Postcards From the Edge - 1990 * * * *

Having a wonderful time. Wish I were here.

This movie is predominately about substance abuse and how it can really ruin your life. It's also a good spoof of Hollywood stars who turn up to work too out of their face to function properly and how it affects their careers. However it is also very funny and touching, and Meryl Streep is brilliant as always. She plays Suzanne, a washed out and drugged up actress who is continuously losing work because of her addiction to prescription drugs. Her mother (played by Shirley McLaine) is still caught up on her own life being a waste and finds it hard to communicate with her daughter without insulting how she lives her life. However at the same time she is fiercly dedicated to Suzanne and is constantly sticking up for her and there for her when her drug-taking gets too much. (It strikes me that this peculiar and overbearing mother and daughter relationship is very like that of 'Terms of Endearment)

I really liked this movie and am pleased to find a film that is never mentioned today but surprisingly gives a spot on example of how celebrity can destroy someone's life. Nothing new there then.

Dead Girl - 2008 *

You'll never have anything better.

Ok, first off, if you aren't put off by the totally idiotic title for this film then it may be hard to influence you later on. I must say I was put off but I still went ahead anyway having no clue what was to await me.

I'm going to keep this brief because life is too short for films like this. Basically a couple of boys go to an abandoned hospital to get high and find a girl seemingly dead and naked chained up to an operating table. In the dark. Yeah really. After touching her up a bit she appears to open her eyes, a sign to them that she must be alive. However after a series of events invloving shooting her a few dozen times and finding her exactly the same as before they start to realise that maybe she is dead. Well the undead. And who better to have sex with than a naked zombie who is chained up and can't struggle. So they do. Again, and again. Need I go on?

DO NOT BOTHER.

My Sister's Keeper - 2009 * * * *

What a heart-breaking movie! I've heard so much about this film and also the praise that has gone for Jodi Picoult's book. Abigail Breslin is just a fantastic little actress and keeps going on and on to do better things in her career. Cameron Diaz was brilliant as the neurotic and over-bearing mother and Joan Cusack was also on top form as usual ( has she ever been in a dud film?) as the Judge.

Kate has leukemia, and is dying. Her parents speak to a doctor who tells them that the only way they may be able to save her life is to give birth to a special child that they can use as a sort of donor. Her point on earth will be to be given tests and to have parts of her body like bone marrow extracted so that her sister can benefit. However as the child grows she decides that she likes living and doesn't want to sacrifice herself for anybody.

Some incredibly poignant moments make this film one of the most heart-wrenching I have seen for a long time.

Tower of London - 1962 *

I feel almost embarassed to say anything negative about a Hammer Horror film. However I can't say anything good about this awful excuse for a film based around the Royal Family in the Tower of London. I can't even applaud Vincent Price for remaking this from his earlier 30s film of the same name. Price is a hugely comical and enjoyable actor to watch and it is quite sad to see him in something that clearly doesn't show off his talent. The story is a bit of a mess really and I was glad when it was over. Not one I would desire to see ever again.

Portrait of Jennie - 1948 * * *

This is one of those films that you barely hear about these days. You constantly hear about Casablanca and Hitchcock and The Third Man but never this. And why? This is a very smart film, and a very haunting film. Joseph Cotton is one of my favourite actors and was sorely underrated in his time. The story revolves around a failing artist whose chance encounter with a mysterious girl named Jennie changes his life forever. The music is very eerie and parts of it are similar to the other mysterious movie 'Rebecca.'

Lillian Gish also has a small role later on in the film, see if you can spot her. Obviously however, the best part of the movie is the chemistry of Cotton and Jones. They are meant to act on screen together and as it was this was their 4th movie collaboration together. A lovely and beautiful film and one that should be acknowledged in this day and age.

The Divorcee - 1930 * * * * *

One of the first films to burst through into the well known 'talkie' era, this movie proves controversial and amazing to watch even now. I have never seen Norma Shearer in anything but had heard great things about her. She strikes me as this headstrong and independent woman who is up there with the likes of Katherine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck. I'm hooked on her. Why is it that all these amazing actresses have equally amazing films, most of which are barely available to the likes of me. What a waste.
Shearer plays Gerry, a fun-loving party girl who marries the love of her life Ted, to the happiness of all her friends. But a few years into the marriage it is clear that Ted is not happy just being a one woman man. Gerry decides to reward him in turn.

Just a brilliant movie, a daring movie and a beautifully shot movie showing us really a unique insight into the end of the 20s ( some of the New Years Eve scenes almost look like real footage) yet with all the wit and sarcasm of modern day film. Also it's so short that you can do with watching it twice.

My Blue Heaven - 1990 * *

I seem to be seeing an abundance of bad movies at the moment. This was a dreadful excuse for a comedy and Steve Martin just reassured me that I really can't stand him. The only film he has ever made me laugh in is 'The Man with Two Brains' and this is nothing like it.

From what I can gather Martin plays an ex con put into the witness protection program to start a new life in a new area. He meets Joan Cusack ( who I love!) and her brood and begins to get closer and closer to her. Rick Moranis ( wasn't he the guy from 'Honey I shrunk the Kids'?) plays from what I can gather Martin's lawyer or someone to that equivalent. To be honest I really lost interest in this movie before half way but I managed to struggle to the end. Other reviewers go on about how Martin portrays a hilarious spoof of a gangster (his life is actually based on Harry Hill of Goodfellas fame) and how perfect he is for the role but I really don't see it. Sorry. A miss for me.

