Reviews

Serendipity stars John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale as Jonathan and Sara - two people who meet in a New York department store and spend a lovely evening together. Sara, despite Jonathan's protestations, says that fate will bring them back together if it is meant to be. With that, she disappears off into the New York night.

This is a very predictable but utterly charming romantic comedy with great performances from the two leads (although Cusack plays the same kooky romantic he plays in 90% of his movies) plus an emotive performance from Jeremy Piven and a great comic turn from Eugene Levy.

Serendipity certainly won't be winning any awards but it's a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

An interesting premise – rich executive Jack, with only one thing on his mind – MONEY – wakes up one morning to find himself married (with two kids) to Kate, the sweetheart he left 13 years ago. He's been given a glimpse, Christmas Carol / Wonderful Life style, to what his life would have been like if he hadn't left and gone off chasing his career. For the most part, this movie is charming and amusing in equal measures. There's comedy when we see Jack, played by Nicolas Cage, attempt to change his baby Josh's diaper and when he tries to squirm out of forgetting Kate's (Tea Leoni) anniversary. There's also a funny moment when his daughter thinks her daddy has been abducted by aliens and he's a new Jack! The charm and sweetness comes from Jack's transformation from ruthless businessman to kind hearted family man... when he realises that he made a big mistake all those years ago it's a triumph. And ohhhh, how I wanted that to be the end of the movie – `and they all lived happily ever after'. Unfortunately, Jack is taken back to his old life and has to charm Kate all over again, this time trying to stop HER leaving to follow her career. This is done with far too quickly and leaves the movie with an unsatisfying conclusion. It's a shame because this is an otherwise great movie.

Finally, a horror movie that I'm impressed with. I was promised much by Jeepers Creepers - "the most frightening American horror movie of the last ten years". Wrong. This is perhaps one of the best I've seen since the days of Evil Dead II.

I won't rehash the plot as that has been done in other comments made already. However, I have to say that I was especially impressed with Geoffrey Rush's performance as eccentric amusement park owner Steven Price, and the utterly divine Famke Janssen as his wife Evelyn. The special effects were also very impressive - unsettling to say the least but never intruding on the overall sense of dread. The movie also left me guessing throughout - are all these things REALLY happening or is this just another one of Price's games? We never truly find out... but I would like to know one thing. How DO they get down from there? :)

8/10

Having been fascinated by the Brontes for several years and growing up in Yorkshire, I've longed to see a faithful adaptation of Wuthering Heights for a long time. Why it's taken me so long to see this version I don't know!

I just watched this film tonight and I'm left shattered by it. It is stunning. It's probably a sacrilege to some to say that I thought the 1939 version with Laurence Olivier was awful, but there it is. That was saccharine and gave no hint as to the darkness of the original novel. This version, however, recaptures all that darkness and torment and shatters your soul with it.

Ralph Fiennes is an astonishing Heathcliff. Capable of tenderness but torn apart by what he can't have all for himself. The chemistry between him and Juliette Binoche is electrifying - Heathcliff and Cathy were born to be together and to see them almost forced apart by each of them failing to be true to their heart well.. it breaks YOUR heart. The poetic dialogue with Heathcliff and Cathy on the moors and the movie score complements this perfectly.

Supporting roles are also solid especially the actress who played Ellen Dean and an interesting cameo by Sinead O Connor as Emily Bronte! The only complaint I could make about this film is that it's not long enough! Years seem to fly by far too quickly and we barely get an insight into why Cathy and Heathcliff's souls are intertwined. However, what we DO see is stunning.

For me - 10/10.