Alan Levick

Just as there infinite moves in chess there are ,almost !, infinite ways to tell a feel good story.The one where someone very ordinary has an extraordinary dream fulfilled - always with bumps on the way of course that our indefatigable hero overcomes and finally a last minute tragedy turns into a triumphant climax.Watch "Mrs.Harris..."and all the above happens in a truly delightful telling of this improbable tale that along the way proposes how Dior stayed ahead of the game ! Lesley Manville is perfection ,naturally,the supporting cast just right and not a dry eye in the house at the final scene.Pure joy !!

Plot predictable,concept standard,and the production effortless but Wayne and Mitchum's star performances- ably assisted by a young James Caan ,make this yet another classic Western by Hawks .Thrilling action from "regular" set ups like a bar room shoot out ,tension ramping up with every minute after the story enters the final phase this is everything you watch a western for ,and it delivers "in spades" - with even some humour thrown in .It doesn't "age" either so all in all is a rooting,tooting classic !

Fascinating film and the time travel element - no more unbelievable than "Back to the Future","Source Code",et al is sustained in our involvement because it's Denzel ,for God's sake,who's purporting it.! His presence washes away any slight potholes and we're left with a race against time that happened but yet didn't because Denzel made it so and that's good enough for anyone.Very clever,gripping ,action packed drama .Denzel says at one point "Let's use it ! I don't understand the science behind a mobile phone,I just know how to use one !" and my view has always been just accept the premiss of the story and judge whether it entertains and holds your attention,which when it has an actor at its helm whom you cannot take your eyes off the WHOLE time he's on screen ,is an easy job .Has there ever been a more magnetic star ? Val Kilmer and rest of cast are solid and believable ,touched by the aura they're playing alongside and Tony Scott's direction keeps the pace rattling along.A very satisfying film and another chance to wallow in Washington's genius

60+ yrs on from when I saw this at the cinema with a girl I don't remember it is pretty corny ,with very hammy acting and some embarrassing songs,but reminds us how mesmerising Elvis was/is when holding the stage.as he is here.This film was so successful it became the norm for all the dross that followed with Elvis drifting along through limp plots and awful songs.Could debate for hours why he allowed that to happen ,so best to enjoy this as non threatening fare with great songs like 'Can't help falling in love' 'Blue Hawaii' 'Wedding song',stunning scenery ,likeable comedy and Elvis actually acting with some conviction ,before he let the Colonel swamp him.Ironic that his character wants to break out on his own and develop his career his way ....?!

Some reviews have said This Town is too sprawling,too many "points" being hammered home,(like police racism and casual violence - well,I'm on Steven Knight's side) strands that seem chaotic and a depiction of the less salubrious areas of any town - in this case Coventry and Birmingham - that is clichéd .(I live in Cov ; it isn't) I found it exciting,uplifting,depressing,disturbing,musical,poetic,and at all times compelling.The story comes together beautifully at the end.,reminding me of Pulp Fiction and that is hailed rightly as genius.The acting is impressive from every character,even in the "bit" parts ,and essentially it recreates the vibe that Two Tone exploded on us almost 40 yrs ago ,uniting people in an otherwise divisive time that Thatcher brought about.You could say without her we may not have had Two Tone and all that came with it and later in music,but forget that .Just enjoy this triumph .

An hour or so I will never get back.I watched to end to see if my prediction of "the twist" about who the real baddy was came true and it did It's telegraphed fairly early but you sort of hope it won't be that way.Jon Voight must need his pension pot topping up - that's the only reason he drops in to films like this I imagine.A poor generic of the "ex agent " action premise. Why do they feel they can copy/improve/ rewrite etc the definitive Bourne and Equaliser movies ? Denzel would have thrown this script away after the 20 secs he set on his watch as McCall to see if it hooked him .I should have done the same.

First and one of best "buddy" cop movies this is a riot of a ride from when Eddie Murphy comes in.The sexist,racist language ,attitudes and brutal rough violence would probably make it unmakeable now,as if real life in the shadows of big city USA is not like that ?! It's thrilling and Nolte plays to his bad boy image ,whilst Murphy established himself as a wise cracking action hero ,followed up later in Beverley Hills Cop .It is now one of those iconic movies that set a standard so many more followed (Bad Boys etc) very 'raw' now but still as enjoyable as when I first saw it 40 yrs ago !

Glad this got a revival on Film4 as missed it on other showings.Really good Western with realistic touches - like the havoc caused by storm and fact that shots in a gunfight don't always hit with deadly accuracy as in some westerns.It puts you firmly against the baddies when they kill the dog (sorry spoiler!) and Michael Gambon makes a glorious villain - so glad he didn't fake the accent ! Dually is superb ,as he always is,and Costner challenges Eastwood 's aura as the laconic gunman ,haunted by his past .His direction is spot on developing the story with looks and atmosphere and few words ,which is what we have to imagine the real West was like.The gunfight is very well crafted and not stylised. Gory and brutal it ranks alongside the "OK corral "etc and is gripping .Altogether a first rate story well told .

Perfection in every way.The plot pace,the acting - Monroe never better,Curtis and Lemmon magnificent - the comic routines ,the music,the manic atmosphere ,Wilders' masterpiece of direction .All combine to produce one of the greatest exponents of the art of film .Little moments like Lemmon as Daphne being told "you're leading again " when doing the tango by Joe E Brown as Osgood - and Lemmon again debunking all the reasons he can't marry Osgood ! Add to this Curtis' affectionate tribute to Cary Grant ,the ultimate debonair romantic hero ,with his accent for his millionaire subterfuge,and you have a film that just matures with age.Cant say how many times I've seen it but never tire of doing so.

I'm old enough to have seen this 'live' in the early sixties in Sheffield where audience members did indeed scream at the shower scene and we all missed a heartbeat when Norman as the mother charged across the landing to kill the investigator to that jarring music that set the bar for creating horror moments .The film has not lost the power it brought in how to build dread and fear by clever camera angles,creeping tension in movement,brooding music and the manic look in Anthony Perkins eyes - plus the black and white filming underscoring the spooky setting and murderous action .So many little things like the light bulb swinging at the "discovery" scene,add to the eeriness.The explanation of Norman's mindset is perfect at the end ,topped by "mother's "final thoughts and that look to camera ,as the car is dragged from the swamp.Very scary 60 years ago ,it remains disturbing now when special effects etc are so sophisticated and the action would be more gory in a remake .But whenever I watch it - many times since that first -I am still in that cinema and still filled with goosebumps even though I know what's coming .That is why it's a five star film