Archipelago -- Joanna Hogg, 2010

 I would describe this as a stunningly hypnotic, English middle-class family drama. The film is shot so beautifully, making use of the natural light and nature; allowing us to enjoy it photographically with long takes.

The tension between the family is something we've all experienced but it's orchestrated so culturally, but perhaps in a somewhat esoteric nature. I feel this is a far superior and honest view of Britain rather than other films that seem to enjoy showing the country as the bastard it is.

The family in the film have a lot of tensions with the son wanting to leave for charitable work in Africa, and the mother seems to be having marital problems what with the absence of their father.

It all takes place on the Scilly Isles off of Cornwall with the purpose of the trip being a farewell to the son who's due to leave, but throughout the film he starts having doubts about himself.

Despite being so alluring, the film offers more to think about than just angelic cinematography. It's a great insight into how families cause chaos not by what they say, but what they don't. The acting is superb; certain scenes highlight this without mass dialogue; it certainly shows the director and cast have a lot talent to work with something so delicate as domestics.

Never Let Me Go - Mark Romanek

I urge everyone read the novel before watching this film. You've committed a crime to humanity otherwise.

I'm biased. There was a live Q&A satellite link after the showing. I was also expecting to be really disappointed. It's my favourite novel. The film looks too glossy and superficial.

It's great that Ishiguro had a lot of input on the film, I can imagine what this might have ended up like otherwise. Regardless of that, this is still a unique, original interpretation of the novel.

It's hard fitting 300 pages of Ishiguro's delicate prose, emphasis on memory, and genuine human emotion into a film that still has similarities to the novel. It moves so much faster than the book, and the selection of scenes to use and scenes not to use worked well with this pace. Ultimately, I praise it for making a film version of the novel, and turning out decent.

Covering themes like the ethics of human cloning, fatal acceptance, and the human condition -- the fate we all share -- are surely a brave task for any director to tackle without making a bad translation. Most importantly, the film had to convey the message that we all live with a life expectancy, yet had to offer us an optimistic vision of what it means to be human, and making the most out of what we have.

The only bad thing about this film is that it spoils the elusive build up the novel offers, but as a separate entity it's hard to fault at all.