A Short Stay in Switzerland

I have now seen this film 3 or 4 times and each time it has never failed to bring me to tears from about half way through right up till the end (and sometimes more). A Short Stay in Switzerland has got to be the most tear jerking film ever made.
Julie Walters plays Dr. Anne Turner who is diagnosed with an incurable disease, which she earlier had to witness her husband die of. But Anne decides that this time she will take her own life instead of having to make her family suffer through the pain of such a dreadful disease.
Julie Walters provides a powerful performance that will definitely keep me coming back to this film in the future. This film, based on a true story, is very moving and touching. I think it may even have made my list of favourite films.

St Trinians

First of all I have a confession to make. When I am deciding which film to go and see at the cinema, or which DVD to buy, very often, but not always, the actors and actresses in those films make the decision for me. For example, I will automatically want to go and see any film with either Colin Firth, Rupert Everett or Julie Walters in. And so maybe this will mean I am about to be slightly bias toward the film I am about to write about. But o well.
I have seen St Trinians so many times I know most of the words off by heart and just love every minute of it. Most of all I love all the little details in this film. Miss Fritton's dog is called Mr Darcy, the girls of St Trinians are trying to steal the Girl With The Pearl Earring painting, the question in the final round of school challenge about Pride and Prejudice and Colin Firth's inevitable wet shirt moment (notice how they all involve Colin Firth). Rupert Everett is without doubt the star of this film, playing both Miss Fritton and her brother Carnaby.
My favourite character however is Beverley the receptionist played by Jodie Whittaker, oblivious to everything outside partying, alcohol and drugs she produces one liners that make up the comedy of this film.
Other appearances include Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie, two people I will also seek out in films or on TV.
DVD extras (yes I really do watch them), include the cut scenes, one with an almost moving speech from the school hockey teacher to which one girl replies in the typical teenage manner with "wat eva".
Since going to see this film two days before Christmas eve 2007, i have been in love with it. Maybe because i was 16 at the time, the prime target for a film like this. But I don't think anything could stray my decision to praise it for all i can give. I can't wait for the sequel, out in cinemas 18Th December, and have i heard rumours of a 3rd?

The Duchess

Last night I huddled up on the sofa (after watching the X-factor) with my sister to watch The Duchess.
It all started very well, Keira Knightley pulls off 18Th century aristocrat quite well, Ralph Fiennes is clearly the bad guy from the beginning and Hayley Atwell is a well come entrant, even if her character is a little dull.
However, half way through i find myself thinking, is this it? It feels very long and boring in parts. Dominic Cooper's dashing display as Earl Grey does help though of course (but maybe that's just me).
In the end, a well told story, but slow at times.

Nativity!

Although it is only 28Th November, yesterday i went to see my second Christmas film of the year. (The first being A Christmas Carol). Nativity! stars Martin Freeman as a primary school teacher who tells a small white lie to his class about Hollywood producers coming to see their nativity play. This film pleasantly surprised me. I thought, like with many other films, it had been spoilt by the trailer. But i found there were funny parts all the way through, and a class full of children that i genuinely cared for. I wasn't worried that their Christmas wishes wouldn't come true (its a children's Christmas film, i thought that was obvious) but i really did want their nativity to be a success and receive the full five stars from the critic, played by Alan Carr.
Marc Wootton stands out from this film for me though. He plays a teaching assistant that cares more about being friends with the children than actually teaching them.
Overall i was very pleased with Nativity! and will definitely be searching it out on DVD next year.