Pearl & Dean: Cinema advertising giant banking on Wicked and Gladiator 2 success after loss-making year October 2, 2024 Cinema advertising giant Pearl & Dean is hoping that the expected commercial success of Wicked and Gladiator 2 will help it return to the black. The London-headquartered business fell to a pre-tax loss of £1.7m in 2023 despite the boost provided by the popularity of films such as Barbie, Oppenheimer and Wonka. The loss came [...]
Strange Darling film review: Like a modern Quentin Tarantino September 19, 2024 Independent hit Strange Darling’s grindhouse titles, 35mm film presentation, and use of the Miramax logo gives it the feel of something that might have been made in the mid-90s by Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez. It is, however, a modern story with an inventive twist on the serial killer thriller. Told in out-of-order chapters, the [...]
Reel Cinemas: Evolution is ‘critical for long-term survival’ September 13, 2024 Reel Cinemas has said the evolution of its business model is “critical for its long-term survival” after its profit was slashed during its latest financial year. The Leicestershire-headquartered independent chain added that it is optimistic for the despite rising costs and the industry remaining “challenging”. The admission comes in newly-filed accounts with Companies House which [...]
Sing Sing film review: Colman Domingo shines in imaginative prison drama August 29, 2024 Colman Domingo, a talented character actor only just beginning to get his due as a star, leads a thrilling ensemble in this uplifting true-life drama. He plays John “Divine G” Whitfield, an inmate at the infamous Sing Sing correctional facility just outside of New York. Wrongly convicted and awaiting a parole verdict, he puts everything [...]
Downton Abbey maker Carnival Films scraps dividend as earnings dip ahead of third film August 22, 2024 Earnings at the production company behind TV hits such as Downton Abbey dipped in 2023 after the income it generates from its back catalogue fell, it has been revealed. Carnival Films has reported a turnover of £43m for its latest financial year, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. The figure comes after the business [...]
Marv Studios: Record year for Matthew Vaughn and Claudia Schiffer’s Kingsman maker August 21, 2024 Marv Studios, the production company founded by Matthew Vaughn and Guy Ritchie, achieved the best year in its history as it surged back into the black. The firm, which is now owned by Vaughn and his wife Claudia Schiffer, has posted a pre-tax profit of £72.7m for the year to 30 June, 2023. The company [...]
Pinewood: Strong start for iconic studio ahead of Marvel’s The Fantastic Four boost August 7, 2024 Pinewood saw its turnover jump by almost 40 per cent in the months ahead of filming of Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps starting at the iconic film studio. The group behind the studio has reported a turnover of £49.3m for the three months to June 30, 2024, up from £35.6m. Pinewood said that it [...]
Didi film review: raw and uncompromising nostalgia trip to the noughties August 1, 2024 Didi film review and star rating: ★★★★ Noughties nostalgia is finding form on the big screen. Following last week’s I Saw The TV Glow, coming-of-age drama Didi follows a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy who loves skating and girls, and grappling with the social media age, he tries to fit in despite feeling different in many ways. [...]
Deadpool & Wolverine review: Ryan Reynolds pokes fun at Marvel August 1, 2024 Deadpool & Wolverine review and star rating: ★★★★ When Disney bought Fox in 2019, The Marvel Cinematic Universe had the green light to include The X-Men and Fantastic Four characters in future films. But what would they do with Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds’ mercenary who didn’t seem to fit in with Disney or Marvel’s family friendly [...]
New A24 release Janet Planet needs an emotional high – review July 26, 2024 The latest from hip film studio A24, Janet Planet is a coming-of-age story that pleasantly hits all the notes of an independent drama without quite taking your breath away. Set in the early 60s, Julianne Nicholson plays Janet, a wayward and depressed mother who struggles to satisfy the clinginess of Lacy (Zoe Ziegler), her 11-year-old [...]