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I'm two seasons into this. Not sure I'll make it to the end. Firstly the good bits. Keri Russell is spellbinding as Elizabeth and Matthew Rhys is exceptional as Phillip. Annet Mehendru stands out as Nina as does Margo Martindale as Claudia. There's also a decent amount of historical context to the various storylines. On the negative side the multiple disguises and fake characters of our two main protagonists and the sheer number of their deadly escapades at times makes Bond look like a fly on the wall documentary. Less would have been more. It's incredibly dark as well which is okay to a point but arguably also detracts from a sense of realism. Overall it's worth a look, just don't take it too seriously.

This is a top quality production that is one of the finest series to hit our screens over the last 12 months. It's based on the bestselling 1975 novel by James Clavell, as was the earlier 1980 miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain, and it takes us to early 17th century Japan in the company of the fictional English sailor John Blackthorne. There's real substance to the piece and we feel immersed in that era. The tale is told with great flair and a strong intellect and at times the series has a mystical / spiritual feel. All the central performances are excellent. Hiroyuka Sanada is completely convincing as the would be Shogun, Lord Toranaga, but ultimately Anna Sawai steals the show. She gives an unforgettable and at times mesmerising performance as Lady Mariko, the character as a result of which we probably care for the most. It's beautifully filmed and feels like nothing else on tv at the moment. I'd highly recommend it.

Take an extraordinary step back in time with this three part series of films that puts us in the room and on the roof with the greatest band of all time as they work on what will become the Let it Be album and their final live performance together. It's a real privilege to witness the creative process, not least the emergence and development of the singles "Get Back" and the magnificent "Let it be". There's also a magical moment as George Harrison seeks help in finding some more lyrics for the intro to what will eventually become "Something". It's difficult to believe that this was all filmed over 50 years ago as the picture quality is spectacular and the whole piece feels like it's happening now. It's also a joy to see London and it's people in 1969 as the cameras cover that final performance.

There's a fair bit to admire in this film, not least a winning and understated performance from Jeffrey Wright in the lead role. There's plenty of intelligence and humour along the way too courtesy of a razor sharp BAFTA and Oscar winning adapted screenplay. Sadly for me, whilst I understand that the core of this film is that it doesn't fit the stereotypical expectations I felt that the ending of the film was a bit of a cop out at least in terms of the Monk / Coraline relationship. Overall though a funny and thought provoking film that has a genuine freshness to it and that will entertain you.

Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel shine in their respective roles as a beautiful cook and her long admiring gourmet lover. The film is a great celebration of food with the first 20 minutes or so being a real feast for the eyes as a sumptuous meal is prepared in intricate detail as we salivate in our seats. This is very skilfully done as with minimal dialogue and accomplished direction we get a deft introduction to the characters involved as they create the mouthwatering dishes. There's a lovely tone to this film which celebrates in equal measure the love between the two lead characters and their shared passion for wonderful food and the lighting and cinematography is exquisite. The sequence where Dodin cooks for Eugiene is a delight as his two great passions come together, not least in the dessert. It was a pleasure to watch this life affirming film though I'd recommend you either eat immediately before it or have food ready immediately after as it will engage your tastebuds. Finally there is a winning performance from Bonnie Chagneau Ravoire as Pauline that is impressive for such a young actress.

I enjoyed this original and quirky Irish comedy penned by Nancy Harris. Roisin Gallagher is perfect as Shiv the recovering alcoholic who returns from London to the bosom of her Dublin family hoping for a fresh start and finding an initial mix of bewilderment and scepticism from family members all facing their own unique challenges. Ciaran Hinds is superb as Tom, the paternal head of the family as is Pom Boyd as Bernie. Janet Moran excels too as Shiv's force of nature sponsor Karen. The piece as a whole is at times hilarious and at others quite tender and it's non judgmental lightness of touch and tone feels refreshing.

