Category Archives: Films

Gladiator 11- film review

Posted on May 5, 2025 by garylongden

Gladiator II 2024 ★★★★ Watched 05 May 2025 I am a big sword and sandals fan and loved the first film. This sequel turned out to be both impressive and a disappointment at the same time It is a lazy reheating of the … Continue reading →

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In the Land of Saints and Sinners- Film review

Posted on June 28, 2024 by garylongden

Land of Saints and sinners Terrific Liam Neeson thriller- his best work for years. The plot unfolds slowly, at its own pace, in a carefully crafted modern western which suits the Troubles perfectly. The ’70s Irish setting is faithfully recreated, … Continue reading →

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Under Paris (Sous La Seine) – Film Review

Posted on June 28, 2024 by garylongden

***  A truly bizarre  shark caper. The first shock is that this is a dubbed English language version on Netflix , not sub -titled, stripping out much needed Gallic charm. Furthermore the plot has been anglicised with the cops wearing … Continue reading →

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Wicked Little Letters- Film review

Posted on June 27, 2024 by garylongden

A film that delivered more than I was expecting. I was anticipating a kitchen sink, period British quirky comedy. What I found was that, and much more. The ensemble cast, are without exception, superb. The premise is that in post … Continue reading →

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes- Film

Posted on June 6, 2024 by garylongden

An awful new instalment of an old franchise. The script writer had the month off, as there were so few words spoken, the CGI creators went into overdrive with convincing apes and lush sets The story was dreadful, a hybrid … Continue reading →

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Back to Black – Film

Posted on June 6, 2024 by garylongden

  I was a fan of Winehouse contemporaneously, and still am. Given her  chaotic, controversial career I approached this with trepidation. My verdict? An entertaining watch, but a flawed experience. – Her early years are pretty much bypassed, her first … Continue reading →

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Bohemian Rhapsody – the film

Posted on February 8, 2020 by garylongden

I had been looking forwards to this. Queen were a great band, the reviews had been enthusiastic, but the experience of watching it fell short of my expectations.   The entire film felt contrived, a construct by Brian May and … Continue reading →

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Gravity 3D- Vacuous in a a vacuum

Posted on November 17, 2013 by garylongden

Don’t believe the hype. I went to see this film wanting to enjoy it. I like space movies, think it is an underrepresented genre currently, and thought that a big budget with Clooney and Bullock would guarantee a worthwhile film. … Continue reading →

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East of Sudan

Posted on February 12, 2012 by garylongden

Judging this film forty eight years after release requires some care. In 1964 it pandered to the escapism that cinema goers still relished, echoed days of colonial glory which were rapidly fading and offered a glimpse of the exotic before … Continue reading →

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Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Posted on January 1, 2012 by garylongden

This is the fourth in the Mission Impossible series and it reboots the concept, rivalling the first instalment, and is far better than Missions Two and Three. The choice of Brad Bird as Director was risky, inspired, and has paid … Continue reading →

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