Scene on Screen - If you love foreign crime thrillers

I've got my weekend's viewing sorted.  Series 4 of Spiral (Engrenages), the French TV show about the justicial system in France.    If you think the Killing and the Bridge had flawed characters, you'll love this line up.

The plots are hard hitting and the action brutal.  Co-written by a real French cop, the line of questioning is accurate.  If they rough up a suspect or harass a teenager, it’s because the world is like that.  It’s all about the confession – you have to make them talk.  

Police Captain Laure Berthaud  is devoted to her work and her team and does anything to protect them although her methods are sometimes borderline.  Outside of work, her private life is a mess.

Gilou is her side-kick with an even more dodgy background having had a drug problem in the past.

The legal cast include Pierre Clement  who has strong morals that conflict with many of the political and more powerful players in the system.

In contrast Josephine Karlsson appears to have no such morals and will do anything to get ahead and make money.  Clever, attractive and cynical, she thrives on danger and thinks nothing of double crossing someone.  As a result, she has put herself at considerable risk as a result. 

The judge, Francois Roban is older, wiser and hardworking.  He appears cold and aloof, but it is his detached approach that ensures justice is meted out.

Scene on Screen - my favourite films

I miss the days when Saturday afternoon meant being in front of the telly with my mum watching a good musical on BBC2.

And my top three?

Singin' in the Rain

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Calamity Jane

Was it just me or did others wonder whether the characters actually danced down the street singing and that's perfectly acceptable in 'musical land'?  Or was it supposed to be like opera in that the words were being sung?

Oh, Just me then!

PS  Can't miss out the Sound of Music, especially for my niece who forces me to sing it every time we get in the car.  So sweet to hear an eight-year-old trying to get her tongue round 'A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

What are your favourites?

Scene on Screen - the Notebook

My daughters have been trying to get me to watch this film for ages, but after being told by my friend that her husband 'cried like a baby!', I thought I should give in and give it a go.

I know that probably everyone has seen this by now, but for those few who haven't .... don't delay, rent it today.

You won't regret it .... and yes, I blubbed and blubbed!

www.foxandhounds-eastknoyle.co.uk

Scene on Screen - Mental starring Toni Collette

If you like something a bit different and you enjoyed Muriel's Wedding, you'll love the latest offering from director PJ Hogan.

He's teamed up again with Toni Collette for the film Mental which also features some other great actors including Anthony LaPaglia, Liev Schreiber, Caroline Goodall, Rebecca Gibney and Kerry Fox who all turn in stellar performances.

It's what you'd expect from Hogan (he's not the Crocodile Dundee Hogan by the way!) - visual humour and laugh out loud moments, but with a strong story line that has a great moral tying it all together. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll possibly cringe a couple of times but it's a great film and we don't think you'll feel a couple of hours have been wasted if you sit down to watch it.

We try to feature indie films, so apologies if anything we include has been a massive hit that we missed.

Scene on Screen - check out your local library

I know that libraries are not a secret, but perhaps not so well known is the fantastic service available in most libraries for renting the latest DVDs for what, as far as I know, is the cheapest rental around.  And the service, at least in my county, beats the likes of any online rental service I've encountered hands down.

As well as being able to browse what's on offer at your local branch, you can go online and reserve them.  If they don't have it in my branch, I can request it from another Dorset branch and they will send it across to mine where I can pick it up within 7 days. And I can return it to my local branch too.  No travel, no hassle.

And so, with a little forward planning, I've often got my weekend's viewing sorted and ready to collect on Saturday.  I don't know how much yours charge, but mine are 50p a day.  

And my most adventurous rental?  The Killing Series 1.  20 hour long episodes over one weekend.  Nearly killed me.  But well worth it.