Shallow Grave - 1994 * *

What's a little murder between friends?

This is apparently a cult classic. One that people really connect with and find something different in each time. I felt the total opposite. I can't actually believe this is by the same bloke who directed the brilliantly absurd and bizarre Trainspotting. He was obviously having a slump.

Ewan McGregor is annoying, Christopher Eccleston is annoying and Kerry Fox is probably the most annoying of them all.

3 Friends want to find a housemate to help them pay their bills and accordingly they find someone who they think is the perfect candidate. Except on the 1st morning they find him dead, sprawled naked on his bed. And then they find the money. Sounds like a good idea for a movie but it's dreadfully executed and really uninspiring. Not a cult classic. Not even a classic.

The Tooth Fairy - 2010 * *

The tooth hurts.

This was a gastly movie. It barely raised a smile from me and the whole premise was ridiculous. Saying that I am an adult and not a little girl so maybe if I was 5 or 6 I would appreciate it more. Dwayne Johnson plays the unimaginative boyfriend of Ashley Judd who one night tells her small daughter that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy. Big Mistake.

From then on he is sentenced to a week's hard labour as a real tooth fairy by Tooth Fairy boss Julie Andrews. Stephen Merchant pops up as his personal assistant to give support whenever he needs it ( he is maybe the one good thing about the movie) and ends up having to re-evaluate his own life. Billy Crystal has a small part which brightens up the movie a bit but on the whole it's a bit of a sorry excuse for a comedy. I think really that either a film based on a topic such as this should really concentrate on being soley for children or go the other way and be a proper comedy instead of lingering somewhere in limbo where it's slightly disturbing.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - 2004 * *

I'm generally not sure what to say about this movie. I knew that it would be weird simply from the name and the fact that it is directed by the same bloke who inflicted 'The Royal Tenenbaums' on us but I had no idea it would be this weird.

Bill Murray is a great comical actor and films like 'Groundhog Day' and 'Scrooged' really make the most of his talents. But I felt here that his character was just not giving Murray enough.

We follow Steve Zissou as he embarks on a journey to the bottom of the sea to find, capture and kill the curious spotted shark that ate his best friend then disappeared a few years ago. Rather strange you say; well yes it really is. On the way he meets his long lost son ( Owen Wilson of course had to have a part in this movie as he seems to with all movies by this director), a pregnant lesbian reporter played excellently by Cate Blanchett and battles with his estranged wife Anjelica Huston over the absurdity of the whole thing.

Some scenes are really lovely i.e. when the group are underwater and we see lots of computerised yet beautifully bizarre rare fish but mostly the film has no comic value and seems to serve only as an important quest film. I much prefered 'The Darjeeling Limited' ( in fact I loved that) to this as I found enough in all areas to keep me occupied whereas this was so surreal most of the time that I wasn't able to really connect with it. Que the millions of fans who's day I have just put a damper on because I didn't rate this as a masterpiece.

She's Crushed - 2009 * *

Some are victims, some are predators, some are both.

A dreadfully acted movie with a ridiculous 'Fatal Attraction' aura about it. The main star Tara is particularly unattractive and therefore makes the whole obsessive girl chasing boy ( also very unattractive) scenario almost laughable. Half of the film is filmed like its on a tripod which is very strange considering the other half looks quite professional. I don't mind which medium it is filmed in as long as the director stays that way from start to finish.

I really can't say anything good about this film, except that it does serve it's fair amount of scares which was the idea.

The Scarlet Pimpernel - 1935 * * * *

I've only ever seen Richard E. Grant's Scarlet Pimpernel Series on the tv and remember it fondly. I love Merle Oberon and Leslie Howard however and they really shone in this. After the rather disastrous Pygmalion I was rather dubious of finding Howard serious in anything but he really did this role justice. His character was a perfect mixture of sarcasm, dry wit and courage and I thought he played his part exeedingly well. Merle Oberon was the beautiful but vain Lady Blakeney who is blissfully unaware of The Scarlet Pimpernel's real identity. Raymond Massey brings added support and altogether a very enjoyable movie. Reminded me very much of Dirk Bogarde's 'A Tale of Two Cities.'

The Promotion - 2008 * *

Two guys, one job, no rules.

I went into this film thinking it was something totally different ( for some reason I thought it was The Proposition with Sandra Bullock!) so it was a bit of a shock to see old Seann WS having a main role in it!

Seann William Scott definitely makes me laugh but I can't stop seeing him as someone from the American Pie films where he really shone and so anything else he is in just seems pale in comparison. In this film he's a customer supervisor in a large Wal-Mart type store hoping desperately for a promotion which will offer him more money and stability with his girlfriend. Also a chance to get out of the cramped flat he lives in where he is constantly bothered by the weird banjo-playing sexaholic next door. What he didn't count on was being up against a new supervisor from another store ( John C. Reilly) who appears like a whirlwind and starts changing everything in the store round much to Seann's annoyance. He also has a secret past and an infuriating wife with the most fake Scottish accent I have ever heard. The 2 men realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew and set about doing everything in their power to secure their future.

