Elle film review: a bizarre but effective revenge comedy as black as the sky on a moonless night March 10, 2017 The recent gaff at the Oscars meant a number of films and performances were lost amid the noise. One of them was Elle, which gained a Best Actress nomination for French star Isabelle Huppert. A favourite of film makers including Michael Haneke, she takes the title role in Paul Verhoeven’s (RoboCop, Starship Troopers, Total Recall) [...]
Logan is the bloody and bold Wolverine film fans have been waiting for, and a perfect end to the series March 3, 2017 While not every outing was a gem, Hugh Jackman’s seventeen years as Wolverine have made him a superhero movie icon. Taller and prettier than the comic book character, he nonetheless won over the nerds during his six-film run (plus two cameos). The missing ingredient (“X factor”, if you will), however, has always been edge; his [...]
The Great Wall film review: It’s a shame, but this Chinese film plays like a bog standard Hollywood movie February 17, 2017 Dir. Zhang Yimou Hero director Zhang Yimou’s expensive opus sees Matt Damon play a mercenary taken prisoner on the Great Wall of China, during the Song Dynasty. He discovers the wall was built to protect the country from invading alien monsters, and joins the fight to keep them at bay. The film represents a landmark [...]
Hidden Figures film review: This timely story is important, if a tad sentimental February 17, 2017 Dir. Theodore Melfi One of the films vying for Best Picture at next weekend’s Oscars, Hidden Figures tells the fascinating story of three African-American women (Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae) who overcome prejudice to be vital in NASA’s first missions to space. The issue of racism within the space programme is handled [...]
The Founder film review: the story of Ray Kroc, the man behind McDonalds’ fast food empire, is a fascinating watch February 17, 2017 Dir. John Lee Hancock The story of Ray Kroc and the birth of one of the great corporate empires is a fascinating watch. Set in the 50s, a struggling milkshake machine salesman (Michael Keaton) stumbles across a small burger shop named McDonald’s, with two brothers setting out a system to deliver the perfect burger quickly. [...]
Moonlight film review: If La La Land wasn’t released this year, this is the film everyone would have been talking about February 17, 2017 Dir. Barry Jenkins Had La La Land waited until next year to charm the world, there’s every chance Moonlight would be the film everyone is talking about at next Sunday’s Oscars. Spanning several years, we look at three phases in the life of quiet Miami kid Chiron as his home life, sexuality and surroundings threaten [...]
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk review: Ang Lee’s directorial return is pocked with missed opportunities February 10, 2017 Much like the title character, Ang Lee’s first film since Life of Pi comes with some baggage. A huge flop on its release in the US, low box office number summed up the indifferent reaction from customers as well as critics. It’s easy to see why. Based on the Ben Fountain novel, the story takes [...]
Fences film review: Incredible acting overcomes stagey direction in this Denzel Washington movie February 10, 2017 Stepping into the director’s chair for the first time in a decade, Denzel Washington also takes the lead in this adaptation of August Wilson’s play. Troy (Washington) is a hard working, hard drinking garbage man in 1950s Pittsburgh. Resentful of his lot in life, he pushes away his sons, leaving his wife (Viola Davis) to [...]
The Lego Batman Movie review: This might be the best Batman film ever, watch your back Affleck February 9, 2017 Batfleck may have thus far been a mixed blessing for comic book fans, but there's no doubting the popularity of his smaller, Lego counterpart. Will Arnett's cocky Caped Crusader was the breakout star of The Lego Movie three years ago, earning his own solo adventure. Having saved Gotham again, Batman finds himself alone and without [...]
Christine film review: Rebecca Hall shines in a film that peers behind the gruesome headlines of the Christine Chubbuck case January 26, 2017 “If It Bleeds, It Leads” is the darkly prophetic slogan at the centre of this drama, about real life TV reporter Christine Chubbuck (Rebecca Hall) whose work pressures and mental health issues led her to commit suicide on camera in 1974. Even a cursory search for Chubbuck’s name makes for unpleasant reading, the stuff of [...]
