Category Archives: 5 stars

Films that scored a full 5 out of 5.

Spider-Man 2.1 (2004/2007)

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2007 #49a
Sam Raimi | 130 mins | DVD | PG / PG-13

Spider-Man 2.1Shortly before the release of the new threequel, Spider-Man 2 returns to DVD in this newly extended form. What’s there? Not much.

There are bits so little you’ll think “I don’t remember that bit” (and it may just be a bit you’ve forgotten); there’s a new scene with MJ that’s OK but not mind-blowing; some added bits to fights; and an alternate version of The Lift Scene that is funny and (very) notably different, but just not as good as the original.

It’s still a 5-star film because it doesn’t ruin the original — but it’s not at all essential. The DVD has new extras, mind, so if that’s your thing (like me) it may be worth it.

5 out of 5

In retrospect, I probably should have rated this lower. It may still be a good film, but the fact is the original cut’s better — even if just for the superior version of The Lift Scene. I rather doubt I’ll ever watch it again.

Three Colours: Red (1994)

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aka Trois couleurs: Rouge

2007 #42
Krzysztof Kieslowski | 95 mins | DVD | 15 / R

The final film in the trilogy takes on the theme of fraternité/brotherhood, in a relatively obvious way: Irene Jacob befriends a lonesome old man who spies on his neighbour’s telephone calls. There’s much more to it than that, all on broadly the same theme, but I’m sure to say too much would be to ruin what is an excellent film.

Best of all, in my mind, is the intriguing and oddly satisfying conclusion to the trilogy as a whole. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but I still recommend it.

5 out of 5

Three Colours Red placed 8th on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Trainspotting (1996)

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2007 #29
Danny Boyle | 90 mins | DVD | 18 / R

Trainspotting

Choose great direction.
Choose iconic images.
Choose a great soundtrack.
Choose a brilliant cast.
Choose a career-making performance from Ewan McGregor.
Choose a witty script.
Choose realism.
Choose drugs.
Choose sex.
Choose a condom, for the first time on screen.
Choose swearing.
Choose violence.
Choose drink.
Choose Scotland.
Choose Trainspotting.

5 out of 5

Choose Film4 tonight, Thursday 2nd April 2015, at 10:55pm.

Crash: Director’s Cut (2004)

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2007 #27a
Paul Haggis | 115 mins | DVD | 15

Crash: Director's CutOK, I must confess, this one is something of a cheat — I’ve seen Crash before, and whilst some ‘director’s cuts’ can be vastly different, this one is only around two minutes longer. But I'll take any chance I can get to go on about how this is a much better and more Oscar-deserving piece than a certain overrated film about gay cowboys.

In my opinion this is a film that should be seen, not necessarily for its message, but for its quality in terms of performance, direction, etc.

5 out of 5

United 93 (2006)

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2007 #22
Paul Greengrass | 107 mins | DVD | 15 / R

United 93It’s very hard to find what to say about this film. It’s a shame the Oscars were too cowardly to nominate it for much; Greengrass probably deserved Best Director for this more than Scorsese did for The Departed (he is, all round, a talented and excellent director). At least the BAFTAs were brave enough to give it to him (cos British is best ‘n’ all).

But the film itself: it is above all affecting; it feels real and true; it is hard to imagine a more competent and respectful film being made about 9/11; it is impossible to imagine one being made about flight 93. This is filmmaking of the highest order. Perhaps most importantly of all, the families want you to see it.

Absolutely essential.

5 out of 5

United 93 placed 1st on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

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2007 #20
Edgar Wright | 121 mins | cinema | 15 / R

Hot FuzzHere come the fuzz!

I wasn’t hyped enough about this film to pay £10 to see it a week before release, and instead paid just £3.75 to see it in a big screen with just myself and a friend. Now that’s entertainment.

The brilliance of the situation aside, this is a damn good film. Most of its running time is devoted to high-quality comedy, and then it kicks into a full-blown action movie! Fantastic! I unreservedly recommend this to everyone, and especially to fans of action films and British comedies — do not miss this.

5 out of 5

Hot Fuzz placed 2nd on my list of The Ten Best Films I Saw For the First Time in 2007, which can be read in full here.


UPDATE (16/9/2012)

Having had a rant about current cinema prices on twitter the other day, the fact this review mentions how much I paid back in 2007 led me to look up the current cost of tickets at the same cinema (a branch of a well-known chain).

It’s five-and-a-half years on, so of course prices will have gone up, but nonetheless I have two observations:

1) The cost of a regular (peak time) adult ticket is now £9.
2) The cost of the equivalent ticket to the one I bought is £5.40. That’s a 44% increase. An inflation calculator tells me that my 2007 ticket would today be exactly 20% more expensive.

Make of that what you will.