IslandGuru Who payed the critics

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Yazmin Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

areatw If a group of old age pensioners behaving like 3-year-old spoiled brats sounds like your sort of thing, then you should give 'How About You...' a try. The film centres around 4 thoroughly dislikable elderly characters in a residential home over Christmas. Their carer is forced to leave because of an emergency and leaves her novice sister in charge.The residents behave like children, launching food and plates across the room, hurling insults at one another and throwing their toys out of the pram when they don't get their own way. Apparently, this is all supposed to be funny. It isn't.This was, in my view, a very poorly directed movie (I mean, it is supposed to be snowing heavily in one scene and yet there is no snow anywhere on the trees or ground). I didn't like it at all.

SnoopyStyle Ellie Harris (Hayley Atwell) reluctantly returns to her sister Kate who is struggling financially with her retirement home Woodlane. Ellie is saving up to go on a trip with her friends. The home is losing staff and residents due to four particularly opinionated residents singer-dancer Georgia (Vanessa Redgrave), pianist Donald (Joss Ackland), sisters Hazel (Imelda Staunton) and Heather (Brenda Fricker). Ellie befriends lonely dying Alice and her death hits her hard. Ellie's mother has a stroke and Kate has to go to take care of her. While everyone is away, Ellie is left alone in charge with four grumpy residents.The early death of Alice is a mistake. She represents the heart of the movie. The story feels like it has to restart after her death. It takes awhile to recover the heart. The comedic turns from the four veteran actors feel clunky. Their emotional drama feels perfunctory. Alice has a great line and should die later on to jump-start the climax. These are great actors and they have some drama to play out. However it's all rather structured and unsurprising.

selffamily I hired this movie because it was Irish, because it was Binchy and because I love the actors in it. A nice if predictable little story, but I do get tired of 'how hashish saved the world' story lines - having seen how much damage it can do, my outlook is coloured. Somewhat improbably the young girl saves the day and even the grouchy inspector has a chance to shine. Why the older sister could not have brought the mother to her home baffled me and like another reviewer, there were unanswered questions. Pity really, because the viewing was pleasant but the fact remains that I was bored halfway through. Loved the 'oldies', some of the best there is.

nslemmon-834-314631 Discovered this gem in the library's DVD collection and thoroughly enjoyed the story line and the amazing performances of the cast. It was heartwarming to have a disparate group of older people be rallied into a makeshift family by a young woman who is struggling on her own as well. Of course with the stellar cast, headed by Vanessa Redgrave, provided a realistic glimpse into ending up in an old folks home. This is an English gem that should have gotten more traction in the US! It made me laugh and sigh with the thoughts of how even a person with the most amazing life of fame and fortune will one day end up aged, looking back wistfully.