Agatha Christie’s Poirot S01E10 The Dream (1989) – 8/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew Writer: Agatha Christie David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Hugh Fraser: Captain Arthur Hastings Philip Jackson: Chief Inspector Japp Pauline Moran: Miss Felicity Lemon Writer (Dramatisation): Clive Exton Director: Edward Bennett

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s S01E10 Dream, The (1989) Benedict Farley, a wealthy businessman (he makes pies), requests the wisdom of Poirot with regard to disturbing dream he keeps having where he commits suicide at 12:28 with a revolver. He asks Poirot if he can be made to kill himself through the suggestion of the dream but Poirot cannot offer any advice due to lack of information. His puzzlement and frustration is joined by professionally dented pride when Farley is found dead the next day. Shot. At 12:28. With a revolver. Meanwhile, Miss Lemon is having trouble with the typewriter. 8/10 Though the nature of the revelation of the dream is immediately transparent to the audience and, it should be noted, to a certain extent by Poirot, the surrounding stuff including Poirot revealing a wild youth that may have permanently damaged some little grey cells (prompting a welcome "I say" from Hastings), the murder method, a clock (another "I say") and a typewriter ("Voila!") keeps the episode more than entertaining enough. And there is the tacit recognition (by Japp) that like super-villains flocking to Gotham, even when it looks like suicide, "where Hercule Poirot is concerned, there arises immediately the suspicion of murder." A lot of fun. This Poirot, Agatha Christie’s episode contains mild unpleasant scene, mild violence. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Agatha Christie Screened by Slimm Previous episode: The King of Clubs

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – 8/10 science fiction adventure movie

Cast / crew Director: Rupert Wyatt Writer: Rick Jaffa Writer: Amanda Silver Producer: Peter Chernin Producer: Dylan Clark Producer: Rick Jaffa Producer: Amanda Silver Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Joe Letteri Visual Effects Supervisor: Dan Lemmon James Franco: Will Rodman Freida Pinto: Caroline Aranha John Lithgow: Charles Rodman Brian Cox: John Landon Tom Felton: Dodge Landon David Oyelowo: Steven Jacobs Andy Serkis: Ape: Caesar

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) After five years of testing his latest anti-Alzheimer’s formula on chimps, scientist Will Rodman is ready to go to the next stage: human trials. Not only does it reverse the affects of Alzheimer’s but, on a normal brain, it increases intelligence. A disastrous presentation to the board, however, leaves him without a project, without credibility, without funding but with a baby chimp, Caesar, who has inherited the formula from it’s mother. 8/10 This is a good movie which hopes that a couple of significant plot holes and Hollywood-isms will be forgiven among the outstanding technical achievement (Andy Serkis and Weta Digital) and compelling coming-of-age story well disguised as a mad scientist / prison escape movie. Having a highly relatable core (Caesar matures into an independent soul and leaves his familial home) gives the movie something solid to build on while Andy Serkis and Weta Digital’s work as Caesar (building on ILM’s Davy Jones in POTC: Dead Man’s Chest) gives the movie endlessly impressive visuals and character. P.S.: I was very happy to see that humankind wasn’t wiped out by Caesar in any way and there isn’t a twist ending. This movie contains violence. Classified 12A by BBFC. Persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Night at the Museum 2 (2009) – 6/10 family-friendly fantasy adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: Shawn Levy Ben Stiller: Larry Daley Amy Adams: Amelia Earhart Owen Wilson: Jedediah Hank Azaria: Kahmunrah Christopher Guest: Ivan the Terrible Alain Chabat: Napoleon Steve Coogan: Octavius Ricky Gervais: Dr. McPhee Bill Hader: General Custer Jon Bernthal: Al Capone Robin Williams: Teddy Roosevelt Producer: Shawn Levy Producer: Chris Columbus Producer: Michael Barnathan Writer: Robert Ben Garant Writer: Thomas Lennon Shawn Levy: Infomercial Father Hank Azaria: Voice of The Thinker and Abe Lincoln

Night at the Museum 2 (2009) Larry Daley is now running a successful business off the back of a couple of his own inventions when he finds out that the Natural History museum is being refitted and the old exhibits put into permanent storage. He decides that won’t do and sets about restoring his friends to their proper place because that’s how the world works in Hollywood and, no, it doesn’t make any sense but that’s what happens. 6/10 Though it replaces the positive message of the first (the past is worth learning about) with a standard selfish Hollywood message (only do a job you love; something commonly spouted by people who have no fiscal necessity to work), this is a fun, energetic family-friendly adventure with, surprisingly, an actually funny scene or two (especially an uncredited Jonah Hill’s Smithsonian security guard versus Ben Stiller). This movie contains violence. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Previous: Night at the Museum

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe (2011) – 7/10 WWII period science fiction adventure Christmas special TV review

Cast / crew Matt Smith: The Doctor Claire Skinner: Madge Arwell Writer: Steven Moffat Producer: Marcus Wilson Director: Farren Blackburn

