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9 to 5
(1980)
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Film4 Staff
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Nine To Five is light and undemanding, and ends up quavering somewhere between weak and entertaining.
Posted Mar 02, 2023
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The Hidden Fortress
(1958)
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Daniel Etherington
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It's a thrilling adventure yarn and epic in scale to boot.
Posted Jun 28, 2022
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The Power and the Glory
(1933)
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Film4 Staff
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The Sturges script pulls its punches and Howard's direction is not in the business of suggesting that redemption isn't the normal outcome of rapaciousness. Having said that, it's worth seeing if only for Tracy's performance.
Posted May 13, 2021
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Nothing But a Man
(1964)
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Jamie Russell
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This powerful tale of racism and poverty was years ahead of its time and has a groundbreaking Motown soundtrack.
Posted Feb 05, 2020
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L'Atalante
(1934)
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Fran Hortop
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True filmic poetry which turns a simple love story into a raw and off-beat fairytale. Given its monumental reputation, L'Atalante does not disappoint.
Posted Jul 22, 2019
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Godzilla Raids Again
(1959)
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Film4 Staff
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Great fun.
Posted May 24, 2019
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Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
(1991)
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Film4 Staff
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Godzilla is re-created as a more scarier creature than ever before.
Posted May 23, 2019
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Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains
(1982)
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Film4 Staff
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While Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains falls short of being the word on the movement, it is a fascinating, entertaining and authentically grimy trawl through the seamy side of the music-biz.
Posted Apr 11, 2019
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The Cell
(2000)
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Film4 Staff
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The Cell is Hollywood at its most meretricious.
Posted Apr 01, 2019
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Reefer Madness
(1936)
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Film4 Staff
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Perhaps the mother of all bad movies, however, the didactic film, unlike later stinkers, takes itself extremely seriously, seeing itself as an important instrument in the campaign against drugs. However, the film's ignorance is the audience's bliss.
Posted Mar 30, 2019
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Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
(1952)
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Film4 Staff
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Poor Bela.
Posted Mar 30, 2019
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Bad Boys
(1995)
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Film4 Staff
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Rousingly good Saturday night fun.
Posted Mar 28, 2019
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8/10
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Zardoz
(1974)
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Film4 Staff
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Boorman's finest film is a wonderfully eccentric and visually exciting sci-fi quest.
Posted Mar 27, 2019
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4/10
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Harlem Nights
(1989)
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Film4 Staff
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The story, spread thin over two hours, owed something to better films but is entirely devoid of charm, wit, acting skill or excitement.
Posted Mar 26, 2019
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Xanadu
(1980)
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Film4 Staff
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This is not nostalgia: it's a choreographer's worst nightmare.
Posted Mar 26, 2019
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7/10
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The Lord of the Rings
(1978)
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Film4 Staff
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A genuine cult movie
Posted Mar 26, 2019
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Young Guns
(1988)
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Film4 Staff
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It's glossy, slick and stylish, but boasts very little in the way of substance or excitement.
Posted Mar 25, 2019
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Cherry 2000
(1988)
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Film4 Staff
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It's tolerably entertaining while the characters are in motion and Griffith is blasting the bad guys, but it grinds to a rusty halt whenever she feigns emotion.
Posted Mar 22, 2019
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Cruel Intentions
(1999)
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Film4 Staff
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Director and writer Roger Kumble serves up a delicious feast of piquant evil one-liners which are delivered superbly by Geller, on great form, and the suave Phillippe.
Posted Mar 21, 2019
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The Amityville Horror
(1979)
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Film4 Staff
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A scary movie that does not frighten or surprise you is as bad as a comedy that is not funny, and there's nothing here to have even the most mousish ducking under covers.
Posted Mar 20, 2019
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Beneath the Planet of the Apes
(1970)
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Film4 Staff
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The zoom-frenzy direction of Ted Post, and a vague satire of Vietnam featuring some hysterical protesting peacenik chimps, does little to cover-up the film's difficulties. But it does have its moments.
Posted Mar 18, 2019
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A Chorus Line
(1985)
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Film4 Staff
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Attenborough's efficient workmanlike adaptation of the hugely popular Broadway musical works surprisingly well transferred to the big screen.
Posted Mar 07, 2019
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Zombie Flesh-Eaters
(1979)
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Daniel Etherington
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One of the finest zombie movies ever made.
Posted Mar 06, 2019
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Rope
(1948)
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Film4 Staff
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It's Hitchcock experimenting. It's great.
Posted Feb 09, 2019
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Bed Sitting Room
(1969)
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Film4 Staff
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An inspired piece of madness which, strangely, has improved with age.
Posted Feb 09, 2019
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Sholay
(1975)
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Film4 Staff
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This magnificent Eastern Western effectively ushered in a new age in Indian filmmaking.