Jaime Bell and Claire Foy are pitch perfect as the 1980's parents of the modern day Adam. Paul Mescal for his part reminds us all about how he is becoming one of the finest actors around with a lovely performance as Harry. The film though belongs to Andrew Scott as Adam, a lonely and melancholy man who begins to find love with Harry and who is given a chance to visit the parents he lost when he was twelve years old. He is utterly believable as the central character in an at times unbelievable film and he exudes a full range of powerful emotions including sadness, wonder, disappointment and hope sometimes from subtle facial expressions alone. I won't ruin the film with my interpretation of it's central storyline but ultimately for me that was revealed in the closing scene and unlike some films in this genre it did seem to be consistent with what came before it.

This is an excellent production that delves into the life of Cary Grant one of the greatest movie stars of all time. Jason Issacs is magnificent in the title role and Laura Aikman gives a lovely performance as Grant's fourth wife Dyan Cannon. The series is produced both by Cannon and Grant's daughter Jennifer Grant. There's a lovely style to the series befitting the great man himself but the real force of this production is the human touch that runs through it. You feel that you are getting a genuine insight into Archie's life and there's a real affection to the piece as you would expect. In short a delightful production.

Sir Anthony Hopkins stars as the elderly Nicholas Winton who as a young man (played by Johnny Flynn) was instrumental in saving many Jewish children in Czechoslovakia from the holocaust. It moves to and fro from the 1980s back to 1939 and whilst it is a bit of a slow starter it does get there in the end. There are decent performances all round and a strong and rewarding final segment. Hopefully it also serves as a reminder of the importance of showing compassion to refugees given the current febrile status of the world. We need a few modern Nicholas Wintons to emerge at this moment in our history.

The first 45 minutes or so of this film promised much but sadly it became sillier and sillier such that by the end it didn't really amount to much more in the latter parts than a stylishly produced series of scenes presumably meant to either shock or titillate the viewer but not really managing either. It became a bit like an x rated Mr Ripley Returns. Ironically it all starts to fall apart shortly after Oliver's arrival at Saltburn. There is no doubting that the central performances are very good but overall this is a superficial film, stylishly produced but with no real substance to it and not really worthy of the hype that surrounds it.

Toby Jones leads a superb cast in a powerful drama, so powerful in fact that it has actually caused the woeful UK Conservative Government to eventually take action to deal with the monstrous miscarriages of justice suffered by thousands of sub postmasters wrongly accused and in some cases wrongly imprisoned because of financial discrepancies caused by the Post Office and Fujitsu's defective Horizon computer system. Jones takes on the role of Alan Bates, an utterly heroic man, who as a subpostmaster himself led a tireless campaign to expose the truth of this scandal and gathered together hundreds of others alongside him to join the campaign. Jones is magnificent as Mr Bates, conveying in a beautifully understated way the determination, fortitude and decency of a man working against seemingly impossible odds. Monica Dolan shines too as a salt of the earth fellow victim who joins the fight for some kind of justice. The disgraceful behaviour meted out to this group of people as they fight to clear their names is utterly deplorable and the writers and producers of this drama deserve immense plaudits for producing truly change effecting drama that shines the strongest of lights upon this scandal.

Audrey Hepburn shines brightly as Eliza Doolittle the cockney flower girl that Rex Harrison's arrogant phonetics Professor Higgins is determined to pass off as a duchess. Based of course on George Bernard Shaws classic play Pygmalion. There are so many fabulous musical numbers here: "Wouldn't it be Loverly" and "I could have danced all night" (both performed with superlative dubbing from Marni Nixon) being two standouts, as are Stanley Holloway's fabulous renditions of "With a little bit of luck" and "Get me to the church on time". "On the street where you live" is yet another to add to the list. Winner of numerous awards including Oscars for Rex Harrison, Best Picture and for its sumptuous cinematography. An all time classic.

