Reviews

"Murder Rooms" was a fair go at an original idea by David Pirie and it was the story of Arthur Conan Doyle when he was at university and began doubting his career as a doctor, and was inclined to writing.

Have a very talented cast with Ian Richardson, Charles Dance and Robin Laing the acting was real. The main supporting cast of Dolly Wells, Alec Newman and Andrew John Tait did their job excellently adding some beauty to the background.

It could have been put together better, as I believe that the drama was a bit staccato in places, scenes being to short etc. But all in all good for sitting in on a cold night in front of a log fire with some brandy and a pipe!

The look of Ronin, without watching it, said to - Robert DeNiro has just done Heat, why would he do a film that looks exactly the same? But no, no. The comparison between the two ends with Robert DeNiro. Heat is an actors film with juicy parts and long scenes, whereas Ronin is a cleverly scripted (what else from David Mamet (under the name Richard Weisz)) smooth running action film.

With amazing car chases (Frankenheimer did Grand Prix), superb acting from DeNiro, Jean Reno and Johnathan Pryce and a really interesting plot line, Ronin just seems to fly by.

Sean Bean also deserves credit for his small role as the "excentric crook".

Overall a good film with enough action, acting and one-liners to keep you going - watch it!

On going to see "The Blair Witch Project" about 3 or 4 weeks after it's release in Britain, I went in with a very open mind. I was excited about the film ever since i heard about it and with so many mixed reviews, I was hopeful.

After getting used to the shakey camera and my eyes managed to focus on the VHS-C camera quality, I felt involved from beginning to end. Hearing so many rumours of how they filmed it, I forgot all about the unimportant stuff like that and began to be interested on the finished product.

There were times when I thought to myself - you just wouldn't run a camera at that point. But I think this was covered by the superb and chilling last 10-15 minutes.

Very creepy, and very entertaining. You will go to sleep thinking about it.

Being a big David Mamet fan, I always liked the play of "Glengarry, Glen Ross" and I was a touch sceptical about the film, but on finding out the amazing cast, I suddenly brightened up!

Seeing Jack Lemmon in probably his best acting role of his life, along with Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey and Jonathan Pryce who are all very fine actors just makes the film so special to watch because the acting is so strong that you could mistake the film for real life - almost one of these fly-on-the-wall documentaries.

But it is Lemmon who steals the show with some superb method acting and something that takes a lot to equal.

"Glengarry, Glen Ross" is a superb film, especially if you feel life is getting you down - rent it, buy it - just see it!

After a good long wait to see this film - I finally managed to get some time and remember to rent it from my local video store. Being a big fan of Kevin Spacey as an actor - I was interested to see what he was going to be like as a director. I was impressed.

The slick camera shots and acting covered up for the not-so-slick script, and thanks to the good casting of Matt Dillion, Gary Sinese and Faye Dunaway, the film rolled along and a pace which left the audience thinking - "What IS going to happen".

I think it was a shame that this film didn't get a big distributer as it is rather good, but in a way perhaps that is a good thing - it keeps the movie for people who like movies and not just car chases and explosions with past-it action heroes in a vest.

When will Scottish Television actors learn that you don't have to speak with a perfectly articulated voice in order for English people to understand them. This is the main problem with this show, apart from the dialogue which seems to have been retrieved from a lavatory bowl.

I know it is a kids show - but come on - it is not humorous, it is not educational and it is not good.

This film has been made a cult classic and quite rightly so. Just about everything in this movie is good, perhaps apart from the music which can sometimes be annoying (with the exception of the excellent music of the period).

The cast are excellent and there must be extra credit given to Richard E. Grant who when going to the audition had to compete with such fine actors as Kenneth Branagh.

Very funny and it does have a meaning. I believe that there is a lot of "in" jokes for people in the acting business, but everyone will find their own humor in it - be it such lines as "We've gone on holiday by mistake", or when asked to see the fuel and wood situation Withnail enters with a small twig and when asked what it was the reply is "fuel and wood situation."

A must see for anyone who has ever experienced life as an unemployed actor, or been on the dole, or anyone who appreciates a good funny film.

I am a very big fan of Shakespeare - being an actor it almost comes with the territory, but i am not a fan of Shakespeare being cut - It should be performed as it was written. But this version by Oliver Parker seems to pull it off.

Being a touch put off by the fact that he had cast Laurence Fishburne as the moor, I watched it for the mere fact that Brannagh was playing Iago. Brannagh is the man who knows when it comes to the Bard, and being a slightly different part to play for him (and he wasn't directing it) it seemed very interesting. And he pulled off the character wonderfully.

He managed to play Iago with just enough flourish without making everything obvious. If I didn't already know the story I may have though he was telling the truth half of the time.

Fishburne himself actually gives in a good if somewhat restrained performance and Irene Jacob as Desdemona is convincing, but it is the boy from Belfast, Brannagh, who steals the show.

There are many excellent minor performances in the movie also, Michael Maloney as Rodrigo and Anna Patrick as Emilia to name but two.

Parker's direction of the piece is also very good, especially visually, the love scenes with the black/white skin are a bit obvious, but still a nice touch.

The bottom line for me, would be if you enjoy Shakespeare and Othello isn't on at your local Theatre - rent the video, or go to the cinema to see this version - you won't be disappointed. If you don't enjoy Shakespeare - watch it and be converted.

For those of you know a little about Stanislavsky and objectives in acting you'll know that in a role you must apply only one objective at a time, but cleverly pointed out by one of my friends, Fiennes defies this and plays multiple objectives making his character so much more deeper. A less talented actor would not have been able to carry this off, but Ralph Fiennes, as usual makes it seem like water off a ducks back.

Cate Blanchett shines as the strong female in the film - a successful female in a man's world. Blanchett, not being the most attractive woman in the entire world is perfectly cast as you find yourself watching her and finding her incredibly sexy - and just want to jump and say Oscar and Lucinda - you are so perfect for each other! The scene with Blanchett in the glass church is an amazing piece of acting.

Gillian Armstrong (Little Women) triumphs with the breathtaking Australian and English countryside scenery, and certain shots just shouldn't work, but amazingly they do.

Oscar and Lucinda is acting at it's best, and an amazing screenplay from such a dull, long-winded book.

From the opening shot to the final tear in your eye, The English Patient is an intellegent and elegant film full of beautifully shot scenery and outstanding performances from the actors. Fiennes especially delivers a great turn as the love struck "hero" as does Binnoche as the nurse who tends the patients wounds. Full of great lines and stunning visual acting "The English Patient" remains one of the finest British films ever made - and it just goes to prove they can make them like they used to.