Doctor Who Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe, The (2011) World War II: After being helped by Marge Arwell one night, the Doctor offers to return the favour anytime she wishes. When she does call him in, well, nothing the Doctor does ever goes to plan, does it? 7/10 A welcome return to form following the dismal 2011 season finalé which has plenty of energy and connects emotionally. There’s a great start and a lovely finish and there are wonderful concept, character and visual ideas in-, the somewhat predictable, between. Matt Smith is, once more, incredible as the Doctor. He showcases his comic abilities in the spaceman suit, delivers abundant energy in his physicality, machine guns his lines out with pinpoint clarity and then, backed up by Murray Gold’s quality score, cements a viscerally emotive climax. It’s easy to forget that anyone else has ever been the Doctor. That said, it’s disheartening to see planet-wide doom wheeled out once more and one wishes that Doctor Who would deliver some episodes without peril. He doesn’t need it. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Doctor Who Screened by Slimm Previous episode: The Wedding of River Song

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Agatha Christie’s Poirot The Clocks (2009) – 7/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Writer (Original Novel): Agatha Christie Writer (Screenplay): Stewart Harcourt Frances Barber: Merlina Rival Stephen Boxer: Christopher Mabbutt Tom Burke: Lt. Colin Race Phil Daniels: Inspector Hardcastle Beatie Edney: Mrs Hemmings Guy Henry: Matthew Waterhouse Anna Massey: Miss Pebmarsh Geoffrey Palmer: Vice Admiral Hamling Tessa Peake-Jones: Val Bland Ben Righton: Constable Jenkins Lesley Sharp: Miss Martindale Abigail Thaw: Rachel Waterhouse Jason Watkins: Joe Bland Jaime Winstone: Sheila Webb Producer: Karen Thrussell Director: Charles Palmer

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s Clocks, The (2009) A typist is booked by a blind woman to be at her house at 3:00pm but when she arrives she finds four clocks set to 4:13. And a dead body, of course. 7/10 Good episode of Poirot because it is, however mildly, fun, a quality that is in short supply in the feature-length adaptations. On top of this, the clues, characters and mystery are presented clearly and kept in focus and, while Poirot does keep a clue away from the audience (a marriage certificate), there are enough other clues to the how and who to get us most of the way there if we’re paying attention. The support cast do a good job with Phil Daniels balancing his character delicately and Tom Burke providing a surprisingly welcome romantic element. This Poirot, Agatha Christie’s episode contains adult dialogue and brief gory violence, graphic fatal car accident. Classified 12 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over. Links Next: Three Act Tragedy Previous: The Third Girl

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Green Lantern (2011) – 2/10 superhero movie review

Cast / crew Director: Martin Campbell Writer (Screenplay) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Greg Berlanti Writer (Screenplay) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Michael Green Writer (Screenplay) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Marc Guggenheim Writer (Screenplay) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Michael Goldenberg Writer (Story) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Michael Green Writer (Story) Based upon characters appearing in comic books publisherd by DC Comics: Marc Guggenheim Producer: Donald DeLine Producer: Greg Berlanti Ryan Reynolds: Hal Jordan / Green Lantern Blake Lively: Carol Ferris Peter Sarsgaard: Hector Hammond Mark Strong: Sinestro Angela Bassett: Doctor Waller Temuera Morrison: Abin Sur Jay O. Sanders: Carl Ferris Jon Tenney: Martin Jordan Taika Waititi: Tom Kalmaku Tim Robbins: Hammond

Green Lantern (2011) Ace but immature fighter pilot Hal Jordan is chosen by the ring of a dying Green Lantern – a corps of inter-galactic beings tasked with safeguarding the universe – to be his successor. Jordan is the first human to be chosen but both he and other Green Lanterns feel that the ring must have made a mistake. 2/10 Impressively bland super-hero adventure which makes all the mistakes typical of the genre (no plot coherence, no convincing characters, no understandable motivation, no recognisable or rational human beings anywhere to be seen) but doesn’t have any of the benefits (imaginative, thrilling, spectacular action, heroic acts, evil being punched in the twirled moustache). The dismal, genuinely depressing, mid-credits epilogue takes an entire star off the rating thanks to undoing the only thing the movie did that was against expectation: that Mark Strong was not the villain. Obviously, it still takes an awful lot of money, effort and skill to make even a bad movie. You do wonder how much more effort it takes to make a good one. This movie contains extremely unpleasant scenes, extreme fantasy violence. Classified 12A by BBFC. Persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

G-Force (2009) – 6/10 fantasy action adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr. Writer: Cormac Wibberley Writer: Marianne Wibberley Writer (Original Story): Hoyt Yeatman IV Writer (Original Story): David P.I. James Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer Executive Producer: David P.I. James Bill Nighy: Saber Will Arnett: Kip Killian Zach Galifianakis: Ben Nicolas Cage: Speckles Sam Rockwell: Darwin Jon Favreau: Hurley Penélope Cruz: Juarez Steve Buscemi: Bucky Tracy Morgan: Blaster

