Reviews

Ok, I've read all the books numerous times over the years and love them, and this is not the books, this is not an adaptation. They have been sign-posting this for months so why people are so amazed its not an adaptation astounds me. It a new story set in my favourite universe. If it helps imagine its a different trouser leg of time where The Night Watch took a different direction, there are enough of those in the books... Jingo anyone? Yes I miss Nobby and Colon and yes they missed a trick by not having Sybil as a hefty lady in middle years which is a shame, we could do with a few more heroines like that. The person who complained about exposition clearly hasn't read the books, they are 40% exposition and P'Terry does it brilliantly and frankly unfilmable without it. It was entertaining, it was great to see some of my favourite characters brought to life in a way they cant be on the page because of the authors tragic death. Its irreverent and the whole punk medieval vibe is arresting and fun. All the people crying and whining and saying 'HOW DARE YOU' ( god I laughed when I read that) need to grow up and let a new audience see some of the brilliance of Pterry's characters albeit watered down, in a new medium. Its a TV series, rather than crying if you don't like it and screaming invective, don't watch it, and find something actually important to get outraged about, global warming, starvation, poverty.... go on pick one I dare you..... If you have an open mind give this a watch (ohhh look my second pun) its fun, well acted, interestingly designed and entertaining

First I must declare an interest; I am English and so watched the first series of this just to see what the Americans could do to an iconic British comedy and determined not to like it. The first few episodes were shaky and derivative, but in retrospect that is only to be expected of a new production finding its feet. But then the whole complexion of the programme changed, the actors clearly became comfortable in their roles; the writers found 'voices' for the main characters and had the freedom to work outside the original UK script, and the series took off.

This is a brilliantly funny interpretation of the Gervais/Merchant original, and I have to say some of the later episodes are even funnier than the original series. I have only seen up to the end of series four, but each episode seems to be better than the last. Tight writing and a brilliant eye for the tipping point between plausible and ludicrous combined with an excellent cast, deliver a truly hilarious programme. To all my compatriots turning their noses up, watch to at least the end of the second series before you write this one off you are missing a real treat.

Dave Gorman is possibly the most talented raconteur around, his manic delivery style and the clever manner in which he gets the audience to become part of his quest is simply brilliant, he doesn't tell jokes, he doesn't churn out one liners, he merely describes his fantastic, but entirely true journey, and the result is two hours of the most hilarious entertainment. I have never laughed so loud or so long at any other performance, an absolute delight from start to finish. My wife sat in front of the TV determined not to enjoy what she was sure was going to be adolescent, masculine humour and within minutes was in paroxysms of delight and she is a tough audience. If you rent or buy only one DVD this year, make it this one.

There seems to be an awful lot of negative comment about Torchwood on these pages and there is definitely a certain 'its not like Doctor Who' element. I love the re-vamped Dr Who, and I was a fan as a child, I grew up with Jon Pertwee as the Doctor and to me he was always the definitive incumbent, until being eclipsed by both the modern incarnations. No, Torchwood is not like Doctor Who, it's a different series; I feel that the characters are very well drawn. They are a team of typical people, they do not have the solutions to all the problems they face, they get scared, they argue, they make mistakes. As far as I see it they behave exactly how most normal people would if recruited and working in a tightly knit team under stressful conditions. There is of course the Russell Davies trademark BLG sexual behaviour, but it is portrayed in a refreshing manner and very much it keeping with the general vibe of the show.

What many of the reviewers seem to miss is the fact that the show is as much about the characters as the aliens, the scripts with a couple of exceptions have been excellent, exploring human relationships and attitudes from a range of perspectives, but most importantly they have been rip-roaring entertainment.

The acting is strong, Barrowman being particularly good, but they all acquit themselves well. The casting is excellent, rather than a stable of beautiful people, they have chosen actors that look, and thanks to good writing, behave, like real people.

A couple of points;

John Barrowman's American accent isn't fake; he lived there from the age of eight.

A lot of comments regarding how derivative the series is; I suspect that Bram Stoker might consider Buffy to be more than a little derivative of his work, but none the less entertaining for it.

This is an excellent series, watch more than one episode before reviewing and please try to approach it with out a particular expectation.

In summary, it is brilliant entertainment.

A dazzlingly intelligent movie combining a thought provoking and clever script with first class acting, and an amoral anti-hero who you cannot help but love. The fact that no US studios would back the movie makes it a brave choice for Cage, Hawke and Leto, and they all put in excellent performances, particularly Cage as the laconic, self-deluded arms dealer. This movie does not deal in the normal Hollywood black and white morality, but in the thousand grey shades of real life. The movie presents a thought-provoking look at the men who buy and sell arms to the world's dictators and bush-fire conflicts. This is a brave movie that doesn't shy away from showing the reality of the darker side of the modern world. A brilliant, and intelligent movie with superb acting and incisive characterisation, with the possible exception of Hawke's somewhat one-dimensional, crusading Interpol agent (though in fairness he does the best he can with the slim pickings the role offers). To cap it all, the director has given this film has the best opening credit sequence of any movie since Hitchcock.