The Brown Note Movie Review

The notoriously short Tom Cruise was never the problem with the cinematic attempts at these famed novels, and for the most part - barring a perfunctory final third - the first, at least, was mostly excellent.

The Hughes brothers, of Menace II Society fame, haven't fared so well solo and this crime and corruption potboiler was understandably panned but still contains Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg to ease the pain. Enough for genre fans.

They'll be no fighting in the war film room! A head to head battle between three of the most prominent modern war films, Saving Private Ryan v Black Hawk Down v The Thin Red Line. I must've been on a good day as SPR is my most overrated film of the last 25 years. Easy winner here.

Despite the apparently heavy subject of disabled people and prostitutes (a dinner table classic), director Ben Lewin's wonderful and under-seen film is full of warmth and easy to get sucked into, thanks to awards worthy central performances from John Hawkins and Helen Hunt (!!!!).

A look back at the 2013 winners. No idea why.

For me, Paul Thomas Anderson is ahead of his probable peers, David Fincher/Christopher Nolan etc. The most consistent, the most artistic and the most challenging. His take on religious cults is not even his best work, yet still unforgettable and including magnificent turns from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams.

Ang Lee's memorable take on Yann Martel's novel dazzled on first view (as I certainly note here) but falls apart badly on subsequent viewings (as I would say now). Visually amazing though and with a subtly revolutionary view on religion.

Naomi Watts won an Oscar and Ewan McGregor was subtley effective, in this eventually shattering take on the Asian tsunami destroying a holiday zone. Based on the real life experience of Spainard, Maria Belon.

I've had plenty negative to say about Steven Spielberg over the years, especially when dealing potentially noble historical projects. The film shines through it's quiet opening two thirds, spent with a magnificent Daniel Day-Lewis but falls to pieces in it's courtroom drama finale.

Chopper director Andrew Dominik's crime potboiler boast some impressive turns from Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini and Ray Liotta and is definitely worth a once through, is slightly messy and a little forgettable.