G-Force (2009) The FBI are about to shut down G-Force, a team of genetically-engineered guinea pigs, and to avoid the axe, they decide to run their first live mission and prove how useful they can be. 6/10 This is a reasonably fun, furiously-paced action movie with unexpectedly expensive-looking special effects. It simply never seems to be a movie warranting such investment (Box Office Mojo reports a $150 million production budget) as the script is weak and lifeless. It feels like someone took a typical bottom-shelf action script and swapped human characters for guinea pigs and called it a day. As it is, the special effects are absolutely the best thing about the movie and help bring the quality voice-work of Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi and Jon Favreau to life. This movie contains scenes of peril. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

The Young Victoria (2008) – 8/10 romantic epic movie review

Cast / crew Director: Jean-Marc Vallée Writer: Julian Fellowes Producer: Graham King Producer: Martin Scorsese Producer: Tim Headington Producer: Sarah Ferguson Emily Blunt: Queen Victoria Rupert Friend: Prince Albert Paul Bettany: Lord Melbourne Miranda Richardson: Duchess of Kent Jim Broadbent: King William Thomas Kretschmann: King Leopold Mark Strong: Sir John Conroy Jesper Christensen: Baron Stockmar Harriet Walter: Queen Adelaide

Young Victoria, The (2008) Victoria will be the next Queen of England but as she hasn’t turned eighteen yet, she is seen as an easy target for manipulation and control. Various parties seek to gain influence over her: one by force, one by charm and one by love. 8/10 This is a lovely movie, crisp and beautiful; a fairy tale based on truth. It doesn’t make the usual mistake of trying to make the Royal’s just like us with ordinary problems; Victoria’s life brings with it entirely other problems from Mark Strong’s puppy-kicking villain through being (initially) callously manipulated to balancing the role of Queen and wife. Even though we will never have these issues, we do recognise them and understand their challenges and they are interesting, especially when presented as elegantly and economically as this. This movie contains mild adult dialogue and a mild gory and unpleasant scene, violence and mild sexuality. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

The Hunter (1980) – 7/10 biopic action Steve McQueen movie review

Cast / crew Producer: Mort Engelberg Director: Buzz Kulik Steve McQueen: Papa Thorson Eli Wallach: Ritchie Blumenthal Kathryn Harrold: Dotty LeVar Burton: Tommy Price Ben Johnson: Sheriff Strong Writer (Screenplay): Ted Leighton Writer (Screenplay): Peter Hyams Ralph Thorson: Bartender Christopher Keane: Mike Writer (Original Book) Based upon the life of: Christopher Keane Writer (Original Book) Based upon the life of: Ralph Thorson

Hunter, The (1980) Ralph Papa Thorson is a bounty hunter who retrieves criminals who have skipped bail. Some are easier to catch than others but one former target has just been released from prison and wants to kill the man who put him there. 7/10 While easily criticised for a lack of characters arcs and genuinely having no story (every twenty minutes Papa Thorson goes and catches a new unrelated baddie; that’s his job), this is an entertaining enough, attention-keeping production with some useful action scenes and Steve McQueen rather brilliantly subverting his reputation by running out of puff during action scenes and running into everything during driving scenes. This movie contains mild swear words and brief graphic violence, melee violence and sensuality.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

The Golden Compass (2007) 2/10 fantasy adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: Chris Weitz Writer (Screenplay): Chris Weitz Writer (Original Book) Northern Lights: Philip Pullman Producer: Deborah Forte Producer: Bill Carraro Nicole Kidman: Mrs Coulter Dakota Blue Richards: Lyra Sam Elliott: Lee Scoresby Eva Green: Serafina Pekkala Christopher Lee: First High Councilor Tom Courtenay: Farder Coram Derek Jacobi: Magisterial Emissary Ian McKellen: The Voice of Iorek Byrnison Ian McShane: The Voice of Ragnar Sturlusson Freddie Highmore: The Voice of Pantalaimon Kathy Bates: The Voice of Hester Kristin Scott Thomas: The Voice of Stelmaria Daniel Craig: Lord Asriel

Golden Compass, The (2007) After been given a unique Alethiometer (a device which tells the truth) and told to keep it secret, Lyra finds herself the target of people who want the device for themselves. So, she whips it out at every opportunity and reads it using, not the symbols on its circumference and applying logic and insight, but by doing an pretty gold CG whoosh effect because audiences are idiots. 2/10 It’s really quite surprising just how unconvincing this fantasy adventure is. The operation of the Golden Compass and just about every plot point, conversation and character interaction doesn’t make sense. Then, at the end of the movie, you realise that it was supposed to be all about rescuing this boy and not about any of the things you thought it was about. It doesn’t help that the acting from unlikable lead Dakota Blue Richards is wooden and disdainful. The single extra star is for an unexpectedly awesome climax to Ian McKellen’s big fight scene (SPOILER he rips the lower jaw off Ian McShane – they’re bears, by the way). This movie contains brief graphic fantasy violence, other fantasy violence. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links The Golden Compass game review

