Reviews

I was really looking forward to seeing this film but was really disappointed. While Cate Blanchett was superb, she was let down by the story. At 2 hours 38 minutes the film was much too long. The documentary style was interesting but at a third of the film was too long, high brow and boring. The film felt like a collection of episodes depicting abuse of power. Still, I enjoyed the film though the friend I was with was very bored. I would have preferred a deeper development of some of the abuse of power incidents, for instance with her wife, with the subject of Tar's downfall, with her assistant. It would have also been interesting to learn more about her relationship with her daughter Petra.

I loved this film with excellent actors, good script and very high production values. Chamberlain, whose name became synonymous with appeasement of tyrants, is portrayed in a sympathetic way, perhaps in an effort to rehabilitate him.

The retelling of a well known historical event, inspired by true events and infused with espionage, is intense and gripping. Not a dull moment!

I loved it. Highly recommended!

I have just finished watching the final episode of series 8 and wish there was more! I watched all eight seasons consecutively over several weeks (on BBC iPlayer) and got hooked.

The stories are very well written, gripping, based on real cases, and give a real insight into the French police, the judicial system, the politics of the judicial and political interference. The characters are strong and rounded and acting is realistic and convincing.

I loved the series.

This is a beautifully told fable. Gentle, touching, innocent, emotionally restrained love story between two strangers from the opposite sides of the tracks who meet by chance. While collaborating to deceive Rafi's grandmother they actually grow to love each other against the odds. The film is engaging throughout. The ending is clever by half but a bit disappointing. Well worth seeing.

I saw this film in London yesterday and loved it. The story takes place in France in the late 50's. It is about love that is subverted by extreme selfishness and class difference, about shifting attitudes and emotions and about reconciliation. Corsini's direction is understated, and the acting of all the leads is very convincing. The film is over two hours long and I wasn't bored for a second.

I found this film indulgent and poor. The love relationship wasn't adequately developed, the overlong scenes, virtually no dialogues, limited sound and a white sheet in every scene was a bit much. Meditation on love and loss? Plenty of meditation but not sure what about. I sat through the film but I wouldn't have missed anything by walking out.

I saw this film at the BFI on International Women's Day which was very appropriate. The film was a revelation. As an Israeli woman free to live my life as I please, I never gave a thought to the Israeli Arab women living in our midst who are increasingly integrating into the labour market though less visible in the social scene which is still largely segregated. The three women characters were believable, warm, expressing solidarity to each other despite their very different personalities and life styles. The theme of personal conflicts between tradition and modernity is not new. What makes this film different is that the issues are very real and current and those outside the tradition don't see it. All three actresses are very good, the script is believable and the direction flawless. Go and see it to get an insight into the lives of Israeli Arab women torn between tradition and personal freedom.

I saw this film last night in London at the Curzon Bloomsbury (formerly the Renoir)and was utterly astounded! This is a hauntingly beautiful film shot in a wide-angled camera in Wadi Ram, Jordan, telling the coming of age story of a young Bedouin boy Theeb, accompanying his older bother on a hazardous journey across the dessert, to help a British officer reach a secret destination. The background to the story is the changing way of life in the dessert, during the first world war, following the building of a new railway line that shortened the trip to Mecca from one month on the back of a camel, to one week by train. The new rail line had a devastating effect on the lives of the dessert nomads.

The film is exceptionally beautify, the story is straight forward but gripping, the acting, mostly by non-professionals, is superb. The bright colour of the arid dessert is in sharp contrast to our urban living. This is a striking, memorable film that deserves an Oscar.

I really looked forward to seeing this film especially as many UK film critics gave the film five stars. I saw it in London last night and was very disappointed. I found the film to be a visual feast; truly exquisite. A beautiful recreation of the period, great costumes, impressive sets and stunning, sumptuous sceneries, topped up by first class acting by Timothy Spall in the title role. However, the film was far too long at 150 minutes, especially given its lack of an engaging narrative. There just wasn't enough content to hold my attention for two and a half hours, so my friend and I left the cinema two hours into the film. Technically, the film is brilliant in every respect. Content wise, there was little to hold the attention and engage the audience for two and a half hours.