Some parts are mildly amusing, but I'm fed up with films coming out named 'comedies' when really they should be marketed as 'drama with a few comic tones'!

Swimfan - 2002 * *

Sometimes it's murder getting the man you want.

If I had never seen a film with this premise before ( psycho woman goes after man and ruins his life) then I would have been tempted to rate this highly. However as this isn't a new idea and has been done to death (Fatal Attraction, The Crush, Crush) I can't really get too excited about it.

Jesse Bradford is the school jock Ben, ( there always has to be one in any American horror film, it's getting a tad boring...) who's life is taken over by swimming. He has a nice if not terribly exciting girldfriend called Amy and a group of weird friends ( including yet another jock and 2 outcasty women)and things seem great. However when new girl Madeleine Bell turns up and directs her attentions towards Ben, he just cannot resist ( having no brain or morals of his own except in his trousers) and things get heated yadda yadda. (I've decided to start feeling sorry for the crazy woman instead of the unfaithful git who can't control himself in future films like this if I ever dain to watch another one)You'll know the rest without me telling you and probably even guess the ending so there isn't much point watching this really. Watch Fatal Attraction for the primary film that started this whole obsessive craze off, that's the only one that will get you on the edge of your seat.

Kissing Jessica Stein - 2001 * * *

She's so confused about love that she can't think straight.

This was quite a funny movie and the fact that the 2 lead females wrote, directed and starred in the film needs to be taken into account.

The character of Jessica Stein is one of the most annoying that I have ever had the misfortune to see on film. She is petty, ditzy, far too preoccupied with her image to think of true happiness and seemingly homophobic through half of the film!

She is certainly very watchable albeit whilst we are grimacing but I feel her co-star Helen is a much better and well-rounded excuse for a character. Then there is the weedy and chauvintistic co-worker of Jessica's who never plucks the courage up to say how he feels to her and waits until the last minute when it is too late before he blurts it out. Added to which this film does not have much of a moral or a message, not to give too much away but let's just say the character of Jessica Stein is back to the beginning at the end.

It's one of those movies that the Gay and Lesbian Film Community were agast by, so for that reason at least it's worth a watch, just don't expect too much.

Two Lovers - 2008 * * 1/2

Sometimes we have to leave everything to find ourselves.

Despite the glowing reviews for this movie as the best 'arty film of 2008' I really found myself disappointed. Added to which I spent ages looking for Hilary Swank in the cast list and couldn't find her, only to find this woman Vinessa Shaw was her! The look so alike! But anyway. This is rumoured to be Pheonix's last film and I must say that he certainly won't be going out with a bang! His acting was totally wooden, his character was ridiculously one-dimensional and the end really frustrated me. I'm not sure whether he can't act ( he seemed okay in 'Signs' but that doesn't mean anything) or whether he was such a good actor that he could expertly portray an awful character like that. I was disgusted by Paltrow's pathetic, whiny character who kept having arguments with her lover who also happened to be married with children ( resulting of course in her constantly calling on Pheonix whenever she was upset) and felt dreadfully sorry for Vinessa Shaw's nice and unassuming character who was effectively being used by Pheonix as a back-up.

I'm not sure if this movie is supposed to be trying to explain the way a man thinks ( he would rather clasp on to a drug-taking, adventurous party animal than have a decent and loving relationship with a kind and sensitive person) or is just doing a bad job at trying to amuse a mixed audience capable of seeing stereotypes.

I had hoped for a lot more with this movie but am glad I saw it all the same.

Something to Talk About - 1995 * * * *

A story about husbands, wives, parents, children and other natural disasters.

I've never heard of this movie but for some reason discovered it on my laptop last night. It really was a worthwhile film and Julia Roberts was as always brilliant in her role.

Roberts plays Grace, who after finding out that her husband (played greasily by Dennis Quaid) has been unfaithful to her flees to her parents farm to find herself again. However once her proud and overbearing parents find out the reason for her arrival it sets to turn the whole family upside down. Dennis Quaid was brilliant as the philandering husband who doesn't understand the impact of his actions ( how typically male).

I really enjoyed this and am encouraged to watch more of Julia Roberts' work.

The Yellow Rolls Royce - 1964 * * * *

It all happens in the Yellow Rolls Royce.

Terence Rattigan struck lucky with the idea for this 60s drama ( which I admit I had never heard of!) about 3 seperate groups of people who at one time or another come into contact with the main star of the film - The Yellow Rolls Royce! It really is a beauty,being bought for Rex Harrison's wife in the first segment, being used by Shirley Maclaine as a compromise when her gangster boyfriend has to leave her in the second and being driven into dangerous quarters by Ingrid Bergman in the 3rd. Each plot is well thought out but not long enough to drag, in fact making you want more. The highlights for me are Rex Harrison ( whom I adore in everything) and Ingrid Bergman who is still stunning 20 years on from Casablanca.

A lovely movie that is very underrated, worth a watch.

Bathory - 2008 * * *

She wanted to be beautiful, no matter what the cost.

As one of many who is interested in the grim and dastardly deeds of the Blood Countess of Hungary I lapped up the idea to watch this film. I had hoped it would be a clear and defined account of her coming into power and becoming the monster that she is infamously known as but instead was met by a bizarre story where the murderer is seen as the VICTIM and someone we are supposed to sympathize with.