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Changeling (2008) – 7/10 true period drama movie review

Cast / crew Producer: Clint Eastwood Director: Clint Eastwood Writer: J. Michael Straczynski Producer: Brian Grazer Producer: Ron Howard Producer: Robert Lorenz Producer: Tim Moore Producer: Jim Whitaker Angelina Jolie: Christine Collins John Malkovich: Rev. Gustav Briegleb Jeffrey Donovan: Captain J.J. Jones Michael Kelly: Detective Leseter Ybarra Colm Feore: Chief James E. Davis Jason Butler-Harner: Gordon Northcott Amy Ryan: Carol Dexter Geoff Pierson: S.S. Hahn Denis O’Hare: Dr. Jonathan Steele Frank Wood: Ben Harris

Changeling (2008) Christine Collins is devastated when her son, Walter, goes missing but after a couple of months the LAPD, amidst ongoing negative publicity, contacts her with some great news: they’ve found her son. However, when she meets him at the railway station, the boy the police present is not her son but they’re insisting that he is. 7/10 This is a high-quality, engrossing drama but it’s never quite as emotionally affecting as it should be. Jolie and the children seem just a tiny bit mechanical and it is enough to ever-so-slightly diminish the impact of the traumatic events that occurred. Jolie particularly just fails to convince as a mother but it’s only by a perfectly-set hair. Otherwise, this is a precision Clint Eastwood movie, an interesting story paced elegantly and presented with clarity and pristine period detail. This movie contains three sexual swear words, adult dialogue and violence, unpleasant scenes, inferred extremely brutal violence, graphic state-ordained hanging. Classified 15 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Battle Los Angeles (2011) – 6/10 science fiction war movie review

Cast / crew Director: Jonathan Liebesman Writer: Christopher Bertolini Producer: Neal H. Moritz Producer: Ori Marmur Aaron Eckhart: Ssgt. Michael Nantz Michelle Rodriguez: Tsgt. Elena Santos Ramon Rodriguez: 2nd Lt. William Martinez Bridget Moynahan: Michele Ne-Yo: Cpl. Kevin Harris Michael Peña: Joe Ringon

Battle Los Angeles (2011) As several meteorites containing identical objects crash to Earth at the same time off the coast of the world’s highest population centres, the military scramble to combat what is clearly an orchestrated invasion. But when your opponents are so technologically advanced as to invade from outer space, what can man do to stop them? 6/10 Agreeable attempt to produce a serious, focused, straight-forward military movie where the enemy just happen to be aliens. However, this produces a struggle between the Hollywood alien invasion (they invade the whole earth at once, have a simplistic motivation and get defeated simplistically and everything must explode with a giant fireball but no splash damage) and the realistic combat (every character is given a role, rank and full name – most unusual – and they even, occasionally, reload… with giant fireball ordnance). Additionally, the contemporary editing style removes all shape, story and sense of space from the action. The overall effect is thrilling enough but not memorable or distinct. This movie contains a single sexual swear word, mild swear words, crude innuendo and war violence, unpleasant and slightly gory scenes. Classified 12A by BBFC. Persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Doctor Who S33E13 The Wedding of River Song (2011) – 1/10 science fiction adventure TV review

Cast / crew Matt Smith: The Doctor Karen Gillan: Amy Pond Arthur Darvill: Rory Williams Writer: Steven Moffat Producer: Marcus Wilson Director: Jeremy Webb

Doctor Who S33E13 Wedding of River Song, The (2011) The Doctor travels to Lake Silencio to meet his death. 1/10 Absolutely dreadful series climax completely broken in concept and execution. What should be emotional is embarrassing as actors pour their hearts into performances but haven’t connected with the audience first. There’s not even the hope that future Who won’t have Amy, Rory and Melody in it. Elevated steam trains provide the only highlight and this is, by some margin, the worst episode of all six series and is to be avoided. This Doctor Who episode contains violence, unpleasant scenes. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Previous episode: Closing Time Doctor Who Screened by Slimm Next episode: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Agatha Christie’s Poirot Hallowe’en Party (2010) – 6/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Writer (Original Novel): Agatha Christie Writer (Screenplay): Mark Gatiss Amelia Bullmore: Judith Butler Paola Dionisotti: Mrs Goodbody Deborah Findlay: Rowena Drake Ian Hallard: Edmund Drake Georgia King: Frances Drake Phyllida Law: Mrs Llewellyn-Smythe Julian Rhind-Tutt: Michael Garfield Eric Sykes: Mr Fullerton Sophie Thompson: Mrs Reynolds Paul Thornley: Inspector Raglan Timothy West: Reverend Cottrell Fenella Woolgar: Miss Whittaker Zoë Wanamaker: Ariadne Oliver Producer: Karen Thrussell Director: Charles Palmer

