Reviews by Richard Mellor

Order by: Date, A–Z

• 
  Cracks (2009)

  Review preview for Cracks

  Naughty, nasty and lots of fun.

  A tale of misguided love and obssession in an isolated girls' school in the Thirties.
• 
  State Of Play (2009)

  Review preview for State Of Play

  State Of Play remains a cerebral, rather than physical, thriller.

  An investigative reporter finds his loyalties conflicted when a story involving murder, blackmail and conspiracy centres on his old friend, now an up-and-coming Congressman.
• 
  Quicksand (1950)

  Review preview for Quicksand

  Cagney and Lorre offer alluringly amibiguous characters, ones who all too easily undermine our well-meaning hero.

  An engineer's life spirals out of control after he steals from his employers.
• 
  Lesbian Vampire Killers (2009)

  Review preview for Lesbian Vampire Killers

  On the whole, LVK is puerile silliness - gags, girls and gore with a catchy title and little raison d'etre.

  Horror spoof sees two hapless buddies try to save a community from the bite of girl-loving vampires.
• 
  Wonderful Town (2007)

  Review preview for Wonderful Town

  An assured debut feature.

  A local woman falls in love with an architect and unwittingly inspires jealousy in a small Thai town recovering from the 2006 tsunami.
• 
  Surveillance (2008)

  Review preview for Surveillance

  Ormond and Pullman abet Surveillance's queasiness with their characters' near-complete apathy to the situation unfolding around them.

  FBI agents try to track down a group of masked killers with the help of three survivors.
• 
  Tuesday (2008)

  Review preview for Tuesday

  Sadly for Tuesday, bling doesn't hide boring.

  Heists collide as a bank is simultaneously targeted by different sets of thieves.
• 
  Dorian Blues (2004)

  Review preview for Dorian Blues

  Bardwell's movie has a natty self-deprecating tone, making it all much more pleasurable.

  A shy teen copes with coming of age and coming out.
• 
  The Times Of Harvey Milk (1984)

  Review preview for The Times Of Harvey Milk

  The interviewees are great value, telling rambling anecdotes, and laughing and weeping as they recall the friend they so admired.

  Documentary about the gay rights activist gets a timely DVD release.
• 
  Body Of Lies (2008)

  Review preview for Body Of Lies

  Body Of Lies is riveting, never drawing breath until its uneasy finale.

  Counter-terrorist thriller about a CIA operative in the Middle East and his US-based 'handler'.
• 
  Scar 3D (2007)

  Review preview for Scar 3D

  So nasty are parts of Scar, the latest entry to the ever-more inexplicable torture film-canon, that you wouldn't want to view it in any dimensions, let alone three of them.

  Torture porn taken to the next dimension, which may well not be a good thing.
• 
  The Foot Fist Way (2006)

  Review preview for The Foot Fist Way

  As with all comedies about ineptitude, there must come solemn moments of triumph; but, for once, this time they don't come soaked in schmaltz or get undermined by a instant gag.

  Comedy kicks in the life of a tae kwon do teacher.
• 
  The Dark Knight (2008)

  Review preview for The Dark Knight

  While The Dark Knight may be limited cerebrally, sensually it is just sensational, bettering its predecessor in invention and scope.

  The Caped Crusader isn't the only batty one in Gotham... The Joker's also in town.
• 
  Deepwater (2005)

  Review preview for Deepwater

  Hokum and a lamentably OTT ending ruin what had been a pleasingly ponderous piece of pap.

  A drifter becomes sucked into the shady dealings of a businessman after saving him from an accident. But will the businessman's wife prove his downfall?
• 
  WAZ (2007)

  Review preview for WAZ

  Shankland dispenses with subplots almost as quickly as bodies, but his debut rattles along at a nice, taut pace.

  A detective caught in a battle of wits with a killer is forced to pay for his past failings.
• 
  Female Agents (2008)

  Review preview for Female Agents

  Marceau is magnificent.