The director has started up a big debate about the surrounding facts of Erzebet actually trying to convince people that she never commited any of the crimes she was later imprisoned for. With all the research that has spanned hundreds of years there has never been any doubt that she murdered a huge number of young women all for her vanity and so the idea that history should suddenly be changed just on one film's say so is ridiculous. The film really seemed like a bit of a joke although Anna Friel did a good job as Bathory herself. It is split into several parts and this gives it a very strange outlook owing to the fact that I could not really connect with any of the characters.

A great concept for a film but if it's going to be made I feel making one of the most infamous murderesses of all time innocent is never going to bring in a huge crowd.

That Touch of Mink - 1962 * * * * *

What can I say in a negative way about Cary and Doris in a lovely 60s comedy? Doris is hilariously funny as always this time as a beautiful yet virginal woman who is wooed by rich and no-nonsense Cary Grant. Cary is his usual handsome and timeless self and some of the scenes (Doris being drunk for one) are classic. Although there is a lot of sexual innuendo the jokes are not in bad taste ( they never are in the 60s) and this could be enjoyed with all the family ( although I am happy to savour every minute Doris and Cary have on screen together alone.) Timeless and classic.

The Invention of Lying - 2009 * * *

In a world where everyone can only tell the truth, he's just invented the lie.

I knew this wouldn't be up to much. And besides the fact it's not that funny it brings up certain bizarre questions based on religion, such as ' do we all get three chances to get into heaven?' 'Do we get a mansion when we die?' etc.

Ricky Gervais is barely funny, although some parts ( such as reading off the pizza boxes raised a smile from me.) The strange need that all the characters have to speak every single thought they have as long as it's 'the truth' doesn't work well. Even if everyone had to tell the truth in a weird distopian world, why does that actually mean that people have to say everything in their head?

Example: Jennifer Garner and Ricky go out to dinner, Garner insults Gervais on the phone to her mother saying he is chubby, ugly and has a snub nose.However when they finish the evening and say goodbye she says it was really nice to see him and she enjoyed herself!

If this was the case and she can hold back ( she obviously didn't just want to say that and was probably going to say something along the lines of 'I really enjoyed myself but you are still a minger') then why did she have to make cruel remarks to him at the beginning of the evening?

The inconsistences are too much and you come out of the film feeling you have been watching a strange parallel universe.

Also just because he can lie why does that automatically mean people are going to believe him?

( He goes into a bank and asks for £800 although he knows he only has £300 left in his account, and yet the woman after looknig at the screen and seeing he only has £300 apologises for the 'mistake!').

Added to which Jennifer Garner has had horrible surgery on her mouth - gross.

Crush - 2010 * * *

Attraction can be fatal.

This movie was a bit of a weird combination. As regards to it being quite eerie and basing itself around a stalker-like ex-lover who takes one night to mean forever then it's not a bad attempt.

However if you are basing the merits of this film on the second part of the movie where it becomes simply ridiculous then you're headed for a fall.

Chris Egan, whom I faintly remember from 'Home And Away' plays a preppy, sport obsessed bloke who, despite the affections of his lovely girlfriend cannot help but fall for the mysterious niece of the owners of the house he is house-sitting which leads to devestating consequences.

Acting is pretty good, but the lead girl is really freaky and her huge doe-eyes put me off. Still, not a long film so worth watching just to say you have seen it.

The Return - 2006 *

The past never dies, it kills.

This was a pathetic excuse for a horror film. I had some idea that this was following on from SMG's earlier success 'The Grudge' but I was proved wrong.

The story was a complete tangled mess, the acting was atrocious ( I thought she was supposed to be able to act!) and the ending made no sense whatsover. It was just a bad film and because of how well the other one had done, it just eluminated how awful this was.

We never really figure out anything at the end so bang goes a brilliant twist; at that, the plots seem to collide with each other in a ridiculous way.

No point watching, not even for free. My DVD will be on it's way to the charity shop very soon.

Nothing but trouble - 1991 * * * *

All they wanted was a little getaway, all they got was nothing but trouble...

I honestly can't see why this film was slated so much on it's release. To me it was hilarious!

Chevy Chase is very funny and so (of course) is John Candy (who plays a cop and a woman).

Chevy Chase, his potential girlfriend and his 2 friends drive off for a fun weekend together, but take a wrong turn and end up in a bizarre area of the backwoods where they stumble upon a sadistic Judge and his family who like to 'charge then dismember' anyone who they decide isn't worthy of life.

They end up all having to work together to decide a way to escape, but it's not going to be as easy as they think..

Some scenes are so stomach-churning they actually made me turn away, but it's all in good fun really and Dan Ackroyd is on top for as the Judge so that makes everything alright. Contrary to popular belief I thought Chevy Chase was great in this!

Cover Girl - 1944 * * * *

Slowly I'm working my way through the musicals that I haven't been lucky enough to see yet from the 30s and 40s. I am very lucky to have seen so many already and was privileged to have a mother and grandmother who had an endless supply of them to keep me occupied.

Despite being one of the most well known musicals of the 40s and one of Rita Hayworth's most popular I had never watched Cover Girl until recently.

Well to have a film with both Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth is something of a treat, and when I watched it it totally blew me away.