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party (2010) A child at a Hallowe’en party claims to have seen a murder years ago but didn’t realise it was murder. Now that she’s older, she knows better. Everyone at the party mocks her obviously attention-grabbing lies. Well, everyone except the murderer, of course. 6/10 Most impressively, the critical clue is given without obfuscation to the viewer and Poirot at the same time, nice and early in the investigation. It isn’t until Poirot twigs the significance that the audience realises too. Brilliant. Adapter Mark Gatiss successfully tidies up the reportedly slightly haphazard novel and even managing to briefly shoehorn some lesbians in (as required by ITV period drama law). Director Charles Palmer keeps a good grip on things and delivers a tidy feature-length episode. This Poirot, Agatha Christie’s episode contains adult dialogue and violence, unpleasant scenes. Classified 12 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over. Links Previous episode: Three Act Tragedy Agatha Christie Screened by Slimm

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Agatha Christie’s Poirot Three Act Tragedy (2009) – 5/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Writer (Original Novel): Agatha Christie Writer (Screenplay): Nick Dear Jane Asher: Lady Mary Kate Ashfield: Miss Wills Suzanne Bertish: Miss Milray Anna Carteret: Mrs Babbington Anastasia Hille: Cynthia Dacres Art Malik: Sir Bartholomew Strange Tony Maudsley: Supt Crossfield Kimberley Nixon: Egg Ronan Vibert: Captain Dacres Tom Wisdom: Oliver Manders Martin Shaw: Sir Charles Cartwright Producer: Karen Thrussell Director: Ashley Pearce

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s Three Act Tragedy (2009) At a cocktail party hosted by famous actor and Poirot’s friend Sir Charles Cartwright, Reverend Stephen Babbington collapses and dies after sipping his cocktail. It looks like poison but his glass is clean and the inquest labels it a tragedy and Poirot agrees. A month later, however, the guests reassemble minus Cartwright and Poirot, and someone else, Sir Bartholomew Strange, dies in the exact same manner. This time there is no question: it is murder – nicotine poisoning – and there’s a prime suspect, new butler Ellis, but there’s still no poison in the glass. 5/10 This is a clumsy episode where adapter Nick Dear and director Ashley Pearce show no understanding of the plot. They don’t make enough of the SPOILER red-herring investigation into what connects the parson and the psychiatrist, fail to setup the motive (it carries no meaning for modern viewers) and ostentatiously and suspiciously avoid showing SPOILER the butler Ellis. As with so many of the two-hour Poirot’s, what’s really missing is humanity and humour and they fail to connect to the audience emotionally. This is a story about the shattering of the trust of friendship but you’d never tell. So instead of being a Three Act Tragedy, what we’ve got is simply Three Acts. This Poirot, Agatha Christie’s episode contains unpleasant scenes. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Agatha Christie Screened by Slimm Next episode: Hallowe’en Party

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Doctor Who S33E12 Closing Time (2011) – 7/10 science fiction adventure TV review

Cast / crew Matt Smith: The Doctor Karen Gillan: Amy Pond Arthur Darvill: Rory Williams Writer: Gareth Roberts Producer: Denise Paul Director: Steve Hughes James Corden: Craig

Doctor Who S33E12 Closing Time (2011) The Doctor pops in to see Craig as part of a ‘farewell tour’ before he dies in a couple of days time but a trio of disappearing people and a some odd power fluctuations mean that he may have to stay and save Earth one last time. 7/10 Fun episode with a generous amount of the Doctor being cool ("I speak baby", "Here to help") and just enough shape and story to the running around to be satisfying. The homosexual dialogue feels ostentatiously normal (as in look at how normal we treat homosexuality; it’s just like a heterosexual family unit but with two dads and look how normally we reacted to it, we didn’t pull a face or anything, normal, normal, normal, see) but completely undermines itself by having Corden’s character ‘hilariously’ try to explain that he wasn’t the Doctor’s partner in that sense of the word. Homosexuality isn’t normal. It exists, but it isn’t normal. If you believe in God, he condemns homosexual acts and urges you to exercise self-control. If you believe in evolution, homosexuality leads to extinction. This Doctor Who episode contains homosexual references and unpleasant scenes. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Doctor Who Screened by Slimm Previous episode: The God Complex Next episode: The Wedding of River Song

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

inFamous 2 (2011) – 9/10 superhero / supervillain open-world action adventure PS3 exclusive game review

Cast / crew

inFamous 2 (2011) Just as Kessler prophesied, the Beast arrives to decimate the world and Cole is preparing to take him on. As he is about to leave for New Marais to complete preparation, Cole has to engage the Beast in battle but is defeated resulting in the annihilation of Empire City. Escaping to New Marais, the Beast slowly follows overland laying waste to everything in his path but at least it will give Cole time to beef up his powers and make round 2 go his way. 9/10 Improving in every way but not breaking the perfect controls or wonderful playability of inFamous, this incredibly fun and impressive sequel is a joy from start to finish. It also delivers highly satisfying and different conclusions to the story for both good and evil playthroughs. Remarkably, both have genuine emotional impact: the good is touching, the evil is emotionally difficult. But it’s not just the big stuff inFamous 2 gets right. For some peculiar reason I absolutely love the sound of the carrier pigeons falling to the floor. The power-switching control scheme is the best and most flexible I’ve ever used (by miles). There’s no bad language. It’s not horribly violent. Brilliantly, the game automatically resumes when you start the disc, no button presses are required to get in to the game. Why more games don’t do this is beyond me. Sadly, inFamous 2 didn’t sell as well as the first but it is an exemplary, must-buy open-world action game. This game contains strong melee violence, strong fantasy violence and sensuality. Classified 16+ by PEGI. The game is only suitable for persons who have reached the age of 16 or over.. Classified Violence by PEGI. Game contains depictions of violence. Links Previous: inFamous

