FILM:

A Cock And Bull Story

DATE:

22 / 01 / 2006

TIME:

19:00pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

6

COMMENTS:

Funny actors make a fairly lukewarm movie. The odd laugh but oddly enough, the conversation between Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon over the end credits is the funniest moment. Did the studio cater for certain disappointment in the UK at least?

FILM:

Good Night, and Good Luck

DATE:

25 / 02 / 2006

TIME:

06:10pm

LOCATION:

Middlebrook, BOLTON

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

Good as far as far as it goes but this film doesn’t really capture the tension between the studio and the government. The sense of impending doom is lost a little as the piece centers around players not connected to Senator McCarthy so political interplay is lost.

FILM:

Inside Man

DATE:

30 / 04 / 2006

TIME:

08:30pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

8

COMMENTS:

Very slick and polished bank robbery plot with loads of entertaining and funny dialog in-and-amongst a semi-serious script. For those who saw ‘The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3’, this script has a similar balance. Denzel Washington shines as the Cop called in to deal with the situation while all support characters including Jodie Foster and William Dafoe give good performances.

FILM:

Fearless

DATE:

02 / 07 / 2006

TIME:

18:50pm

LOCATION:

PrintWorks, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7.5

COMMENTS:

Of the small handful of Jet Li movies I have seen to date, this one has been the best. With the bar being pushed up by Ong-Bak, Jet Li just about delivers something that doesn’t disappoint with good stylized set-piece fight sequences. The audience does not have to wait too long before the next piece of action and the attention to detail for the sets (be them CGI or real) is enough to make this film feel like the epic it is billed as.

FILM:

Superman Returns

DATE:

19 / 07 / 2006

TIME:

20:30pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

6.5

COMMENTS:

This film really only acts to show just how creative and well executed the original movies were in the late seventies. It is somewhat underwhelming and given the same music, a Marlon Brando voiceover and the same subject matter, the movie fails to bring all 3 together as well as the original Superman movie. Even Superman’s first change sequence is cutaway rather foolishly to take away much needed ceremony. More could be said but it would be bad time management on my part.

FILM:

Nacho Libre

DATE:

13 / 08 / 2006

TIME:

19:00pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

Falls into the category of ‘It keeps you reasonably entertained for 90 minutes on a weekend evening’. Some good laughs mostly around Jack Black effecting a Mexican accent. Not the best comedy of the decade so far but enjoyable nonetheless.

FILM:

A Scanner Darkly

DATE:

28 / 08 / 2006

TIME:

18:15pm

LOCATION:

PrintWorks, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

For some films, you can leave your brain at home but not this one. Having said that, does this film have as much to say as it appears. Reading some of the film’s reviews, I am not sure. I enjoyed the approach and visuals and the ending was food for thought. My general view is that often, the film is probably guilty of some style over content which is distracted from by pseudo intellectual imagery or visuals.

FILM:

Clerks II

DATE:

28 / 08 / 2006

TIME:

18:40pm

LOCATION:

PrintWorks, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7.5

COMMENTS:

Certainly worth the entrance fee but I am not sure that the dialogue is ever quite as sweet as previous outings, especially the ‘Strike Back’ movie. Jay and Silent Bob always seem under utilized and when on-screen, not quite the Shakespearean Crass we have come to know and love. I liked Randal’s assessment of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy when confronting a Tolkien geek when comparing it to the new Star Wars movies.

FILM:

The Devil Wears Prada

DATE:

25 / 02 / 2006

TIME:

08:35pm

LOCATION:

Middlebrook, BOLTON

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

Meryl Streep certainly is the focal point of this movie despite it’s ‘Model Runway’ subject matter. A light comedy come drama, the movie never quite excels in either department but mildly entertains across it’s length. The ending should be uplifting but doesn’t quite impact probably due to the supporting players character building not being quite on-par.

FILM:

Talladega

DATE:

01 / 10 / 2006

TIME:

18:30pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

This is one of those movies that is quite amusing while watching it but is difficult to remember for it’s comedic content 24 hours after. A good movie nonetheless, all players, especially Sacha Baron Cohen as the French formula 1 driver, on form.

FILM:

Jackass 2

DATE:

24 / 11 / 2006

TIME:

19:20pm

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

Not quite as good as it’s predecessor relying more on base and crass antics than actual stunt work by ratio. Nonetheless, the movie is of a format where you don’t have to wait too long for something to amuse. Keep your eyes open for the; Bees in the back of the limo, Rubber Ball firing squad and the cab drive to the airport prank towards the end of the movie.

FILM:

Casino Royale

DATE:

10 / 12 / 2006

TIME:

11:10am

LOCATION:

Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

9

COMMENTS:

Difficult to imagine how any team could breath life into this formulaic dinosaur but they did. Daniel Craig has reinvented Bond like Christian Bale reinvented Batman. Great set pieces, great acting from each side, a level of vulnerability that injects tension back into a once tired genre. The only problem with this film is that it makes all but the Connery films look lack luster.

FILM:

Borat

DATE:

15 / 12 / 2006

TIME:

17:30pm

LOCATION:

PrintWorks, MANCHESTER

FILM (out of 10):

7

COMMENTS:

Pretty good but maybe on reflection not quite as many non-scripted cringe worthy moments as I would have liked. Nonetheless, some moments of this film do leave you covering your eyes in anticipation of what you know is about to come. The dining sequence has to be the most excruciatingly embarrassing sequence since Gervais and that dance sequence (only the audience are real in Borat).