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Certificate: 
Director: James Mangold
Release Date: 3 February 2006
Tagline: Love is a burning thing.
Main Cast:
Joaquin Phoenix … John R. Cash
Reese Witherspoon … June Carter
Ginnifer Goodwin … Vivian Cash
I’m going to start by saying that I’m not a Johnny Cash fan. Sure, I can listen to his music and appreciate his very unique style and even hum along sometimes. However, I’d heard a lot of rave reviews about Walk the Line and as I am a fan of both Phoenix and Witherspoon I thought that was three very good reasons to watch it. And I’m sure glad I did!
The acting and vocals (both sang and did not lip-sync) are astounding, as is the chemistry between the two. Even if you are unfamiliar with the life of Johnny Cash, it’s still a great love story (best of all though, it’s not remotely schmaltzy – I don’t think Cash was capable of it!)
It really felt like you were watching Cash himself – Phoenix is that good. At the time of writing, he has declared that he is retiring from acting. I sincerely hope he reconsiders as it will be our loss.
Rating: 
Certificate: 
Director: John Carpenter
Release Date: 25 October 1978
Tagline: The Night HE Came Home!
Main Cast:
Donald Pleasence … Dr Sam Loomis
Jamie Lee Curtis … Laurie Strode
Nancy Kyes … Annie Brackett (as Nancy Loomis)
P.J. Soles … Lynda van der Klok
Ah… The quintessential horror film and, arguably, the daddy of all stalk & slash movies (see my review of Black Christmas for a comparison between these two films).
Halloween is a masterclass in how to make a truly scary horror. It’s power comes not only from the increasing tension but also from the score (I only need to hear the first few bars and I get the chills!) It’s not a gruesome film (barely a drop of blood is spilled) but this just makes it even better. There’s an eerieness about the whole thing. The streets and houses seem to be largely empty and this adds to the feeling of isolation and helplessness that Laurie finds herself in.
If you were to watch it for the first time now, you may be tempted to think of it as rather clichéd. Please bear in mind though that the modern clichés come from somewhere, and that somewhere includes Halloween.
For the ultimate experience make sure you watch it alone on Halloween night with the lights turned off. It just can’t be beaten!
Rating:
Certificate: 
Director: Paul Haggis
Release Date: 12 August 2005
Tagline: You think you know who you are. You have no idea.
Main Cast:
Sandra Bullock … Jean Cabot
Don Cheadle … Detective Graham Waters
Matt Dillon … Officer John Ryan
The first thing that struck me about Crash (no pun intended!) was how strikingly similar it is to Magnolia. If you loved that then you’ll love this. Even if you didn’t care much for Magnolia then don’t be put off by it.
Crash follows a series of individuals who are seemingly unconnected. However, as the film goes on, their lives begin to become intertwined. The film is basically about how racism, no matter how overt or subtle it may be, affects not only society as a whole, but us as individuals too. It often makes for uncomfortable viewing, not only for the more reprehensible acts of racism, but also because it makes us think about and question our own prejudices whether they be racially motivated or otherwise.
Crash has a fantastic ensemble cast (just three are listed above) and each and every one is brilliant in their role. A worthy Oscar winning film, and should be regarded as a must see.
Rating:
Certificate: Originally rated
Director: Richard Donner
Release Date: 25 June 1976
Tagline: It is the greatest mystery of all because no human being will ever solve it.
Main Cast:
Robert Thorn … Gregory Peck
Lee Remick … Katherine Thorn
Billie Whitelaw … Mrs Baylock
Harvey Stephens … Damien
A true cinematic classic. It’s one of those rare instances when the film is just as good as the book. Even after all these years and several viewings it still has the power to create a real feeling of unease. The scenes at Windsor Safari Park are especially powerful, as the young Damien is taking delight in seeing the animals, but they are somewhat less than delighted to see him, much to his very real disappointment.
It’s this depiction of innocence together with demonic undertones that makes it a very powerful film. This is going to be one of the more ridiculous sounding sentences that I’ve ever written, but here goes! Damien is not aware that he is the Antichrist, and come the ending where his ‘father’ has to murder him, you can’t help but feel for him.
The Omen is a masterpiece, and should be seen by all!
Rating:
Certificate:
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Release Date: 21 March 2008
Tagline: A tale of love. A story of horror.
Main Cast:
Belén Ruader … Laura
Fernando Cayo … Carlos
Roger Príncep … Simón
What a masterpiece! I was totally blown away by it. I was expecting it to be good, but it surpassed all expectations. I am going to give absolutely nothing away other than it’s the finest ghost story I’ve ever seen (closely follwed by The Others) and you owe it to yourself to see it. Whist I’ve included it in the ‘horror’ category, if you don’t like horror films then don’t let that put you off. There’s a lot of unease and it’s very creepy, but it’s such a thrill!
