The Station Agent

Advantages: excellent writing, acting, direction...
Disadvantages: none.

...The Station Agent is an extraordinary film for a number of reasons. The first is that it is stunningly simple in story and script and yet intriguingly complex in theme and emotional resonance. The second is that it has a strong social conscience without a hint of condescension. The third is that it is funny, touching, sweet, lyrical and beautifully paced, which is sadly not something we see every day. This tiny crystalline gem of a movie took the critics by storm and as far as I can see, they were entirely within reason to praise it to the skies. The Film Stuff: Finbar McBride - PETER DINKLAGE Olivia Harris - PATRICIA CLARKSON Joe Oramas - BOBBY CANNAVALE Cleo - RAVEN GOODWIN Emily - MICHELLE WILLIAMS Written and Directed by THOMAS McCARTHY in his directorial debut. 88 mins Certificate 15 Fin lives...

ruth_cole 11.04.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Station Agent (DVD)

With a Bang and a Clunk (Polity Agent - Neal Asher)

Advantages: decent world, good technology, lots of action
Disadvantages: Boring: too much technology, too many battles, not enough social background

...This is a fourth book set in the Polity and it features Agent Cormac and some other characters known from previous instalments. It's not part of a saga, though, and it's perfectly readable as a stand alone, as enough explanation (in fact, perhaps even bit too much, as it often is the case with s-f books) is provided. Jain nodes, a lethal nanotechnology designed to destroy civilisations is rearing its ugly head again in the Polity. Who is distributing the nodes? What do they have to do with the giant biotechnology construct called Dragon produced by the Makers' civilisation, itself destroyed by Jain tech 800 years in the future? And what exactly is the mysterious entity calling itself the Legate representative of? Agent Cormac, Sparkind special forces members and various researchers and AIs combine forces to find answers to these...

magdadh 22.04.2009 (29.03.2009) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Polity Agent - Neal Asher

My Secret Agent.....

Advantages: Too many to mention!
Disadvantages: Bit fiddly, but worth it in the end!

...This is just an overview or insight into the world of Microsoft Agent. Hopefully it won't bore you to tears! This is merely meant as a general informative review about the product, rather than the technical in depth how to install/setup sort of review (apart from a bit at the end). That might come later, depending on how this is received!!!! Microsoft Agent is a technology, generally included as part of Windows XP (Home or Professional Editions), that enables you to use characters (or 'Agents') to 'humanise' applications, create 'talking' websites or presentations etc. This basically means you can have a character that appears on screen that can carry out basic tasks including saying 'Hello, welcome to our company' when someone looks at your website, or 'Hey, you have mail from Fred Bloggs' when used in conjunction with 'Agent...

sallysmith1973 01.07.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Microsoft Agent

Try servicing the library.

Advantages: See text.
Disadvantages: See text.

...Hmmmmmm, not quite sure on how to do this but I would just like to write a review on using your local library services. I was a little surprised as to the area that it was in, but hey ho that is Ciao for you as they put it there supposedly! But anyway, back to the subject in mind. How do I use the library service? Well, you have to actually be a member in order to use pretty much any of the facilities that are on offer. It is usually free to join, but there are usually stipulations that you must agree to meet prior to joining: 1. That you are a permanent resident in the area that provides the service. If you live in Devon or Cornwall, then you can't use the service in Avon or Somerset. But even with that said, in Plymouth and Torbay now (both of these being in Devon) they are now separate authorities and so you are only as...

dynamicnurse 19.08.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Library services

Lovely estate agents

Advantages: Sold my house at asking price
Disadvantages: I don't receive service like that everyday

...Moving house is said to be one of the three most stressful things you can do,(besides bereavement and divorce). The last thing you want or need from your estate agents then is bad service, incompetence or inability to do the job. Fortunately for me, I got none of these. The estate agents we chose to sell our flat a few months ago I could not praise highly enough. Why did we choose Connells? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With a little baby, we had been thinking of selling and moving for a while, so when we were in estate agents asking for house particulars, we were interested to see how they reacted to us and potential buyers, so we had an idea what they would be saying about our property behind our backs! I am sad to say that some estate agents really do live up to the dreadful reputation. I had comments such as "ooh, you don...

nancymac 31.08.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Connell Estate Agents

Agent Provocateur, sexy perfume.

