10 out of 10 This film is based on a book by Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffered a massive stroke rendering him "locked in", completely paralysed apart from the use of one eye and retaining all of his mental faculties. It is mainly shot from Jean- Do's perspective of the "present" interspersed with his memories of his past before his stroke and his fantasies from his internal world following it. The emotional reality of the writer's struggle in coming to terms with his condition as well as the pressure on his family and those around him results in some very moving moments within the film. The very fact that this is a true story of a man who wrote a whole book about his experience by merely blinking is a credit to the therapists that worked with him as well as a tribute to the character and determination of the man himself. All in all, this is well made and compelling film which I would watch at least another 2 times and I will definitely be reading the bo...
8 out of 10 Feels strange reviewing this film as a film rather than as an extended episode of a TV series. Regardless, let's carry on and climb the mountain of conflict. This film is great. But then, I love The Thick Of It too. Drawing from, but hopefully caricaturing, the real-life absurdities and politics of... well, politics, the film follows a relatively lowly minister in the UK government who finds himself drawn into controversy. The controversy in question relates to the likelihood, or otherwise, of the UK and US going to war in the Middle East. You'd be right to think this is based around the recent war in Iraq. It blatantly is; and the writer's said as much. Given that, it feels like the black comedy on show should have been as painful as it was funny, but... it wasn't. Or rather, it wasn't for me . That's worrying in itself, because it really bloody should be painful viewing. The incompetence and deceipt that's played out really should frighte...
9 out of 10 Little Miss Sunshine follows six members of a family, brought together by chance rather than choice, as they travel across America to enter a young girl in a beauty pageant. With each of the characters going through their own crisis, this is a somewhat dark comedy. Despite this, it still manages to get the tag of a feel-good movie as the group battles to overcome adversity. In fact, I enjoyed it more than I’d expected to. Perhaps the only criticism I could level at it is that one or two of the characters’ situations felt a little under-explored or unresolved. As a simple tale of humanity emerging in difficult times, however, it did a great job in making me smile.
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