Reviews by Kyle Ellis

David Lynch is a very love-him-hate-him director, with people fascinated by his style and imagery and others who find his films not easy to follow and too weird for their tastes. As somebody who loves Lynch and a lot of his films(the only one I've disliked is Dune), Blue Velvet is up there at the top. The Elephant Man(never has there been a film that moved me more) may be my personal favourite but Blue Velvet is quite possibly Lynch's masterpiece. Loved Mulholland Drive as well, but it is not as accessible as Elephant Man or Blue Velvet- films that even those who aren't fans of Lynch are likely to love- and is his most polarising most likely.

Blue Velvet is an incredible-looking film. All of Lynch's films are beautifully shot and that is true of Blue Velvet as well, and the imagery is both hauntingly surreal and beautiful, all the different colours really popping out at you. The music is hypnotic with a very haunting undercurrent and really adds to the story's strangeness and mystery elements. The script is thoughtful and cohesive with a dose of weird but subtle humour as well as some deliberately not so subtle parts(especially with villain Frank Booth). The atmosphere created is the very meaning of scintillating and suspense levels are to the maximum. The story- one of the most coherent and accessible of any Lynch film- is always interesting and entertaining, the detective story elements are genuinely suspenseful and at times scary, Lynch has never directed a tenser scene than the climax here.

Lynch's direction is superb; along with Mulholland Drive it contains some of his best. The characters all serve a point to the story and they are very interestingly written, in the case of Frank Booth, one of the most evil and fascinating villains on films, iconic. The acting is superb as well, especially with Dennis Hopper who's terrifyingly sadistic and sometimes hilarious, he is very over the top but in a gleefully enjoyable way. Kyle MacLachlan has never been in a better film or given a better performance than here, he's certainly not had a character as interesting either, Laura Dern is great and sensual Isabella Rossellini has a challenging role that she plays to truly devastating effect. Look out for an oddball but memorable appearance from Dean Stockwell as well. Overall, a strange but utterly mesmerising masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I saw this last year when I was 16, at the cinema with my mum and my sister, and I must say we were impressed. I will confess that I haven't read the book by Phillippa Gregory, but from my perspective of the film, this is a beautifully made historical character study of some of the most famous historical figures in history. The film does look exquisite, with lavish costumes and splendid locations. The acting from Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johanssen are the redeeming merits of an above-average but rather unsubtle movie. These two actresses are brilliant at showing emotional depth. I also liked the actress of Catherine of Aragon, though I didn't expect Catherine to be conveyed in the way she was. However, I was not so impressed with Eric Bana as Henry. He fits the part physically, but emotionally he comes across to me as rather flat and lifeless. There are many historical inaccuracies, probably an attempt to be faithful to the source material, and because of this, sometimes the dialogue is very wordy and could have been simplified, and the rape scene seemed as though it came from another movie. I also thought the film rather overlong and a bit slow, and I will confess that I was out of my seat in the execution scenes with genuine fright inside of me, believe me a man screaming for mercy is one of the last things you want to see portrayed on film.(I really found that scene in particular very upsetting to watch)In conclusion, a beautifully made and in general well acted period drama, but suffers from uneven dialogue and pacing. 7/10 Bethany Cox.

Much has been said about how good The Graduate is. I have one word really to say, Amen! This film is wonderful in every way, from the cinematography, to the acting to the soundtrack.

ACTING- The acting is really quite excellent in The Graduate. In his first major role, Dustin Hoffmann(a great actor) is sensational as the innocent college graduate, while Anne Bancroft is also excellent as the older woman who seduces him. And Katherine Ross was surprisingly effective as the daughter Hoffmann's character falls for.

DIRECTION- Mike Nichols' direction is very, very good, easily one of his best directing jobs. He ensures flawlessly that there isn't a single wasted scene while watching The Graduate. And in my opinion, he thoroughly deserved the best director Oscar.

SCREENPLAY- I don't know when to start when saying how good The Graduate's script is. The humour is sophisticated and has the bite of a dry martini.

CINEMATOGRAPHY- The Graduate also benefits hugely from having beautiful cinematography, and it is quite innovative too. It also has a sense of visual irony about it, especially in the scene where Hoffmann runs to the church.

SOUNDTRACK- Maybe I am biased because I am very fond of Simon and Gunfunkel. In The Graduate, the soundtrack is so moving and beautiful, perfectly captures the mood of disaffected youth seething beneath the laid-back exteriors of the 1960s.

STORY- The Graduate works brilliantly as a satire, and the story is never less than engaging and thoughtful.

So all in all, The Graduate is a wonderful film on every level, one of my personal favourites of the 1960s that's for sure. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I am not sure whether I can add to the commentators who have talked about how good Bonnie and Clyde is, but I'll have a go. I didn't see Bonnie and Clyde until quite recently, and I can completely understand the film's reputation as it is a fantastic film. It is very well made, with crisp cinematography and a superb period recreation. The violence here is not cartoony, it is very violent and shocking, as seen in the ending which I also found quite affecting. Arthur Penn directs beautifully, there is a compelling story, a slick pace and a cracking script with some of the most important and sharpest dialogue in any film of the '60s. I was amazed by the last scene with Bonnie and her mother, it was a scene that is very chilling but also one that resonates emotionally too. And the acting I have no qualms with. Gene Hackman is wonderful as is Estelle Parsons as a somewhat annoying character. Also Gene Wilder makes a brief but funny appearance. But the film belongs to Warren Beatty and Faye Dunnaway, who actually become the characters rather than just playing them. Overall, a fantastic film and one of the best and most important of its decade. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Having been one of the shows that was part of my childhood and growing up, the original 'Star Trek' still holds up as great and ground-breaking, even if not perfect.

