Zero Dark Thirty

Engaging and tense with the right degree of ambiguity. Jessica Chastain is excellent (and does well to avoid comparisons with Claire Danes’ Carrie Matheson). The film also gives some insight into the messiness of ops. Some definitely feel it’s too propagandist, and maybe have a point, but as a piece of film making it’s gripping.… Read More

Django Unchained

This Tarantino outing is more a “southern” than a “western”. It’s overlong (how many endings does one film need?) and Christoph Waltz carries the film while Foxx struggles. Di Caprio’s cameo is the best thing in the film, which is hugely entertaining, occasionally horrendously violent, but ultimately not quite interesting enough. 6/10

Skyfall

Everyone knows this is the best Bond film. Because it is. After the disastrous Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig reasserts his claim to be the number one double-o seven in this much more modern (dare one say “realistic” for a Bond film?) take on the genre. No wonder Barbara Broccoli wanted Sam Mendes back for… Read More

Chinatown

One of my all-time favourites. Nicholson is absolutely outstanding – anyone who knows him only from his later films should watch this (or many other films from early in his career) to see why he’s so fêted). It’s such an unlikely plot for a gripping film, which makes it even better. 10/10