The Card Counter review: Oscar Isaac at his inscrutable best November 8, 2021 While he may not be as well known as his collaborators, the name Paul Schrader still commands respect among movie fans. He enjoyed his greatest success as a writer, working on four films with Martin Scorsese including Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, while also directing hits like 80s smash American Gigolo and Oscar winner Affliction. [...]
Finch movie: Tom Hanks pulls heartstrings in robo-buddy movie November 7, 2021 The timing of Tom Hanks’ new film Finch is either perfect or terrible depending on your outlook. The sci-fi drama with an environmental backdrop comes to Apple TV+ just as major leaders are deciding how to tackle the climate crisis at the COP26 conference in Glasgow. If anyone can inspire people to make a change, surely it’s [...]
A Cop Movie review: A captivating warning about a broken system November 7, 2021 With its flashy music and action cliches, A Cop Movie sets out to be stylistically reminiscent of 70s police dramas. However, for those who saw last year’s Midnight Family, a heart-breaking look at a private ambulance in Mexico City, a different resemblance will begin to emerge. The docu-drama is about two Mexican police officers, Teresa [...]
‘night, Mother at Hampstead Theatre, review: Misses the mark November 5, 2021 You know there’s a problem when you realise, half way through a play’s performance, that you don’t care what happens to either of the protagonists. On paper, ‘night, Mother at the Hampstead theatre seemed a recipe for success: a revival of Marsha Norman’s 1985 Pulitzer-winning play starring stage and screen icon Stockard Channing (Grease, Six [...]
What we learned from this year’s Booker Prize November 4, 2021 Bookies favourite Damon Galgut was awarded the Booker Prize last night for his novel The Promise. Set in his home city of Pretoria, it tells its story through four funerals. Here’s what we learned from the result. A nomination won’t make you rich overnight Prior to the announcement, the best selling book on the nomination [...]
Culture corner: What’s going on in the City this November? November 2, 2021 There are a wealth of events, gigs, historical talks, comedy shows and concerts throughout November. Get your culture fix now before the Christmas party season drinks up your time and take advantage of what the City has to offer on the days you’ve commuted into the office. Pop into the Barbican Library in your lunch [...]
Diana’s story is pure cinema – but will it continue to enthrall? October 29, 2021 As the old adage goes, you wait an eternity for a bus to arrive, and four come along at once. The same could be said of cinematic incarnations of Princess Diana: the past decade has seen at least four actresses don flaxen wigs and unwieldy shoulder pads, with Kristen Stewart the latest to cast bashful [...]
Let there be light: Where to buy neon art for your home October 29, 2021 Ever fancied turning a spare room into a screening room for cosy nights in? Last year I gutted my spare room and my shower room in an ill-conceived bid for some lockdown home improvements (sounds familiar?), then, having turned my home upside down, I found myself time-poor and have been living with the mess ever [...]
Spencer film review: Kristen Stewart shines in tough Diana biopic October 29, 2021 Princess Diana hasn’t always been the easiest subject to cover. Prior to the disastrous 2013 drama Diana, the 1997 accident that took her life was seen as too fresh in the public’s memory to make a biopic viable. Now, nearly 25 years on, enough time has passed for screenwriters to delve into her fascinating story. [...]
Last Night in Soho review: A film of two halves October 28, 2021 After a long wait, Edgar Wright returns with a time-hopping horror/thriller that has been ear-marked as a movie to look out for by his many loyal fans. The West Country filmmaker hasn’t disappointed in the last few years, getting over his split from Marvel by making a car chase classic in Baby Driver, and telling [...]