Articles written by Annette Moncrieffe

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Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Tropic Thunder: 1 of 13
Tropic Thunder was filmed in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i, and funnelled more than $60 million to the local economy as a result. Sadly, this is really the only positive thing at all that I can say about this film. The trouble with openly disliking Tropic Thunder is that you lay yourself open to accusations of being ... More..
Entertainment > Movie Analysis Movie analysis: Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: 1 of 10
Sweeny Todd is a musical. I am making this absolutely clear, as the majority of my family sat down thinking that they were going to watch a horror film! It is a musical very much in the style of 'Moulin Rouge', with swooping CGI cityscapes and a strange surreal atmosphere. Like 'Moulin Rouge', the lead roles have been given t... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Lars and the Real Girl: 1 of 8
Lars and the Real Girl is most often described as a comedy, but in the true tradition of a good indie film, it gives the viewer so much more than just a cheap laugh. Lars takes you on a voyage of discovery - about the main character and his history, about the small, caring community that he lives in, and about the nature of ... More..
Travel > Vacations Vacation destinations: English countryside: 2 of 14
Whitby is a small seaside resort on the east Yorkshire coast. Unexpectedly popular, it holds an enormous variety of attractions and experiences, combining chic caf culture with traditional seaside fun. The words that spring to mind when trying to describe Whitby are "pretty" and "quaint", but there is much more to Whitby tha... More..
Entertainment > Album Reviews Album reviews: Dark Side of the Moon, by Pink Floyd: 2 of 12
In 1973 I heard my very first Pink Floyd track and loved it immediately. I rushed out to the shops to buy it - and for the next few weeks drove the neighbours mad by blasting it out time and time again on the single speaker of my portable record player. "Washing machine music" said my mother with contempt - "Why don't you pl... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Gran Torino: 5 of 24
I watched Gran Torino with no preconceptions: I had not seen a trailer, I had not read a review - all I knew was that Clint Eastwood was both director and lead. If I had thought about it, I would have looked back to Eastwood's violent acting history - Dirty Harry, A Fistful of Dollars, The Gauntlet - and assumed that this wa... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Valkyrie: 2 of 9
Valkyrie is the true story of the attempt of a group of senior German officers and politicians, led by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, to assassinate Hitler and destroy his regime. The story itself is reputed to be historically accurate, and is given great dramatic tension by the director, Brian Singer. It is also a useful re... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: New in Town: 1 of 4
'New in Town' is an over-sentimental romcom, set in the snowy wastes of Minnesota and starring Renee Zellweger with Harry Connick Jr. A formulaic film, attempting success through the inclusion of successful elements from many other films, 'New in Town' just ends up as a predictable cliched romcom with disappointing performan... More..
Health & Fitness > Dental Hygiene Product reviews: Oral-B electric toothbrushes: 2 of 6
When my old electric toothbrush started to make sad, groaning noises every time it saw my teeth, I started to look around for a replacement. My goal was simple - to find a toothbrush on special offer! Having searched Boots (surprisingly devoid of cut price toothbrushes), I found the Oral B Vitality Precision Clean at Sainsbu... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Rachel Getting Married: 4 of 8
I can't understand it! This film has everything that I normally love: a deeply buried family secret; a tormented main character, who gradually unravels; a vaguely indie feel to the film; shaky but arty cinematography; great performances - what went wrong? Why didn't I enjoy Rachel Getting Married? The film has a simple story... More..