A “forgotten” war film starring Sean Connery is hailed by fans as an “absolute masterpiece”. The Hill (1965) depicts life inside a fictional British military prison in North Africa towards the end of World War 2.

The prisoners, including Connery as Trooper Joe Roberts, are tormented by sadistic Staff Sergeant Williams (played Ian Hendry) and made to climb up a mound over and over again. Connery made the film at the height of his fame as James Bond. It features an array of other stars of the day, including Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Ossie Davis, Alfred Lynch, Roy Kinnear and Michael Redgrave.

The film was directed by Sidney Lumet known for films like 12 Angry Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon. It was based on a screenplay by Ray Rigby, a TV writer who had spent time in a British military prison during the war.

The YouTube channel Golden Age Classics, which celebrates stand out movies and hidden gems, included the drama in video about the “15 Forgotten War Films That Veterans Say Got It Right”.

The channel said the movie, which “stripped away every trace” of glamour in its depiction of the military, was divisive due to its unflinching tale of “cruelty, within your own ranks” but praised by soldiers.

“The film faded from theatres, too bleak for mainstream audiences, but later resurfaced as a masterpiece of psychological warfare.”

Fans have taken to IMDb to shower the Lumet classic with praise. One viewer gave it a 10/10, calling it undoubtedly “the greatest prison movie of all time”.

“This is an absolute masterpiece from start to finish,” they added. “I have seen this movie countless times and will continue to see it countless times in the future.

“If you haven’t seen the movie then what are you waiting for. I don’t give long winded reviews or sit there writing out the whole story, just watch it.”

Another said there are “some outstanding performances in this tale of a sociopathic army prison guard and the brutality he enacts on a group on newly arrived detainees in the North African desert at the close of the Second World War”.

“It’s a convincing story too, brilliantly conceived and directed.”

A third called it a “tour de force” and “surprising film”. “I remember watching ‘The Hill’ for the first time 20+ years ago on late night TV, I couldn’t understand why it hadn’t been shown on ‘primetime’,” they wrote.

“It contains some of the best acting I’ve ever seen. Connery, Bannen & Andrews are just stunning & 100% believeable in their respective roles. It was the first film I’d seen Connery in, in which I’d realised that he could really act.

“I can understand that the storyline maybe a little obtuse, but as a character study I’ve seen few films to surpasse it.”

The film is a gritty portrayal of prison camp life, confronting pychological distress, violence, and racism, so viewer discretion is advised.

The Hill is available to rent or buy on YouTube and Apple TV.

A beloved festive film hailed by one fan as a “masterpiece” is streaming now in the UK. Love Actually (2003) begins a few weeks before Christmas and explores love in various forms across 10 separate stories, playing out in a countdown to the big day.

The film, which was directed by Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary) and features an extraordinary array of stars, including Hugh Grant as a fictional UK Prime Minister, Liam Neeson as a widower raising his young stepson, and Colin Firth as a lonely writer heartbroken after discovering his girlfriend had an affair.

The film was added back to Netflix today (Monday, December 1), having last appeared back in May 2022.

Fans took to Rotten Tomatoes to shower the film with praise. One called it simply, the “absolute greatest Christmas movie to ever exist”.

Another said it’s “a wonderful film with a brilliant cast”.

They said: “People are looking for love when sometimes its right in front of them. A Christmas classic.”

A third said: “Love Actually is an excellent movie because it mixes in the most intelligent way romance, humour, and emotion in a way that people love to watch again and again.”

But while many regard it as must-see viewing over the Christmas period, some said they weren’t sold on it, with one saying:

“This film is irredeemably bad on just about every front except for a couple of good performances.” Another said they “don’t know how anyone can sit through this drivel”.

“There are many better choices out there for romantic comedy. I’d skip this one.”

And while the first has fairly low scores of 64% and 72% on Rotten Tomatoes‘ Tomatometer and Popcornmeters, which reflect the response of approved critics and general audiences, respectively, with some not appreciating its unashamedly sweet and sentimental tone.

But many still regard watching it as an obligatory yuletile tradition. One fan on IMDb called it a “masterpiece”.

“And most importantly, an ageless Christmas classic!”, they added.

“An incredibly warm, cozy, atmospheric film, filled with love in all its various manifestations!

Another said the film is “star-studded with some of Great Britain’s finest actors and is just as good on the tenth viewing as it was the first”.

The film has a 15 certificate and contains strong sex, strong language, and adult themes.

Love Actually is streaming now on Netflix.

A recent update by Sony has rectified an issue that has been troubling PlayStation consoles for a while. The modification impacts PS5 Slim and some standard PS5 models for new buyers.

After years of frustration, the change makes an important improvement to hardware. It improves the liquid-metal thermal interface material (TIM) layout to minimise coolant leak risks and improve long-term stability. Owners of the console have long complained about how one important PS5 feature is impacted by this.

Newer PlayStation 5 Slim hardware revisions, identifiable by module codes CFI-2100/2200, now utilise the same improved TIM applications found in the PlayStation 5 Pro.

This measure has been implemented to address a prevalent concern among PS5 users who observed that the liquid metal was susceptible to leakage.

The problem is particularly bad when the console is positioned vertically or moved frequently, reports All Out Gaming.

This leads to uneven cooling, dry patches on the APU, increased fan noise, and in severe cases, long-term hardware stress.

Sony anticipates that this new solution will significantly reduce these issues, making PlayStation gaming more dependable for players.

PS5 owners on Reddit have hailed the move, with one writing: “I always keep my PS5 pro horizontal because of this issue.

“Great to hear they fixed it. So I can finally place it upright (which i think is better looking).”

Another added: “Didn’t even know this was a problem but seems like a pretty massive one since Liquid Metal can cause shorts on the boards.

“I guess that’s why they quietly fixed it though.”