(*) ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES ***½

USA: Kevin Reynolds, 1991

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(*) MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN ***½

UK/Japan/USA: Kenneth Branagh, 1994

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(*) ROMEO + JULIET ****

UK: Baz Luhrmann, 1996

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DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS ***

Original Title: La Morte cammina con i tacchi alti
Italy/Spain: Luciano Ercoli, 1971

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THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH ***

Original Title: Lo Strano vizio della Signora Wardh
Italy/Spain: Sergio Martino, 1971

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BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD ***

USA: Sidney Lumet, 2007

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THE WIT OF WOODY

The New Year is less than a week old and I've finished my first book of 2008. The work in question is Woody Allen's recent new collection of humorous essays Mere Anarchy. Considering how my time is usually split between the customary job commitments and my distraction in a range of follies, I've indulged myself over the Christmas break to get back to basics and start reading for pleasure again.

More to follow...

A WHOLE LOAD OF BOULLE

Today whilst out running some errands I thought I'd drop in on my local charity shop. As I'm sure you are aware often little charity shops are a goldmine for cheap books. My excursion was rewarded on this occasion in the shape of science-fiction classic Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (picked up for £1).

However, I'll have to shelve this masterpiece of Sci-Fi for the time being as I've already identified I Am Legend as a book I want to re-read in the coming months. But before all this literary fun, I intend to start with the first ever Sherlock Holmes novel: A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD ****

USA: Robert De Niro, 2006

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I CONFESS ***

USA: Alfred Hitchcock, 1953

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SABOTEUR ***

USA: Alfred Hitchcock, 1942

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DEALER'S CHOICE - THEATRE

Took my girlfriend to see the play Dealer's Choice at Trafalgar Studios for her birthday.

Score: 7/10

DEJA VU **

USA: Tony Scott, 2006

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LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ***½

USA: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, 2006

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I WANT CANDY *

UK: Stephen Surjik, 2007

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(*) AMELIE *****

Original Title: Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain
France/Germany: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001

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PAN'S LABYRINTH ****

Original Title: El Laberinto del fauno
Mexico/Spain/USA: Guillermo del Toro, 2006

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THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE ***½

Original Title: El Espinazo del diablo
Spain/Mexico: Guillermo del Toro, 2001

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THE LIVES OF OTHERS ****½

Original Title: Das Leben der Anderen
Germany: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006

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(*) CARS ****

USA: John Lasseter, 2006

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