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Graham Young

Graham Young

Atonement gets a Dickie from Birmingham critics

OSCAR-nominated film Atonement has been named film of the year in the Richard Attenborough Film Awards, voted for by regional film critics. Read

Underdog (u)

RACING Stripes director Frederik du Chau returns with a second animal story, this time about a police sniffer dog which learns the power of Babe-style speech. Read

Pleasant meal in very relaxed surroundings

THE presence of bouncers has previously put me off visiting this city centre watering hole with my family. Read

The Kingdom (15)

THE FBI pursues terrorists in Riyadh in this over-edited, explosive thriller starring Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner. The Kingdom emphasises suicide bombings as a means of trying to make 'progress' on one side, and for the Americans to have gun-ready attitude in return. The over-edited action scenes are often dizzyingly unwatchable, but the score is by Danny Elfman. Also available to buy for £19.99 (HD DVD £24.99). Read

3:10 To Yuma (15)

FARMER Evans (Christian Bale) tries to escort outlaw Wade (Russell Crowe) to justice in James Mangold's extended remake of the Glenn Ford classic. Evans and Wade both learn things about each other and themselves, but the film's contrived extra length on the way to a different ending makes the dialogue wordy. Also available to buy for £19.99. Read

A Mighty Heart (15)

MICHAEL Winterbottom's film is about a US journalist (Dan Futterman) who goes missing in Pakistan - to the horror of his pregnant French wife (Angelina Jolie). Nobody captures the Third World better than Blackburn-born Winterbottom. The amazing cityscapes are a career-best, only let down by a monotonous series of indoor scenes and a distracting number of mobile phone rings. Also to buy for £19.99 (HD DVD £24.99), complete with a featurette about the making of the film. Read

No Reservations (pg)

CHEF Catherine Zeta-Jones has to look after her niece, then cope with cocky kitchen newcomer Aaron Eckhart. Directed by Scott Hicks (Shine) and beautifully shot by Britain's own Stuart Dryburgh, No Reservations lacks the engaging brilliance of Sandra Nettelbeck's original foreign film, Mostly Martha. But it's still ideal for a girly night in and is also available to buy DVD for £16.99 (Blu-ray £27.99/HD DVD £27.99). Read

Rub shoulders with the stars

WAXWORKS might seem like an outdated attraction given that the art form has been represented in Blackpool since the 1870s. Read

In the Valley of Elah (15)

CANADIAN all-rounder Paul Haggis has done it again! Read

Alas, I could have wept for willows

Graham Young takes his family for a day out at Stratford Recreation Ground Read

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (18)

CHILLING but curiously charming musical about a barber whose idea of a close shave is to slit your throat. Read

Pub grub: Washford Mill

A review of Washford Mill. Read

Barrowman gives lesson to young actors

PANTO star John Barrowman revealed the secrets of his success to an audience of wide-eyed youngsters hoping to follow in his footsteps. Read

Hot Rod (12)

THIS hit-and-miss stuntman comedy only had a run out at Empire Great Park last September. Read

Mr Woodcock (12)

SEANN William Scott tries to prevent his bullying former gym teacher (Billy Bob Thornton) from marrying his mum (Susan Sarandon). It's all rather far-fetched and quickly falls apart. Read

Superbad (15)

THIS over-extended comedy has been written by Seth Rogan, the Knocked Up bozo who somehow got a newsgirl pregnant. Read

Disturbia (15)

THERE are shades of Hitchcock's Rear Window in this film. Electronically tagged at home, Shia LaBeouf watches while a gorgeous girl (Sarah Roemer) moves in next door to a potential serial killer Read

The Dark Knight's coming!

NEW Batman film The Dark Knight looks set to be shown in remastered form at Birmingham IMAX cinema this summer. Read

In the hands of the Gods (15)

THIS coming-of-age road movie starts off brilliantly with five boys all displaying such unbelievable skills, even Cristiano Ronaldo would be drooling. Read

I now pronounce you Chuck & Larry (15)

ADAM Sandler is something of an acquired taste and I, for one, am rather glad I've yet to acquire it. Read

Author Profile

Award-winning Film Editor Graham Young has covered the Midlandsý radio and TV scene for two decades. The father of three is also the Mailýs reviewer of pubs, parks, family days out and chips and a keen photographer.

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