Reviews by judmac1

Not quite as brilliant as I expected when I first saw it in cinemas, the film has nonetheless grown on me. Johnny Depp's creation of the Mad Hatter is wonderful, but it seems to dominate the film, where as Mia Wasikowska's 'Alice' was just as great a character to watch. It is unfortunate too that the film ends with a large action sequence that seems to downgrade the film overall, however the quirkiness and amazing visuals of the film, and the charm that is nevertheless existent despite its flaws, overcomes these. The stand out performance comes from Helena Bonham Carter, whose wonderful interpretation of the Red Queen is hilarious rather than villainous. It is, so far, one of the best films of the year so far and definitely worth watching.

I went to this film with very high expectations, the unbelievable 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating in my head, and although it was not the masterpiece I thought it would be, it still proved to be a fun rollercoaster of a ride. It is not better than 'Shrek', 'Shrek 2', or 'Kung Fu Panda', and still doesn't compare to most Pixar films, but the flying action sequences and scenes shared by the hero and his dragon as they build upon their unlikely relationship make it well worth watching.

The action sequences did not stun, the story was not very entertaining and overall, it really wasn't that impressive. Only when Cate Blanchett's character is introduced does this film take off, slightly, and the comedic chemistry between her Marion, and Robin Hood, make this film enjoyable. Definitely one of Ridly Scott's weaker films, but even that doesn't mean that it's a dud.

A lot of the pop culture references are gone, and much of the charm in the world of Far Far Away. However you do not always need charm to make a good film. There is much more emotion (crying and yelling) in this film, and less comedy, but the strong moral message that is the heart of this film glows warmly, and so even if it can't produce the thrills of both 'Shrek' and 'Shrek 2', it is still a huge improvement on 'Shrek 3', and provides an emotionally satisfying and enjoyable conclusion to what is a classic animated series. I am glad that it finished on a good note, despite my low expectations.

This is the first film that I saw by Hayao Miyazaki, and I thought that it was beautiful, mysterious and very original. However, it's hard to compare it with Pixar because the differance between anime and computer generated animation is such that they are almost completely different genres. I found 'Spirited Away' very relaxing and meaningful. The animation was superb, the storyline was unique and heartfelt and the characters were a lot of fun, especially the superbly animated Yubaba. It will go down in history as one of the best animated films of all time, and was a pleasure to watch.

'Toy Story 3' has wiped the smirks off the faces of all the doubters who believed that by making a third installment Pixar were crushing their invincible streak of critics successes. They have, once again, reminded us why they wear the crown in the world of animation, providing us with a thrilling, emotional and hilarious film that ticks all the boxes in providing us with the ultimate family film. Ten years was a long wait, but this movie makes it every bit worth it. Well done Pixar!

Gory, unbelievably exciting and featuring fight sequences that will have you drooling on the edge of your seat, the concept is incredibly simple. 'KILL BILL'.
Definitely up there with 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Inglourious Basterds' as Quentin Tarantino's best film to date, it is an old fashioned horror/comedy/drama that is just so entertaining!

This movie has more layers than may be originally realised. It does not compare to 'Harry Potter' or 'Lord of the Rings', and may sometimes, especially in the final battle, look like cheap remakes of the two, but the source material did come long before 'Harry Potter', and it carries Christian messages within its plot, such as the resurrection. It is an innocent tale of school children that find a fantasy world within a wardrobe, and the adventure that follows is both entertaining and fun. Tilda Swinton is perfect as the Ice Witch, the main antagonist of the film, and the four young leads, especially Georgie Henley who plays Lucy, definitely have a career in acting waiting for them. Overall, it may not be the perfect fantasy film, but it is nevertheless a great family movie that is a magical experience to behold.

A tragic love story featuring superb acting, plenty of drama, suspense and, of course, the famous musical score. This film thoroughly deserves its 11 Oscars and is a remarkable achievement by James Cameron, who has managed to create one of the saddest and most epic love stories of all time.

A lighthearted, and often hilarious comedy film that provides consistent laughs from a great line up of actors. The weakness of this film, and a strong wekaness it is, comes from whenever the story attempts to delve into emotional depth, the goofy characters just not being convincing enough to convey the messages that the story tries to bring across, which spoils some of the fun. It's also unfortunate that a lot of the funniest jokes are reused throughout the film, so that by the second time they don't seem to be all that special. It is surprisingly the middle of this film that proves to be the best part, the start not being all that funny and the ending being pointless and far from a satisfying conclusion to an, overall, not bad film. It should make you smile, at times it made me laugh hysterically, but it really is only aimed at teenage boys and will not appeal to many other groups other than that.