bit disappointed given the reviews. I watched “Double Indemnity” (1944) in the same week and found that a much superior film.  While the charisma and ability of the main actors in “The Maltese Falcon” are undoubted, the plot is bizarre and the poor treatment of women and meanness in the characters is quite unpleasant,  with the comic aspects of the script dimming with time. 

I have been familiar with David Bowie‘s work over many years and have liked quite a lot of his albums, but would never consider myself a fan. I found this documentary interesting about the creative process and the artistic integrity with which Bowie worked throughout most of his career. It is visually quite stunning, but some of the  interviews themselves are a bit hit and miss although Bowie is entertaining throughout.

I really liked this film with its relative low key beginning and then progessive build of momentum. There is an excellent cast of actors and a really superb performance by the truly scary Aunt who bursts in about a third of the way in. It is cleverly constructed from different viewpoints and very well directed. Definitely recommended if you like to imagine a witch in action in a modern suburban setting.

This is the second time i have seen this film and I think it is one of Nicolas' Cage's greatest acting performances. It is a film with a lot of depth, a great cast, some funny moments, a lot of quite moving scenes between Roy and his "daughter" Angela, and a taut and interesting plot built around several confidence tricks. The backdrop is interesting American scenes and buildings and even the soundtrack is good. A great and memorable film.

I have rarely seen a film that offers so little storyline content or explanation and which has such a flat ending. The actors do their best with a very limited script and there is little of interest in terms of relationships or location. Beyond the frequent loud bangs and rather aimless patrols around and into the house, the strangers themselves are rarely more scary than their masks. The camerawork is excellent and the Director manages to keep a very tense atmosphere, but this is not a film I rate highly.

The film focuses very much around relationships and the human factor rather than the physical combat against an alien invasion.  This works well up to  a point with some good acting, but the one-sided relationship between the strong woman and the rather weak guy has become rather cliched in the past few years.  The cat is adorable though and makes up for some loss of momentum and interest in the film.

This is an absolute gem. Great acting and characterisation, a plot that keeps the film going throughout, some brilliant comic scenes and great street scenes of London in the 1950s.  David Jason, Frankie Howerd and the actor who played the lead part as the policeman in “Dixon of Dock Green” all appear in cameo roles to great effect.

This is a complex and gripping drama from Tolstoy which this series of episodes struggles a bit with realising. The acting is generally good, but the casting does not always seem to work well, with some anomalies around ages and accents of some of the actors even within the same families. There are plenty of interesting 19th century scenes and some action. The script is quite interesting and I like the way that the characters are neither good nor bad and definitely flawed. The birth of Anna's daughter seems to kick off the second part of the drama, but it loses a bit of its power and interest once the relationships become a bit more established. Overall an enjoyable watch but I prefer a number of other period dramas such as "War and Peace" and "Vanity Fair" to this one, even though they are much longer.

Very impressed with the direction and acting in this rather sad and distressing drama.  The attention to detail is all through the film and it is very moving in several places.  Only truly scary in a few scenes but the film has a brooding atmosphere.

Really enjoyed this western classic, brilliantly directed by Walter Hill and with great performances by Robert Duvall and all the cast. It reminded me of "Lonesome Dove". The landscapes and photography are great, with a simple but good plot, expert pacing and fine casting of all the roles. Highly recommended.

I was reminded a bit of the recent George Clooney Film "Jay Kelly" (2025) by this light comedy. Nicolas Cage does not shy away from self-deprecating humour and parts of this film are very funny and enjoyable e.g. the "paronoid" car escape and wall climbing scenes. The buddy element of this film is well done, but the storyline and rather gratuitous violence especially towards the end lets it down. The cast is a strong one and does a good job. Overall an enjoyable and undemanding watch.