THE READER... ON ITS WAY!

I CAUGHT up with The Reader today following its release on January 2 and I'll be reviewing it in the Mail on Friday, January 9.

The Kate Winslet film has been released by Entertainment, which makes a habit of not providing regional press shows. Which is a great pity.

All critics want to provide the best service possible - and that, essentially, means seeing new films in time to let readers make up their own minds as to whether they feel a particular movie will be worth their hard-earned cash.

For the record, it's 11 years this month since Kate Winslet starred in Titanic, which has only just lost its UK box office record to Mamma Mia!

Both of these movies were given regional press shows, the original and still the best way of promoting a new release.

I like to think that, as well as my many hard-working regional colleagues around the country, both of my five-star, detailed reviews - which included criticisms as well as praise - will have helped Titanic and Mamma Mia! to maximise their potential on the cinema screen.

When a film company gets its product right, punters will always turn up to cinemas in their droves. And worries about piracy will diminish accordingly.

As for The Reader... I think it's going to have to be three stars. Find out more on Friday.