Cover Girl is the story of a beautiful girl called Rusty who, after some good luck, lands herself a job as a popular Cover Girl. Gene Kelly plays Rita's love interest and is on top form as usual. Highlights include the astounding duo dance sequence he does with another version of himself in the dark streetas which is just so Gene Kelly. For me this is the best part of the film. That and being able to see Rita Hayworth in her run up to Gilda ( I haven't seen that either...) which plummeted her to stardom. She was a talented woman and one of the most beautiful to look at in the whole world. Her dance routines remind me quite a lot of 'My Gal Sal', ( a movie she did with Victor Mature) where she plays Paul Dresser's love interest and has to perform early 20th century dance routines in beautiful outfits. She is certainly showcased perfectly in both films (where she gets to show off her highly prized legs.... so jealous!), but as regards to storyline (and not counting the fact that I love Gene Kelly and don't particularly like Victor Mature) I'm going to have to nominate 'My Gal Sal' over this, although there is no doubt that this is a classic and will stay in my collection.

Frenzy - 1972 * * * *

Coming up to 2 years ( can it really be that long?) since I originally purchased the Alfred Hitchcock boxset I have 2 left ( to my knowledge) that I haven't seen. I decided to watch this at the weekend, in the mood for a good serial killer movie.

This movie bares comparisons to 'Straight on 'til morning' ( although that was a Hammer horror and filmed about five years beforehand.) I loved that film, and I loved this. Hitchcock as usual is on top form ( look out for his cameo at the very beginning, makes me chuckle!)and really gets the audience to grips with early 1970s London.

There is a terrifying killer on the loose murdering women by strangling them with his necktie ( how very refined!) therefore known to the general public as 'The Necktie Strangler.'

Jon Finch plays the lead Richard, and after getting fired from his job in a pub decides to make other arrangements with his girlfriend ( played excellently by Anna Massey). However, the pub landlord is not impressed and begins to believe that Richard is running away with his girlfriend for the wrong reasons and leading her into danger...

The clever thing about this film is that Hitchcock decided to fill the film with unglamorous actors to give an impression of real London and I feel it works superbly. I certainly wasn't disappointed to see someone like Massey in the main female lead instead of someone like Grace Kelly or Tippi Hedren. As long as they can give us a good show that's all that matters.

Brilliant ending that makes the whole film worthwhile, although there are some camp moments towards the final scene that made me laugh. This film on the whole is black comedy as opposed to thriller. But as it's done by Hitchcock you know you're in for a treat.

Soul Survivors - 2001 * *

The world of the dead and the worth of the living, are about to collide.

Put in blunt terms, this is a dreadful film. The acting is ridiculous as only Americans can do, the plot is disjointed and there are so many plot holes that the whole thing is like a joke. The story in itself isn't too bad, but once you realise there are lots and lots of layers underneath that you need to understand before you can 'truly understand' it becomes a bit of a mess.

Wes Bentley is the weirdest looking bloke ever and is infuriating to watch after a while, but then again so is the female lead. Too much groaning, gasping and running and not enough proper development in the storyline for my liking.

The ending comes as such a shock, but not a particularly good one, as by that time you don't really care one way or another.

And for people who don't understand, the title sort of gives it away at the beginning...

Hide and Seek - 2005 * * * *

Come out, come out wherever you are..

What a fantastic film. I kept getting this and 'Don't Say a Word' mixed up which is very bizarre as they are nothing alike.

Dakota Fanning is one of the best young actresses out there these days and she and Robert De Niro really bounced off each other.

After finding his wife dead after commiting suicide in their home, De Niro takes his daughter to a new area to try and rebuild both their lives. However his daughter soon starts mentioning a friend named Charlie who appears to be invisible, leaving De Niro to start to question his daughter's sanity.

The twist is brilliant, had me completely fooled and you WILL NOT guess the ending.

I think it deserves a second viewing to pick up on some bits you might not notice the first time round. Fanning's portrayal of a disturbed young girl is amazing, and hopefully she will be in many more films like this.

De Niro is a very versatile actor and I admire him greatly, another one who I hope will continue to make good films ( De Niro himself claimed this was one of the low points of his career, can't think why.)

Hush - 1998 * * * *

Don't breathe a word.

I don't get why this is such a slated film, I thought it was really good and the performances (especially Paltrow's) were brilliant. I love the fact that it isn't well known and that I have been able to uncover it. This is why watching so many films can be so rewarding.

Jessica Lange is on top form as the disturbed and dillusional mother of Paltrow's boyfriend who is determined not to let her son's new girlfriend get in the way of her relationship with him.

Some genuinely eerie moments ( favourite being the event happening in the bedroom towards the end)and a really good and fulfilling ending, this is so worth your time, so ignore all negative reviews.

The Burrowers - 2008 * *

Evil will Surface.

This was a hideous excuse for a movie. It really was dire. The trailers looked so promising that I was really looking forward to it. The beginning of the film is probably the best part because from then onwards it goes downhill, mostly consisting of some men wandering around on horseback trying to find out what has happened to a family that disappeared from their home. Reviewers who love this film say that people who dislike it are braindead because it's not non-stop explosions and that you actually need to think about it as your going along. I have no wish to watch continuous films with explosions in and I still disliked it. It's slow because nothing actually happens!

