Reviews
Churchill: The Hollywood Years (2004)
Possibly one of the worst films ever made
I saw a screening of this film about 10 months before general release, so they may have managed to rectify some of the many faults with this film, but I don't know if that's possible.
The film has about 1 laugh in it, and even then, it's more a titter than a laugh out loud.
The film has an interesting premise, and could have been a funny look at how Hollywood re-writes history when Churchill is more film-friendly as a Navy Seal played by Christian Slater (not a spoiler, you find out in the second minute!), however it quickly goes off and you forget this is what the film's about, and it's just one cringing gag after another.
Save your money - don't watch this, don't get the DVD, and don't even bother recording off the TV.
When I saw the screening, I thought this would be straight to TV, no idea how it made it to the box office.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Who said GM food was dangerous?
This is an entertaining action film based (surprisingly enough) around the sea and some nasty looking sharks.
The acting is certainly average, but the plot is not always predictable. There are no complex twists or turns (except by the sharks that is) but the person I was sitting next to insisted on jumping out of his seat at the appropriate moments (and this is someone who thinks that the Blair Witch Project doesn't look scary!).
As action films go, this is certainly above the rest. Worth watching for some mindless frights!
Léon (1994)
Superb!
Whilst being a projectionist in a university film club in France, this was definitely the most requested film, it is therefore my most watched film. If that is the reason why it is also my favourite film of all time, I could not say.
The story is wonderful, with excellent performances from Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and the ineffable Gary Oldman. The underlying simplicity of a bad cop (actually a purely evil cop) and a sympathetic hit-man is splendid.
Whilst there are rumoured versions that "reveal more of the relationship between Reno and Portman", the release version is a stunning piece of cinema with a gloriously climatic conclusion.