James-Marsden Movie Reviews

P. D. James is never afraid to tackle the dark side of human nature. In A Certain Justice, that is made apparant. It begins with the trial of Gary Ashe, an obvious psychopath that is accused of brutally killing his aunt. Venetia Aldridge, as usual, proves her expertise as a defense attourney by getting the young man off. She regrets it when she finds out that, only a week after the trial, he and her 18 year old daughter are "in love". That sends her into a slight state of hysterics. She turns to her married lover for help to find that he is dumping her. Now, through her lifetime, she had gathered many enemies, including her fellow lawyers. With all these terrible events in her life, she takes her anger and despair out on everyone more than ever. So it is no big surprise when she is found dead. Inspector Dagleish enters the story here. There are many likely suspects, but Dagleish thinks that this was a murder that came from the depths of someone's sorrow, not just ambition. The story also foccuses on Ashe and Octavia Aldridge. Once again, an impeccably acted, very heart wrenching story is told with Inspector Dagleish. It made me read the book, and I was happy to see that it followed it very closely.

This adaptation is very close to the original book and provides an insight into the 'Old Bailey' and the justice system. The series was filmed on location in the actual courts, and around the 'Lawyer's' haunts of inner London. The normally staid, conservative corridors of the members of the bar are thrust into a world of fear and horror, death and revenge, when one of their own is murdered in their chambers. The repercussions reververate further afield when the victim's daughter is also put into danger. It becomes a race against time to save her. Again, Roy Marsden portrays Alam Dalgliesh with his renowned flair. He is an accomplished actor who can portray an inner thought of Dalgliesh through a simple twitch of an eyebrow! The cast is excellent,and like Marsden, come from theatrical backgrounds, giving superb, clear diction, acting excellence and verisimilitude to the whole story. Only the English can make such a great mystery show seem so authentic. The evil murderer, Gary Ashe, and the bitchy, aloof Venetia Aldridge QC, the victim, are chillingly portrayed. Like the book, this adaptation elegantly shows the philosophical themes of the older P D James, as the story ends with a brilliant twist, that leaves the viewer wondering if justice has been served at all - or at best, only 'A Certain Justice.'

Even though I only saw the First and Third parts of "A Certain Justice" it compelled me to watch with eager glance and pounding heart; I was completely spellbound by Danglishs detective ability to solve such a compelling MYSTERY! on PBS MYSTERY!

P. D. James is never afraid to tackle the dark side of human nature. In A Certain Justice, that is made apparant. It begins with the trial of Gary Ashe, an obvious psychopath that is accused of brutally killing his aunt. Venetia Aldridge, as usual, proves her expertise as a defense attourney by getting the young man off. She regrets it when she finds out that, only a week after the trial, he and her 18 year old daughter are "in love". That sends her into a slight state of hysterics. She turns to her married lover for help to find that he is dumping her. Now, through her lifetime, she had gathered many enemies, including her fellow lawyers. With all these terrible events in her life, she takes her anger and despair out on everyone more than ever. So it is no big surprise when she is found dead. Inspector Dagleish enters the story here. There are many likely suspects, but Dagleish thinks that this was a murder that came from the depths of someone's sorrow, not just ambition. The story also foccuses on Ashe and Octavia Aldridge. Once again, an impeccably acted, very heart wrenching story is told with Inspector Dagleish. It made me read the book, and I was happy to see that it followed it very closely.

This adaptation is very close to the original book and provides an insight into the 'Old Bailey' and the justice system. The series was filmed on location in the actual courts, and around the 'Lawyer's' haunts of inner London. The normally staid, conservative corridors of the members of the bar are thrust into a world of fear and horror, death and revenge, when one of their own is murdered in their chambers. The repercussions reververate further afield when the victim's daughter is also put into danger. It becomes a race against time to save her. Again, Roy Marsden portrays Alam Dalgliesh with his renowned flair. He is an accomplished actor who can portray an inner thought of Dalgliesh through a simple twitch of an eyebrow! The cast is excellent,and like Marsden, come from theatrical backgrounds, giving superb, clear diction, acting excellence and verisimilitude to the whole story. Only the English can make such a great mystery show seem so authentic. The evil murderer, Gary Ashe, and the bitchy, aloof Venetia Aldridge QC, the victim, are chillingly portrayed. Like the book, this adaptation elegantly shows the philosophical themes of the older P D James, as the story ends with a brilliant twist, that leaves the viewer wondering if justice has been served at all - or at best, only 'A Certain Justice.'

Even though I only saw the First and Third parts of "A Certain Justice" it compelled me to watch with eager glance and pounding heart; I was completely spellbound by Danglishs detective ability to solve such a compelling MYSTERY! on PBS MYSTERY!