The only humour comes from the creatures. And that is because they are computerised.

Dreadful ending too, simply not worth it.

Trick 'R' Treat - 2008 * * * *

Poison, drowning, claw or knife, so many ways to take a life.

I had a feeling I was going to love this before I watched it and my hunch turned out to be right.

Trick 'r' treat follows 4 stories that are in some way connected to each other, all based around Halloween. I love how you finish watching one story and the end locks into the beginning of something at the very start of the film. You will also find yourself saying 'ah, it all falls into place now' a number of times which is always reassuring in a film.

Not giving too much away, my favorite story is about a group of kids who, aware of an old and tragic legend that happened 30 years ago, decide to walk to the outskirts of the town to see the spot where 'it happened.' What follows next actually scared me quite a bit.

There is an undertone of black comedy here which I feel is normally essential for a new age, modern American horror film. Whereas British films rely on subtle humor ( i.e. Vincent Price camping it up), Americans get right in there and make everyone chuckle whilst hiding behind the sofa. It's a bizarre experience. It's also worth a watch, or at such a short duration, maybe 2.

City Lights - 1931 * * * *

The little tramp with a big heart.

This is the second Chaplin movie I have seen, the 1st being The Gold Rush which to be honest I didn't think hugely of. I have always had a definite idea that I dislike Chaplin, fearing I suppose that he will become funnier to me than someone like Keaton. However, this film was great, hilarious and had a lovely story to boot, and I now feel like I rather misjudged Chaplin just a bit.

His quirky ways have certainly never been matched since and he is a bit of a genius in coming up with slapstick scenes. ( I adore the continuous relationship between him and the rich alcoholic who greets him as a friend every evening and throws him out of his house every morning).

Chaplin will always be remembered up there as a 'great' and this I'm told is one of his finest. If so I shall make it my duty to watch his others to compare.

PS The ending gives you a nice warm feeling inside although some viewers dislike it immensely.

Educating Rita - 1983 * * * * *

Denny: In my family, a man has only to look at a woman and she's pregnant.

Rita: That's because you're all so cockeyed.

One can't help but fall in love with this film. I always had the idea that it would be a total disappointment and that the idea sounded a bit silly. But then I never realised how much I love Julie Walters until fairly recently and she really stole the show.

Rita lives a boring and unfulfilling life as a hairdresser. Her husband doesn't understand her and is constantly presssuring her to have a baby. Rita however doesn't want a baby 'until she has found herself' which leads to arguments.

She decides to enrol on an Open University Course for literature to better herself all round as a person and thereby meets Frank (Caine), the alcoholic genius who is to be her tutor. And so begins Rita's passionate and total adoration of books and learning.

This film winds up being totally heart-warming and is a wonderful example of how a person can change their life around to make everything better even when they believe there is no hope for them.

Caine is also on top form here as the stuffy academic whose heart often peeks through unexpectedly.

The Number 23 - 2007 * * * *

The truth with find you.

I started this film about a year ago and didn't get more that about 10 minutes into it before deciding it wasn't for me.

I watched it properly a few days ago and was totally blown away.

The beauty of this film is that try as you might you will automatically start finding the number 23 in everything as soon as you have finished the viewing, and it will stay with you for a long time.

Jim Carrey in his first non-comic role ( for me) was amazing to watch and really filled the screen with his presence. I think he is an amazing actor.

The film centres around fate and chance and what happens when the 2 things collide. Walter (Carrey) is in a happy marriage to his wife and muddles by at his job as animal controller. One evening on the way to a party, his wife finds a book called 'The Number 23' in the second-hand shop that appears to have been produced by hand. On impulse she buys it for Walter and so sets off a series of events that question everyone's sanity.

It is scary actually to see how many famous events have happened that all relate to 23 ( either the equal to or the variation of) i.e. Kennedy's Assassination, Shakespeare's birth and death, Two planes hit the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001: 9+11+2+0+0+1 = 23 etc. You really can find it in many things.

An amazing film. See it now!

Disclosure - 1994 * * * *

Sex is power.

I am having a late 80s early 90s movie phase at the moment and had decided fairly early on that Disclosure was one of the films I had to see. This supposedly was one of 'the' films of the 90s to see and apparently it was a popular date movie for a time ( although I can't imagine finding tis in any way romantic!)

Michael Douglas yet again (as in Fatal Attraction) appears as a man who has a devoted wife and daughter but who cannot help himself when an ex-girlfriend of his ( Moore) turns up at his office as his new boss.

In one scene ( supposedly the most erotic ever....er..no) Moore makes a pass at Douglas and despite his 'no no no' (said in a very half-hearted and unbelievable way) things get a bit out of hand.

We are then supposed to feel sorry for Douglas ( again like in Fatal Attraction) when he refuses to tell his wife what has happened and sets out to cover it out, only to be hit smack bang in the middle of his face by a lawsuit sueing for sexual harrassment from Moore.

What I really liked about this film was that for once a woman was in charge and taking control of what she wanted ( not to say for one second that the act of sexual harassment is acceptable) and the man is being punished for not having enough will-power to actually say no and mean it. Added to which Moore puts in a very good and realistic performance when she is called to testify against Douglas.

A film to watch, and one that you will keep looking at from time to time ( such as I do with Indecent Proposal and Fatal Attraction.)

