Reviews by Kyle Ellis

The Thing is not only a brilliant remake(which I was not expecting after seeing abominations such as Psycho and The Wicker Man) but it is also a brilliant film that seamlessly blends horror and sci-fi amongst other things.

The atmosphere is especially what makes the movie so good. To this day, very few other movies have shocked, haunted or unnerved me as much as The Thing. The scenery, sets and costumes are eye-popping and the effects are brilliantly designed and suitably grotesque without distracting too much.

There is also Ennio Morricone's most haunting score, a cracking script and a deliberately slow-paced but compelling story that is quite ahead of its time. Not to mention wonderful direction and credible and well-written characters. The acting is equally great, in my mind Kurt Russell has never been better, likewise with Keith David and Wilford Brimley has brilliant delivery of the lines.

All in all, a brilliant film and one essentials and its genre(s). 10/10 Bethany Cox

I am a huge fan of Hitchcock, and have really liked all of the movies of his I have seen so far. My top 5 favourites are Vertigo, North By Northwest, Rear Window, Rebecca and this masterpiece. Before I saw this, I considered Vertigo as his masterpiece. After seeing this movie, I think Psycho outshines Vertigo.

Psycho is a film that you see once and never forget, and one of the few movies out there that has left me traumatised. The infamous shower scene is without doubt one of the most terrifying murder scenes in any film. When I first saw that scene on the 100 Greatest American Films, I was so terrified and I admit it I have never recovered. I had a similar experience watching the Disney film Sleeping Beauty with Maleficent enticing Aurora to the spinning wheel, and Mrs Gulch turning into the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz.

The shower scene isn't the only effective or chilling scene in the film- in the events leading up to that scene I was biting my nails. The scene with the old woman in the chair also made me jump out of my skin. The whole of Psycho is terrifying, suspenseful and shocking. Two elements made this so. One was Hitchock's direction. The great director proves how truly great he is by directing Psycho in a masterful way, and manages to deliver the shocks when needed. The other is Bernard Hermann's music. What a creepy score! I loved his score for Vertigo and Miklos Rozsa's for Spellbound, but the high violin motif in the shower scene is the main reason why that scene in particular is so effective. I admit it, when I hear that motif, I start screaming. There is just something about it that makes your blood run cold.

Other pros are a good plot, a well constructed screenplay and beautiful black and white cinematography that is perfect in conveying the creepy mood. And the ending did surprise me. The acting though was exemplary, with Janet Leigh giving one of the deservedly most memorable female performances in a Hitchcock movie, and Vera Miles also giving a stellar performance. Stealing the film is Antony Perkins as Norman Bates, he didn't just play creepy, he WAS creepy, his face, his voice, his mannerisms.. in short it is one of the most chilling performances of all time. All in all, a Hitchcock masterpiece! 10/10 Bethany Cox

There is very little that I can add to the reviews on here, that have explained what is so wonderful about The Godfather so well. I have seen many amazing movies, as well as some clunkers, but The Godfather was beyond amazing. There are so many images, details and scenes that I seriously cannot get out of my head since watching it for the first time just nine hours ago. The Godfather is so incredibly well-made and acted that it stands out among the rest of those other amazing films I've seen, so much so I couldn't think of a single flaw, and I am struggling to think of a good enough reason to why I didn't see this film before now.

True, The Godfather is a little slow-moving and the plot takes a while to unfold, but neither of these are flaws as such. The slow pacing added to the elegiac quality The Godfather has, and as for the plot what is special about this plot is that it is very unpredictable because you have next to no idea where it is next going to take you. Being 18, I was worried whether I was old enough to appreciate this film or even understand it, but luckily I understood it perfectly, and I can well and truly appreciate it for the masterpiece it is considered to be.

The Godfather for one thing looks stunning. I strongly disagree with the previous reviewer who said the cinematography was horrid, for me the cinematography was one of the best assets of the film. In some scenes you have cinematography and lighting that is quite dark and mysterious, and then in scenes such as the wedding it is evergreen, autumnal and very picturesque. It is not just the cinematography that makes The Godfather look stunning, the costumes are beautifully tailored, the houses are gorgeous and majestic to look at and even the cars were immaculate.

Then there is the score by Nina Rota. One word, outstanding! I have heard many wonderful scores in my lifetime, but after hearing this score few stick in the memory as much as the score for The Godfather. This score is both beautiful as seen with the main theme, and haunting in the way it sticks in your head after watching the film itself. Other outstanding assets are the masterly direction from Francis Ford Coppola, and the brilliantly written screenplay that is intelligent, thought-provoking and darkly humorous. As for the violence, some of it is shocking and intense especially in the climax which was enough to almost make your heart either beat twice as fast or stop, and I almost covered my eyes when the producer found the horse's head in his bed, but underneath that this family is somewhat loyal and honourable come to think of it.

