Film Reviews by None

This was far worse than I thought it would be - taking this much license with a story is usually doomed to failure and this went beyond failure.

The story is ripped to shreds and put back together to focus purely on the hedonistic part of the tale, in order to allow over the top costuming and glamour with no substance at all. Ignoring the message of the way in which Gatsby uses his wealth to impress, due to an obsession which ultimately ruins his life.

To reduce this to a comic-book style romp with no real story, no explanation of his life, and with no way to make any sense of the opening scenes, is beyond bizarre. Add to this, the constantly chopping and changing camera angles (is this s comment on people's lack of concentration), making me feel seasick, and I could not make it past the first 1/3 of the film. Truly horrible and not Great Gatsby, more a great disappointment!

I couldn't watch this all the way through.

The premise had some promise, apart from that, it fell flat for me. Caine and Kingsley did their best with what was an awful script - the dialogue sounded like an American trying to do British humour, not sure if that's the case but it seemed that way. I pre-guessed every 'gag' without fail due to the clumsy writing, which created more hilarity that the film itself

Great cast but when I feel the urge to stop watching due to a sudden realisation that I will never get the wasted time back, I must conclude the film to be a flop! It is, after all, elementary, my dear Watson!

I am not usually a fan of action films, or of Tom Hanks, however, I was intrigued by this story, based on true events.

This was a thrilling, enthralling tale of modern day piracy and the strenght and will of the crew who were set upon whilst passing by (not through) Somali waters. Hanks is great and showed some of the acting gumption of his Chuck Noland role in Castaway!

Barkhad Abdi, who plays the role of Muse (main pirate) is amazing and for which he deservedly won a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination. His inexperience adds to the tension and creates a real sense that anything could happen.

What really stood out for me was the desperation in Somalia, a country with no leadership or government, where power is violence, guns and brutality. The pirates are not rich, those who abuse them and force them to 'work' are! One part of the film said it all, Muse tells Cpn Phillips that the previous year they took a Greek ship and made 6 million dollars. Phillips replies

"6 million dollars? So what are you doing here?"

Thoroughly enjoyable and I was gripped all the way through, which surprised me (and my Husband)!

I loved this film, from the beautiful imagery to the haunting tale of an old man reliving past rights and wrongs whilst, assessing his existence and impending death.

The people he meets on the way tie into his dreams, memories and beliefs but also add a new perspective to his fixed views of the past leading to the present.

I watched it first with little knowledge or understanding of Bergman's own life, then, having read the 'Bergman on Wild Strawberries' excerpt in the extra features, watched again with a new perspective. The links to Bergman's own life are strong and powerful, the distant relationship with his mother, the similarities between son and father; the perceived lack of warmth or empathy toward of from other people in Isak's life drive steer his story.

Victor Sjöström as Isak is touching and likable despite his back story of selfishness and coldness. Somehow Sjöström brings a desolation to the role which, without being spelled out, displays his fragility and remorse with a depth it is difficult to explain. The way Isak links to, and learns from, his passengers is beautiful; Equally, the way in which they represent his past and challenge the present is resounding and yet, he also brings to it personal feeling, making one question if Victor Sjöström knew he would be dead within 2 years of the film's release.

This is a film which can be watched from a distance I suppose, perhaps. However, I think one would miss out on a warm tale of perceptions and memories and how they shape and dictate one's perspective if left unquestioned or unchallenged.

This is hilarious...quite simply put! The old Patridge-isms are all here and the excellent use of his ability to try and turn any situation into something about him is fantastic.

At one point, I did feel it could have added something a little extra - you know the feeling where you're waiting for the 'moment' to arrive. It didn't (arrive), so I sat there like a cat who thinks it's getting cream but instead gets full fat pasturised milk and thought 'ohhh'.

But then I realised it could have been (in order of disappointment...ascending)- UHT, skimmed or sterilised milk and it wasn't. So I got better and I love it...with just a little love space left for my imagined gold top (Jersey)/Taste the Difference Whipped moment (imagined)!

I love a good, dark comedy - unfortunately, most play it safe and appear to be fearful of truly creating a demented anti-hero with a deeply sick sense of their own importance. Not so with Sightseers.

This nightmare couple excel in taking a scarily recognisable sense of self-righteous ego overload to the extreme. I have met people a few steps short of this pair who, fortunately, still have their (for want of a psychoanalytical phrase) superego intact. This sociopathic tale still maintains a warped charm(?) with a less expected turn of events regarding just who is the worst protagonist ultimately.

It could be described as a 'romp', but it's too dark for that; one of those films I loved to watch, sort of, but will probably not watch again...not because I didn't like it!

The key characters are played well enough, with Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) looking great, Steve Carell doing fine as the sex therapist visited by a couple who have grown into a hum-drum relationship - by Kay's standards at least.

However, I couldn't help but cringe - not at the post middle aged sexual yearnings, I'm all for reminding the young that older folk like a bit of rumpy-pumpy -but at the lazy stereotypical assumptions on which the relationship is based. This couple were like chalk and cheese, at the start anyway, so to suggest a good time in the sack would solve all their issues was really stretching things for me. In fact, Arnold apparently had a personality transplant somewhere in the film as he retained nothing of his original character.

Not impressed but if you are happy just to watch Meryl and Tommy Lee, you'll get something out of it - which, irritatingly, is probably what the producers are (quite literally) banking on!