Reviews

Despite the fact that I watched it on a flight back from San Francisco, I nearly decided to leave the cinema on this one, not clever at 40,000 feet!

I later saw a promotion for the film back in Dubai saying it was the funniest film since "There's Something About Mary", perhaps if someone had told me it was a comedy I might have considered the option of laughing.

Maybe it's my British sense of humour but the film did nothing for me, interesting since there doesn't appear to be any comments from other Brits!

The one clever trick was that one of the sexiest ladies in show business, yes, Jamie Lee Curtis, looked very undesirable, heaven forbid!

I'm not in the habit of slating films, however it seems ridiculous to compare this to what for me, was one of the funniest films of the 90's. Call me juvenile but "There's Something About Mary", had me almost wetting myself in the cinema!

There were definitely some very talented and funny people in this film alas for me it just didn't work. My advice is "If you're hiring a video, pick up a spare in case you lose the plot!"

I can give it 2/10 for the amazing work on Jamie!

A friend told me I must watch this movie, I'd been meaning to anyway but hadn't got around to it. "I can see you in the lead role!" I was told, not that I would have fitted into Russell Crow's armour.

I'd seen the promotions and expected to see a series of gruesome Roman fighting and there was but there was a story as well. Yes it was 'Brave Heart' in a different skirt, but that to is one of my favourites.

It was the first time I'd seen Russell Crow but he's definitely on my list to look out for now. He was magnificent and played a powerful lead role when you consider the cast.

What a poignant film for Oliver Read to play Proximo his last role, for me the man lived his life to the full even if it was his own way.

Richard Harris was excellent in the short part of Marcus Aurelius, (I should spend some time about the real character).

Derek Jacobi got out his old Claudian robes to bring the touch of authenticity and I'm sure Joaquin Phoenix studied John Hurt's Caligula before playing such a magnificent role as Commodus, definitely shows promise.

I found the story very moving and struggled to maintain my dignity at the end. I'm afraid I get more emotional than most ladies with such sad endings.

Worth every penny and if you like a good cry maybe better watched at home with a big box of tissues! Definitely 10/10.

Having just watched Sixth Sense, which I agree, has like Twelve Monkeys, a great ending, I found myself asking the local video shop if they had a copy of Twelve Monkeys. At the time they didn't, however a couple of weeks later the assistant handed me a copy.

Sufficient time seemed to have passed since I first watched the film at the local cinema back home in the UK and I'm ashamed to say I had forgotten the story line. Anyway I bought the video and took it home.

Terry Giliam did a great job with this movie. It's a complicated story line, which you do have to follow closely but deeply absorbing right to the climax. When I first watched the movie I was so overwhelmed with the penultimate scene I missed the final and very miss-able twist, watch out for the 'insurance' in the final scene!

Bruce Willis plays the confused hero James Cole brilliantly and Brad Pitt matches the performance with his portrayal of the schizophrenic Jeffery Goines in what I think is one of his best, I almost believed the guy was a real fruitcake. Madeleine Stowe worked well in the compassionate role of Cole's Psychiatrist adding a touch of romance to the story.

I have to give it 10/10 for the film because I was so thoroughly entertained even second time around. Glad I bought the video daintily ranks in my top 50 movies.

When ever I pick a video with Tom Hanks I know I'm going to watch something that will move me in some way. Aside from his talent, the man obviously has good judgement in the roles he chooses.

Strange as it seems I had no prior knowledge of 'The Green Mile'. Somehow I managed to miss the promotions and nobody had commented on it. I found myself in the video store desperately trying to find something different and I think I found it!

I must confess I was unaware that this was the work of Steven King and was delighted with a more feeling approach from the man. I have at times found him very hard to read although I have enjoyed many of his movies. I do feel the man deserves enormous credit for what is essentially a damn good yarn!

As the story unfolds we discover a bunch of guys doing their utmost to make the last days of the condemned prisoners in their care as humane as possible. Their biggest problem appears to be the sadistic nature of the latest recruit which is compounded by his connections to people in power.

What evolves is a very moving picture touching on fantasy and emphasising the loopholes of the 30's judicial system.

Hanks is as good as always and much like a golfer, at the end of the day only competing against his past performances. Once again David Morse plays an excellent supporting role. Michael Clarke Duncan shows himself worthy of great things to come and Doug Hutchinson makes a powerful appearance of the man we love to hate. Credit too must go to Frank Darabont who turned a good story into a great movie.

There are some horrific scenes which I thought my wife would hate, however all is justified in the telling of the story.

The result is I'll be looking for the names above when I'm looking for movies and maybe give Steven King's books another look.