The tragedy that produced Fineman’s current state is mentioned only sparingly, and is never milked for ‘cheap’ drama or emotional connection. This is one case in which the decision made by Binder is sound.
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Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Reign Over Me
Estevez allows the focus to remain on what Kennedy meant to his supporters, without the distraction of having someone portray another so well known. Archival footage and recordings are heavily employed to create a presence for Kennedy, and in general these are interwoven with the fictional storylines without distraction.
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Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Bobby
Despite the fact she always manages act the socks off everyone else in the game, Judi Dench outdoes herself in Notes on a Scandal. As the initially unapproachable high school teacher Barbara, she crackles with energy from her very first appearance.
Rating: 
Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Notes on a Scandal
Its epic scope and attention to detail make it one of the most impressive-looking period films of the last decade. The cinematography, editing and sound design are incredible – this is a remarkably realised eighteenth century.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: 
Continue reading Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
There’s nothing more disappointing than a bad magician (‘Mummy I can see the coin – it’s in his other hand!’), and both films go out of their way to try and be tricky only to fail. Even more annoying, The Illusionist doesn’t explain all of its ambiguities, and we’re left with a couple of very frustrating unanswered questions.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading The Illusionist
There’s nothing more disappointing than a bad magician (‘Mummy I can see the coin – it’s in his other hand!’), and both films go out of their way to try and be tricky only to fail. Even more annoying, The Illusionist doesn’t explain all of its ambiguities, and we’re left with a couple of very frustrating unanswered questions.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading The Illusionist
The final act manages not only to break all the rules that were fastidiously set up earlier, but also lazily cuts corners in the interests of rushing towards a ‘satisfactory’ (read: stupid) ending. There’s so much wrong with the final portion of this film.
Rating: Hoopla Factor: Continue reading Déjà Vu
His character is so refreshingly ‘normal’ that we can take in the more eccentric traditions on display. The dialogue between Blair and Her Majesty is wonderfully sparse, fraught with tension as the former chooses his words very carefully, and these scenes are among the best in the film.
Rating: 
Hoopla Factor: Continue reading The Queen
After his impressive stint in The Departed I was actually looking forward to seeing DiCaprio sporting a South African accent, and his performance doesn’t disappoint in Blood Diamond, even if the film leaves me a little underwhelmed. It’s a fantastic Continue reading Blood Diamond
From the opening shot of Marie Antoinette we know this isn’t going to be your typical costume drama. The titular character reclines in a chaise-lounge whilst receiving a pedicure, absentmindedly scraping the icing off a huge cake on the table Continue reading Marie Antoinette