Year: 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | All

Introduction

I'm intending to keep a diary of all the films I see in cinemas. As the holder of a CineWorld Unlimited Card, I get to see most major releases in the UK. I'm not intending to write long reviews - just a general rating and a few observations. This may be helpful to people who are deciding which film to see, either in cinemas or later on DVD or television. I provide a link to the IMDB (Internet Movie Database) website for further information on cast and crew.

Please note:

I go to see films for pleasure and not as a reviewer. How I respond to a film may depend on my mood and expectations on the day, and so I am recording a personal reaction to the occasion.
I'll try to ensure there are no 'spoilers' in these reviews, although this may make some comments seem quite cryptic to those who haven't seen the film
I am a Christian, and will often note where films are relevant to contemporary themes in practical Christianity.
Generally, I'm not in favour of censorship, but I think the current system of film classification is inadequate and occasionally bizarre. I've added some comments on the ratings which may help people decide how appropriate the film is for them.
By default, films are listed in the order I have seen them, most recent first.

15 April 2006: I decided I was being a bit mean towards the top end of the scale, and have increased the score for these films, although the order stays the same. I've also introduced a decimal place in the scores so films don't tie for a place unless I really want them to! These changes increased the average rating from 63.3% to 64.3%. There may be a few minor adjustments in the next week or so.

26 June 2008: I'm still catching up on some of the backlog of entries and reviews. Apologies for any inconvenience. Please note that the average rating is wrong.

18 July 2008: The average rating is now correct. I've added a few more films from the backlog.

5 August 2008: Started to add Irish Film Classification Office ratings, as these provide more useful information than the BBFC.

7 March 2009: Added another couple of decimal places to the score to avoid ties as some score ranges were getting very crowded!

Sort by: Date | Title | Score | Rating - Reverse Order

Year: All | 2006 | 2007 | 2008

My Week With Marilyn 9/10 92.00%
A very strong cast and script make this a sure fire winner. Judi Dench excells as Dame Sybil Thorndike, but Michelle Williams steals the show with her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. I found this a much better paced and more involving film than The King's Speech, with which it will inevitably be compared, with a more atmospheric feel to it and more consistent production values. It is hard to believe
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains strong language
Rating:		Interesting to note the distributors were clearly expecting a 12A rating for this film, but even after re-submission, the BBFC insisted on a 15. The sensible Irish systems signals the more adult content of the film, but still allows accompanied under 15s to see it.
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (1)
Website:		http://myweekwithmarilynmovie.com/

Tower Heist 5/10 55.70%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains infrequent strong language and moderate sex references
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Shaftesbury Avenue (4)

Contagion 7/10 72.40%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains moderate physical and psychological threat and brief medical gore
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Shaftesbury Avenue (5)

In Time 8/10 80.01%
Great concept, with patchy execution. Raises questions about econonic justice in an original and accessible way. The tag line "Is it stealing if it's stolen?" itself raises interesting moral questions. The film does lose its moral compass in places, and this, along with wafer thin credibility of aspects of the plot, rather undermines the 'Robin Hood' aspect. Justin Timberlake puts in a strong performance. It would be good to see a little more vulnerability from him in some scenes, but this may be the directing rather than any limitation of his acting. Amanda Seyfried was also good - a lot less earnest than she has been recently. A good film for group discussion.
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains moderate violence and one use of strong language
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Shaftesbury Avenue (4)

The Ides Of March 8/10 83.10%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains strong language
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (1)

Midnight In Paris 6/10 67.25%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains moderate sex references
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (3)

We Need To Talk About Kevin 6/10 65.10%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains strong language, once very strong, strong sex & sexualised nudity
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (3)

The Rum Diary 6/10 62.75%
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains strong language and infrequent drug use
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (1)

The Help 8/10 87.80%
I'd read the book for a book group and had enjoyed it, so was slightly apprehensive about how it would be handled as a film. On the whole it works well, with strong characterisation and good acting. The balance between the inhuman racism and the generally good humour of the black women is maintained well. Some of the very funny parts of the book (especially where one of the characters gets her come-uppance) are just as laugh out loud in the film.
BBFC consumer advice:		Contains racism theme and one scene of crude behaviour
Links:
Date:		November 2011
Cinema:		Haymarket (1)