Misbehaviour film review: Dramatisation of the Miss World pageant stormed by feminists lacks feeling March 16, 2020 This glossy dramatisation of the 1970 Miss World Pageant in London, during which feminist protesters stormed the stage and covered host Bob Hope in flour, is intended to be a tale of heroism when viewed through a modern lens, but ends up playing things a little too safe. The story unfolds from several perspectives. Kiera [...]
Downhill film review: Awkward Hollywood remake of Force Majeure gets lost in translation February 28, 2020 This remake of European drama Force Majeure stars Will Ferrell as a man whose relationship with his wife (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) disintegrates after he ditches her and their kids to escape an oncoming avalanche. The original film was a profound look at the questions we’d rather not ask ourselves. The American version retains none of these [...]
Colour out of Space film review: Nicolas Cage cuts loose in this montage of madness February 28, 2020 In these uncertain times, it’s comforting to know some things can still be relied upon – in this case Nicolas Cage’s ability to one-up his own bonkers persona. Based on the HP Lovecraft novel of the same name and directed by Richard Stanley, the man who got fired from 90s car-crash The Island of Dr [...]
Just Mercy review: A worthy but powerful legal drama buoyed by strong performances January 17, 2020 If our Netflix habits over the past couple of years are anything to go by, we bloody love a courtroom procedural. The People v. OJ Simpson; When They See Us; Making a Murderer – the list goes on. Basically, if you get your kicks from someone digging out a vital piece of paper from a [...]
Bad Boys For Life review: Will Smith serves up a dish of steaming hot nostalgia January 17, 2020 Once a guarantee of box office success, Will Smith today finds himself on rocky ground. Last year’s Gemini Man bombed, his Netflix movie Bright was critically savaged, and even the success of Aladdin can be put down to nostalgia rather than star-power. The A-lister and sometime YouTuber looks for redemption in his third Bad Boys [...]
Bombshell film review: Kidman, Theron and Robbie shine in this timely #metoo drama January 17, 2020 The co-writer of excoriating financial drama The Big Short serves up another examination of the state of the United States, this time taking aim at the media. Bombshell centres on the Fox News sexual harassment scandal that erupted just four short years ago – so recently that it seems a little early for an autopsy [...]
Uncut Gems movie review: Adam Sandler decides to show up again in this gem of a movie January 10, 2020 Those who only know Adam Sandler as the guy who makes fart jokes on Netflix will be in for a huge surprise in this tense thriller, from the directors of 2017 indie hit Good Time. He transforms himself as Howard, a Manhattan jeweller who finds himself on a downward spiral regarding his decisions surrounding a [...]
Review: Why Sam Mendes’ 1917 is the first unmissable film of the twenties January 10, 2020 The set-up for Sam Mendes’ first film since Bond is straightforward enough: young soldier Tom (Dean Charles-Chapman) and his friend William (George MacKay) are tasked with crossing No Man’s Land to deliver a message that could save the lives of thousands. Once that mission begins, however, we are taken on a spectacular war thriller, masterfully [...]
Can The Rise of Skywalker reawaken Disney’s Force? December 19, 2019 These are dark times for the Disney Empire. The unified celebration that greeted its first two Star Wars entries (The Force Awakens and Rogue One) descended into rebellion with the release of The Last Jedi, one of the most divisive films in recent memory. Then came Solo, the first Star Wars movie to lose money. [...]
Downton Abbey film review: If you’re a fan of period dramas, this may be your Avengers September 13, 2019 Four years on from the final episode, Downton Abbey returns for more nostalgia and vicarious luxury. It’s 1927, and the reason for our return is the arrival of King George V and Queen Mary to the big house. This impending brush with royalty causes no end of chaos among the Downton residents, with the upstairs [...]