The Perfect Getaway - 2009 * * *

6 Strangers, 2 Killers, no getting away.

Every year I find a list of a few movies that I try my hardest not to rush out and see, knowing that I will be saving up some scary/brilliant experiences if I bide my time and wait a while.

'A Perfect Getaway' was one of them.

The premise seems brilliant - a newly married couple go to Hawaii on their honeymoon hoping to relax and enjoy one another's company. They also meet 2 other couples who seem to be perfectly respectable if not a bit kooky. The bomb drops when they are all informed by another group of tourists they meet that 2 killers ( a man and a woman) are commiting murders on the island. the question is, who are they?

Up until the end I'll admit that I was totally stumped. I had no idea who it could be, regardless of how many reviews I have read where the viewers knew almost immediatly. When I did finally know, I was confused but also pleased that I had had no idea previously. Some parts don't add up though, and there are certain plot holes that you can only really notice if you see it again.

Give it a watch though, you might be one of the ones who figures it out ( but I doubt it.)

Plenty - 1985 * * * *

Meryl Streep was on top form in this film about a woman's quest to feel the same excitement that she felt whilst serving in the 2nd World War.

She takes her place alongside actors such as Charles Dance and Ian Mckellen as she meets lovers, friends and a husband who ultimately drives her completely mad.

I cannot speak highly enough of Meryl Streep, I think she is brilliant in every sense and I am slowly working my way through her huge backlog of amazing performances.

This is one of those films where you don't think it will be much good, and finish it realising you will be thinking of it for days.

Caddyshack - 1990 * * * * *

Some people just don't belong.

I mentioned in my previous post (The Hangover) how America hadn't really churned out many good comedies for at least ten years. Well this film is now 30 years old and still as hilarious as I can imagine it was when it was released.

Bill Murray is always funny; he has an ability to make somebody laugh simply by looking at them with a sneer on his lips.

Chevy Chase plays his usual 'National Lampoon' slightly simple but fairly harmless character.

The fun centres around a golf club ( with a hilarious toy beaver who runs through the tunnels underground with brute force, aware of his impending threat of extermination by Murray's sinister yet hilarious Carl, the pest control/odd job man - probably some of the funniest bits in the film as he seems constantly stoned!)

The club seems set to be taken over by a yobbish and undiginified individual ( played excellently by Rodney Dangerfield) which does not go down very well at all with Judge Smails (who I swear is a ringer for an old Frank Sinatra!.) Amidst all this chaos the caddyshack boys are causing trouble as they try to suck up to the Judge and golf tournaments are running amok as the wealthy men battle it out with... well the even wealthier!

I'm not saying this film doesn't have some random ( and to be honest totally pointless sex scenes-references) but on the whole it is more of a slapstick attempt than anything else. And also tremendous fun.

The Hangover - 2009 * * *

Some guys just can't handle Vegas!

This film is funny, but it's not brilliant. I have yet to see a genuinely funny Hollywood comedy of the last 10 years surface. This is why I find earlier comedies so much better such as the classic screwball movies of the 30s and 40s. People didn't need to rely on sexual crudeness or swearing to make a film funny, most of the time it was done with brilliant timing and clever word-play.

But I am very old-fashioned in this way and not many people understand or appreciate movies where something drastic isn't happening. So this is fine. It kills time, its the story of a group of friends who go to Las Vegas for their best friend's stag do only to wake up the next morning with their friend gone and no recollection of the previous events that occured the night before. How hilarious. Isn't alcohol wonderful. What a totally ridiculous waste of a trip to Vegas!

Here we have to rely on the swearing and drink-filled obscenities that have become a Hollywood staple for 'young' audiences all over. Plenty of toilet jokes as well for people who aren't totally turned off by the previous subjects.

I'm not trying to sound like an old fogey, I did laugh but at the same time felt slightly embarassed that I was actually finding some of the scenes funny when they really don't take much imagination at all to come up with.

This is a great movie for young adults and I have no doubt it will be remembered for a long while to come, but only because it seems to be an accumilation of all the other sexual-tinged comedies that America has made in the last decade. Watch 'Bringing up Baby' instead, that's what real comedy is about.

Sigaw ( The Echo) - 2004 * * *

Don't open the door.

I was surprisingly scared by this movie. American horror is no match for foreign. The story follows a man named Martin living in a creaky and terribly run-down apartment complex. He regularly sees his girlfriend who comes to the apartment to see him. Things take a turn for the worse when Martin begins to hear and see a woman persistantly banging on his door and arguing with her abusive husband at the entrance to their flat down the way.

Although worried for the safety of the woman Martin doesn't want to get involved and so tries to close his mind to what's happening...

The Opposite of Sex - 1998 * *

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be offended.

Another film on my list of movies that people always seem to talk about that I have to see.

Christina Ricci plays DeeDee, a trampy and sexually promiscious teenage who, after fighting with her mother goes to stay with her gay brother and his boyfriend Matt. Before long she has seduced Matt and is pregant with his child thus causing them both to leave the home of her brother. Lisa Kudrow turns up as Ricci's brother's sister in law to offer support and annoyance at the situation.

The whole film is gritty and nothing like I had imagined it would be. In my mind's eye I saw it as some kind of comedy but it is anything but that.