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Doctor Who S33E11 The God Complex (2011) – 5/10 science fiction adventure TV review

Cast / crew Matt Smith: The Doctor Karen Gillan: Amy Pond Arthur Darvill: Rory Williams Writer: Toby Whithouse Producer: Marcus Wilson Director: Nick Hurran Sarah Quintrell: Lucy Hayward Amara Karan: Rita Dimitri Leonidas: Howie Spragg Daniel Pirrie: Joe Buchanan David Walliams: Gibbis

Doctor Who S33E11 God Complex, The (2011) The Doctor’s seeming inability to travel where he intends sees him and his companions arrive, unexpectedly, in a perfect recreation of an Eighties’ Earth hotel but this hotel may become their prison. 5/10 Weak Who with worthless lives in meaningless danger. As mentioned before, if you always put people’s lives in danger it’s no longer an extraordinary circumstance and loses dramatic impact. The story point of the episode, however, is excellent as the Doctor SPOILER leaves Amy and Rory to get on with their lives without him. It’s a true sacrifice that places the personal interests of others ahead of his own need for companionship and an audience. This Doctor Who episode contains mild peril. Classified 12 by BBFC. Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over. Links Previous: The Girl Who Waited Doctor Who Screened by Slimm Next episode: Closing Time

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Cars 2 (2011) – 6/10 Disney Pixar CG animated espionage adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: John Lasseter Co-Director: Brad Lewis Producer: Denise Ream Writer (Original Story): John Lasseter Writer (Original Story): Brad Lewis Writer (Original Story): Dan Fogelman Writer (Screenplay): Ben Queen Owen Wilson: Lightning McQueen Larry The Cable Guy: Mater Michael Caine: Finn McMissile Emily Mortimer: Holley Shiftwell John Turturro: Francesco Bernoulli Eddie Izzard: Sir Miles Axlerod

Cars 2 (2011) To promote green fuel Allinol, Sir Axelrod sets up a trilogy of World Grand Prix and invites the cream of the world’s racers to compete. Lightning wants to take time off after the long NASCAR season but Mater talks him into it. They travel out to Japan for the first race and while Lightning is most concerned that Mater will embarrass him, there is a sinister conspiracy going on behind the scenes that will affect them even more. 6/10 This feels like the first phoned-in Pixar production but it’s still fun, entertaining and good-looking with a couple of funny gags. Lasseter’s handling of the morality tale is clumsy (be yourself, groan, such dreadful advice) and it rather breaks the unsatisfactory story by having characters behave in an unrecognisable ("I’m not letting you get away again!") or nonsensical manner (Mater greedily insisting on a massive portion of a Japanese dish and blabbering thoughtlessly over the race radio). The first film did have the same problem but rescued it through some of cinema’s best racing sequences for ages. Here, the one-lap (!) racing sequences are well-animated (amazingly you can see the downforce-generated grip of the Formula car in turns) but succumb to the contemporary weakness of editing the shape and story out of them. Still, it’s certainly not a bad film, the production design continues to delight and it is funny and entertaining. This movie contains mild peril. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All. Links Previous: Cars

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

The Next Three Days (2010) – 7/10 prison escape thriller movie review

Cast / crew Director: Paul Haggis Writer (Screenplay): Paul Haggis Producer: Michael Nozik Producer: Paul Haggis Producer: Olivier Delbosc Producer: Marc Missonnier Russell Crowe: John Brennan Elizabeth Banks: Lara Brennan Brian Dennehy: George Brennan Lennie James: Lieutenant Nabulsi Olivia Wilde: Nicole Ty Simpkins: Luke Helen Carey: Grace Brennan Liam Neeson: Damon Pennington Director (Original Film) Pour Elle: Fred Cavayé Writer (Original Screenplay) Pour Elle: Fred Cavayé Writer (Original Screenplay) Pour Elle: Guillaume Lemans

