Film Reviews by JF

This warm yet unsentimental film had my attention from start to finish. A small rocky bay near Marseille is the setting, a tall viaduct and a jumble of houses built on a steep slope, one restaurant. The family (2 brothers and a sister) have gathered round their father who has had a major stroke, leaving him unable to speak or even move. Their reunion is initially tentative, but the return to the family home resolves a number of issues, some unexpected. Recommended..

How not to make a film. True history sentimentalised, overlaid with absolutely relentless orchestral music which added nothing to the film.

Quite the worst film I've seen in years.

I enjoyed this on TV quite recently, and decided that it would be worth seeing at leisure. I got so much more from it, jokes and allusions that I had missed entirely! I had both disc 1 and disc 2, (total 6 episodes) and watched over 2 evenings. Very, very satisfying.

Very French. This is a gentle study of the relationship between the townie who returns to his roots, and the gardener. It is really the gardener who is the star, a character who is observant, yet views the world with simplicity. This an lovely and undemanding film, well made and most satisfying.

This is a pretty unusual film. Kind of laid back, sad and funny in almost equal parts. Unexpected too, when the mentally unstable mum meets up with a new man, who is totally able to confront that she has problems - and yet still wants to be with her. Lovely writing, lovely acting and a great backdrop of a most depressing rural slum house. Really enjoyed it.

I was looking forward to watching this, but I found a bit of a slog. I was also surprised at the pantomime baddies. It's a "worthy" film, but disappointing.

For almost the entire film I had a big smile on my face. The interaction between the the two photographers was lively and charming, and the oversized photographs were astonishing. Haven't enjoyed a film so much in ages.

Rather a plodding uninspired film. Most of the tension seems to have come from frequent closeups of Liam Neeson. Given the extraordinary nature of the events, I expected a them to merit better made film.

I can only echo the other reviews!

For example: "a tremendous film. Beautifully made, excellent acting, thought-provoking - just perfect."

There is a poignant scene when father and daughter just look at each other without speaking for what seems an age. The silence underlines the bond and understanding between them, where words would have been superfluous.

One of the best films I've seen in ages.

Along with other reviewers, I found the constant swearing tedious and unimaginative. Again, along with other reviewers, I stuck with it for about 40 minutes and then gave up. Impossible to feel engaged with the characters. Don't know what happened in the end and really couldn't care!

I was hooked immediately. And it wasn't just the astonishing story of the "forgotten" musician and the lengthy search to find him. I was also taken aback at some of the details of life in South Africa for the white population of the time. In the UK we knew about the trials and tribulations of the black population, but little of how the average white S. African was affected by the anti-apartheid embargoes. The young population were apparently cut off from the mainstream culture of the rest of the western world ... As the white South African 'Sugarman' explained, it was a very conservative country, and Rodriguez' lyrics shocked many.

The huge reaction, the emotion and the warmth of the crowds was a revelation, and not just for his first gig

I now have both the DVD and a CD, so obviously the film has made me a fan.

FARCICAL AND GOOD FUN AN ENJOYABLE FILM. Some great character sketches, No real surprises, even so I was never bored.

The plot is pretty standard fare; warring tribes, jealous brother usurps throne, young prince discovers his adversary ..... well, that would be telling wouldn't it. What is exceptional is the marionette animation, the strings of the title give life to the characters. When the strings are cut, the character dies. Great lighting and sense of theatre.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Albert Finney is the centre piece, but there are brilliant cameos among the rest of the cast.

I first saw this film some years ago, and was fascinated by it, and so wanted to see it again. Black and white, crisp and dramatic visuals, it uses a motion capture technique to end up like a highly sophisticated 'bande dessinee'. As it is set in Paris, that seems appropriate. The plot is pretty obscure, and even this second time round, I never completely understood it. But I don't care - I still loved it!