Film Reviews by ND

Welcome to ND's film reviews page. ND has written 34 reviews and rated 54 films.

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Extraordinary, it's a famous film for good reason.

(Edit) 29/07/2024

The pace of this film never falters, it has you riveted from the start and never lets up.

The black and white production adds to the film, as it does with the Third Man or Casablanca. The filming is done by master craftsmen and the acting is well up to it.

Do not miss seeing this film, I wish I'd seen it a long time before I did.

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How to Murder Your Wife

Huge fun, dated, but then so am I.

(Edit) 24/01/2024

The woke lot will hate this film from the first few seconds, it's that much fun. Fast paced, very funny, well acted and often shocking, it's credible right up to the last few minutes, which require some suspension of disbelief, but it's entertaining even then.

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The Thin Man

An absorbing, fun and occasionally astonishing whodunnit.

(Edit) 25/10/2023

This old film is well worth watching. In many ways it's Hollywood at its zenith. The script is superb, the acting is good (apart from some awful bit-part players) the black-and-white camerawork is utterly professional and it cracks along at a good pace.

The cigarette and cocktail consumption is amazing. Watch this film, it's witty and enjoyable.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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Dracula A.D. 1972

Amiable tosh but well told

(Edit) 04/07/2023

We are fortunate enough to have a Triumph Stag so when we saw the poster featuring one we had to see the film. We were expecting red and were surprised to find that it was (spoiler alert) yellow!

Much of the film was watched in one and a half time but we surprised ourselves at how risible it wasn't. Apart from some of the "hip to the jive, daddy-o" dialogue which, along with the size of the collars, left our 25 y.o. son aghast, it was a good story well told. There's no element of camp from messrs. Cushing and Lee, they play it seriously so their scenes work well.

Goodness knows it's dated, so am I, but I have to admit that this is worth seeing.

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The Right Stuff

A good story, well told.

(Edit) 03/03/2023

I love this film. It's long, 3 hours, but it never drags. The actors are all good, as are their performances. If you like aircraft, adventure and just plain going fast, you'll love it.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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The Monuments Men

Is there anything George Clooney can't do?

(Edit) 03/03/2023

The acting performances are what you'd expect from a stellar cast but as the closing credits came up I noticed that Mr. Clooney had directed it as well, which is impressive!

The casting is superb, especially the Germans. It's a good story, watch it.

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Man with a Movie Camera

Not what you'd expect, much better!

(Edit) 17/01/2022

This film is a masterpiece of editing with images changing rapidly and constantly. However, it's not as gormless as the Bollywood version, it just keeps the pace up, and this is a very fast-paced film.

It's also not what you'd expect from newly-communist Russia. There's laughter and fashion, childbirth and trams, a bewildering melange of all aspects of life in the 1920's.

Sadly, although the music is very good, it's not the Michael Nyman version which is outstanding and worth seeing/hearing.

Rent this film and be amazed and delighted.

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The Lady Vanishes

It's old but class is timeless. It is Hitchcock, after all.

(Edit) 08/12/2021

All of the character acting is such a pleasure to watch, the supporting cast is peerless. The principal actors are superb. Of course you have to view some of the script with its age in mind. Things were different then, most especially attitudes towards women but this was three generations ago so it should feel different.

The direction is as good as you'd expect. The pace never flags, the story is well told and frankly, it has aged very well indeed. I commend it to you. By the way, it should never occur to you that it's 'only' in black and white, it doesn't matter at all.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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Solo: A Star Wars Story

Better than expected

(Edit) 26/11/2021

I'd seen this at the cinema, enjoyed it and decided to watch again a few years later. I still enjoy it!

The acting is good, the story hangs together well and the tech is spot on.

The character of Han Solo is developed well, prequels being hard to get right without butchering this element of the film.

Its pace is good , it never drags and I commend it to you. It's fun.

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Knives Out

Once you've got used to James Bond being someone else

(Edit) 18/11/2021

and having a fairly wobbly southern states accent, this is an enjoyable film. Unfortunately he has to give his name early in the film so, of course, the wrong answer is given. He's trying to be a bit of homespun Columbo and Mr. Deedes and that's a tough act, I thought he made a decent job of it.

It's a good story, well told, well acted and well directed. I recommend it.

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Bringing Up Baby

Completely mad but played as if it wasn't.

(Edit) 01/11/2021

This is the genius of this film. Enjoy watching Hollywood greats at the peak of their powers, it's formidable, requires concentration but is so rewarding.

I particularly enjoyed Walter Catlett as Sheriff Slocum, it's a fabulous turn.

The other reviewers are absolutely right, watch it, it's a jewel.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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De-Lovely

A good story well told, thoroughly enjoyable.

(Edit) 20/01/2021

I'll not plague you with spoilers but I will say that it's pretty surprising when Elvis Costello pops up.

The acting is superb from a very classy cast, the sets, costumes, oh blow this, just watch it, it's hugely enjoyable.

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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Starts slowly and gets better.

(Edit) 09/11/2020

I was fast-forwarding sections of the film early on and got near to abandoning the viewing but then it picked up and ran, so it's worth watching. It's the script and storyline that is tired and just a warmed-over version with chunks of previous films. Blowing up planets, shplanets. If you want to shock people, look at goings on in our own world.

I've seen people complaining about the end, I thought it good and just about the best part.

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Ran

It's long!

(Edit) 13/10/2020

I'm not going to rephrase what others have written, they are good reviews and their recommendations are worthy. What they don't tell you is to take an intermission around the 90 minutes mark. There's plenty more to come after that.

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Le Mans '66

Long but good fun

(Edit) 28/09/2020

The immediate aftermath of watching this film is a realisation of how good the acting was, the casting, too. Even though the people portrayed were not (even vaguely)as pretty as Messrs Bale and Damon, these are actors at the top of their game.

The story is great but it’s a long film, settle down for a long watch or split it across 2 sessions. Highly recommended.

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