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Features:

Be Cool... The Trouble With Sequels

An analysis of Elmore Leonard in  cinema, in the light of the release of the sequel to Get Shorty.

The Village - A Twist Too Far?

M. Night Shyamalan's predilection for surprise endings has come rather unstuck in his latest project. 

Personal Mythmaking - The Art of Dennis Potter

An overview of the writer's oeuvre, tracing the path of a career without parallel in British television.  Previously published in The Third Alternative.

Kill Bill - Mishmash or Masterpiece?

Now that we can piece together all of Quentin Tarantino's epic revenge saga, what does it amount to?

 Whose Lunch Is This Anyway?

Comment on Naked Lunch's original release in 1991, provoked by the considerable liberties taken by David Cronenberg with Burroughs' original text.  Previously published in Critical Wave.

Head In The Clouds

Detailed profile of the work of film director Michael Powell, possibly Britain's best ever filmmaker.  Previously published in The Third Alternative.

"Lengthy, revealing and enjoyable" - Best SF

 

 

Reviews 2005 onwards:             Reviews 2002 - 2004

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Directing and acting, Tommy Lee Jones teams up with 21 Grams scriptwriter Guillermo Arriaga in this complex narrative of wrongdoing and redemption in the Mexican borderlands.

Buster Keaton - A Hard Act to Follow

This Thames TV documentary from 1987 contains a feast of clips from Keaton's films, plus rare footage from his later life and insightful interviews with those who knew him.

Capote

Philip Seymour Hoffman's Oscar winning performance totally lives up to the hype in this excellent study of the lengths to which a writer will go for the sake of his work..

Match Point

Woody Allen goes into serious mode in his latest piece, which tells a dark tale of sexual intrigue set in London, and features fine performances from Scarlett Johansson and Johnathan Rhys Meyers.

The Producers

From a film to a stage musical and back to film - the remarkable journey of Mel Brooks' uproarious and groundbreaking comedy.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Shane Black goes all postmodern in this, his first film as director.  But still there's much of Lethal Weapon's familiar zaniness on show in a good double act from Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer.

A History of Violence

After some less than crowd-pleasing recent fims, David Cronenberg returns to form with this compelling study of one man's struggle to avoid his fate - both familiar and different at the same time.

Blue Remembered Hills

Dennis Potter's most celebrated single play, set in the Forest of Dean during World War II, and featuring adult actors playing children, comes to DVD for the first time.

The Nigel Barton Plays

These two linked plays from 1965 are intriguing examples of Potter's early work, and display many of the themes and methods of his famous pieces in embryonic form.

Dennis Potter at LWT

Three rarely seen plays from 1980 are released as a package - Blade on the Feather, Rain on the Roof, and Cream in My Coffee - the titles all from songs, naturally!

The Singing Detective

Potter's most famous and best work gets a full DVD review to compliment the reviews of the new releases.  After nearly twenty years it seems more of masterpiece than ever.

Upstairs, Downstairs - the Complete First Series

The old favorite historical soap gets a digitally re-mastered release; and, believe it or not, it's quite edgy in parts!

Sin City

Robert Rodriguez enters the big time with this strikingly arty and extremely violent adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novels.

Downfall

This German-made study of the last days of the Third Reich, featuring the inestimable Bruno Ganz as Hitler, is a dark masterpiece and one the best films of the year.

The Life & Death of Peter Sellers

This zany and kaleidoscopic biopic of the multi-faceted comedian is now out on DVD

Finding Neverland

One of the best films of 2004, Marc Forster's superlative recreation of J. M. Barrie's creative life comes to DVD.

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Bill Murray rolls out his engaging comic personality again in this zany and very original maritime adventure from Wes Anderson.

Vera Drake  

Mike Leigh's latest is a tour de force of character acting, and a superbly detailed recreation of early 50's England.

The Aviator

Leo and Marty are back together for another historical epic, but can it possibly match the likes of Taxi Driver and Goodfellas?

Enduring Love

Roger Michell gives Ian McEwan's novel an effective screen treatment, with fine acting and a chilling mood.

Reviews 2002 - 2004

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