Gail Morgan

A powerful and poetic interpretation of the Scottish play. Have been waiting for years for the visuals to play the scabbard to the glistening steel of Shakespeare’s words. The performances are faultless Francis McDormand is unflinching as Lady Macbeth -plumbing the depths and futilities of human ambition. This play points to a crown which is not merely. hollow but rattled by ‘the scorpions’ which plague Macbeth’s mind. They sting hard and sharp as the darkness rises to meet the melancholy mists of fate

The dislocation experienced by heat, desert, a strangely welcoming cultural abyss is perfectly captured in this film. The subtleties will be lost on most as it is oblique and works on subterranean Arab time- people appear and reappear like mirages- anyone who has spent time in the Middle East will relate to the scimitar sharp cultural incisions and the flag waving prevarications. The impotence faced in the harsh light of the desert is not for the faint hearted- despite the humour. It is a film for those who seek the shifting sands of life rather than the guard rails of formula

Lock up your jokes- they’re not what this gem of a film is about. It is the humanity that rings true when the jokes perform their rather painful pratfalls. There are also some great lines and funny moments- they’re timing is unpredictable and designed to subvert the format.The performances are memorable and layered. This is an important film that never takes itself seriously- the punchline is as big and as paltry as the human condition itself- the message an unfashionable one- we ride on the shoulders of others-even if those shoulders belong to New Jersey.

An intriguing and dispassionate take on US intelligence. Patriotism, a certain sophistication and an ability to cope with loneliness are prerequisites. The historical detail is excellent. Blandness and desolation are the rewards of courage and service. It’s not a film which will be understood or appreciated by technocratic surveillance apparatchiks. It is painstakingly human as Matt Damon divests himself of humanity to serve. What a relief to find a non likeable character who is not manipulating our emotions- allowing the bigger picture to emerge.

Vocal versatility and Fosse’s outstanding choreography makes the humble pyjama fit into the industrial fabric of working class America in the fifties. Wow! Great song and dance routines. A prescription for modern discontents who doubt the redoubtable Dame America and the doubly redoubtable Doris Day serenading the class divide