But thats not to say that Arnopps work isnt worthwhile and quite fascinating nonetheless. And he packs his virtual pages with lots and lots of often quite golden advice. But its in the details where Arnopp gets across lots of things you may not have appreciated. And often, that leaves you without any interview at all. Certainly some of his tips for handling cold, uninterested interviewees are extremely welcome. And at 5....

Paul VerhoevensStarship Troopersoffered up an entire planet full of giant insects and ingenious brain bugs. The film that unfolded in the darkness was both a thrill ride and a vague disappointment. After the stubborn individuality ofCronos,Mimicseemed perplexingly generic. It was only later that I learned aboutMimics troubled shoot. Ad content continues below del Toros ideas and designs were subjected to constant changes by committee. The script was repeatedly rewritten. The experiment is a success....

Already a hit in America, Tate Taylors big-screen rendering of The Help arrives in the UK. Its easy to see why.The Helpis an entertaining, very well-acted, affecting film. It portrays the segregated South with a bright sheen and a cheery gloss. Theyll be fighting over the Oscar nominations for this one. Alison Janney and Sissy Spacek steal every scene theyre in. Really, the list for acting plaudits goes on and on....

It was great, and Im a big fan of his. I remember very, very clearly going to seeAssault On Precinct 13,and seeingHalloweenandThe Thing. Escape From New York.I saw all these movies, so it was a thrill to work with him. Ad content continues below Hes very concise, and has a very disciplined way of working on set. When youre on set, and around the camera, theres no chit-chat. Any conversation youre having is focused getting the next shot done....

It was then adapted as a television series, which ran for seven series on Irish television. So is it as the bad as the critics say? The programme isnt intended as a drag show. Additionally, the fact that Agnes is played by a man is only referenced once in the whole series. Another thing that has led to people panning the show is the amount of swearing. Ad content continues below...

A classic war movie arrives on Blu-ray in time for its 50th birthday. Tony Quayle breaks a leg and is sent off to hospital. This was the most expensive movie made at the time, and looks it. A special mention should go to composer Dimitri Tiomkin, who wrote the very evocative theme. How this is used throughout the movie, with its various hues and shades, is truly masterful. Issues with sound were also addressed through other sources, and the whole movie was re-colour balanced and reassembled....

Can director Steven Spielberg bring Herge’s beloved comic book character to life? However, as the years passed, that love cooled, giving way to disappointment and ultimately resentment. It also gives Spielberg and Jackson a huge amount to play with, visually. However, despite the films title, therealstar of the show is Andy Serkis as Captain Archibald Haddock. The films qualities aside, there are one or two minor niggles. The pacing of the film isnt quite as smooth as you would hope....

Does this comedy about bird watching take flight, or is it a lame duck? Theres a dedicated community of birders, but the most hardcore of them undertake something called a big year. However, hes got competition. Hes going to undertake his life-long dream of embarking on a big year. The challenge is to dethrone Kenny Bostick, who is as skilled as he is obnoxious. For Brad, its a lifelong dream and a chance to make a real mark....

The Thing takes us back to the Antarctic for a prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 classic. Ron finds out how it shapes up… But why use a grad student? Well, Dr Halvorson wants to keep all the credit for himself, of course! Needless to say, theyre all going to keep all this information under wraps. Theyre not as successful keeping the creature itself under wraps. After it kills, it becomes its victim....

Emily Browning gives an astonishing performance in Julia Leigh’s Sleeping Beauty. But what of the film around her? Director Julia Leigh knows this, too. She keeps, as she often does in the film, the rest of the scene exceptionally quiet. She doesnt even show the door itself. But just one noise, in an expanse of silence, has real impact. Leigh approaches much ofSleeping Beautyin the same way. Its hard to think of a recent feature where music has been so sparse, for instance....

It also cost ten pounds more than any of the titles in the regular range of Eleventh Doctor novels. Its a Christmas gift of a book, essentially. Theres a decent groundswell of support for the Ice Warriors to come back in the revived series ofDoctor Who. Theyre green men from Mars, but in the true tradition ofWho, their history is nothing so simple. Abnetts prose makes them fearsome and real its an astute update of a classicDoctor Whocreature....

Looking for some less obvious horror flicks to shudder through this coming Halloween? But look a little closer to home and theres a wealth of solid schlock to be explored. Christopher Lee drops by for the briefest of cameos, barely raising an eyebrow in the process. after he starts messing around with the wife of dodgy businessman David Soul. Corruption (1968) Corruptionis a woozy homage to FranjusEyes Without A Face....

Possibly the finest writer in the country today, announces the back cover of this anthology of extraordinary weirdness. Well, its certainly fair to say Mr Lines has the finest collection of characters. Take the man who discovers that Twitter can be used in ritual magic. Or the puppet master whose final show is a little too realistic. The Chinese market stall owner who makes peoples problems and, indeed, the people disappear....