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Reviews
Oliver Twist (2007)
Worth a watch but not a great production
This isn't one of BBC's greatest moments. I wouldn't go as far to call this rubbish But though a great production it falls down on many levels. For the authenticity the BBC has made a little effort and all due credit, but I did think that have a coloured Nancy did detract from the realism for me Sophie Okowendo is a great actress but I feel the part of Nancy was not for her. Fagin was a bit of a let down he was just so passive. Even when he was hanged (which as far as I know, this is the only production to show that, if only in sound!) The real problem with this production for me. is Sikes' death. If you are being true to the book, he does not exactly hang himself. In the book he attempts to escape over the rooftops. he makes a noose and slips it over his head. He is getting ready to slip it under his armpits when He sees Nancy's eyes in the darkness! He screams in terror and loses his footing and so hangs himself by accident! I always expected Sikes to be macho and tough (like Oliver Reed and Robert Newton) and an utter psycho this Sykes was, like Fagin, too passive. It's worth a watch but if you want a good production watch David Lean's version!
Honest (2000)
Is it really worth a comment
I admit I have seen this film and I hang my head in shame! I first heard about this film while in college and the damning from critics it was getting. As the eternal optimist I thought it couldn't be as bad as all that so I rented it from amazon. It wasn't as bad as all that...it was worse! The last pop star to make any decent movies was Elvis Presley, Madonna doesn't count as what she does isn't acting; I dunno what it is but it is definitely not acting. The All Saints girls are brilliant musicians but rubbish actors. It's billed as a comedy but it isn't even funny! Had it had a better script (I could do better) and possibly a better story All Saints might made it big in the movie industry as well as the music one. This movie is worse than Showgirls (thats something coming from me!) Don't rent/buy it!
The Detectives (1993)
Not meant to be a classic and I doubt it will be remembered as such
It wasn't meant to be a classic and admittedly it wasn't. But I doesn't mean it wasn't any good. Personally, at the time of the original broadcast I was too young to get the jokes or to be interested in the series. I even had no idea who Robert Powell was (other than the fact that at one point he had been crucified (Jesus Of Nazerath)). But now the DVD's are coming out, I'm getting back into them. Obviously, the humour has changed and I'm finding many of the jokes very 'of the time' and 'too tame' to some lines that I could put in. The only comment I could say against the first series is, why the hell put Jim Bergerac in it? He's got his own show! It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it just seemed odd to me. The issues tackled in this fantastic comedy/drama, are also very much of the time and are funny but only if you're old enough to remember them. Nothing these actors have done since matches this. Powell and Carrott, a perfect pairing! But(like The Thin Blue Line) this is worth a watch with an open mind.
Playbus (1988)
Okay-ish
This became staple viewing for me. I'm of the age when I grew out of it while it was still on, having been watching since it was called play-school. It finished and it left a gaping hole in children's TV. This was to children what Match Of the Day is to sports fans. I hardly ever missed an episode and became such a fanatic that I could practically remember every stop for example Monday - The Why Stop Tuesday - The Patch stop (formerly the playground stop) Wednesday - The Roundabout stop Thursday - I forget what this one was Friday - The Poppy Stop (formerly the tent stop) This is as of when it finished. There were several other stops, some enjoyable, some not. Whether I've grown-up or not, this programme has taught me more than any other educational programme (e.g. Seaseme Street) and it will be sadly missed
Bernard and the Genie (1991)
What a fantastic film. Richard Curtis at his best!
There is something in this movie for everybody. I was 8 when I first saw it, totally by accident. I was looking for Batman but found this instead...and I'm so glad I did! I watched it with my sister who was 6 at the time and we were riveted from start to finish. Maybe it was the splendidly sinister Rowan Atkinson, The sweet Alan Cumming, or most likely, the hilarious Lenny Henry we loved it and I've been looking for a Region 2 DVD for ages. However you get hold of a copy I'd recommend it for all ages! What surprises me most it that (as far as I know) it has never been repeated, it may be a TV movie but it was high class! It took me a while to get some of the jokes but this is a laugh a minute romp about a genie who returns to the land of the living 2000 years after he was imprisoned in a lamp. I'd recommend this for anyone in need of cheering up or just anyone for that matter!
