Film Reviews by NM

Forget the hype surrounding this film - it is a bit like watching a below par football match that ends 0-0. The problem is credibility. The film is based on an unlikely romance between a 15 year old school kid and a woman in her mid-twenties. We are expected to believe that the school kid is not only a well known child actor, but capable of creating two working businesses, apparently without any parental help. To top it off the 15 year old is played by a large, unattractive 18 year old, Cooper Hoffman, who looks the same age as his co-star. One can only wonder why the story had to be about a 15 year old and why Hoffman was chosen (maybe because his dad was Phillip Seymour-Hoffman).

Oh dear, what a mess. Despite two previous successful versions to follow, access to a beautiful boat, the Nile and CGI, all is thrown away with a terrible screen play and ham acting to go with it. What was Branagh thinking? The Ustinov (1978) and Suchet (TV 2004) versions are far superior - all that was needed was a gorgeous upgrade.

The love story is not bad, if a little unbelievable, but the film it is really spoilt by being far too mawkish (singing orphans - yuk!). Charles Boyer puts in an excellent performance and it is his presence that makes the film worth the watch.

This is an incoherent, mess of a movie with no regard to story telling or character creation. The plot, if you can call it one, hinges on people from the future coming back in time to mess up the present, coupled with a clichéd Russian bad guy who wants to use all this malarkey to end the world - of course he must be stopped at all costs - and is. One gets the impression that this ill-conceived story was cobbled together while the film was being shot and that it is all just an excuse for yet another Hollywood CGI chase 'em, fight 'em and blow 'em up movie. If this is your thing, then you may enjoy it, my advice is give it a miss, there are better movies to see. Tenet is set to lose a lot of money at the box office and deservedly so.

It has a lot going for it: good cast, good story, nicely filmed in gorgeous colour, but it is just too much hard work. At over 130mins long, the weak comedy and story drag on and you start wishing for it all to end. It needs editing down to 90-100mins. Shame, it could have been a classic.

Terrible film - openly misandrous - the female characters always know better than the men. I gave up after 30mins.

This is a real Bogart/Bacall classic. A must see and then seen again. Bogart is on top form with a young Lauren Bacall matching him. The film has a great script, supporting cast and some weird and memorable music too. I've seen this film many times and the recent Blu-Ray version is just fantastic.

It won Oscars for Cinematography, Visual Effect and Sound; deservedly so. However, like most modern movies, the story is neither credible nor interesting. It is nowhere near in the same class as Saving Private Ryan, All Quiet on the Western Front, Deer Hunter etc. Worth a watch but don't expect too much of it. Certainly no classic.

The production, acting (maybe Craig's southern US accent is a bit dodgy), script, photography etc are all top quality. However, as is the case with a lot of current Hollywood films, the story lets it down. The story is interestingly convoluted, but when analysed it turns out to be rather simple and weak - a rich old man disinherits his family and seemingly commits suicide (or is it murder?). When the film reaches its denouement you feel let down - this is mutton dressed up as lamb.

Messing with a classic story is risky and here the messing is a disaster. What a waste of acting talent. This is a confused chic flic - to be avoided.

This film should be one hour shorter. At 2h 24mins it drags along. The story is not bad, but do we need it to be the life story of the main character? The film only gets going when the alien signal is (rather conveniently) detected.

This is a great play with a faultless performance to match. A must see even if you are not into Shakespeare. This performance may convert you.

The film is beautiful to look at, although the CGI gives it a comic book look. The main problem with the film is the laboured ending. It just goes on and on to an extent that you just wish it would finish and you could move on to something else. The Ustinov version on blu-ray is better. (Agatha Christie is hugely popular but this particular story always was a bit overcooked).