Rating:
Certificate:
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release Date: 24 July 2008
Tagline: Why so serious?
Main Cast:
Bruce Wayne … Christian Bale
The Joker … Heath Ledger
Aaron Eckhart … Harvey Dent
Alfred … Michael Caine
*** WARNING – THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS ***
This is how I like my Joker served up. An evil sociopath for whom nothing is out of bounds. He’s absolutely delicious! And everything you’ve heard about Heath Ledger’s performance is true. If there’s any justice in this world, the he surely will win an Oscar for his performance. I’m not just saying this because (tragically) he’s dead. I’m saying this as a long time reader of the comic, and long time lover of the Joker. Jack Nicholson was great in Tim Burton’s version, but that was closer to the camp 1960′s TV show. The Dark Knight depicts the Joker exactly as he should be. There’s nothing funny about him and that’s the irony.
Moving on from the Joker (because I could wax lyrical all day about him), Christian Bale is again excellent as Batman. I’m glad that they changed the suit (too stiff – as mentioned, he couldn’t turn his head) and blew up the Batmobile. I hated that from Batman Begins and hope that we really have seen the last of it.
The character of Rachel Dawes is insipid, and her demise is welcomed by myself. Of course, knowing who Harvey Dent is, I was in no doubt that the Joker had played a trick on Batman and the police, and Harvey was the one who would be saved. This works very well both for those who are unfamiliar with the comic – my husband was surprised at the trick (oh crap – I’ve given my gender away!) and I myself revelled in the evil twist. Personally, I wanted another one. I hoped that the ferry incident would have led to the death of the one which decided to press the button, but I guess that they had to show the difference between the Joker and and those of us who have morality. Screw morality – I wanted more carnage, not a lesson!
There are moments of comedy (twisted and fantastic!) but this is not a light comic book film at all. Personally, I think that the BBFC have lost all credibility, and the rating system is all but useless. 12a? Not in the slightest. Cinema is ruled by money, and it seems to me that the BBFC are now bowing to pressure, and using the ‘a’ part of the rating as a cop out. 12 has now been ditched, and all responsibility has been placed on the child’s parents/guardians. And we all know how responsible some parents can be. The screening I went to had two young children (no more than 5 & 7 as they were from the same family) and if they had been mine, I would never have let them watch it.
The Dark knight is utterly brilliant, and any sequel will surely pale in comparison. Watch this film. It’s superb!
Rating:
Certificate: 
Director: Sam Raimi
Release Date: 4 May 2007
Tagline: Next summer, the greatest battle lies… Within.
Main Cast:
Tobey Maguire … Peter Parker
Kisrten Dunst … Mary Jane Watson
James Fargo … Harry Osborn
One of my favourite Spider-Man villians is Venom, so I was both excited and concerned at the prospect of his appearance in S-M 3. “Why concerned?” you ask. Well he’s – to put it mildly – vicious. He kills with glee and abandon and nobody is off limits to him, be it man, woman or child.
Venom is a formidable foe in the comic books, and I knew that they would never be able to portray him in his true light. His appearance is all too brief and I was disappointed to see his demise. Ultimately though, it was the best thing to do as he can only ever be a watered down version of his gloriously violent self. It was good to see, however, that they remained true to the comics and the character of Eddie Brock. I was slightly disappointed at the fact that Peter wore a physical black costume. The alien bonds to his host, and Peter’s black suit isn’t a costume at all – the symbiote is the suit (as is later shown when it takes over Eddie Brock). Again though, I understand why they did it. Peter had to be shown making a conscious decision to allow the symbiote to take control and they didn’t have the time to build up slowly. Films don’t have the luxury of a story arc built over many months. Also, having the exact same costume in black made for great visual images for all the posters 
Sandman is an absolute triumph of CGI. He’s fantastic, and left me pretty awe-struck. Years ago, I never dreamed that I would be able to see all these heroes and villains come to such fantastic life on the big screen.
Not everybody liked seeing two villains in the same film, and many of the poor reviews claimed that it was too confusing. They obviously missed the fact that neither Sandman or Venom could have been the main foe.
First of all, Sandman was actually a plot device rather than a villain. In fact, he’s not a villain at all. He’s just a man who did desperate things to save his dying daughter. He’s a tragic character, and is there firstly for Peter to react to with feelings of revenge and anger (thus showing us how the alien symbiote is beginning to take over his personality), and then at the end, when Peter has regained himself, he is finally able to lay the ghost of his uncle’s death to rest by understanding and forgiveness.