Somehow I have only just got around to viewing this film which boasts a stellar cast including Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy and the magnificent Cary Grant. The film however belongs to the wonderful Audrey Hepburn who is completely irresistible in the role of the recently widowed "Reggie" who is trying to navigate past an assortment of rogues seeking to get their hands on her late husband's mysterious fortune. She lights up every scene in which she appears and her delivery of the fabulous lines that she is given is as flawless as that of the equally excellent Cary Grant. It's difficult to think of a better double act to exchange such dialogue. It's a strange film with a Hitchcock feel without Hitchcock being involved and is broadly a whimsical comedy thriller but it really serves principally as a means of exhibiting one of the classiest actresses ever to grace the silver screen at the height of her powers and it will leave you smiling throughout.

This is an excellent production which makes for compelling viewing throughout. Focused around probationary members of a Belfast police station and their senior colleagues there's a real heart and soul here. We really feel for these characters due to the depth of the writing and universally strong performances. Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion from Game of Thrones) is immense as the inspirational Gerry Cliff, Sian Brooke is superb and utterly believable as former social worker turned police officer Grace Ellis and Martin McCann gives a lovely understated and nuanced performance as Grace's training officer Stevie Neil. You could continue citing plaudits for the entire cast. One of the great strengths of this drama is that it takes its time to develop these characters and generally avoids caricatures save possibly for the fairly one dimensional external surveillance team. It's refreshing to view a police drama focused as much on the basics of community policing as it is on the organised crime backdrop. One of the best new series around at the moment.

Paul Giamatti excels as Miles the neurotic would be author taking his friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church on fine form) on a tour of the California vineyards in the week before the latter's wedding. A Young Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen make up the remaining members of the excellent central cast. This is an offbeat quirky offering. A strange mix of the sensitive and the coarse, the subtle and the laugh out loud. It works essentially because of those four stellar performances, the excellent writing and direction and because ultimately we begin to invest in Miles. A nice final scene completes the piece.

Ultimately this was a disappointment for me. John David Washington and Ken Watanabe are solid and Madeleine Yuna Voyles is exceptional in her film debut, but overall it felt as if the film sacrificed the interesting ideas underlying it and plot coherence, on the alter of at times fairly meaningless noise and action, the latter of which isn't particularly thrilling until we near the end. Alison Janney seems wasted in a one dimensional role as does Ralph Ineson. Poor John David Washington once again has to rise above the same kind of plot holes he faced in Tenet. He does well but deserves a better gig at some point surely. It's as if the film wants to be clever but then doesn't quite get there and converts itself to a Marvel / second generation Star Wars feature. Gareth Edwards did that kind of thing much better in Rogue One for me. It's a decent effort but won't linger in the memory for long.

John Carney who brought us the excellent Sing Street (2016) and the lovely Once (2007,) gives us another cracking musically centred tale around single mother Flora and her teenage son Max. Eve Hewson is fabulous as Flora and young Oren Kinlan is perfect as Max. There's also a lovely performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jeff, Flora's guitar teacher. There's elements of whimsy, romance, social realism, comedy and eclectic music thrown in along the way. Whilst some of the plot towards the end seems a little far fetched overall this is an enjoyable and life affirming film that deserves a wide audience.

Whilst far fetched and containing a few plot holes, this production nevertheless kept me hooked through at least the first five and a half episodes. It was let down a little bit by the final episode but it was great fun getting up to that point at least. The first four episodes in particular were well crafted and avoided the worst hijack drama stereotypes and the more or less real time pace worked well. It probably could have done without the implausible side line of the gang members turning up at Sam's house and the last Die Hard style "one more for the road" twist, but much of what went before was good. Idris Elba is excellent in the lead role; Harry Michel entertaining as Sam's passenger neighbour and Neil Maskell makes for a memorable villain. Overall it's good fun if you don't take it too seriously.

This is a superbly made film as one would expect in the hands of Director Christopher Nolan. Cillian Murphy gives an Oscar worthy and completely convincing performance as Oppenheimer and there are strong performances too from the supporting cast - Robert Downey junior and Matt Damon in particular. The films great strengths are firstly how it recreates the wonder and thrill of the underlying science and secondly how it paints such a vivid portrait of the title character. On the negative side it doesn't really appropriately convey the sheer horror of the use of nuclear weapons. It's a long film and personally I'd have liked more of its time to have been used up in that regard but overall it's an accomplished piece of work.