The acting is absolutely fantastic, bringing to life characters that are rich and complex, perhaps unlikeable at first but as you get to know them you warm to them. And I have to say, The Godfather is one of those rarities where no actor gives a weak performance. In particular, Marlon Brando is brilliant as Don Vito, very heavily disguised yet stately. Every word of dialogue, every subtle hand gesture and every facial expression was brilliantly judged. Al Pacino's casting was admittedly risky, but he still did a truly wonderful job carrying the film, while James Caan is dignified and loyal, Diane Keaton beautiful and alluring and Robert Duvall nicely understated.

In conclusion, absolutely amazing, and I can see completely why it is considered one of the 10 greatest movies ever made, it is that good. In fact my 15-year old brother loved it so much, he wants to see it again. 10/10, though this film is too good for that rating. Bethany Cox

There is very little that I can add to the reviews on here, that have explained what is so wonderful about The Godfather so well. I have seen many amazing movies, as well as some clunkers, but The Godfather was beyond amazing. There are so many images, details and scenes that I seriously cannot get out of my head since watching it for the first time just nine hours ago. The Godfather is so incredibly well-made and acted that it stands out among the rest of those other amazing films I've seen, so much so I couldn't think of a single flaw, and I am struggling to think of a good enough reason to why I didn't see this film before now.

True, The Godfather is a little slow-moving and the plot takes a while to unfold, but neither of these are flaws as such. The slow pacing added to the elegiac quality The Godfather has, and as for the plot what is special about this plot is that it is very unpredictable because you have next to no idea where it is next going to take you. Being 18, I was worried whether I was old enough to appreciate this film or even understand it, but luckily I understood it perfectly, and I can well and truly appreciate it for the masterpiece it is considered to be.

The Godfather for one thing looks stunning. I strongly disagree with the previous reviewer who said the cinematography was horrid, for me the cinematography was one of the best assets of the film. In some scenes you have cinematography and lighting that is quite dark and mysterious, and then in scenes such as the wedding it is evergreen, autumnal and very picturesque. It is not just the cinematography that makes The Godfather look stunning, the costumes are beautifully tailored, the houses are gorgeous and majestic to look at and even the cars were immaculate.

Then there is the score by Nina Rota. One word, outstanding! I have heard many wonderful scores in my lifetime, but after hearing this score few stick in the memory as much as the score for The Godfather. This score is both beautiful as seen with the main theme, and haunting in the way it sticks in your head after watching the film itself. Other outstanding assets are the masterly direction from Francis Ford Coppola, and the brilliantly written screenplay that is intelligent, thought-provoking and darkly humorous. As for the violence, some of it is shocking and intense especially in the climax which was enough to almost make your heart either beat twice as fast or stop, and I almost covered my eyes when the producer found the horse's head in his bed, but underneath that this family is somewhat loyal and honourable come to think of it.

The acting is absolutely fantastic, bringing to life characters that are rich and complex, perhaps unlikeable at first but as you get to know them you warm to them. And I have to say, The Godfather is one of those rarities where no actor gives a weak performance. In particular, Marlon Brando is brilliant as Don Vito, very heavily disguised yet stately. Every word of dialogue, every subtle hand gesture and every facial expression was brilliantly judged. Al Pacino's casting was admittedly risky, but he still did a truly wonderful job carrying the film, while James Caan is dignified and loyal, Diane Keaton beautiful and alluring and Robert Duvall nicely understated.

In conclusion, absolutely amazing, and I can see completely why it is considered one of the 10 greatest movies ever made, it is that good. In fact my 15-year old brother loved it so much, he wants to see it again. 10/10, though this film is too good for that rating. Bethany Cox

To me, this is not only Kubrick's best film but also a milestone of the genre. It is quite long at around two and a quarter hours, and it is slow, that I agree with. But it is never boring, well not to me it isn't. Besides, and this is up to interpretation, but I think the slow pacing is deliberate, it adds to the haunting and eerie quality 2001 has and also to assimilate every shot which speak volumes, and also 2001's greatest strength is actually in the details.

The story is somewhat abstract in its structure but is also quite complex, innovative and interesting yet has a simple message, and the screenplay and direction by Kubrick are superb. The acting is not the film's best asset, but it is good enough, with Douglas Rain the standout as the voice of HAL 9000 as he is really quite brilliant. Two things especially make 2001 so good. One are the visuals- even after all those years they are simply outstanding. The cinematography is indeed splendid, as are the colours and settings, but there are so many memorable images. The images of the giant Starchild floating through space and the tribe of apes painfully putting two and two together still resonate considerably even now. The other is the music. Coming from a big classical music enthusiast, I was delighted by the use of Also Sprach Zarathustra and On the Beautiful Blue Danube and how they combined with the visuals were exceedingly clever.

Overall, this is a truly wonderful film that is worth seeing for the visuals and music alone and still continues to intrigue and perplex with the ending. As much as I like Oliver and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, two of my childhood favourites, and the brilliant Lion in Winter to me this is it... the best film of 1968. 10/10 Bethany Cox