Next Three Days, The (2010) After running out of legal options and in the face of significant evidence, a husband who believes in his wife’s innocence of murdering her boss desperately starts to formulate an escape plan. 7/10 While it doesn’t seem to have much depth, this refreshingly straight-forward prison escape movie does take it’s subject rather more seriously than most and easily keeps your attention throughout. It works hard to ground the film in reality and makes the intriguing decision to largely portray Crowe’s wife as abrasive and probably guilty. When it gets to the escape itself, it remains fairly grounded, especially when portraying law enforcement agencies as organised and intelligent. Russell Crowe is fat but good and easily carries the movie. Everyone else does their bit and writer / director Paul Haggis keeps it moving smoothly. However, despite all the high quality work on show, iIt’s probably really important not to look too closely afterward. This movie contains a single sexual swear word, adult dialogue and violence and sensuality. Classified 12A by BBFC. Persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Agatha Christie’s Poirot S01E09 The King of Clubs (1989) – 6/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew Writer: Agatha Christie David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Hugh Fraser: Arthur Hastings Philip Jackson: Chief Inspector Japp Writer (Dramatisation): Michael Baker Script Consultant: Clive Exton Niamh Cusack: Valerie Saintclair Producer: Brian Eastman Director: Renny Rye Executive Producer: Nick Elliott Executive Producer: Linda Agran

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s S01E09 King of Clubs, The (1989) A much-disliked movie producer is found dead by his leading lady, Valerie Saintclair, but her subsequent actions are too well witnessed for Poirot. 6/10 Bit of a surprise to see Poirot allow being called French (by Sean Pertwee) to go without correction and SPOILER allow someone to get away with a crime. It’s always fun to see Japp think he is out-performing Poirot’s little grey cells ("You mustn’t get discouraged Poirot. When you’ve been around as long as I have…"). Suchet is spot on, Philip Jackson does his thing and Hugh Fraser’s Hastings is, as always, perfect ("You’re onto something, Poirot. I’m dashed if I know what it is.") So while this is one of the weaker hour-long’s, it’s still a fun, entertaining murder mystery and there’s a lovely closing shot that reinforces why: the relationship between Hastings and Poirot. This Poirot, Agatha Christie’s episode contains adult dialogue and mild unpleasant and gory scene. Classified PG by BBFC. Parental Guidance. Links Agatha Christie Screened by Slimm Next episode: The Dream

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Xbox 360 vs PS3: Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Saints Row The Third

Every so often, Eurogamer run a series of technical comparison reviews for games released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

This is the latest update to the full list.

Starting with 2011 games, you can hover over the publications icons for a very quick summary.

• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
• Saints Row The Third

Ice Age (2002) – 6/10 animated prehistoric adventure movie review

Cast / crew Ray Romano: Manfred John Leguizamo: Sid Denis Leary: Diego Peter Ackerman: Dodo Chris Wedge: Dodo Peter Ackerman: Freaky Mammal Chris Wedge: Scrat Director: Chris Wedge Co-Director: Carlos Saldanha Writer (Story): Michael J. Wilson Writer (Screenplay): Michael Berg Writer (Screenplay): Michael J. Wilson Writer (Screenplay): Peter Ackerman

Ice Age (2002) 6/10 Barely adequate animation presentation of a barely adequate story. John Leguizamo does surprisingly well as an annoying character who is supposed to be endearing and, along with him, incidental character Scrat and his acorn prove to be the only highlights. Remarkably, this spawned a very profitable franchise for 20th Century-Fox and, most unusually, ever-improving sequels. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All. Links Next: Ice Age: The Meltdown

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) – 6/10 animated prehistoric adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: Carlos Saldanha Producer: Lori Forte Writer (Screenplay): Peter Gaulke Writer (Screenplay): Gerry Swallow Writer (Screenplay): Jim Hecht Writer (Story): Peter Gaulke Writer (Story): Gerry Swallow Ray Romano: Manny John Leguizamo: Sid Denis Leary: Diego Seann William Scott: Crash Josh Peck: Eddie Queen Latifah: Ellie Carlos Saldanha: Dodo Lead Animator: Aaron Hartline Lead Animator: David Torres

Ice Age: Meltdown, The (2006) Our odd pack – Diego the sabre-tooth tiger, Sid the sloth and Manny the mammoth – have three days to get to the other end of the valley and the safety of a boat before the end of the world. Along the way they meet a trio of possums, one of whom looks suspiciously like a mammoth. 6/10 It’s not boring, there are some fun lines and nicely animated gags. Director Carlos Saldanha clearly has a talent in staging and delivering a gag. The sequences with Scrat are very well done and new characters Crash and Eddie (a pair of possums) are fun and, again, well animated. On a deeper level, though, the story is depressingly ordinary (two people fall in love despite being fakely antagonistic) and most of the dialogue is off-the-shelf weak. To be fair, it doesn’t dent the agreeable entertainment value and this is a quality child-friendly film. This movie contains mild bad language and peril. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All. Links Next: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Previous: Ice Age

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) – 7/10 animated prehistoric adventure movie review

Cast / crew Director: Carlos Saldanha Co-Director: Michael Thurmeier Producer: Lori Forte Producer: John C. Donkin Executive Producer: Chris Wedge Writer (Screenplay): Michael Berg Writer (Screenplay): Peter Ackerman Writer (Screenplay): Mike Reiss Writer (Screenplay): Yoni Brenner Writer (Story): Jason Carter Eaton Ray Romano: Manny John Leguizamo: Sid Denis Leary: Diego Simon Pegg: Buck Seann William Scott: Crash Josh Peck: Eddie Queen Latifah: Ellie Carlos Saldanha: Dinosaur Babies / Flightless Bird Chris Wedge: Scrat