Sex, Lies and Videotape - 1989 * * *

"All I have been thinking about all week is garbage. I mean I just can't stop thinking about it."

Andie McDowell will NEVER be a good actress and I don't care what anyone says. In everything I have seen she constantly acts as though she is trying to repeat lines she has learnt off a script in a very rigid and wooden manner. Her part wasn't much better in this, but at least James Spader was there to provide some proper acting.

This story centres around a couple, namely Gallagher and McDowell who are living a very unhappy and unsatisfied marriage. Even more so since Gallagher started sleeping with McDowell's sister on the sly. Unexcited by her life, McDowell finds solace in Gallagher's visiting friend Graham(Spader) who comes with a bizarre and unsteady past that she can only hope to uncover.

Spader is a great actor, and he portrays this pathological liar character superbly. I don't much care for Peter Gallagher or his character in this but he seems to keep popping up in films I am seeing without me realising so maybe it's a sign that he's not too bad.

Not one of the best films out there but one that people are always telling you to see, so go ahead.

Victor/Victoria 1982 * * *

She'd make it to the top... one way or another!

I think Julie Andrews is one of our typically 'English' actresses and I admire her greatly. I loved her in the other musical set in the early part of this century ( Thoroughly Modern Millie) and I thought she was pretty good in this too. Set in Paris in the 1930s the story follows Victoria, a lady who cannot get work because of her operatic style voice until she accidently meets a man who is also not getting work on the stage. The 2 form a close relationship and realise that the only way Victoria can make it big is to become a female impersonator, but that is only possible if you are a man isn't it...?

Without a Clue - 1989 * * * * *

Meet the world's greatest detective, and his bumbling partner... Sherlock Holmes.

This is one of the funniest films I have seen in a long time. The whole idea of the typical Sherlock Holmes stories is mixed up and changed round for the purpose of the film so we now have John Watson as the brains behind the operation and Sherlock Holmes as the rather simple but likeable fool who does nothing but mess up the doctor's plans. Watson's dream is to be known as John Watson - Crime Doctor but no one seems interested in him, instead focusing entirely on Holmes who gets through his detective work by Watson's subtle hints at all the clues. Ben Kingsley is brilliant and ever so funny as Watson, I intend to watch everything he has ever done, and Michael Caine provides a humorous glimpse into a world where Sherlock Holmes is an idiot - certainly not a case in reality.

Stealing Beauty - 1997

The most beautiful place to be is in love.

This film was seperated by a love or hate audience when it premiered in '97. I for one was in a mixed mind.
Liv Tyler plays a 19 year old girl escaping to Italy ( beautifully shot scenery that makes you fall in love with the Italian countryside) who has to come to terms with herself, her intact virginity and her relationships with the people she meets. This is very much a 'coming of age' film that not everyone will enjoy but it does have it's good points. For one Liv really lives up to the naive and innocent 19 year old and can act pretty well. Another good point is the appearance of Jeremy Irons who almost steals the film.

Lolita - 1997 * * * * *

A forbidden love.

After being blown away by the earlier version of this story, I seriously doubted that I would be as excited about the remake. Because who ever is?

However, after seeing it once I am desperate to watch it again, if just to see Jeremy Irons amazing performance as Humbert as well as Dominique Swain's characterisation as Lolita.

Although it is tempting I don't think there is any point in comparing the 2 films as they each have things about them that are better than the other. For example - Sue Lyons is probably the better and most realistic version of the 'Lolita' character, but we see a good deal more of Humbert's background before he arrives at the Hayes house in the modern film which is crucial for you to understand his character.

Each film is just superb and who cannot feel for Humbert despite the perverted nature of his person.

A bizarre and strangely beautiful story.

Case 39 - 2009 * * * *

Some cases should never be opened.

One of the things I liked about this film was that it wasn't just a 'typical' American horror film, and half way through it actually started to freak me out. The story centres on Renee Zellweger as a social worker who gets assigned to a case of supposed child abuse on a young girl. Going against everybody including her collegues, Zellweger takes it upon herself to 'save' the child, inviting her to live in her house and away from her supposedly psychotic parents, little knowing what she is actually letting herself in for.

I'm not mad on Renee Zellweger and she had the most irritating and dry looking lips throughout the film which was rather distracting. However her acting was quite strong and I was particularly happy to see Adrian Lester pop up as her manager ( although his American accent left a lot to be desired!). I guarantee you will not guess the outcome of this movie when you start watching it, and that is one of the things I love about films - when you suddenly get an ending thrust upon you that you are totally unaware of.

Worth a watch. Definitely.

Deliver Us From Eva - 2003 * * *

Lead us into temptation but...

Aside from the obvious 'Taming of the Shrew' part of this movie it wasn't really more than a typical American rom-com flick.

The story centres around Eva, who will not believe that men aren't just all the same and not interested in an intelligent and intellectual relationship. She constantly insults her sisters boyfriends and has no interest in finding one of her own until the sister's boyfriends take matters into their own hands and decide that if they can get a man to make Eva fall for him then they will get some time with their girlfriends. Enter LL Cool J. However as usual in films like this things never happen the way they are supposed to.

Not bad acting , I like Gabrielle Union since I saw her in 'Bring it On' and LL Cool J wasn't bad. This film is like a chick-lit novel, fun and silly but not to be taken too seriously.