Secondly, Venom couldn’t have been the main villain because he only appears towards the end of the film. When we see what the alien has done to Eddie, a regular guy with no powers, we understand what the consequences would have been if Peter hadn’t come to his senses and rejected it.
Another gripe was about the depiction of Peter’s personality change. Yes, I would have preferred to see him dealing with criminals with more force than necessary rather than strutting down the street, but they won’t do that with a film that is rated 12. It wouldn’t be good to depict our hero abusing his power by kicking the s***t out of the bad guys. Bowing to pressure and making the films 12 rather than 12A was a decision made based on the marketing value of the franchise. I get annoyed at this, as not everything should be made to suit children. I want films to be made as well as they can be, and not compromised because of keeping parents happy or filling the already bulging pockets of the studios. Anyway, rant over! Back to the review 
The reconciliation between Peter and Harry was nicely done, and ended that story arc very well. I’ll miss James Franco in the next one though, as I thought he brought a lot to the role and made Harry very engaging.
So… Did I like it? Hell, yes! Spider-Man 3 is an exciting, thrilling and very satisfying film. It was also used as a way to tie up loose ends so that we can start afresh and not have S-M 4 (there will surely be another) cluttered up with unfinished business.
Rating:
Certificate:
Director: Sam Raimi
Release Date: 16 July 2004
Tagline: Sacrifice.
Main Cast:
Tobey Maguire … Peter Parker
Kirsten Dunst … Mary Jane Watson
James Franco … Harry Osborn
Alfred Molina … Dr Otto Octavius
After the sheer brilliance that was Spider-Man the question on everybody’s lips was “Can they do it again?” The answer was an emphatic “Yes!” We needn’t have worried as S-M 2 is just as thrilling as the first.
This time, the super-criminal is Dr Octopus. A good choice, as he’s one of the best known characters from the Spider-Man universe. Obviously, there is some character development for the main protagonists, but this is done very well. There’s not too much to bore the casual veiwer, and just enough to keep us dedicated fans happy.
Just like its predecessor, S-M 2 is unmissable.
Rating:
Certificate: reduced later to
Director: Sam Raimi
Release Date: 14 June 2002
Tagline: With great power comes great responsibility.
Main Cast:
Tobey Maguire … Peter Parker
Willem Dafoe … Norman Osborn
Kirsten Dunst … Mary Jane Watson
James Franco … Harry Osborn
For those of us who grew up reading the DC and Marvel comics (and especially Spider-Man) this is truly the stuff of dreams. It’s amazing how, finally, we are able to see Spidey swinging through the streets of New York in the exact same way you see him in the comics. It’s jaw-droppingly stunning. This is a perfect example of how to use CGI.
Everything about it is fantastic. First of all, though, I have to mention the suit – it’s drop-dead gorgeous! Maguire and Dafoe are perfectly cast. Dafoe even looks like the Norman Osborn from the comics! J. K. Simmons makes a brilliant J. Jonah Jameson! My only gripe about the cast is Kirsten Dunst. There doesn’t seem to be any chemistry between her and Maguire.
The story is also very faithful to the comic book canon. Very little has been changed, and the one or two alterations are done either to bring it more up to date (such as the spider being genetically engineered rather than being zapped by radiation), or by other constraints. Whilst I’m on the subject of the spider, I loved the fact that they made it the colour of the suit.
This is one of those films that you have to see. Even if you’ve never read a comic in your life you’ll love it. No prior knowledge of Spider-Man is required. Just sit back and enjoy the ride!
Now for some trivia. Look out for Stan Lee (the creator of Spidey), Bruce Campbell (Sam Raimi’s longtime friend & colleague) and Ted Raimi (Sam’s brother). All will feature in the sequels too. And for the Xena fans among us – keep an eye out for Lucy Lawless (also a friend of Raimi) – almost unrecognizeable as a punk!
Rating:
Certificate:
Director: Mike Nichols
Release Date: 13 April 1984
Tagline: On November 13, 1974, Karen Silkwood, an employee of a nuclear facility, left to meet with a reporter from the New York Times. She never got there.
Main Cast:
Meryl Streep … Karen Silkwood
Kurt Russell … Drew Stephens
Cher … Dolly Pelliker
Silkwood is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood, a chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee nuclear power plant in Oklahoma, USA who was contaminated with plutonium and died in a car crash in mysterious circumstances.
The acting is very good all round and Meryl Streep is, as usual, brilliant. The film concentrates on just telling the story. It never degenerates into preachy moralising, and does not attempt to provide any answers.
Wikipedia has some very good information on Karen Silkwood, and can be found here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Silkwood
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