Patrick Brammall and Harriett Dyer are a winning combination at the centre of this co-written tale of two Sydney strangers brought together by an injured mutt. It has pleasing quirky elements and is written and delivered in a way that easily satisfies the basic requirement of a Romcom - getting the viewer to want Gordon and Ashley to make it as a couple. There's plenty of smiles, a couple of nice tender moments, and some laugh out loud bits along the way. There's also an excellent supporting cast with Genevieve Hegney a complete delight as Gordon's business partner Chiara and Michael Logo raising a few smiles as Brett. Love the title too.

This is a cracking little film, just 1 hour and 16 minutes in length and it introduced the world to the definitive Holmes and Watson in the form of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Rathbone is perfect and exudes authority as the famous detective with Bruce bringing a warmth and earnestness to the role of Dr Watson. Their chemistry is strong from the outset and they were to partner up another 13 times over a seven year stretch from 1939 to 1946. Here the duo are tasked with investigating the strange goings on at the Baskerville estate and Holmes sends his trusty assistant over to start the investigation. Well worth a view.

Back to the Future remains my favourite film of the 1980's and Michael J Fox was perfect in that role. He became one of the most popular stars in Hollywood and at the height of his fame was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This documentary tells his story and does so very cleverly via cuts of old movie and tv footage interspersed with scenes of his ongoing treatment and an interview to camera. His honesty, bravery and determination are incredibly impressive and I'm sure will be an inspiration for anyone facing such a terrible disease. As with his later career appearances in The Good Wife, this is a triumph and I hope we see more of him on our screens in the future.

Jason Sudeikis is pitch perfect as the lead character Ted, an American Football coach hired by Hannah Waddingham's English football club owner Rebecca in a bid to get her ex husband's team relegated. The only problem with that plan is that Ted is such a great guy that he charms all those around him, including Rebecca, into believing in him and improving themselves along the way. It's at times incredibly simplistic and contrived but it has such a great soul and wisdom that that doesn't seem to matter. There are some lovely and moving scenes along the way as well as some laugh out loud humour. The gentle feel of the production and the way that we are encouraged to see the good in all the characters is such a refreshing change from most tv series out there at the moment. All the central cast are great. Nick Mohammed shines as Nate the kit man and is involved in some lovely scenes as Ted starts to help him to fulfill his potential. Juno Temple is outstanding too as Keeley adding a real warmth to all the scenes she appears in. Finally, there are plenty of entertaining cameos along the way from amongst others Jeff Stelling and Gary Lineker. If you sit back and relax it will I think make you smile and think better about the world and that's a pretty good achievement in my book.

I have recently re-watched this 1996 offering given that the latest film in the franchise has just hit our screens. If you think "America does James Bond" and forget any notions of believability or remotely credible plot lines then you will probably enjoy the ride. That's largely due to a decent performance from Tom Cruise in the lead role and a slick section around the Embassy scenes and it's aftermath. In part of the film we see Cruise made up as an elderly US Senator which, whilst preposterous, works at least on the make up level. Sadly however someone thought this gave them licence to do a bit of camera trickery in which Jon Voight playing himself is supposed to transform to Tom Cruise just by whipping off a latex mask!! I'm not asking for realism in this genre but that was a step too far. (As a side note it was interesting to view this with modern eyes and to remember how emails back them were a bit of a novelty!)

This is such a disappointment. The combination of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in a western setting promised so much but I'm afraid this is a fairly ridiculous production which I couldn't get to the end of. Whilst there were a number of daft scenes in the first episode the actions of Harrison Ford's character in deciding to casually hang a number of men at the end of episode two defied all morality and common sense. That act was made more ridiculous too by leaving the men tied up and sitting on their horses. The somewhat far fetched African hunter scenes seemed grounded in comparison! At least that segment also had a lightness to it that the western segment desperately lacked. I'm afraid I'm bailing out mid season. Hopefully it will improve but life is too short to invest more time in this.