Low Winter Sun (2006)

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Mark Strong shows why he is one of the best male British actors around nowadays. From Emma to Tinker Tailor he dominates films and that's what he does in this dramatic story. He is torn apart in front of our eyes. His conflict is played out and you know it is going to end badly, but you can't help but hope. The bit with the contents of the bag was pointless and in normal circumstances I'd have marked it down a star for that, but given how strong the rest of it is it is forgiven. There's a strong (sorry) cast as well, with some brilliant acting, making you think they had been hand picked for who they are. The cops are bad but human. The baddies are worse. The atmosphere of Edinburgh comes through a treat. I loved it.

This is a brilliant film noir and Edinburgh, possibly the most haunted and haunting city in Europe, is the perfect backdrop for this gripping drama of deception, corruption, love and moral conflict. Though the film is downright grisly at times, it is completely in line with Scotland's brutal history and Auld Reekie's Burke and Hare past. In fact, the town and its history are one of the main characters. Low Winter Sun is a murder/missing person mystery that is a classic tale of human evil that also addresses today's urban problems, such as, illegal immigration and the weakening of religious faith. It is superbly acted with outstanding performances by Mark Strong and Brain McCardie. The cinematography is disturbingly beautiful and the editing is seamless. My only complaint about this film is that it is not available on DVD!

I tried to like this, but in the end I had to give up. It was all too dour and it was too gruelling to try to make out what everyone was saying (strong Scottish accents). It was also too wearing hearing all the endless swearing. (Often these were the clearest words spoken.) This language may be realistic, but this is entertainment, not a documentary. The story, after all, is not very believable.I saw this on BBC Prime, the endless-repeats-from-a-bin-of-old-tapes channel the BBC half-heartedly throws together for people outside the UK. This was one of the few programmes not from the BBC's own dusty archives. It's a pity it was not better, since the channel is very short of material.

Up there with Prime Suspect (another Mark Strong arena). A wonderful piece of Brit suspense/thriller writing and acting. Highly recommended viewing. Although it was a good 2.5 hours long it never lost its pace or dark feel. Great title too - a real piece of TV noirNice to see John Session acting again, haven't seen him in anything for a while. His scenes will put you off your dinner though...I did find some of the story a little convoluted and found the pass the parcel with 'the bag' a little hard to believe, but these are small criticisms; it is great edge-of- the-seat drama.Nice one Channel 4 - more please.