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Unstoppable (2010)
Never seen so many stupidities in one film before
4 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Saw this last night in a suburban London cinema where, to the film's credit, it was unusually a full house. Then the opening titles rolled, and that's it for the positives.

Now being a bit knowledgeable about the rail side of things, I'll just leave all the impossible aspects to one side. All I will say is that all the professionals in the industry will cringe on seeing this.

I suppose the overriding impression is that both editor and continuity must have been out to lunch instead of attending to their tasks. Claimed speeds completely different to what the film was showing, and so on. If railroads were run by people with such a lack of ability or attention to detail there would be train wrecks every day. News helicopters shown flying so close to the train, and to each other, and performing aerial stunts as if they were at an air show; they would have immediately crashed.

The way in which vast numbers of emergency, law enforcement and television news crews were all rustled up in minutes all along the tracks just looks beyond belief. The extras bill must have been most of the movie's budget.

Then there's the direction nonsenses. In attempting to deliberately derail the train, being right next to the tracks there would be the last place you would want to be. And yet a whole line of police cruisers were parked feet from the tracks. They were of course all destroyed. Meanwhile our hero in the pickup truck chasing the train is "assisted" by a yet more police cars following over rough ground, one of which spectacularly overturns just through stupid driving. This is meant to be a movie drama, not The Dukes of Hazzard.
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Clochemerle (1972)
Clochemerle - shame it is not on DVD
15 January 2010
I saw both the original in the 1970s, and also the repeats in the mid-1990s, some of which I recorded on VHS. Excellent, witty, intelligent adaptation of the book by two top-rate comedy scriptwriters of the period and a well chosen cast. Well directed integration of French mannerisms and speech nuances with the English language, not in the hyperbole style of 'Allo 'Allo at all.

The whole series appears to have been shot on location in Colombier-le-Vieux, department Ardeche, south of Lyon. The steam railway there, which appears in the programme, had been restored by enthusiasts the year before shooting. It can still be ridden by tourists in summertime today.
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Sketch Club (1958–1961)
7/10
Children's art programme from simpler times
18 December 2009
Sketch Club ran periodically for several years 1958-62, introduced by Adrian Hill (the programme's only performer), who occupied the 30 minute programme in the BBC "childrens slot" from 5.30 pm to 6.00 pm by drawing three or four sketches, mainly in charcoal, with some highlights made towards the end with chalk, always referred to as "the white". It was a classic simplistic programme from the earlier days of children's television, introduced by a gentle and benevolent character who also had some skill to impart, a style quite different to the loud and jocular Rolf Harris some years later.

Artistic concepts such as perspective were touched on regularly.

A part of the programme was the display of artwork sent in by viewers. Ronnie Wood, member of the Rolling Stones, was one of a number who repeatedly did so; Wood went on to study at Art College prior to joining the Rolling Stones, and is one of a number who have stated they were inspired into drawing by the programme.
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Antichrist (2009)
1/10
Very poor
14 September 2009
I was disgusted by significant elements of the film. By the groans in the cinema so were a significant proportion of the rest of the audience. Notably on a peak Saturday it got a thin audience in the first place so there weren't that many to upset. I think some behind me walked out.

The porno items you can live with and just wonder if you have wandered into this week's seedy film by mistake. But the gore and generally disgusting moments etc are just not acceptable and certainly not anything other than for weirdos. Nothing the director has done previously prepares you for this.

The plot, the inexplicable names for the film sections, and indeed the overall title, add nothing either. Sorry all, but bottom marks for this.
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