Drama > W Drama > 5 GBP to 10 GBP > by Main Language

Advantages: A great cast.
Disadvantages: Poorly written, subject to heavy handed metaphors and an overpowering score

...one for trying my patience. All the elements are here; a heavyweight cast, a universal story with contemporary parallels, an ominous score… But Zaillian goes completely over-the-top, smothering the film in clumsy visual metaphors (you know three people are going to die because he zooms in on three crosses at the side of the road). He signposts everything – characters play constantly with guns or gaze at each other in a meaningful way. He’s too fond ...
...air conditioning and it becomes all about damage control. You never see how the honest politician becomes slippery snake-oil salesman. It damages the dramatic impetus of the film, making the otherwise reasonable two-hour running time drag interminably, so every revelation and twist feels like hard work. Zaillian’s screenplay makes the fatal error of focussing on Jack Burden rather than Willie Stark’s fall from grace. Sadly this makes for a far less ... Read review

Advantages: A few good action scenes; If you like violence this is for you...
Disadvantages: If you don't, don't even botter, you'll feel sick...

† What you are about to read is a review on a box set that could easily be described in a simple word: Violence…! But as I spend more than 300 minutes watching it, I think I will tell you a bit more about it… Was it worth it? You will soon find out… † “Domino” (2005) - “There is three kinds of people in the world: the poor, the rich, and everyone in between… My name is Domino Harvey…” (2/5). Tony Scott is the personification of everything we hate ...
...blockbuster concept, when he directed “Top Gun”, back in 1986. But there’s something about him that catches my attention and maybe that’s the reason why one of my favourite “worst movie ever” is “The Last Boy Scout” (1991)… “Domino” is an action thriller freely adapted to the true life of Londoner Domino Harvey, who gave up her career as a model to become a bounty hunter; Domino was the only daughter of Lawrence Harvey (Lithuanian-born actor, mostly ... Read review

Advantages: Build up of tension, good cast
Disadvantages: Slow burner, you may give up after 30 mins

This is the best example of a 'slow burner' film I've ever seen. Robert (Winstone) visits a prostitute every day - not for sex, but to ask questions, play board games and chat. The opening 45 mins of this film simply shows him visiting, paying his money and asking questions - most of which Naomi, the prostitute, isn't keen to answer because of the circumstances. This tension builds up and, as a viewer, keeps you compelled to watch. Why is he visiting ...
...All of the above is answered in the second half of Everything. Just as I was fearing the worst about Winstone's character, some major twists occur and the story begins to unfold. Winstone is superb as usual in the role of Robert. Not much dialogue, but the build up of tension and wonder is done very well. Nice to see a good independent British film. ... Read review

Advantages: There is only one Lukas Moodysson,
Disadvantages: which is one too many for some.

...idea what to expect from A Hole In My Heart. And having seen it I still don't really know what to make of it to be honest. Part of the reason for me writing this review is to try and make sense of it for myself so here goes... By the time Moodysson made this movie in 2004 he had already achieved a huge degree of commercial success with "Together" (5*) and "Lilya 4-Ever" (5*). One of the privileges of "making it" is that it allowed him the freedom ...
...funding it needed but also a wide audience of people who had enjoyed any of his earlier masterpieces. Many of the fans of his earlier films, including even the brutally hard-hitting Lilya 4-Ever were in for a real shock! The entire cast consists of four characters and the story (if you can call it that) takes place almost entirely within the confin