  Five women from the French Resistance are recruited by the British to perform a daring rescue and assassination.
• 
  Paris Lockdown (2007)

  Review preview for Paris Lockdown

  It's real video nasty stuff, ready to probe the sturdiest of constitutions and induce a succession of sacré bleus.

  Murder and misogyny in the underbelly of the French capital.
• 
  Alone With Her (2006)

  Review preview for Alone With Her

  Alone With Her merits congratulation for its brave, innovative style and unflinching seizure of a most relevant modern issue.

  An LA nobody moves from voyeurism to stalking.
• 
  Chromophobia (2005)

  Review preview for Chromophobia

  The film neatly encapsulates the frustrations provided by its director: talent is displayed and interest grabbed, but in the end there’s only mild dissatisfaction and a sense of untapped potential.

  A middle-class London family struggle with dysfunction.
• 
  Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006)

  Review preview for Wild Tigers I Have Known

  Rather too rarefied to begin with, Archer’s profound story soon shapes up into a reasonably gripping potboiler, beautifully shot and acutely tense.

  Sexual awakening of a teenager who tries to engage with the object of his affections by posing as a woman on the phone.
• 
  Ex Drummer (2007)

  Review preview for Ex Drummer

  As gratuitous and confrontational a story as you’re likely to come across.

  A group of punk misfits ask a famous novelist to join their band... despite the fact he can't play, only to find their plans spiralling out of control.
• Murder She Wrote: Season 2 (1985)

  Review preview for Murder She Wrote: Season 2

  A fundamentally excellent show that very rarely stints in quality, always presenting a deliciously difficult puzzle in a pleasant, but exciting manner.

  The novelist-turned-sleuth returns for a second series.
• 
  Little Fish (2005)

  Review preview for Little Fish

  Gloomy and meditative.

  A woman struggles to escape her criminal past.
• 
  Que La Bete Meure (1969)

  Review preview for Que La Bete Meure

  Like the Breton countryside it chiefly inhabits, venerable and timeless.

  Revenge is bitter for the father of a hit-and-run victim.
• 
  Ballets Russes (2005)

  Review preview for Ballets Russes

  Sit down and delight, you fans of ballet...

  Documentary tracking the pirouettes and personalities in the world-famous ballet company.
• Seven Swords (2005)

  Review preview for Seven Swords

  There is undoubtedly a need, if not a demand, for action movies in our society, but ones as skilfully shot and put together as Seven Swords infuriate as much as they delight.

  A 17th century band of swordsmen defend villagers from murderous gang
• 
  Lady Vengeance (2005)

  Review preview for Lady Vengeance

  It's designed to shock, to entertain in the most hard-hitting way and to make people, like the flabbergasted journo to my left, spit vehement rebukes at its conclusion.

  Revenge is ugly and intricately planned in South Korea. Now out to own as part of the Vengeance Trilogy box set.
• 
  The New World (2005)

  Review preview for The New World

  Epic, sprawling and inspirational.

  English nudge out natives, plunder Pocahontas and kick-start some place called America.
• 
  Lower City (2005)

  Review preview for Lower City

  It is the sensitivity of Machado's film that sets it apart.

  Two friends find their loyalties tested when they both fall in love with the same prostitute.
• 
  Rize (2005)

  Review preview for Rize

  A story of extraordinary poignancy and importance.

  A dance craze supersedes gang culture in South Central, LA.
• 
  Breakfast On Pluto (2005)

  Review preview for Breakfast On Pluto

  Breakfast On Pluto's tone is a discomforting mixture of comedy and tragedy.

  An Irish transvestite, searching for the mother who abandoned him, is caught up in terrorist violence and hilarious goings on in London.
• 
  The Skeleton Key (2005)

  Review preview for The Skeleton Key

  Softley directs capably, if without flair.

  Spooky goings on in an old house with old people (and Kate Hudson) in Louisiana.