Advantages: so strong that a small bottle will last for a long time.
Disadvantages: over powering if you spay on to much

...Agent Provocateur fragrance is a modern classic combining saffron oil from India, coriander from Russia, Egyptian Jasmine and Vetivert from Haiti amongst other exotic elements. I read the above description in my catalogue and thought well at £28 a bottle I will give it a go so I did it only took two days for delivery and I was full of anticipation when it arrived, I removed the external packaging to reveal a black box with a small rectangle cut out from the middle, which reminded me of a letter box and through this small hole you can see a pink bottle which wrote in beautiful writing says "Agent Provocateur " along the middle, upon opening the black box there is a feminine pink porcelain egg shaped bottle. A silver spray & black satin ribbon embellished clip complete the package. I was very impressed with the seductive appearance...

icynessyburns 19.01.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Agent Provocateur Eau De Parfum Spray for Her

Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Tired and Overdone

Advantages: Good graphics and voice acting, good replay value
Disadvantages: A poor attempt at innovation, needs something new

...With Splinter Cell: Double Agent being the fourth incarnation of Ubi Soft's now well established stealth-based espionage franchise, the developers desperately needed to build on their previous success and inject some much needed innovation into the once groundbreaking series. There is no doubt that Ubi Soft tried to push the boundaries here, but, upon playing Double Agent and hoping for the best, I unfortunately came away feeling that Splinter Cell has become rather tired and overdone. With a plot that makes some gestures towards depth but ultimately fails to excite, and a new but half-hearted trust-gauge mechanism, the basics of Splinter Cell remain untouched in Double Agent. Based more upon stealth, and, to some extent, strategy than full blown action, the game sees the player take on the role of Sam Fisher, an NSA operative...

smooth_criminal_ 20.01.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (PS2)

Splinter Cell Double Agent Review

Advantages: Good Graphics, Fans of the series will like it
Disadvantages: Poor attempt at innovation

...Splinter Cell: Double Agent Review! Snazzy title eh? Splinter Cell: Double Agent promised us something different from previous Splinter Cell?s, a game that followed Sam Fisher a grizzled veteran stealthily completing missions and saving the world. The series is hugely popular with fans and critics who love the realistic and patient style of game play. However, when Chaos Theory the third game in the series was released, it garnered a lukewarm reception, and whilst still being fundamentally sound it was a case of been there done that for gamers. Something needed to be done to freshen up the series and in October 2006 Double Agent arrived to do just that. Or did it? When I heard the premise for Double Agent I was excited, too excited if I?m honest. The idea of choosing how I play the game and how good or bad I am in...

SecretLemonadeDrinker 09.07.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (PS2)

Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 500GB

Advantages: cheap - all that it is
Disadvantages: poor structure, prone to overheating, not reliable

...Out shopping for a new external hard drive the Seagate FreeAgent Desktop caught my eye. It looked appealing with a massive 500GBs and 5 year limited warrenty as standard. I thought it was great value for money. The dimensions are (WxDxH) 4 cm x 16.2 cm x 19 cm and it is 0.9kg in weight. This product is black in colour with a yellow strip of light which is constantly on, though it isn't too bright so i had no problems there. It's Interface Type is Hi-Speed USB and has a Data Transfer Rate of 480 Mbps. Also has a Spindle Speed of 7200 rpm. These are also compatible with the following - OS Required Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Apple MacOS X 10.3.9 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista, Apple MacOS X 10.4.6 or later This all sounded promising. After getting home...

vikki-adam 05.04.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of FreeAgent Desktop 500 GB

On Her Service, Off The Rails

Advantages: True Bond
Disadvantages: Not as entertaining

...After the success of his fifth Bond film, You Only Live Twice, Sean Connery decided enough was enough and hung up his boots as the MI6 secret agent Commander James Bond. Shortlived though it was and limited to just this film, George Lazenby took up the role for On Her Majesty's Secret Service in what is actually one of the better films in terms of plot. The Plot Relieved of pursuing Blofeld by his superiors, Moneypenny cleverly acquires James Bond two weeks' leave, during which he travels to Switzerland in pursuit of a mob boos' daughter as well as Blofeld, for the S.P.E.C.T.R.E. number 1 is hatching a new plot, involving chemical tests on human beings in the hope of creating superhumans. Yet again, Bond has his work cut out for him whilst facing his arch enemy Blofeld. The Cast and Performances George Lazenby has here his...

pmcds 19.05.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (DVD)