Film Reviews by JD

This is a completely absorbing insight into a man who is unemotional, undramatic, quiet and enjoys solitude. This is not a mainstream film. Get this if you want a calm journey into the mind of a simple man, not if you want a high octane romp. Eddie Marsan is one of a few actors who could act in such a subdued and subtle way. Very different to some of his previous stuff.

If you've enjoyed Transformers 1, 2, 3, and 4 and look forward to 5, 6, 7, and 8 this is not for you. If you prefer the way-off mainstream, cult film you have hit solid gold. This is a slow moving bleak story about repressed emotion, Lutherian purity, poverty, and thwarted passion in a rural remote Danish coastal village set during the French revolution. I enjoyed some of the scenes in a sober and settled sort of way. Most of it however is about love which will never be realised or allowed, be it love of cooking, or of a woman. This should have a 40 certificate, few under 40 will enjoy it, some over 50 will really like it.

There have been Magic Roundabouts notably Dougal and the Blue Cat which have been very watchable for adults. This is not. The visual effect is poor, the plot basic and the characters uninteresting. I was misled by the vocal cast of Nighy, McKellen and Broadbent into thinking it would be something it is not. Great for 2 - 6 year olds but no older.

I am not a fan of teen werewolf / vampire, goth/emo stuff but I thought that Beckinsale and Nighy would make it worth watching. Not for me. I didn't watch it all, but the 18 certificate is a bit harsh. I've seen worse violence on the news.

At the time of writing the 3 previous reviewers had all given 3 stars. I disagree. This film says so much about the German ethos in the 2nd world war, the story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is one which everyone should know (previously I knew only that there had been a failed assasination on Adolf Hitler a bit like Ronnie Reagan) it is so much more. Moreover the desert war scenes are terrific. Very gripping and great attention to detail. Historically fascinating, dramatically intense, 3 star no way.

This is a bleak and grim story of a teenager in a world of no hope, poverty, desolation and despair. Her descent into some grim life choices are sad. The filming is pretty bleak. There is a real message with this film particularly the end (no plot spoilers) but it is not a pleasant watch on any level. Do you want mindless Hollywood pulp? Probably not but sometimes the other extreme is just as unpalatable.

A house full of communist hippies attracts all sorts of folks who seek refuge and quickly warm to its charms. A nice ending. The feel is 70's both in content and presentation. It is a low budget film and has an unpolished direction. It is not glamorous nor with any particular action. The sentiments however are real and it is thoughtful.

With each jump forward in time there is a moment of readjustment as the actors often have changed quite considerably both physically and psychologically. These moments are the best part of this diary of childhood. The plot is all about normal growing up and therefore not that dramatic. The acting is better than I expected but not great, it is all a bit thrown together depending too much on the journey through time theme.

David Hare writes and directs a mean spy film. His spy dramas are so different from the Bond genre, lower budget and I believe much more real. There is much less action and much more subtle plot. I note that Ralph Fiennes is credited, his role is a fleeting cameo. Bill Nighy is the main character credited 4th! What's going on? Not a thriller by any means and of course a blossoming romance but otherwise interesting.

12 films each of 10 minutes with no words. In most of these short film is at least one great actor and often a great writer, notably Neil Gaiman and yet it just felt too arty for me, like watching a drama school lesson. Most of the films had a Christmas theme, most had a very simple plot, in a few, tediously a blossoming romance. Surely you can squeeze a little more plot into 10 minutes. There was something interesting about all of them, but not enough to like or intrigue.1 film for example was a dog-cam, life as a dog in a shopping mall. One of the best for me featured Ross Kemp (possibly not the greatest actor) but also featured a gang of street gymnasts doing incredible tumbles and jumps. The Spall film includes some amazing models which need a second look to check that they are not real. Generally however dull.

1991 was only 24 years ago. There are many films which are not dated from earlier, a few TV series but not many. This is not one. TV series about infidelity are not now fashionable I think because they don't have much entertainment or intrigue. Nighy was propelled to success from this so something good came of it.

Can an autobiography be too self-obsessed? I think it depends on how much you admire the person prior to watching/reading it. I had no knowledge of Nick Cave and therefore saw this from the outset as the reflections of a narcotic addict whose addled and slightly delusional mind couples with an unpleasing personality. Maybe he did start out as the most interesting person in the room but fame has converted this to egomania. It received awards, not in my opinion deserved.

Spoilt by the almost inevitable evolving and predictable romance. The plot is slow and the direction sloppy but there is a comic genius about Martin Freeman's performance. Bill Nighy is as usual wryly amusing. I have a problem with all of the Harry Potter child actors. They are all dreadful, why are they so popular? Grint's meager efforts are dwarfed by all especially Everett's who plays a minor role excellently. Emily Blunt is unnotable in her role as a capricious, amoral, thief. Generally a reasonable comedy though the 12 certificate is generous in view of the assassination scenes.

I gave up watching this silliness after 20 minutes; those who kept going to the end told me not to bother watching the rest; it was neither an interesting plot nor exciting.

Royal Mail have lost 5 Blu-rays of mine in 5 years, and plenty of letters, as Cinema Paradiso are so good about it though, I am not going to get my Blu-rays downloaded, the choice is not so good.