As I am married to a British citizen I already knew much of what was portrayed in this well laid out film. However there is a lot to be said about the other countries that I was at least partially unaware of. I like to think a fair amount of U.S. citizens know just how bad our health care system has become but when compared to country’s that you just out right expect to have a lesser system in place such as Cuba only to find they are a few levels ABOVE us?!? There was something *I* personally learned.

Michael Moore goes out of his way repeatedly to avoid biased opinions from the people he interviews and continuously finds new “average citizens” of the various countries he travels to in order to give the viewer a well rounded perception.

Its hard for me to imagine there is a place where people are given top notch health care and no one is in huge debt from receiving life saving treatments, such a place sounds like something out of a fairy tale. On the flip side of that, in all the countries in which such things are true (and there are many) those people can not imagine our situation. There is right and there is wrong and denying a person Chemotherapy with 80% success rate because they can’t pay, well that’s wrong.

The revealing information regarding top name insurance companies of this country is fascinating and if for no other reason everyone should view this film to see that aspect. Well worth the 123min! 8.7/10

Our story starts off with our main character Ryan (Paulo Costanzo, “40 Days and 40 Nights”) who in the span of one day loses his girlfriend, his apartment, his job, and the chance at a lucky lottery ticket. When calling in the ticket he finds out it is the wrong numbers but the right time for his call. He gets a job doing stories for a lottery winner newspaper and it is from here that he meets his new life, there are many choices that he must make that begin to make him question his morals, and the morals of the people around him.

The movie starts off great. I’m a big fan of Paulo Costanzo due to his like-ability and charisma on screen. Unfortunately after the first fifteen minutes he misses the cues of keeping the character like-able nature and loses a lot of life that he shows. The supporting actors didn’t do a very good job either except for the parents who remind me of a Freed Willard and Catherine O’Hara duo.

The writing jumps around way too much, one minute Ryan is learning about how to live his new life, the next he’s giving dissertations on other peoples. Also the transitions between scenes fast forward a lot and the audience is left with far too much to speculate. The scenery however does save this film from being bad, as it shows some of the best that Vancouver Canada has to offer. If you’re stuck on whether or not to check this one out I would not advise it and that hurts me to say. The acting is a trifle lacking, the story jumps around a bunch, and the writing just isn’t there. I hope Douglas Coupland can redeem himself from this one because I did see what he could be capable of. This film gets a 4/10!

When asked to check out this new independent film, obviously we jumped at the chance, a free DVD screener, who wouldn’t? We were incredibly anxious for its delivery via fed-ex so, whilst waiting eagerly on the front porch for its arrival, we did a little research. (thank you Wi-Fi!)

So it seems the people behind the new movie “Outsourced” are very ballsey. If you didn’t already know, they opted to distribute the movie themselves, via there website and select theaters. I love this attitude and fighting spirit, future Indy film producers, take note.

Now, onto the review.

From the opening sequence you can tell that this movie means business. Some stunning cinematography and gorgeous shots of downtown Seattle accompanied by a pretty stellar soundtrack, This movie takes no time at all getting started. We’re introduced to Josh Hamilton playing Todd Anderson. A customer service/sales manager. This guy is great, I don’t know why we haven’t seen a lot more of him. He’s done some notable TV but I think once his performance in this movie gets picked up, he will be in a lot more demand.

The plot quickly unfolds and leads Todd on a trip half way around the world to train at a new Indian call center. Pretty basic stuff, right to the point, no time wasted. Just how I like my movies.

The lead actress, Ayesha Dharker playing Asha, an Indian call center employee, looks absolutely stunning on camera, there is something about her smile, it just lights up the screen. The casting for this movie, in a nutshell, is perfect. The characters being played are so believable, charismatic and charming, there chemistry is intoxicating. This is one of those films where it just all comes together perfectly and is a real pleasure to watch.

Now, the topic of this movie is one I feel very strongly about – Outsourcing work overseas. You can read and discuss more on this over in the forums. I think the movie did a amazing job in bringing these two completely different cultures together, without potentially angering people due to the nature of the subject and the history between the two. To me, it was an honest, humorous look at what is actually happening in the world, completely balanced in its opinions, never going to far. Two very big thumbs up, nicely done.

The romance is just simply adorable. It’s very rare I seen a movie where the characters just look and feel so good together. The Humor, although a little over the top at times, was of the laugh out loud caliber.

Something else I really enjoyed was the subtle lessons in middle eastern religion and beliefs. Not often a movie teaches you new things, especially when presented in a humorous way. Looking back, I now know more about India than I think I ever did, some of its heritage, religion and its customs. Genius!

I don’t think I will say this again in the next six months, but – go and buy this movie. If your lucky enough to have it show in your city – go and see this movie. If you cannot get out, nor afford a copy for yourself, spread the word. digg/stumble this review, visit there website, tell your friends… The more we support our independent film producers, the more of these quality films they can give us.

Such a charming, delightful – will watch again soon – 9/10.

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A journalist investigates a series of murders that follows the discovery of an unpublished novel by Charles Dickens in the cellar of an old Thames pub. Gradually he becomes obsessed with unraveling a century-old murder in the pages of the manuscript. Only when he has done so, with the help of a mysterious beach-combing tramp who stalks the Thames foreshore, is he able to solve the modern murders

There are some really nice touches bringing the 19^th century into the 21^st and vice versa, some of which might not strike you at the time. The story revolves around a lost manuscript of Charles Dickens, cleverly revealed throughout the course of the film. Derek Jacobi’s handling of two characters is pretty impressive, while Vinny Jones gets on with solving the riddles. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep the viewer entertained. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but a pleasant film nevertheless. User Review Rating: 6/10

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Now, when you think about British skinheads in the early 80′s violence, racism and brutality are the words that come to mind, This film strays away from typical skinhead behaviors and focuses more on the friendship and bonds that can be made no matter what clique your in.

I loved how this movie looked and felt. I was emerged in 1980′s England. The council estate, corner shop, graffiti, clothing everything was true to the era. The young actors did an amazing job developing truly believable characters, even the “bad guy” was played to perfection, I love a good Scouce bad guy.

Its not often I rate a film so highly but this is the easiest 9/10 I have ever given. This is a must see movie.

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