Film Reviews by AB

Slightly confusing anime (Q: who *was* the hero's mother? Human? or monkey?)

Overly praised to my mind as it is a standard story - good v evil with helpers on both sides and psychological pseudo-ism in the whole film.

The sort of film that critics love because it is the thing that they *should* be praising without knowing why

The premise is good, the acting should have been easy but the storyline was lacking.

The two leads are good actresses but the whole thing lacked a good storyline and got very confusing to watch, even for the viewers who were "in the know" about what was going on. I lost track of which twin was which in some of the scenes which spoiled things a bit. A bit more zany humour would have helped and extrapolating the dog ownership story and the putting competition story might hve helped a bit but they were left hanging as obvious fillers that would have not been missed if absent. Watch but don't expect to enjoy

As said elsewhere, this is the mirror side of the US film, but shows how drug gangs, the mafia, etc are all interlinked, with some people trying to help society at great danger to themselves, not knowing who to trust and who is actually trying to hinder them in their job.

I got a bit lost trying to follow who was who, but the storyline is believable, the subtitles good and the film has a sad ending.

Don't try to compare it with the Popeye Doyle films but watch it as the 'other' part of the story.

I have read The Hobbit many time and I think that it is a simpler, more enjoyable and more readable book than LOTR. To stretch the former into 3 films is a travesty as there are many parts in the film that are obviously there to be padding - as is the major faux pas when they meet with Galadriel. There are *no* female characters in The Hobbit book and Galadriel was in LOTR. Good CGI but the baddies aren't bad enough (yet?) and was I the only one who was rooting for the Wargs in the battles?

Sets up the backstory of Dr. Strange (and even his cloak) and others (above and WIki) have expressed views on type- (or should that be UNtype-) casting of various characters. Very poor chief villain and the esoteric multi-verse is very confusing but the whole film has very good CGI. (I should have been a CGI engineer in real life - I would make a fortune from the Marvel franchises!!!)

Another Tim Burton incomprehensible story with so many plot holes as to make it unenjoyable.

Anything involving time travel raises more questions than it should (vide Star Trek in all its guises!) and this one is no different, but the storyline is 'plausible' and, at times, confusing but the whole film is enjoyable to watch.

I'm surprised that, given the US-centric storyline at the start, that Wales was the 'chosen' venue for the storyline and that it wasn't labelled as "Wales near England"!

Poor spin off of the Dr Who franchise featuring a whole set of annoying kids, held together by their teacher Miss Quill (who seems to be the only proper actress/actor in the whole setup - the lovely Katherine Kelly). Too much over-reaction, too much of the kids working out what to do in a galactic war (as if they would know)... and why does every Dr Who spinoff now have to have gay characters in it? Too much influence by Russell T Davies?

Nice to see real science being used properly regarding feeding, oxygen, water etc. Some of the fine details were skimmed over in the film (cf the book, which probably had *too* much detail). The last few scenes were very good - emotionally draining in fact and I found myself getting very emotional about it all, with a lump in my throat. It is also believable that the world (ie all nations) *would* get together to help someone in Watney's predicament.

Overly complex, difficult to follow and form any storyline to, never mind come with up any plot, ending or explanation.

The only reason that Clooney seems to be in the film is a decision by Soderbergh along the lines of "how can I make this poor story make any money - Ah yes, I'll have several scnes with Clooney in the nude. That will attract his female followers to the cinema".

One of the poorest films I have seen in a time

This is a very watchable film - up to date with its ideas, possibilities, plausibilities.

Good slow-burning film, not so much a thriller as an intelligent observation of real-life and what could be/would be/can be happening in areas that 99% of people would not inhabit. Totally unexpected ending that threw me completely. Recommended.

What on earth was Hugh Laurie thinking when he took this on - and *why* attempt to be an American? Doesn't the USA produce actors? Family breakdown, twee-US style with no redeeming qualities beyond toe-curling (but believable) scenes between the families but I would struggle to call this a comedy and certainly not "hilarious" as the CinemaParadiso synopsis describes the film.

A bit corny at times and predictbale but what you do in his situation, given that you would know what to do?

Very small cast so limited in what can be achived in a storyline - vide also the disappointing ending.

Tense at times but Jennifer L in a swimsuit made the day!

A bit formulaic and a bit convoluted revenge thriller. Several holes in the script (why would anyone accept someone with a UK accent pretending to be a Texas resident, even with a poor imitation accent?). Not overly violent, nor gory but not one of the best. manages to kill an hour or two of time if you want. ACting is a bit wooden but you get to see Jennifer L in her underwear!

Not amusing, nor a thriller, nor sci-fi - a mish mash of poor everything - storyline, acting, script.

Watch it simply to say that you have seen it - any acting talent that may have been present is quickly removed in this poor film with a weak storyline

This is a poor pastiche of the first 3 Bourne films, with little showing of the skills that he had in those films, excepting the car chases and hand-to-hand fighting. (Spoiler ...) And why did they have to kill Nicky Parsons? Film linked in nicely with the Athens riots but Alice Vikander was *too* much of a pain in the backside as her character to be worth the while. A bit confusing as a film plot that sorted itself out eventually without any real denouement but this seemed to be a filler in the franchise.