Admirable film.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Blistering performances.

Create a world out of near-boundless imagination, fuse real history with fantasy quite seamlessly; make it wacky, silly and ridiculous; add in an impending disaster that takes the lives of people we really care about in an entirely serious and moving manner; make sure you've got actors who do their work with utter conviction; and what have you got? The greatest of all time "Christmas Episode" of Dr Who, that's what.One (most especially, but not only, a British "one") could watch this ten times and still not get all the jokes, or pick up all the allusions; still not fully appreciate the wonder that allows us to move from absurdity to sadness, to comedy, to pithy social comment, to an appreciative recognition of meaningful moments of history, all with utter ease.In short, a cosmos-roaming version of the Titanic - which pays considerable tribute to its original model - is sabotaged and is going down fast, not of course to the sea bottom, but towards Earth, and most especially to a very well-known bit of central London. Every ship-based disaster movie you've ever seen is pastiched here, yet also honoured, with the typical motley crew of survivors trying to get through the vessel to some kind of safety.Seen it before? Not like this you haven't. It's brilliant, witty, yet with a surprisingly high body count among people who skilfully establish themselves as major, multifaceted (and mostly very sympathetic) characters through 5-10 lines of dialogue each. It's truly miraculous how it's all squeezed in, in a storyline that has a great many threads and yet hangs together brilliantly and in a way that offers full satisfaction in just 72 minutes.The establishment of David Tennant's Doctor as a particular kind of superhero (even a "John Wayne of the stars") is complete here, but as ever the greatest episodes of this series are made so by the supporting cast. Here Kylie Minogue does well (without even having to try too hard) as one-off companion Astrid Peth, but there are greater stars even than her, with Clive Swift giving some kind of performance of his life as "Mr Copper" (haters of "Keeping Up Appearances" may now be inclined to forgive all, as did I). Jimmy Vee is great as Bannakaffalatta, but Debbie Chazen and Clive Rowe come over marvellously as the Van Hoff couple. In each case a key message subtle but clear to be picked up by viewers young and old, is that a randomly-selected group of people can gel into a mutually-supporting team with a surprising array of special skills, notwithstanding the (flawed) conviction of pathetic ineffectuality and underachievement they may harbour individually. This may be the episode's most powerful take-home message, but there are a great many more - all worthwhile, and none rammed down our throats in any way at all - this is the least syrupy, least preachy and most worthwhile TV Christmas episode we have seen in a long while.Among the ship's crew - and hence perhaps of secondary importance - we also get fine cameos from accomplished actors Geoffrey Palmer and Andrew Havill, as well as a role that holds the whole thing together from Russell Tovey, as Mr Midshipman Alonso Frame.It's tremendous fun, but also leaves a lasting impression that it has all meant something (this is all the more reinforced by a simply stupendous follow-up in this series's 11th Episode "Turn Left") To sum up, brilliance, brilliance and more brilliance.

In this Christmas special of doctor who, the always spectacular tenth doctor is traveling alone when he arrives on a luxurious space cruise called the Titanic named after...well, the titanic. The Doctor meets and interesting crew of characters who have to fight for survival, which ends tragically for some. This episode is by far my favorite Christmas special. With all the extra time they have sometimes the writers don't know what to do with it. (The Doctor the widow the wardrobe for example) But in this one the suspense and humor kept the episode lively the whole time. There are some villainous angels (blink?!?) but slightly different in character. These ones can move when you see them. They bring some scary moments in to the episode which I highly appreciate being a fan of the scary episodes who. So long story short, VOTD is frightening, funny, and slightly sad, which is everything a good episode of doctor who needs!