Posted Feb 09, 2019
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Hot Blood
(1989)
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Film4 Staff
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All the lively song-and-dance routines and steamy shots of a scantily clad Russell can't make up for the crass dialogue and boring melodramatics.
Posted Jan 28, 2019
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Italianamerican / The Big Shave
(1974)
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Film4 Staff
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It helps that mama and papa are such characters, providing such priceless moments as chiding Marty for not visiting the dentist more often.
Posted Jan 28, 2019
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The First Wives Club
(1996)
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Film4 Staff
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Ultimately First Wives Club fails as a piece of feminist film-making just as miserably as it does as Hollywood entertainment.
Posted Jan 09, 2019
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Dracula's Daughter
(1936)
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Film4 Staff
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That rare thing, a sequel of true merit.
Posted Dec 28, 2018
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Event Horizon
(1997)
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Film4 Staff
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Anderson's attempt to show the world that Britain could do big-budget sci-fi just as well as Hollywood may have fizzled at the box office, but it's still a relatively effective deep space frightener.
Posted Dec 15, 2018
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Willow
(1988)
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Film4 Staff
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Predictable and highly derivative.
Posted Dec 06, 2018
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Robin Hood: Men in Tights
(1993)
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Film4 Staff
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Disappointing.
Posted Dec 06, 2018
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Species
(1995)
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Film4 Staff
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There's basic pleasure to be had from the gruesome, orgasmic demises of its gaggle of mid-price character players.
Posted Dec 03, 2018
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4/5
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Silent Light
(2007)
|
Jamie McLeish
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While there will be those who'll have issues with the film's torpid pacing, those who are willing to submit to Reygadas' astonishing vision will find themselves entranced and ultimately uplifted by the incredible transformative power of his filmmaking.
Posted Dec 03, 2018
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Lucia
(1968)
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Film4 Staff
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By turns, it's touching, lively and nostalgic. One to see.
Posted Jun 19, 2018
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3/5
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Small Engine Repair
(2006)
|
Neil Smith
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Fine performances from Glen and Mackintosh elevate this touching tale of friendship, loyalty and broken dreams.
Posted Feb 06, 2018
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3/5
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The Devil's Wanton
(1949)
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Laura Bushell
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Good for fans of the director but perhaps too heavy going for an afternoon in front of the television.
Posted Feb 06, 2018
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3/5
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Destricted
(2006)
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Anton Bitel
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Like real sex, this collection ranges from exhilarating to frustrating, from kinky to dull - and like real porn, it will have the viewer wishing at times for a fast-forward button.
Posted Aug 16, 2017
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Pelle the Conqueror
(1987)
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Sam Jordison
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Without Max Von Sydow's central performance this would be a commendable, if not particularly subtle piece of filmmaking. With it, it's something very special.
Posted Feb 27, 2017
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The 'Burbs
(1989)
|
Film4 Staff
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One of the most consistently overlooked movies of the 80s.
Posted Feb 22, 2017
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Tracks
(1976)
|
Film4 Staff
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The rough, improvised structure suits the inarticulacy which the movie seeks to examine.
Posted Feb 15, 2017
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Daughters of the Dust
(1991)
|
Film4 Staff
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The stately pace serves the film's central theme - a discourse on the inevitability of change - which is enriched by much visual poetry.
Posted Dec 01, 2016
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Dr. Cyclops
(1940)
|
Film4 Staff
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Beautifully crafted trash that should appeal to all lovers of sci-fi, horror and cult cinema.
Posted Oct 19, 2016
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Son of Frankenstein
(1939)
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Film4 Staff
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While the film sorely misses the guiding hand of director Whale, it has enough of the old Universal atmosphere to be of interest.
Posted Oct 18, 2016
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Antonia's Line
(1995)
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Film4 Staff
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There are a few moments of grating sentimentality, but these are balanced with a quirky humour and a mildly daring unpredictability.
Posted Oct 04, 2016
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Johnny Come Lately
(1943)
|
Richard Luck
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A good film and a fine introduction to Cagney's otherwise explosive oeuvre.
Posted Jun 08, 2016
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Sign 'o' the Times
(1987)
|
Matthew De Abaitua
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Sign 'O' The Times is Prince at his commercial and critical peak, a life-affirming playground of music and sex. It is also Prince at his friendliest.
Posted Apr 25, 2016
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Ordet
(1955)
|
Jon Fortgang
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A sombre exploration of religious faith in all its various guises, directed by Dreyer with a quiet but deep seated compassion for his characters.
Posted Apr 10, 2016
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The Devil Is a Woman
(1935)
|
Film4 Staff
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Rarely was Dietrich more powerful than in this simmering, sophisticated romance, tightly directed by Von Sternberg.
Posted Apr 08, 2016
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