'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', to me, is a better film than its reputation but was also a disappointment and could have been much better. Every film franchise has to start somewhere, and 'The Motion Picture' paved the way to better films. Of which the second film 'The Wrath of Khan' is among the best, a strong contender for the best. Much appreciated its darker tone, emotional wallop and that it was much better paced and action-oriented than 'The Motion Picture'.

It may not be as visually stunning as 'The Motion Picture' (the production values is one of only two areas that is done better in that film to here), and William Shatner still goes overboard in his acting. Then again Shatner was never known for subtlety and when he was restrained (like 1958's 'The Brothers Karamazov') those instances were rare.

'The Wrath of Khan' is hardly cheap-looking though, having better production values generally than the original series. The sets are more elaborate, the photography is moody and stylish and the special effects are hardly hokey. While Jerry Goldsmith's music is missed a little, James Horner is more than up to the plate, not as rousing but typically beautifully orchestrated and high in the thrills factor. The sound effects are suitably eerie.

Writing is an improvement, getting to the point more and less talk heavy, it is very intelligent and thought-provoking without being overly serious. The story has no pacing issues, being much tighter and with much more going on. Credit is due too for exploring (beautifully) dark and universal themes. Nicholas Meyer is a more than welcome replacement, showing more of a sense of loyalty to the original series while bringing his own style without being too ambitious.

Acting, with the exception of Shatner, is good. Leonard Nimoy has rarely been more moving, with a truly powerful final scene, and Riccardo Montalban rarely so deliciously campy (without ever hurting the film's tone and still being entertaining) and also menacing. No pointless or underwritten characters here.

Overall, great and one of the best 'Star Trek' films. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Having been one of the shows that was part of my childhood and growing up, the original 'Star Trek' still holds up as great and ground-breaking, even if not perfect.

The last of the six 'Star Trek' films based off the original series, 'The Undiscovered Country' is also one of the best of the six. Along with 'The Wrath of Khan' (the best) and 'The Voyage Home'. It is also a huge improvement over 'The Final Frontier', which wasn't that awful to me but by far the most problematic of the six (more so than 'The Motion Picture') and deserves its reputation as the worst 'Star Trek' film based off the original series, whether it is the worst overall counting the 'Next Generation' films is debatable.

Not a perfect film by all means. It is a little too talky in places with parts needing a little more clarity, while the ending felt rushed and overblown even if visually epic and exciting as well.

However, 'The Undiscovered Country' is one of the best-looking 'Star Trek' films, with a noticeably grander budget than the previous film, the sets are elaborate, the whole film is beautifully shot and the special effects are some of the most epic and most audacious of all six films put together. The film is beautifully, hauntingly and rousingly scored, a clever score with a wide range of emotions.

Returning a more than welcome return, Nicholas Meyer delivers what is by far the best-directed 'Star Trek' film since 'The Wrath of Khan', there is a sense of loyalty to the original series while bringing his own style without being too ambitious.

Aside from having moments of being too talky and not quite as clear as it could have been, the script is a perfect balance of provoking thought, genuinely funny and beautifully timed humour, humanistic messaging and affectionate lampooning. The story has a dark political tone, while also a heart-warming affectionate air and great entertainment value. Clever Shakespearean touches too.

The character development, interaction and conflicts were always where 'Star Trek' particularly excelled. All the main characters are interesting and more complex than usual, even Kirk, while the supporting cast are in character and much better used.

Leonard Nimoy demonstrates perfectly why Spock is one of 'Star Trek's' most interesting and iconic characters, while William Shatner wisely reigns in more than usual and gives easily his best performance of the six films and actually much better than the original series as well. DeForest Kelley and James Doohan are also spot on, Kim Catrall is not bad at all and Christopher Plummer is a superb villain (both menacing and fun, ties with Khan as my favourite cinematic 'Star Trek' villain).

In summary, outstanding, the original 'Star Trek' couldn't have had a better send off. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I know there are people who love or don't like this film, but I am one of those who loves it. It is a different kind of western, but in my mind, that is not a bad thing, quite the contrary. I loved the first ten minutes, that was very clever and refreshing. The cinematography is fabulous, doing perfect justice to the beautiful scenery. The score is suitably jaunty, and the Raindrops Falling on My Head interlude is a wonderful touch and quite moving come to think of it. The script is witty and infectious, not to mention memorable, and the direction and pace I had no problem with either. Robert Redford and especially Paul Newman are perfect as the charismatic outlaws and their chemistry is simply unforgettable. All in all, just a great movie and one of my favourites of the genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox