Hero

This has a cast that is virtually a who’s who: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang. And then it is directed by Zhang Yimou and ‘presented’ by one Quentin Tarantino. After that is will either be a great disappointment of heroic. It is for me the latter.

The colour, the scope, the story with it’s twists and turn and multiple perspectives, are all things that I will remember for a long time. Yet, somehow the film transcends these and becomes something that is greater than the sum of it parts. It has something intangible, some other worldly quality that makes it a great, rather than a good film.

For me it is simply a film I cannot forget, and would never want to forget. A film that simply changed me, and changed the way I see the world. A film that you simply must see.

This land doesn’t know a real hero. Yet.

Silent Running

Early 70′s environmental movie. It stars a young Bruce Dern, though the real stars are the three robot helpers: Huey, Dewey and Louie. One for both the science fiction fan and the lover of good films. The interplay between Dern and the robots is in turns funny and poignant.

American Graffiti

The coming of age film. Funny, heartbreaking, sad, thoughtful and though provoking.

(And yes that is a very young Ron Howard!)

The End of the Affair

A Grahame Green story filmed by Neil Jordan. From the title is could seem to be trite and in lesser hands perhaps would have been. But here it is really appealing.

A complex, mysterious and beautifully made film. 8/10

Art house perfection from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. The direction, photography, characterisation, acting, soundtrack are all exceptional. It transports you to another place. It is near impossible to adequately describe. Have a look at the web site to get a taste of what it is like.

On a scale of 1-10 this rates 15.

British magazine Empire has now picked the 100 Best films not in the english language. Wong Kar-wai’s “In The Mood For Love” was ranked at number 42. Details here

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee!”

The ultimate cult classic, Pulp Fiction is Tarantino’s masterpiece. Hilarious, exciting and loaded with pop-culture references, the film is a complete work of art.

10/10

Guest review by LMc

Nunc est bibendum,
nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus.

Now is the time for drinking,
now the time to dance footloose upon the earth.

Horace: Book I, ode xxxvii, line 1

I read this book some two years ago, perhaps longer. I have found it to be unforgettable. By the end of the book I felt I knew the characters and I had such a clear view of the school.

I highly rate all of Ishiguro books I have read and this is one of the best in my view. The pace is as ever slow, with marvellous descriptions of both people and places.

I will not spoil the story, however this may not be a book for everyone. I feel the story raised some interesting moral questions, which were all the more impactive for the quiet restrained manner of the telling.

In short: awesome, compelling, Ishiguro at his best.

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I read this a very long time ago and I remember enjoying it. Different to the film, though I enjoyed that too. Fond memories of the ‘Gatsby’ look it spawned: excessively wide lapels, etc.

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