Quick Reviews

Taking Sides

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Ageing Harwood (who I think is brilliant) piece failed to touch or surprise me at all.

Bright Star

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Delicate movie beautifully made - let down by being a biopic (ie we know what's going to happen!)

State of Play

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Nicely done but the final twist makes the whole thing INCOMPREHENSIBLE - wasted effort from a very clever director indeed.

Eden Lake

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Skillful, brutal slasher with a bleak underlying commentary on cycles of violence.

Bolt

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Great characters but terminally boring - a pale imitation on similar themes to Toy Story. Move on guys...

This is England

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Not the life-changing drama I expected - sure it's a great portrait of a time, but the (anti) hero only has two cards up his sleeve - he's young, his dad dies in the war. Once they get played the interest in him vanishes... there's nothing in the way of real character development here.

August: Osage County

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Page turning script in gothic American vein matched by stellar ensemble work. A highlight of the decade so far.

Rain man

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5

Thin script, abrupt ending, some great acting, some not acting at all...

Bee Movie

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My 3 year old enjoyed the flying around bits.

There's Something About Mary

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Clever genre bender - RomCom gross out comedy - great fun.

Macbeth

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Patrick Stewart was in it but this is the directors show - Macbeth of a lifetime!

Once

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Well I cried... Goes to show what simplicity, talent and not much money can do.