I'VE SEEN THE WHOLE ADAM DALGLEISH SERIES WRITTEN BY P.D. JAMES -WHO INCIDENTALLY, LIVES IN NORFOLK, U.K., STARRING ROY MARSDEN AS INSPECTOR DALGLEISH...THEY WERE ALL FILMED IN NORFOLK VILLAGES, WHICH IN THEMSELVES ARE VERY PICTURESQUE....MANY OF THEM IN THE OLDE WORLD SETTING WITH THE VILLAGE-GREEN IN THE CENTRE OF THE VILLAGE. TO GET BACK TO MY REVIEW OF THE SERIES - THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY GRIPPING, AND U DON'T KNOW WHO THE KILLER, MURDERER, WHATEVER U WANT TO CALL THE PERSON WHO COMMITS THE CRIME UNTIL RIGHT AT THE END. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE WHO WATCHES THE SERIES WILL ENJOY IT & BECOME QUITE ADDICTED TO
IT, AND ALSO WANT TO READ THE BOOKS. IM NOT QUITE CERTAIN BUT I THINK THERE WERE 6 OR 7 TITLES...ENJOY!

Finally, the wonderful BBC dramatizations of the P.D. James mysteries broadcast on PBS Mystery Theater are being issued in a DVD format. SHROUD FOR A NIGHTINGALE is one of the best. The setting for this mystery is a school in England located in an old 19th Century Victorian building situated on a large estate (thus the time-honored device of murder in the "country house" is preserved wherein all the suspects and victims are in residence).

Florence Nightingale founded nursing in the U.K. during the Crimean War and for a long time afterward, those who became nurses were called "nightingales" after their famous role model. (Clara Barton was her equivalent in the U.S. during the Civil War.) In this mystery, the nightingales are student nurses and their instructors living in residence at a school of nursing.

One morning, a student nurse is ingeniously done in before a dozen witnesses none of whom can identify the killer. Adam Dalgliesh, Scotland Yard's poetic police chief superintendent is soon on the scene. He finds plenty of suspects but before he can solve the first crime a beautiful red-headed instructor is found dead in her bed--of unnatural causes. She had been having an affair with someone as she was pregnant -- did her lover try to cover his tracks? Or maybe one of the other nurses was jealous of the beautiful young woman and killed her. When a third mysterious death takes place, hysteria reigns supreme. Dalgliesh stalks the killer and in the end nails his nemesis, but not before a very desperate person with a wicked, wicked past produces mayhem and a few murders.

This movie is definitely a good kid's movie. The kids learn how to manipulate their parents to get everything they want, including getting rid of their evil big brother, Tyler. The characters are pretty well played, especially the part of the big brother, James Marsden, as Tyler. I remember I used to cringe, because he's almost too believable. He plays the evil part really well. If you're under thirteen, this movie is a very good way to fill the afternoon.

hey this is a pretty good movie i recorded this from the disney channel in about 1998 trust me dawg if i liked it yawl will like it

The Cochran kids have figured out how to control their parents -- even get them to send evil older brother to boarding school. Nice fantasy.

As with many movies of this genre, the viewer must suspend some common sense and accept a new reality. The premise of the X-Men franchise is that mankind is evolving... at a geometric rate. While many remain as humans, more and more "mutants" are born everyday. Seemingly human on the outside, each mutant has a unique mutation that gives them a super-human power. There doesn't seem to be a true "mutation" that is not beneficial... no one is born with an ugly deformity, just a kick-butt super-power.

Some can project flames with their thoughts, others can freeze anything they touch. Still others have super hearing, super vision, and some can walk through walls or teleport from one place to another.

Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is the proverbial godfather of the mutants, known as "X-men." While wheelchair bound, Xavier has incredible telepathic abilities. With what seems like an unlimited personal fortune, Xavier has built a school for the "gifted," a refuge for kids and young adults who are mutants. Young mutants have their talents honed and learn to control their skills by former school graduates.

Non-mutated humans are naturally scared of the mutants, which seem to be everywhere. A teleporting mutant wreaks havoc in the White House, knocking out all Secret Service agents before they can even aim their guns at him. The mutant simply delivers a message to the President, but knowing what this mutant is capable of is enough to make the public terrified and willing to suspend civil liberties to anyone exhibiting mutated powers.

Nazi-camp survivor, Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen), is liberated from the metal-free prison from the first X-men film. Now Magneto and other "naughty" mutants must team up with the "good" mutants to protect themselves from a diabolical plot to kill all mutants around the globe.

The joining together involves no group hugs or mutual understandings between the hero mutants and the mutants with a score to settle. Only a modicum of respect for each others talents.

