The Artist’s Wife review – an indie drama lacking inspiration April 29, 2021 Acting legends Leno Olin and Bruce Dern star in a film about the pressures of supporting greatness. Olin plays Claire Smythson, the wife of celebrated painter Richard (Dern). Living comfortably in their old age, Claire keeps their lives running while Richard is allowed to surround himself with painting and teaching. When he begins to show [...]
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse: Michael B Jordan in so-so thriller April 29, 2021 The latest in the long line of cinema releases that have migrated to streaming, Michael B Jordan hopes to kick off another franchise in an adaptation of this Tom Clancy novel, itself a spin-off of the Jack Ryan series. He plays John, a committed Navy SEAL who is part of a raid in Syria that [...]
Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation review April 29, 2021 There have been many documentaries in recent years that take the form of audio-visual mosaics. Asif Kapadia’s Amy, Listen To Me Marlon, and last year’s Billie brought to life the journeys of famous faces through archive footage and lost conversations. Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation looks at the lives of Truman Capote and Tennessee [...]
Which wine goes with Shakespeare? Honest Grapes knows April 28, 2021 Which white Burgundy would help cut through the barbed wit of Oscar Wilde? Which of Shakespeare’s comedies would bring out the best in a glass of crisp English sparkling wine? And which famous British humourist would complement a modern, peppery Super Tuscan? I discovered the answer to these questions and more thanks to a wonderful [...]
Wine’s not just for tasting: Meet the wine photographer of the year April 28, 2021 Wine is not just about the nose, the finish and mouth feel. It’s about inspiration, lighting, styling, composition and framing, and being in the right place at the right time. Spain’s Oscar Olivares, an award-winning vinographer, has just become the 2021 Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year, receiving a prize of £1,000 and the prestigious [...]
Falcon and Winter Soldier Episode 6 finale review April 23, 2021 *** WARNING! This contains spoilers for all episodes of Falcon and Winter Soldier *** So, we come to the big finale, where everything will be resolved and all loose ends tied up. Just kidding, this is Marvel after all, but amid the teasers for forthcoming attractions we can hope for some kind of resolution. We [...]
Top art and theatre to see as the London culture scene reopens April 23, 2021 With theatres allowed to reopen with sociual distancing from 17 May, and with restrictions lifted by 21 June, the London cultural scene is finally emerging from its Covid slumber. Here are 10 plays, galleries or institutions we can’t wait to visit. National Theatre The National Theatre reopens from 2 June with a production of After [...]
The Oscars 2021: Our predictions for the big winners April 22, 2021 Hollywood’s big, back slapping Oscar party arrives on Sunday, but as with other awards ceremonies, the film industry will have to congratulate itself from a distance. It will be a different kind of awards, with a rumoured additional venue in London, but the same amount of anticipation regarding who will take home a gold statuette. [...]
Chick Fight review – lame comedy is far from a knockout April 22, 2021 In the absence of expensive promotion and cinema foyers, some films rely on a snappy title to stand out in streaming queues. Chick Fight might catch the eye for the wrong reasons, but a film will try anything to keep you from scrolling past. Sadly, most who see this film will wish they had. Malin [...]
Black Bear review – a meta tale of twists and turns April 22, 2021 Recently, we’ve been treated to big budget studio fare in the on-demand space, as Godzilla fought Kong, Eddie Murphy’s prince returned to America, and Zack Snyder re-assembled his Justice League. However, with cinema re-openings just a few weeks away, the larger blockbusters are holding off and, for the moment at least, the VOD space has [...]