BlueEyesDaniel

When a film has the creators of, and actors from, the likes of Bridget Jones' Diary, About A Boy and Four Weddings And A Funeral to its credit, it promises to be something quite funny. But in his directorial debut, Richard Curtis has done something different from his past works. While still creating a riotous comedy and including the usual provocative storyline, Curtis has made the latter far less subtle. In fact, he uses Love Actually as a vehicle for some very powerful messages.

The film presents several different people, their various relationships and associated problems. These are all of varying qualities with married couples suffering from the complications of an affair, single people finding each other and even those suffering from simple sexual desperation. Through these variances, Curtis delivers the same message: that `love actually is all around'. This message and its use in the film can only be described as sentimental, perhaps even mushy, but Curtis' sense of direction and comic timing never let it get out of hand and even at some of the films saddest moments he injects the necessary humour reminding the audience that they are watching a comedy, albeit one with a message. Love isn't the only message, with others coming across as far more subtle, though the recent War in Iraq is also used to provide a strong message, that of peace, with Hugh Grant's British Prime Minister shown standing up to America's push for war.

The actors respond well to their material with Grant providing his usual solid performance, full of quirky faces and eye-lid batting but his limited screen time prevents him from giving something of stellar quality along the lines of About A Boy and gone too is his new-found selfishness. Other noteworthies include a hilarious performance from Bill Nighy as the drugged-out ageing rocker and Rowan Atkinson's minor appearance. However, it is Emma Thompson whom really steals the show, providing one of the most solid performances as a mother struggling to keep her family together while her husband verges on having an affair.

While the multiple story lines allow for some fantastic onscreen presence, the film does feel a little bloated at times. Part way through you can't help but wonder where certain characters have ‘disappeared' as their own storylines haven't been looked at for some time. This is particularly true of the ‘odd-sex-groping' couple (you'll understand that term should you see the film) who appear sporadically and the exclusion of such characters wouldn't have been amiss and always could have been saved for the films DVD release.

And while such flaws exist, Curtis succeeds with his directorial debut thanks to a witty script and a brilliant cast, all able to inject something special into their performances. While there are attempts to avoid it, at times Love Actually does feel far too sentimental, but even with its sheer mushiness, and my natural desire to throw something at the screen in response, Curtis succeeds with his message of love. For I left the cinema more in love than when I entered.

Don't you just hate that?

Squizzy Taylor is the Bonnie & Clyde of Australian films. It is set in 1920's Melbourne, Squizzy Taylor is probably the most nutorius gangster of his time.

This film was the combination of a talented Australian cast. Though afterwards he did no films, David Atkins shines as Squizzy Taylor and he managed to pull of a near perfect performance. Derry Hinch's former wife, Jackie Weaver, had already shown her talent before appearing in Taylor and it is little reason to wonder why her character of Dolly was so captivating.

1920's Melbourne was pulled of perfectly by the production company. Filming around Melbourne proved a great success, for those who know Melbourne much of its original architecture can still be found throughout the city making it easy to film such a periodical film. It is little wonder that Logan Brewer was nominated for a AFI Award for his work in production of the movie.

This film was made a year after Mel Gibson's famous "Gallipoli" and its influences can definitely be seen in Squizzy Taylor.

It isn't a movie for kids as it often deals with adult concepts. But for someone who enjoyed Bonnie & Clyde or other Australian films such as Gallipoli it's a must see!

It's 1941. The German U-Boats are wreaking havoc in the North Atlantic, sinking every Allied ship in their path and threatening to cut off the critical supply line from America to Britain that is saving the Allied War Effort. In a Special Operation Mission a US Submarine Crew, headed by Captain Dahlgren (Bill Paxton), are sent to capture the Enigma Code (the German Code that is allowing them to position there submarines without alerting the Allies) which will change the course of the war.

The main plot of the movie, thought completely fictional, works well and maintains a viewers interest. However, it is sure to raise a lot of controversial discussion as it was the British and not the Americans who recovered the Enigma Machine in World War II. Unlike standard submarine movies U-571 is full of twists and turns, especially in the first hour. Because of this U-571 is definitely a film that you have to concentrate in otherwise you'll miss a lot of vital information.

It is obvious that writer-director Jonathan Mostow has researched U-571 well as the nail-biting tension is ever present in the confines of a cramped submarine with a very stressed crew. Mostow's strongest point in this film would be his directing which keeps any viewer tuned in and on the edge of their seats. The camera work is brilliant and Mostow in several scenes keeps the viewer guessing what will come next in this nail-biting epic. The most notable sequence occurs when a Nazi Destroyer is dropping depth charges to try and kill the US Navy Crew. One second the viewer is watching a depth charge mercilessly head for the submarine and the next moment the viewer is watching the reaction of the Navy Crew. Sequences like this truly bring a realistic touch to the film.

The acting is just as brilliant as the directing. This is mostly because the cast were out at sea in a fully working submarine while filming U-571. Actors such as Matthew McConaughey are truly brilliant. Fear and stress is ever present on their faces and highly emotional times come across brilliantly. Other actors such as Harvey Keitel are brilliant but Jon Bon Jovi is the biggest surprise of the film. He does a brilliant job with this film and you're left wondering whether or not that was truly him.

My main disappointment in the film was the musical score by Richard Marvin. Don't take that the wrong way, the score was good. However, at times it could have been just that little bit better. There were scenes where the music was raging but dead silence would have had a better effect on the audience.

I was also disappointed with the end of the film. As a fan of 1981's Das Boot I don't think the ending of any submarine film could ever be as good. However, that's not to say that the U-571 was bad.

All in all U-571 is a brilliant film that is well worth seeing. You'll be left on the edge of your seat as you wonder what is coming next. Twists and turns will at times leave you a tad confused but just add to the emotion that you have for the characters. This is the sort of film you have to truly see in the cinema with surround sound, however, I can imagine that the DVD will be superb! I give it 4/5 stars.