Screenwriter Matt Venne ventures into the world of the paranormal by contriving a hare-brained thriller around the commonly reported medical phenomenon of Near Death Experiences. The opening half hour conjures up a mood of grim foreboding as a grief-stricken
Employee Of The Month is a sweet and very slight romantic comedy. Writer-director Greg Coolidge's film is a cheap and cheerful affair, enlivened by a few decent one-liners and an appealing central performance from stand-up comedian Dane Cook. Rating
Forest Whitaker is the red-hot favourite to win this year's Academy Award as Best Actor In A Leading Role for his searing portrayal of Idi Amin. It's a virtuoso performance of intensity and fury, leavened with humour. The Last King Of Scotland begins
Based on the imaginative book by Milan Trenc, Night At The Museum is a glorious fantasy that brings history to life. Ben Stiller leads as the hapless night security guard at the Museum Of Natural History who discovers the exhibits museum magically come
Gabriele Muccino's rites of passage drama is "inspired by a true story". Will Smith delivers an exceptionally strong lead performance and the decision to cast his son Jaden in support reaps rewards. The title of the picture is clearly ironic - without
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (15) Clint Eastwood's brilliantly directed war opus explores events leading up to the iconic raising of the flag at The Battle Of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, contrasting the fortunes of the three surviving soldiers. In all respects
Smokin' Aces will appeal to a certain crowd, especially late night action junkies who get their kicks on a cocktail of mindless sex and violence. But if you hunger for something with a little more substance then Joe Carnahan's film is found wanting. Jeremy
Shot in the Yucatec language, with a cast of largely unknown, indigenous peoples from the Americas, Mel Gibson's film boldly recreates the collapse of an ancient empire through the eyes of a man embroiled in the bloodshed. Apocalypto is a tour-de-force
The battle of the sexes escalates into full blown warfare in It's A Boy Girl Thing, a teen comedy from director Nick Hurran in the mould of Freaky Friday about a pair of mismatched high school students who learn to walk in each other's shoes. However
Tim Allen starts as one-time superhero Captain Zoom in this family adventure based on the graphic novel Zoom's Academy For The Super Gifted by Jason Lethcoe. He is lured back into active service by scientist Marsha Holloway (Courteney Cox) to teach the
Miss Potter is a bright and breezy study guide rather than a measured account of the personal sacrifices of a literary genius, whose ideas were far ahead of her time. Renee Zellweger delivers another plummy English accent, and there is a pleasing but
Immersing us in a world of intoxicating sensory pleasures, Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer will either seduce you or leave you cold. Tom Tykwer's ravishing picture is a heady journey into the mind of a serial killer who barely utters a word for the entire
THE first meeting of the New Year got off to a flying start with a well-attended meeting and excellent entertainment provided by an Alcester U3A member. Famous anniversaries included the first photograph of the moon taken in 1839, the opening of the
DECEMBER'S meeting was the Christmas Party. More than 50 members and their guests were welcomed by president, Lynne Reading and enjoyed a superb evening. The room had a festive air and the theme was Something Glittery. The committee and other members
THE speaker at the January meeting, Mary Moore, took members on a guided tour, with slides, of some of the less-known streets and buildings of Birmingham. She started with Deritend and Digbeth and travelled up into the centre of the city and the renovated
ON January 8, chairman David Morgan gave a fascinating talk with slides on his early days as a teacher in Tanzania, followed by his family's return to Worcestershire. He talked of the importance of gardening in school life in Tanzania. He gave examples
THE 2006 programme ended with a show presented by Mike Dodd, from Cheltenham. The first half was of pictures taken around the UK in the 1960s by his father. The second half was of his own pictures in this country and also abroad, with spectacular scenes
PRESIDENT Judith Scott welcomed members to the first meeting of the New Year. Names were taken of those wishing to attend the annual council meeting in Malvern on March 20, at which Tricia Stewart, an original Calendar Girl, will be the main speaker
THE beginning of 2007 saw the start of the second half of the season. Refreshed from the Christmas and New Year break, members were thrown into the club's evaluation contest. The contest was ably managed by Derek Carter, who made participants feel at
THE 231st meeting took place at the Holly Bush Hotel on Wednesday, December 20 when an excellent Christmas Meal was enjoyed. After lunch, members were enthralled by Maj Chris Parnham, whose subject was the Order of St John and the St John Ambulance
THE first speaker for 2007 was Reg Moule, who has been working in nurseries and gardens for 35 years. He has also appeared on television and has a programme on BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester on a Saturday morning. He is now an adviser at Hurrans Garden
AT the first meeting of 2007, the president asked that whilet singing Jerusalem, we remembered the husband of one member who had died suddenly before Christmas. He had helped and supported the branch at many events. The business included discussion
THIS is a group of like-minded people who enjoy writing and meet every second and fourth Thursday of the month at the library in May Lane. Meetings begin at 7pm. The group numbers about 20 and members come from not only Wythall but Bromsgrove, Redditch
UNSCRUPULOUS traders tried to con an elderly woman into paying more than £2,000 to have her drive re-surfaced. The 89-year old, from Crabbs Cross, was called on by a group of traders on Wednesday, January 10. They said they had material left over from
ON behalf of all at The Salvation Army in Redditch, I write to express our very grateful thanks to everyone who contributed gifts to our Christmas Toy Appeal in December. Your kindness and generosity have helped us make some faces smile - and lives that
THE League of Friends of the Alexandra Hospital would like to thank everyone who has over the last year donated postage stamps, albums or collections in response to our appeal for such items. Due to the generosity of the donors and the huge amount and
I AM writing to see if any of your readers can help me. I am researching my family history and have discovered my 2x great grandfather, Augustus (Gus) Morgan Harber, was born in Feckenham in 1856. He was a needle grinder and married Mary Ann Neal in
A GANG of young people attacked a bus driver by hitting him over the head with a bottle. At about 5.30pm on Tuesday, January 9 a group of five or more young men and women threw liquid over the driver and hit him on the head with the bottle as they got
A MAN in his 60s exposed himself to two young girls in an Ipsley park on Wednesday afternoon. The incident happened just after 4pm as the two nine year olds were in a park in Lowlands Lane. The man, who was of medium build with grey hair and was wearing
FOLLOWING a spate of purse and bag thefts in Redditch, police are warning shoppers to be vigilant. In the last two months, more then £2,300 in cash has been stolen from purses and bags before they were dumped by the thieves. During this time, there
THE families of two men killed in an horrific crash have condemned drunk driver Graham Bessant for "digging up dirt" in a desperate bid to escape being convicted. Bessant's barrister levelled blame at Clive Edwards, who was in a fragile mental state
RESIDENTS in Mill Lane, Alcester, were trapped when the road was closed after flooding caused a riverbank to burst. Water company Severn Trent is completing sewerage works in the road and, by yesterday afternoon, access was available through the works
