Dr. No, starring Sean Connery, is the first of the official Bonds, and regarded by many as one of the best. It’s inevitably quite raw by recent standards (and arguably better for it), but the balance of humour and action is superbly handled, and it continues to endure far beyond nostalgia value. From Russia With Love, also starring Connery, is even better (and this is the 007 film that plenty cite as their outright favourite), pitting Bond up against SPECTRE in an ambitious and outstanding adventure. The final Connery title in the set is Thunderball, which finds SPECTRE again up to no good, holding a city to ransom under threat of an atomic weapon. It, too, is premium Bond, and great to see in high definition.

Next up in the set is a pair of Roger Moore outings, starting with his debut in the role, Live and Let Die. The memorable title song aside, this is an often-underrated ...
You won't regret buying this set, 2010-01-12
It does not contain GOLDFINGER, which I bought separately. But that and all these are well worth the investment. At first I was dubious that such old movies could be restored so well. Now I can honestly say that this has been possible. I have never before enjoyed these Bonds so much in the comfort of my own home. I am now waiting eagerly for the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service - in my view the best Bond movie ever. Meanwhile, I am sure you will be delighted, as I was, with every film in this collection. Top marks.

There are so many delights to director Joe Wright’s take on the story, and his direction is a strong place to start. In spite of having to condense the tale to fit a movie running time, he nonetheless injects a real energy and intelligence to his retelling, and he’s served supremely well by his cast. Backed up by strong support by the likes of Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland, it’s Keira Knightley in the lead turn who’s a real surprise here. Her performance is a real joy, and very much at the core of the film’s success.

The film inevitably draws comparison with the superb 1995 BBC adaptation, and while arguably it doesn’t quite scale the same peaks, it’s to the credit of the filmmakers that their version still holds strong. For this is a tremendously enjoyable drama, and one that should continue to find an audience for a long time to come. An excel...
Perfect, one of my very favourite films., 2010-08-06
First time I watched this I had the earlier BBC film in my head and wonder if it would compare. This 2005 Pride and Prejudice is wonderful. I have viewed it on several occasions now and look forward to being transported again back to those times with those memorable characters at my next viewing. A very special film.

Juliette Binoche is perfect in the role of the sensuous, captivating Vianne--a masterstroke of casting matched by the performance of Judi Dench as the splendidly grumpy but ultimately inspiring matriarch Armande. Very much an ensemble piece, the whole cast are indeed excellent, with Johnny Depp (making a fair fist of an Irish accent) superb as the drifter Roux, the one man capable of unlocking Vianne's own desires. From its majestic opening swoop to the final, joyous scene, Lasse Hallström's film, based on the bestselling novel, is nothing short of a masterpiece.

On the DVD: As befits such a film, the DVD is an elegant, well thought out package. The movie itself is a...
Try this, it's your favourite., 2010-07-26
I've had nearly 10 years to contemplate this now and so am sure. This is my favourite movie ever.

There, I admit it even though I'm a bloke. This is perfect.

Perfect atmosphere created, humour, sensitivity, music, story (it is quite different to the - also fab - book but so well adapted it loses nothing and maybe even gains something).

Buy some hand crafted chocolates; grab your partner, snuggle up. Savour.

The key asset Cranford has in its corner is that aforementioned cast. It’s lead by the marvellous Dame Judi Dench, and she’s in fine company alongside Dame Eileen Atkins, Francesca Annis, Michael Gambon, Julia Sawalha and Imelda Staunton. They’re just some of the residents of Cranford in the 1840s, a town in the north of England on the verge of potentially dramatic changes.

In the midst of the general feeling of unrest comes a new Doctor, Frank Harrison (played by Simon Woods). His presence further unsettles matters, thanks to his appeal to the town’s female contingent, and also his differing methods. From here, Cranford goes on to deliver an engrossing cocktail of humour, emotion and raw drama that’s quite brilliantly put together.

Cranford is, ultimately, the kind of lavish production that we’ve come to know and admire from th...
like visiting friends, 2010-08-04
I thoroughly enjoy these series about times not so long ago. Interesting historically, beautifuly acted, amusing as well as sad at times. I even bought my mother the set, she is 90 years old, as she loves to watch it over and over again. Like being with friends she says! Amazon made the purchase quick and easy over the internet and much more reasonably priced than the high street shop, should you have one!

Il Scorpioni witness the rise of fascism and the dangers of resistance, weathering dictatorial custody and (in Elsa's case) falling prey to heartbreaking betraya...
Great film, 2010-03-13
Loved this film. Interesting to imagine that this might have been how people caught up in a war would have acted.

The prestigious film-making trio of producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala had made other critically acclaimed films before A Room with a View was released in 1985, but it was this popular film that made them art-house superstars. Splendidly adapted from the novel by E.M. Forster, it's a comedy of the heart, a passionate romance and a study of repression within the class system of manners and mores. It's that system of rigid behaviour that prevents young Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) from accepting the loving advances of a free-spirited suitor (Julian Sands), who fears that she will follow through with her engagement to a priggish intellectual (Daniel Day-Lewis) whose capacity for passion is virtually non-existent. During and after a trip to Italy with her protective companion (Maggie Smith), Lucy gradually gets in touch with her true emotions. The fun of watching A Room with a View comes from seeing how Lucy's thoughts and feelings finally arrive at the same romantic conclusion. Through an abundance of humour both subtle and overt, the film rose to an unexpected level of popular appeal. The Merchant-Ivory tea...
One of my favourite films, 2010-08-20
From the opening music to the passionate kiss(es) to the (unintentionally) hilarious conversations, I think this is one of the most uplifting and beautiful films I have seen, and full of life. It is an excellent adaptation of the novel (in my opinion).

Dorothea (Juliet Aubrey) wants desperately to make something of her life; however, as a woman she is forbidden the study of Greek and Latin and no one takes her notions of societal improvement seriously. She chooses to marry the elderly Rev. Casaubon (Patrick Malahide), a scholarly man whom she can aid in his work. Meanwhile, new to Middlemarch is the handsome Dr Lydgate (Douglas Hodge), who has grand notions for running a free hospital and finding a cure for cholera. His plans are sidetracked, however, when the beautiful but materialistic Rosie Vincy (Trevyn McDowell) sets her sights on him. Other sub-plots run th...
Middlemarching to greatness!, 2010-05-17
I am studying English at uni and needed to read the novel of Middlemarch, however its epic size put me off instantly, needless to say I only made it just over 250 pages in. I was talking to someone in the year above and they highly recommended the Dvd, so I brought it. Whilst it does not contain everything that happens in Eliot's novel, by watching this it is easy to pick out many of the themes, ideas, motifs and so on, whilst getting to know the charcters over the course of an hour and a half. The trouble with the book is that there are so many characters that you quite literally turn a page and you're being introduced to someone new, so the Dvd helped with regards of putting a face to a name and as a result I have now gone back and read the book with much more of an understanding. A very useful buy for someone in my position.