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) After falling through a hole in the ice, Sid discovers three large abandoned eggs and decides to adopt them. No-one recognises the creatures when they hatch but they’re large and like swallowing playmates whole. Then Sid discovers that the eggs weren’t as abandoned as they thought and Manny, Diego, Crash, Eddie and a pregnant Ellie go on an adventure to rescue him. 7/10 Another good outing for the Ice Age franchise with some good animated gags, plenty of pace, excitement and fun with more outstanding Scrat sequences to remind us of the Chuck Jones heyday of Wile E. Coyote. It’s also the kind of movie that sends you out of the cinema buzzing on a wave of positive energy. As with the first sequel The Meltdown, better than expected. This movie contains peril. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All. Links Previous: Ice Age: The Meltdown

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Xbox 360 vs PS3 vs PC Head-to-Head Face Off: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Every so often, Eurogamer run a series of technical comparison reviews for games released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

This is the latest update to the full list.

Starting with 2011 games, you can hover over the publications icons for a very quick summary.

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Xbox 360 vs PS3 vs PC Head-to-Head Face Off: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Every so often, Eurogamer run a series of technical comparison reviews for games released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

This is the latest update to the full list.

Starting with 2011 games, you can hover over the publications icons for a very quick summary.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Les adventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec aka The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec (2010) – 6/10 fantasy adventure movie review

Cast / crew Louise Bourgoin: Adèle Blanc-Sec Mathieu Amalric: Dieuleveult Gilles Lellouche: Caponi Jean-Paul Rouve: Justin de Saint Hubert Writer (Original Comic Book Series): Jacques Tardi Director: Luc Besson Producer: Virginie Besson-Silla Writer: Luc Besson

Les adventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec aka The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec (2010) In Paris, a professor uses the power of his mind to give life to a dormant prehistoric pterodactyl. In Egypt, Adèle Blanc-Sec is in dangerous company seeking the tomb of a Pharaoh and his legendary physician. Yes, they are connected. No, I’m not telling you how. 6/10 Always lacking that extra bit of life or magic, this Luc Besson movie is slightly disappointing despite a virile leading lady, some wild ideas and the best mummies in movie history. Curiously, it opens, not like a Luc Besson movie (pan forward, tilt up) but a Jean-Pierre Jeunet one, and it ends on a incongruously down-beat manner though it clearly should be a nice little gag to send the audience out on. Besson also fluffs the main Indiana Jones-inspired action sequence (in Egypt) by subjecting it to contemporary editing shapelessness and a callous disregard even for movie physics let alone physics physics. However, it is entertaining, the mummies are great and Louise Bourgoin as Miss Blanc-Sec is charismatic, energetic and luminious. This movie contains unpleasant scenes and non-sexual female nudity. Classified 12A by BBFC. Persons under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Agatha Christie’s Poirot 2.05 The Cornish Mystery (1990) – 7/10 period murder mystery TV review

Cast / crew Writer: Agatha Christie David Suchet: Hercule Poirot Hugh Fraser: Captain Hastings Philip Jackson: Chief Inspector Japp Pauline Moran: Miss Lemon Writer (Dramatisation): Clive Exton Chloe Salaman: Fred Stanton John Bowler: Jacob Radnor Producer: Brian Eastman Director: Edward Bennett Executive Producer: Nick Elliott

Poirot, Agatha Christie’s 2.05 Cornish Mystery, The (1990) Mrs. Alice Pengelley arrives in London to confess to Poirot that she believes her husband is poisoning her. Poirot takes the case and tells her that he and Hastings will follow her to Cornwall the following day. When they arrive, however, Poirot is horrified to find that she died shortly before their arrival. 7/10 Poirot is never really presented with clues or a mystery so dramatiser Exton has to concentrate on the character bits and pieces to make it entertaining. He succeeds. David Suchet gets an awesome scene with a doctor who keeps interrupting him (you can literally see all the sentences piling up inside Poirot’s face, it’s wonderful) while revealing that Belgium has a thing against rice. Hugh Fraser’s Hastings displays an improvised brilliance (in the confession scene) that truly impresses Poirot and gets his best "I say!" of the entire series and probably the best in the entire history of the world. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Suchet is the ultimate Poirot but Hugh Fraser is the ultimate Hastings. Classified U by BBFC. Universal: Suitable for All. Links Agatha Christie’s Poirot Screened by Slimm Next episode: The Disappearance of Mr Davenheim

This blog is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.

Xbox 360 vs PS3 vs PC Head-to-Head Face Off: Battlefield 3

Every so often, Eurogamer run a series of technical comparison reviews for games released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

This is the latest update to the full list.

Starting with 2011 games, you can hover over the publications icons for a very quick summary.

• Battlefield 3