Media Reviews

Lyra Belacqua is an orphan living among the scholars of Jordan College. When she is introduced to the glamorous Mrs Coulter, her life is changed forever as she travels to strange and wonderful places, facing adventures and danger at every turn.

Spectacular special effects, but it doesn’t quite capture the complexity of the   Philip Pullman Northern Lights trilogy on which it is based. 

If you just want to sing along to something that will cheer you up on these long dark winter nights then look no further than the soundtrack to the box office hit “Mamma Mia”. Featuring all the tracks from the hit movie this is a treat to make you smile as well as sing (even if you are not very musical!).

Based on a true story, this film tells how Charlie Wilson, a US congressman, masterminded a covert operation to fund local resistance against the Russians in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Supposedly moved by the plight of the Afghan refugees, Wilson and his supporters were extremely anti-communist, and this seems to be the main motive behind their actions. 

Despite being made very recently, with all the hindsight that we have now, the film doesn’t seem to be at all critical of these events. Even at the end of the film there is only a very mild hint that mistakes had been made by not providing support to Afghanistan after the Russians had been defeated. 

I thought that the film was trying to get a message across about damage done by the almost hysterical anti-communist attitudes of the time however, by not challenging these attitudes more overtly, the film risks being taken at face value.

Interesting and thought-provoking. 

Multimillionaire Edward Cole and mechanic Carter Chambers share a hospital room when they are both diagnosed with terminal cancer. They form an unlikely friendship and decide to make a list of the things they want to do before they die. Cole’s money makes it possible for them to go all over the world, and during their journey they find out more about themselves and each other.

Very funny and life-affirming, despite the gloomy scenario. Both of the main stars turn in brilliant performances – Nicholson is as manic as usual, and Freeman dignified as always.