Mustang Review

The protagonists of Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s excellent Mustang are making the transition from childhood through adolescence, towards adulthood. It is one that turns each of us into individuals, with our own experiences bringing out a personality unique to us. And yet it is one we all make, and as such we can recognise parts of the…

Anomalisa Review

It’s a Charlie Kaufman film, so it should be no surprise that Anomalisa playfully considers our beliefs and expectations. And yet it manages to offer up an experience even hardened cinema-goers will not expect. Given the endless possibilities afforded in a CGI age, it is a shame that animation is so frequently used in the service of robots hitting each…

The Witch: GIF Special

It’s here! After months of anticipation rising to extreme levels, today is the day UK moviegoers can experience the pure terror that is Robert Eggers’ The Witch. This New England woodland horror was reviewed on this blog over a year ago, & we showed the nerve-shredding trailer in August, so to celebrate the release of THE BEST FILM…

Get Your NetFix: Mommy

A new feature on the blog. This is for the many people who turn on Netflix/Amazon Instant Video/your Video On Demand service of choice all psyched to get some super film action, only to find themselves half an hour later, thumbing through titles that have become so meaningless you start to wonder if you’ve made…

Top 5: Leonardo DiCaprio

Well you know what they say – sixth time lucky! On Sunday the Academy satisfied a meme that began before memes were a thing, by awarding Leonardo DiCaprio the Best Actor award for his performance as frontiersman Hugh Glass in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s revenge drama The Revenant. Whether or not he deserved it this year…

Oscars 2016: Preview

Hollywood’s gilded centrepiece is upon us again, and Tinseltown is tingling with anticipation. This time, though, the focus is rightly (finally) on what is missing; namely ANY nominees of colour in the acting, directing, writing, editing – well, most of the categories. With several high-profile figures including Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith, Spike Lee &…

Sundance 2016: Preview

Another Park City film fiesta is upon us, with tens of thousands of talented folk gathering in the Utah mountains for a celebration of independent cinema from across the world. Here is this writer’s pick of what looks good in each category from the most mouth-watering cinematic menu. Be prepared to hear these names again…

Top 5: Making A Murderer

Unless you’ve been living under a rock in 2016 – which given the weather, Jeremy Hunt and untimely deaths of rock/movie legends would be understandable – you’ll have heard of Making A Murderer. This 10-part, true crime documentary has millions across the globe glued to Netflix (for the rock dwellers, spoilers abound, so proceed at your…

Top 5: David Bowie Songs In Films

My oh my. Like I imagine quite a few of you, I’m rather shaken. The death of David Bowie is too sudden and too sad to comprehend. Amongst all the sadness, though, there is a distinct joy. A celebration of an utterly unique figure who gave his whole life to good things. To the creation of…

Top 10: Films of 2015

A bionic renegade leads the charge against a masked warlord. A stunning jazz singer burns all too brightly, a man falls for a machine and a much-loved franchise makes a nostalgic return. And Minions; minions, everywhere. There was so much to see on screen in 2015, but what were the 10 best films of the…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a Californian filmmaker named George Lucas created the most successful and enduring film franchise of all time. Star Wars changed the movie landscape like nothing before or since. Over 38 years since the first instalment it is back with the most highly-anticipated release in cinema…

TrailerTime: The BFG

My party trick used to be telling people I had read the BFG. I mean I was an insufferable four-year-old (some might say I still am), but that didn’t stop me. That part of me is therefore delighted to see a first trailer for The BFG, the Spielberg-directed live-action version of Roald Dahl’s classic novel….