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
What A Letdown!
I don't know where to start with this complete cow-pat of a movie! The plot at the beginning is credible enough, Elwood sets about reforming the band with some new additions. When they meet Queen Muset that is when things really go wrong! I;d had an inkling when those skully horses lept out of the storm cloud! Many actors from 'The Blues Brothers' (1980) made a welcome re-appearance, but even they couldn't save this from this film being a flaw! The only redeeming feature is the music but there is not enough of it to constitute watching. If you haven't seen the first one, by all means watch this but given half a chance watch the first one first, give this film a miss. Nia Peeples was the only reason I watched this (principally) But her usual classy acting was let down by her co-stars (the noticeably and unusual wooden Dan Aykroyd) plus her great figure was mostly hidden by a police uniform! Give this film a miss if you like the first and if you haven't seen the first film...give this one a miss anyway!
The Avengers (1998)
I wouldn't have thought it possible
I wouldn't have thought it possible for Sir Sean Connery to play a villain. Let alone for him to make as bad a film as this was! I confess that the script was weak and the plot was a little unbelievable but the worst thing about this film was that the three leads, Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman and Sir Sean waste their energy and talent on a film as c@*p as this. I confess I am a fan of the originals so maybe I was prejudiced towards the affair so obviously blossoming between Steed and Mrs. Peel. With Patrick MacNee (th original Steed) and Diana Rigg (The original Mrs. Peel) There was a repressed sexual tension but there was nothing like that here. Any kind of sexual tension it was full blown and lost the lovable "will they, won't they" of the original!
Carry on Doctor (1967)
Dammit this is good
This is the first of Frankie Howard's two appearances with the Carry On team (the second is Carry On up the Jungle) and this is without doubt one of the greatest laugh-o-matic films the Carry on crew have ever produced. This film tells of a handsome hospital doctor (Jim Dale) unjustly fired by a villainous registrar (Kenneth Williams) and his matron (Hattie Jaques, obviously) for unwittingly appearing on top of the Nurses home, Things heat up when the paitents take matters into their own hands! It is testament to its enduring popularity that it was soon followed with a sequel. Who could forget Bernard Bresslaw in that nurses outfit? Or Sid James' almost successful attempts to break all the hospital rules? And Frankie Howard's pain in the back? This is quintessential carry on and one of the best.
Escape to Witch Mountain (1995)
Robert Vaughn, what were you thinking of?!
Could someone inform me what was the point of this movie? Any fan of the original should steer well clear! The story was shoddy and Robert Vaughn was unusually an unconvincing villain. This had none of the punch and believability of the original. The original is miles better. Respects to all the participants and I suppose they must've done their best but to all those fans of Tony and Tia (myself included) give it a miss. If you haven't seen the original then perhaps you might find some merit in this but I don't! I didn't think movies could be this bad (and I've seen Showgirls!) I was horrified the last of The Magnificent Seven, the god-like Robert Vaughn would lower himself to be in something as bad as this. He should've stuck to cowboy's and Napoleon Solo!
Sharpe: The Legend (1997)
Don't dismiss the series, but this is rubbish!
Okay, this i a bad film! Passing on the fact that Rifleman Cooper disappeared prominence after Sharpe's Gold and so is ill-qualifeid to comment on any of the post-Sharpes Gold stories, but it dismisses the need to watch the series. Also it tells how Sharpe lost Teresa! That is the very reason why many of Sharpe's relationships (until he gets married) never last longer the one episode! But the series is the seed for this so it is much more use to a viewer to watch the series! As well as cooper being s mere shadow of his former tough self! This is a rubbish fast-forward through the life story one of the greatest soldier's in Wellingtons armies (okay he's fictitious, but still!) If you must spend 60 quid on the complete Sharpe collection sell this as soon as possible!