• Denzel Washington, who directs and stars in the inspirational movie The Great Debaters. The movie's based on true events (which means that some of it is fictionalised and not to be taken as gospel truth, but the essence of truth is very apparent) that happened at Wiley College, Texas, in the Thirties, when an African-American college debate team, against all odds, achieved something approaching glory.
The main debaters are played by Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker and Denzel Whitaker and they all have fire in their bellies.
Ms Smollett and Mr Parker play composite characters featuring traits of many real-life students who were at Wiley in the Thirties.
Mr Whitaker portrays someone real: James Farmer Jr., who later became one of the leading architects of the Civil Rights movement. (In this film, his father is played by Forest Whitaker - no relation!) Washington himself plays Melvin Tolson, the Wiley professor and poet who coached the debating team. I loved a lot about this film, particularly the sense that these characters had such a passion for knowledge.
They used words as weapons in the battle to overcome woeful racial strife. They had little of what our students have today, except a desire to learn, which they possessed in abundance. Washington and his screenwriter Robert Eisele cover a lot of ground in this movie and we see scenes of harrowing anguish, coupled with some of the most moving film moments I've seen in a while.
Washington does a far superior job with The Great Debaters than he did with the over-sweetened Antwone Fisher. The Great Debaters is about something: standing up for what you believe in. The movie opens here on February 8.
Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who helped back the Afghans when the Soviets invaded, there are also scenes that will make you ponder about what goes on in this world. Ostensibly it's not a war film; rather, it's a wry exploration of how a man used his wits to get something done. Hanks is good but Hoffman steals it. I loved the bit of banter when Wilson (Hanks) asks a CIA spook (Hoffman) if he drinks. 'Oh, God, yeah!' he responds. Actually, the movie's like a very welcome - and well shaken - cocktail.
• Thelma Ruby, an actress who has given her whole life to the theatre. Thelma's comic timing is second to none. She was in Cabaret with Judi Dench (the original London run!) but I first ran into her when she did a series of fun shows at the King's Head in Islington and I was bowled over by her. From Monday, Thelma is headlining That's Entertainment, accompanied by pianist Jonathan Williams, at the New End Theatre in Hampstead. The show runs till January 13 - call 0870 033 2733 for info or visit ww.newendtheatre.co.uk.