After series three of Nuwho came to a close with a whimper with the below par finale which was "Last of the Time Lords". I was counting that while Russel T. Davies wasn't the greatest writer when it came to family directed sci-fi that he might at least partially redeem himself. And while not completely awful. LOTTL was marginally better than this woefully insipid, vacuous way to bring an end to 2007's offerings. As about as welcome as walking in on your parents doing the deed and no where near half as entertaining. "Voyage of the Damned" not only earns the title of Turkey of the year. But It's one of the worst entries in Who history. Yes old and new series combined. And when you consider that it is up against dross which includes "Silver Nemesis" and "The Android Invasion" you realise that you're on to a bad thing.Immediately starting off from where the climax of LOTTL left off. VOTD places Tennant's tenth incarnation aboard a luxury space liner which is the hi-tech equivalent of the infamous HMS Titanic. Originating from an un-designated point in the future but orbiting 21st century and carrying a extreme amount of rich and not so wealthy passengers. It's hardly a shock when the worst happens as science fiction art partly imitates history and the liner is struck by a series of asteroids, with the vessel in partial ruins, many of the crew dead and only so many survivors. It is left to the Doctor with the assistance of a maid named Astrid (played by Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue) to save the day, so far so ho-hum.Its then that RTD makes the unappealing error of transforming the whole Farrago in to a "Posieden Adventure" inspired disaster movie in space rip off. I wouldn't mind so much but it's as uninspired and unsubtle as a brick being tossed through your window. Transferring key moments from the iconic 70's blockbuster with such haphazard third rate unsubtly that I shook my head at the sight of it. While the less about some of the dreadful dialogue the better. It's with some merit that the cast of supporting players which include veteran actors Clive Swift(notably famous for playing the long suffering Richard in "Keeping up Appearances")and Geoffrey Palmer(the dour faced star possibly known more for 80 sitcom "Butterflies)struggle to forge decent enough performances in this drivel. As do the rest of the actors. Tennant is reliable as ever while Minogue not largely known for her talent as an actress manages to be just about acceptable.The plotting is lazy and while it's pacing is even enough it doesn't compensate for some of the interminable dialogue and poorly developed characters. One of which is the obligatory sweet petite alien/cybernetic thrown in for good measure who utters some of the more inane babble imaginable. The added insult of a brief sub-plot where the Doctor has to prevent the ill fated liner crashing head long in to Buckingham Palace would be bad enough. Were it not the mournfully cheesy adage of witnessing a pseudo-cameo of the Queen outside running down the stair of the place in her night gown and slippers with the gratuitous shot of her corgi's thrown in for good measure. Throw in a jaw dropping moment of her waving thanks to the heroic Time Lord as in a hackneyed and derivative moment of patronising heroism. He manages to steer the figuratively sinking vessel from disaster at the last minute. Hurrah! Frankly I think it would have been more enjoyable had it crashed in to the old building. At least it would have been small mercy but this is "Doctor Who" after all and if our hero died then there would be no more series, would there.Throw in the requisite self centred passenger who should get his comeuppance, one half of a eccentric middle aged couple who is a thinly veiled variation on Shelly Winters character in TPA, less than terrifying robot enemies called hosts which resemble golden angels. And add the one dimensional mystery moustache twirling villainous mastermind behind the whole disaster (and I don't mean RTD) and what we're left with is an ironically speaking a real disaster, hindered more so by the shameful need to create a bit of romantic sparkle to the whole tawdry affair. You would have thought that after the show's long history not to mention that the previous years "The Runway Bride" was moderately diverting by not sinking to this level. But with eye candy like Minogue I suppose it was somewhat inevitable. Although It comes as little surprise when something "dreadfully unforeseen" occurs. Oh shock horror! The unmentionable happens! Finally driving to a coda where it all ends on what is I presume supposed to be a warm hearted yet somber conclusion. It once again sinks in to schmaltz driven, vomit drenched sentimentality. Tennant makes good with his fare wells and It couldn't be a moment too soon. Paving the way for a brief glimpse of what was to come in 2009's fourth series. And while thankfully appearing to seem half ways bearable. What would spring forth would be a mixed bag, although none of it could be quite as dire as what had preceded it. VOTD deserves to be condemned to the garbage bin of any "Doctor Who" encyclopedia as tremendous abomination, worst Christmas special and one of the worst stories ever.BTW, as a note of interest. Look out for the up and coming "Being Human" star, Russell Tovey as Midshopman Alonso Frame, a fine actor who deserved more than to have starred in this bilge.

I love Dr Who Christmas episodes and this one not only met but surpassed my expectations. Yes, we all knew Kylie wouldn't be the next assistant, so her storyline was a tad predictable, but it still had it all - pathos, humour, drama, robot angels, and the doctor finally reclaiming himself and his heritage. Great British actors strutted their stuff and a storyline that embraced and subverted Christmas but still delivered a lovely little Christmas message. Forget all the other Christmas television you get this time of year, the true meaning of Christmas is found in watching the Doctor defeat robots intent on destroying England (thanks goodness I live in Australia)