HomeAuthorsGraham Young

Graham Young

Graham Young

Babel (15)

POOR old Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett - neither of them can consistently pick substantial roles in critically-acclaimed, commercial smash hits for love nor money. Read

The Return (15)

PART road movie and unpredictable paternal bonding/coming of age story, the sensational Russian film The Return was one of my top ten films of 2004. Read

London To Brighton (18)

OPENING in instantly-compelling fashion and running to just 86 minutes, it's fingers-over-eyes time for a harrowing cautionary tale about the horrors a young runaway girl might be letting herself in for. Read

Black Book (15)

ANYONE who's had the misfortune to sit through the likes of Showgirls, Starship Troopers and Hollow Man will be pleased to hear that Dutch director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop/Total Recall/Basic Instinct) has gone back to his native Netherlands to make a relatively old-fashioned wartime drama. Read

Going under-canvas down on the farm!

THE brochure is a masterpiece of romantic fantasy worthy of Jane Austen, the legendary novelist who used to live in nearby Chawton. Read

The Last King Of Scotland (15)

HERE'S a movie that's worth the admission price alone just to see Forest Whitaker as the former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Read

Open Season 3D (PG)

LAST year was certainly a prolific one for animations and my favourites, for different reasons, were Hoodwinked, Monster House and Ice Age 2. Trailing well behind was Open Season, even though it was co-directed by The Lion King's Roger Allers. Read

Smokin' Aces (18)

RATHER like the mile-high Con Air, this is a comedy-thriller about a barmy bunch of mercenaries, mass murderers and guns-for-hire going on a collective journey. Read

Miss Potter (PG)

RATHER boastfully taglined 'the most enchanting tale of all', the story of bestselling children's author Beatrix Potter is dramatically tepid. Read

Apocalypto (18)

OFFERING cinema-goers the most brutal start to a New Year since Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York in 2003, Apocalypto is effectively director Mel Gibson's third tribal bloodfest. Read

White Noise: The Light (15)

"ON average, there are 774 Near Death Experiences (NDEs) per day in the United States, during which a person is pronounced dead and encounters a blinding, white light before being resuscitated." Read

Employee of the Month (12A)

AS NAPOLEON might have said, Britain is now a nation of shoppers. Read

A Prairie Home Companion (PG)

"IT'S A WRAP!" - the late film directing legend Robert Altman inadvertently brings the curtain down on his illustrious career with a movie which almost plays like an auto-obituary. Read

Flags of Our Fathers (15)

WHAT'S your definition of heroism - in war, is it a) raising a flag pole for a photographer b) trying to avoid being shot so that you can tell your story or c) fighting for your buddies' lives and dying in battle? Read

Black Christmas (15)

UNLIKE the X-rated original in 1975, the BBFC says this remake of one of the earliest 'slasher' movies was passed with 'no cuts made'. Read

Deja Vu (12A)

OSCAR-winning Training Day star Denzel Washington is one of Hollywood's modern greats - but even he can't keep this time-shifting epic fully afloat. Read

Eragon (PG)

AFTER Alex Pettyfer's Stormbreaker debut as a James Bond lite - and Daniel Craig's real deal appearance in Casino Royale - here comes the year's third blond English hero having lots of fun. Read

Grounded (PG)

SINCE it's hard to imagine any US airport realistically putting up with any of the shenanigans on offer here, this 'comedy' is on a loser from the start. Read

The Wizard of Oz (U)

IF you've got something about you as a parent, you'll do anything but inflict either Santa Clause 3, Deck the Halls or Grounded on your children. Read

Happy ending for Malc

THERE'S a big smile on the face of Malcolm Stent as he celebrates his 16th consecutive year in panto at the Solihull Arts Complex. 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.

Get involved

We want your local stories, videos & pics.