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Reviews
Edge of Darkness (1985)
A brilliant edgy thriller
I just added this BBC made thriller to my DVD collection and it is one of my favourite television dramas. I saw it when it first came out in 1986 and with a brilliant script and superb acting, it is a true masterpiece of television drama.
If you have haven't seen it you are missing out on quality entertainment.
Lost in Translation (2003)
A touching, finely crafted film
What a wonderful film! One can see that Sophia Coppola is a very fine writer and director and this is just a taste of things to come. I've always been a Bill Murray fan, thinking that under the comedy lay an ability to portray serious roles. He really shone in this film and one can hope he'll go on to do more. Scarlett Johansson was superb as well in the role of Charlotte and we'll no doubt see lot more of her in the future.
But it's the story of the film that shines brightest, giving us a touching portrayal of Bill and Charlotte lost in the shadows of other peoples lives and demands and their attempts to escape them for a while. It deserves at least a nomination for a Golden Globe if not an Academy award for both the film and actors.
The Animatrix (2003)
Just brilliant animation
These nine animated films are a perfect addition to The Matrix films. Each in its own way is brilliant, giving the viewer a different perspective of what The Matrix is with some awesome animation. I recently added it to my DVD collection and my favourite is 'Beyond'.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
An excellent third installment with plenty of scope for more
I really looked forward to the third installment in The Terminator series and I was not disappointed. This film was action all the way, with some amazing special effects that at times made The Matrix - Reloaded look pedestrian! The car chase scene with the crane truck was just mind blowing and the final bit of destruction in these scenes just eye candy for the dangerous at heart. The special effects in general were well crafted, hammering the senses all the way.
Arnie was at his quipping best and looked in superb shape for his age. Nich Stahl was great as John Connor considering the legacy preceding him and one can only hope that there will be a fourth movie to cement his ownership of the character. Claire Danes was equally as good in her role, giving a good mix of vulnerability and survival desperation. Kristanna Loken as T-X gave a brilliant menacing performance - I don't think I'll look at a blonde haired, blue eyed babe in the same way ever again. I hope her character can be resurrected in a fourth film.
The storyline was crisp and flowing, with only a few minor flat spots and the revelation at the very end will surprise most. All in all a worthy installment in the series and one that I'll be seeing again, with the DVD a definite on the buy list.
8/10
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
One of the finest war movies ever made
This is a great war film that is now part of my DVD collection. Great acting by Hawkins, Holden, Guinness, Hayakawa and the host of supporting actors and a terrific script that keeps you engrossed through what is a fairly long film for its day.
9/10
The Matrix (1999)
A ground breaking brilliance in Science Fiction film making.
Enough has already been said about how brilliant The Matrix is and I'm not going to add that much. It is curious to note however that as The Matrix was released in 1999, another ground breaking film was released twenty years earlier in 1979. I'm talking about Ridley Scott's Alien and whilst the differences between the two films are broad, both have stamped their mark as cutting edge science fiction films of the twentieth century.