h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hatchi.

Based on the Japanese dog who waited 9 years for his deceased master to return home.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house, including mine, and I'm not a dog-lover.

Dog lovers will need counselling, I suspect.

A Single Man, which was poignant and beautiful. Would anyone recommend reading the book it was based on?

Mark Kermode probably would. But I wouldn't trust the judgement of someone who chooses his hair to look like that.

I'm surprised Mark Kermode has time to read books - he must spend 24 hours a day in the cinema. Perhaps he reads by torchlight when he has to sit through a romcom.

Have just watched "Harry Brown". Understand why people have criticised the film about its moral ambiguity.

However despite that it was an enjoyable watch and Caine is really good.

FB

Paranormal Activity.

Not my choice, but that of daughter-and-boyfriend, who seem to enjoy scary movies. So how come they watched this one through half-open fingers, and would have hid behind the sofa if it wouldn't have completely destroyed their street-cred...?

Anyhoo, didn't scare me, but it was well made and convincingly "amateur" to ensure the suspension of disbelief. Not enough explanation and back story for me, though.

And Thumbelina. One of my all time cartoon faves. I'm toying with the idea of it as a stage musical.

We watched An Education on DVD at the weekend. It was good, well-told, well-acted etc...but it's television. Why did this get a (albeit limited) cinema release? So it could get to the Oscars?

We went to see Shutter Island at the cinema yesterday. Watching the trailer for this film will give you a totally incorrect view of what it's about. The plot is well thought-out, although the alleged "sense of menace" seems to be mostly missing. There's the obligatory make-you-jump scene. It's difficult to describe without ...er...nope, can't say that either...but it's very good. Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley are both brilliant. This one gets a 5/5...probably the best film I've seen so far this year.

RF

"Electra Glide in Blue" on DVD. 70s-era motorcycle cop film, shot in the Arizona desert, with a murder, corrupt cops, dirty hippies, and drunken floozies. Beautifully shot, with well-developed characters. The disc was mastered poorly- the music track was much louder than the dialog, so we had to keep adjusting the volume, which annoys me. And there are times when not much happens. Overall, though, well done if a bit depressing. And I won't spoil the ending, but what a sucker punch (even if I kind of guessed what was coming). 3 out of 5.

We received "The Invention of Lying" Saturday but haven't had the time to watch it yet. I'm no fan of Ricky Gervais, but reading so many pissy negative Netflix reviews by religidiots has my interest piqued.

The Boys Are Back

Clive Owen is the star, struggling to cope with single-parenthood after being widowed...



Sorry.

Just watched 'The four feathers' A classic Korda directed boys own adventure played out in the Sudan . Set in the time of Gordon and Kitchener. Them fuzzy wuzzy's don't like it up em' you know. Great film with a good story and some good 'cast of thousands' battle scenes.

Hiya PC, you'll like The Invention of Lying. It's got some very clever bits, especially the cola commercials.

Yeah, we watched it last night and it was pretty good. Not big on rom-com type stuff, but that aspect wasn't too bad this time, I guess, and I really felt bad for the guy.

Don't laugh - I'm watching The Lord of the Rings - Parts I and II last night and the night before, Part III tonight. I hadn't watched them before, and I doubt if watching on a laptop while doing the ironing does the scenery and battle scenes justice.

Elijah Wood is American, right? (Sorry, have only ever seen him in films dubbed into German) His English accent is very natural.

It's worth watching them with full attention the once, so that when you combine subsequent re-watchings with ironing, sewing etc you know when to look up for a good bit.

It's also worth watching them with my husband around, because he has the knack of turning them into hilarious comedies. But it's just me that benefits from that.

I hadn't actually noticed Elijah's English accent so he must be good.

Mol

Alice in Wonderland.

Much better than I thought it would be. Now the workmates I went with want to see it in 3D.

TC, the Lady of the Mice and I were watching LotR last night, as well Only... Well, we only got through the first DVD of "Fellowship" - before any of the real action actually kicks in.

Y.

I watched Last Chance Harvey. The romance was not as convincing as it should have been, but the initial loneliness of the characters was captured well.

I saw the first one at the flicks and thought it wsa over-long and a bit boring...just like the book.

The others I saw the director cuts on DVD and loved them. I recently watched them all again and loved The Fellowship this time round.I had a better engagement with the characters as I had 'met' them before so the Fellowship felt much better 2nd time round.

I finally saw Avatar last night, about 3 months after everyone else.

It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Sure the story was a bit pants and some scenes were blatant steals from other films (when Sully made his rousing speech to the Na'vi I couldn't resist adding on "And the red sun rises!" from Theoden's speech in RotK), but I couldn't care less about the story when I was seeing the most amazingly realised alien environment.

At one point, when Sully flew for the first time, I was actually crying just from the visuals. Purists can get sniffy all they like, but it was art.

Nice to see they've finally nailed the 3D technology too: it worked like a charm. At one point I caught myself trying to swat one of the insects - talk about an immersive experience.

It's funny because when Theoden does "and a red sun rises" I always shout "St Crispians Day!"

I've just watched Inglorious Basterds. What a strange film, and what's with the spelling of the title? Chistoph Walz and Brad Pitt were fab. As was Daniel Brühl. But I do have a terribly soft spot for him anyway.