The central character is still Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). A mutant with a really bad bed hair and big mutton chops. Wolverine has acute hearing, incredible healing abilities, and he has keen fighting skills. In addition, he has had an undestructable metal alloy surgically placed into his hands, which projects giant steal claw-like daggers between his fingers when he senses danger.

The special effects in this film are AWESOME. There wasn't one scene in which you could tell that something was either computer generated or not in the same plane of view as the other live action characters. The action is super fast, creative, well choreographed, and just really fun to watch. The ending sets the viewer up for a probable 3rd installment of the X-men series in the not-so-distant future.

Is this a deep, life changing film? No way! But if you want to escape into another world for a couple of hours, this is the place to go. As always, the good guys prevail in the end, and a lot of bad people get their butts severely kicked. If you love SFX and sci-fi, this film will not disappoint.

I cannot stand these movies now a days where substance is sacrificed for special effects,computer generated animation, silly 1970's chop socky fighting, and glitsy camera tricks that seems to be the norm for movies coming out today. Gladly X2 surprised me. This is by far the best action movie I've seen in a long time. The characterization is wonderful and never corny (almost) and the fight sequence especially with wolverine and deathstrike is excellent.

This really is an incredible film. The action is well shot and used liberally to great effect, the characters are well developed, and the plot reaches a climax, which lasts for about an hour. The first time I saw this I was on the edge of my seat in the theater, no joke.

As with many movies of this genre, the viewer must suspend some common sense and accept a new reality. The premise of the X-Men franchise is that mankind is evolving... at a geometric rate. While many remain as humans, more and more "mutants" are born everyday. Seemingly human on the outside, each mutant has a unique mutation that gives them a super-human power. There doesn't seem to be a true "mutation" that is not beneficial... no one is born with an ugly deformity, just a kick-butt super-power.

Some can project flames with their thoughts, others can freeze anything they touch. Still others have super hearing, super vision, and some can walk through walls or teleport from one place to another.

Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is the proverbial godfather of the mutants, known as "X-men." While wheelchair bound, Xavier has incredible telepathic abilities. With what seems like an unlimited personal fortune, Xavier has built a school for the "gifted," a refuge for kids and young adults who are mutants. Young mutants have their talents honed and learn to control their skills by former school graduates.

Non-mutated humans are naturally scared of the mutants, which seem to be everywhere. A teleporting mutant wreaks havoc in the White House, knocking out all Secret Service agents before they can even aim their guns at him. The mutant simply delivers a message to the President, but knowing what this mutant is capable of is enough to make the public terrified and willing to suspend civil liberties to anyone exhibiting mutated powers.

Nazi-camp survivor, Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen), is liberated from the metal-free prison from the first X-men film. Now Magneto and other "naughty" mutants must team up with the "good" mutants to protect themselves from a diabolical plot to kill all mutants around the globe.

The joining together involves no group hugs or mutual understandings between the hero mutants and the mutants with a score to settle. Only a modicum of respect for each others talents.

The central character is still Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). A mutant with a really bad bed hair and big mutton chops. Wolverine has acute hearing, incredible healing abilities, and he has keen fighting skills. In addition, he has had an undestructable metal alloy surgically placed into his hands, which projects giant steal claw-like daggers between his fingers when he senses danger.

The special effects in this film are AWESOME. There wasn't one scene in which you could tell that something was either computer generated or not in the same plane of view as the other live action characters. The action is super fast, creative, well choreographed, and just really fun to watch. The ending sets the viewer up for a probable 3rd installment of the X-men series in the not-so-distant future.

Is this a deep, life changing film? No way! But if you want to escape into another world for a couple of hours, this is the place to go. As always, the good guys prevail in the end, and a lot of bad people get their butts severely kicked. If you love SFX and sci-fi, this film will not disappoint.

I cannot stand these movies now a days where substance is sacrificed for special effects,computer generated animation, silly 1970's chop socky fighting, and glitsy camera tricks that seems to be the norm for movies coming out today. Gladly X2 surprised me. This is by far the best action movie I've seen in a long time. The characterization is wonderful and never corny (almost) and the fight sequence especially with wolverine and deathstrike is excellent.

This really is an incredible film. The action is well shot and used liberally to great effect, the characters are well developed, and the plot reaches a climax, which lasts for about an hour. The first time I saw this I was on the edge of my seat in the theater, no joke.

As with many movies of this genre, the viewer must suspend some common sense and accept a new reality. The premise of the X-Men franchise is that mankind is evolving... at a geometric rate. While many remain as humans, more and more "mutants" are born everyday. Seemingly human on the outside, each mutant has a unique mutation that gives them a super-human power. There doesn't seem to be a true "mutation" that is not beneficial... no one is born with an ugly deformity, just a kick-butt super-power.

Some can project flames with their thoughts, others can freeze anything they touch. Still others have super hearing, super vision, and some can walk through walls or teleport from one place to another.

Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is the proverbial godfather of the mutants, known as "X-men." While wheelchair bound, Xavier has incredible telepathic abilities. With what seems like an unlimited personal fortune, Xavier has built a school for the "gifted," a refuge for kids and young adults who are mutants. Young mutants have their talents honed and learn to control their skills by former school graduates.

Non-mutated humans are naturally scared of the mutants, which seem to be everywhere. A teleporting mutant wreaks havoc in the White House, knocking out all Secret Service agents before they can even aim their guns at him. The mutant simply delivers a message to the President, but knowing what this mutant is capable of is enough to make the public terrified and willing to suspend civil liberties to anyone exhibiting mutated powers.

Nazi-camp survivor, Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen), is liberated from the metal-free prison from the first X-men film. Now Magneto and other "naughty" mutants must team up with the "good" mutants to protect themselves from a diabolical plot to kill all mutants around the globe.

The joining together involves no group hugs or mutual understandings between the hero mutants and the mutants with a score to settle. Only a modicum of respect for each others talents.

The central character is still Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). A mutant with a really bad bed hair and big mutton chops. Wolverine has acute hearing, incredible healing abilities, and he has keen fighting skills. In addition, he has had an undestructable metal alloy surgically placed into his hands, which projects giant steal claw-like daggers between his fingers when he senses danger.

The special effects in this film are AWESOME. There wasn't one scene in which you could tell that something was either computer generated or not in the same plane of view as the other live action characters. The action is super fast, creative, well choreographed, and just really fun to watch. The ending sets the viewer up for a probable 3rd installment of the X-men series in the not-so-distant future.

Is this a deep, life changing film? No way! But if you want to escape into another world for a couple of hours, this is the place to go. As always, the good guys prevail in the end, and a lot of bad people get their butts severely kicked. If you love SFX and sci-fi, this film will not disappoint.

I cannot stand these movies now a days where substance is sacrificed for special effects,computer generated animation, silly 1970's chop socky fighting, and glitsy camera tricks that seems to be the norm for movies coming out today. Gladly X2 surprised me. This is by far the best action movie I've seen in a long time. The characterization is wonderful and never corny (almost) and the fight sequence especially with wolverine and deathstrike is excellent.

This really is an incredible film. The action is well shot and used liberally to great effect, the characters are well developed, and the plot reaches a climax, which lasts for about an hour. The first time I saw this I was on the edge of my seat in the theater, no joke.

I try not to miss a Ken Loach film. Unless I'm ignorant about films, I find few directors nowadays tackling the issues of working class life in our modern capitalist society. When I saw this not entirely unbiased (not necessarily a bad thing) film I felt it was about dignity and respect. In his struggle to provide his daughter with the proper attire for a communion, the worker-father turns it into a matter of principle although linked to survival. At least that's what I got out of it. Check out films by Mike Leigh, John Sayles, Michael Winterbottom.

I'm biased. Two of my friends are in this film (Patrick and Anthony Warde) and a couple of scenes were set in their club.

That said, the film is realistic and set in real locations. Loach didn't have to build sets or work hard to convey the hopelessness of unemployment in a Northern town, the people and places did that for him. His talent is in bringing this to the screen and still giving the people the dignity they deserve as they struggle to make some kind of life in a post-industrial wasteland.

This movie was really stupid. A bunch of hormonal teenage guys trown together on a boat does not appeal to me. The movie was a typical movie showing just how useless guys really are. They showed girls as nothing more than dumb airheads and sex toys. This movie did nothing for me at all. It had a bad boy who wasn't really as bad as every one thought. A wimp who wasn't as whimpy as every one thought. A boss who wasn't as bossy as every one thought. Did this movie have anything as it was meant to? How dumb can you get?

I have recently seen this movie for the first time, and I regret I cannot give it the high praise seen elsewhere. I did enjoy the 'coming of age' first half of the movie. The cinematograhy is indeed excellent, and one does get a real feel for the growing camaraderie, trust and understanding between the young men and their skipper. Once the titular squall hits, though, it's straight to trite melodrama, the doomed boy looking out to the survivor, the drowned fellows, the looming trial. All we need now are crying boys. Oops, we have them!

Hmmm. Didn't anyone think of wearing a life jacket in a storm? Guess not...

This movie was excellent- i couldn't think of anything better to say. We watched tha movie at school and we thought it would be really crappy but it turned out to be excellent. I still think that they could have designed the ending with the tornado a bit better i mean Life Jackets woud have been great even though none of the survivors drowned. I felt really sympathetic towards Alice because she was locked in an airtight room and she sunk to the bottom of the ocean with the ship, she didn't drown she would have died a grueosome death from starvation and dehydration. But overall i thought it was great, you could feel everything they did.