While I'm avoiding work, here are some short reviews of films I've seen on my laptop over the past month or so:

• Love Story: Crappy 70s, well, love story, with poorly drawn characters and formulaic plot.


• The Pianist: Even not understanding a lot of the French/Polish/German, and even on a small screen, a magnificent film, and Brody deserves his Oscar.


• Shallow Hal: Pretty run-of-the-mill Farrelly Bros entry, most of the comedy survives the translation because its about fat chicks.


• Le Diner De Cons: Comedies are harder to understand than dramas when you don't speak the language.


• The 5th Element: This was version originale, and it still rocks, despite having seen it so many times. The colors, children!


• Monsieur Batignole: Not bad - although I think I missed much of the humour, the drama works.


• Drunken Master: The original from the mid-70s, directed by Yuen Wu-Ping, and pretty cool, although I probably prefer the sequel.


• Anatomie: Formulaic German slasher, notable only because it starred Franka Potente and Benno Furmann before the vastly superior Princess and The Warrior.


• Run Lola Run: Actually loses something when it's translated, but still well-crafted. Perhaps controversially, I prefer Tykwer's other films, Princess and the Warrior, and Heaven.


• About A Boy: Shame I missed this at the cinema. The main character is really pretty good, and its generally a pretty good little film. "Having my hair carefully dishevelled: 4 units."


• L'Auberge Espagnole: A simple little film, but not too bad, although a bit rough.


• Goshu The Cellist: Nice little manga film, fairly well animated, and uses the music well.