Wake Up Punk review: Egos drown out discourse in search for true meaning of punk May 9, 2022 Just what exactly is Punk in modern society? It’s a question posed by Vivienne Westwood and son Joseph Corré in this new documentary. Sadly, the film never seems to find an answer as egos and hypocrisy drown out the discourse. The main narrative surrounds Corré’s protest in 2016, where he burned around £5m of his [...]
Casablanca Beats is a hip hop story with soul to spare May 6, 2022 There’s often an extra dimension to films that are inspired by the director’s own life. Nabil Ayouch (2015 drama Much Loved) draws on his own life in this story of a Anas (Anas Basbousi), a former rapper living in the Sidi Moumen suburb of Casablanca who takes a job teaching young people his craft at [...]
Downton: A New Era is nostalgic, predictable fun May 6, 2022 Familiarity is king when it comes to cinema at the moment. Superheroes, video games, and even the Jackass crew have all found success prodding at our nostalgia over the last few months. It’s the perfect time for the return of Downton Abbey, the cosy TV drama which led to an even cosier 2019 film. The [...]
Happening film review: An indie gem worthy of its accolades and hype April 26, 2022 The winner of the prestigious Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film Festival finally hits UK cinemas, with Happening, the second film from journalist-turned-director Audrey Diwan, arriving with a hive’s worth of buzz. Set in France in 1963, Happening is the story of Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei), a promising student with a bright future ahead of [...]
The Unbearable Weight of Talent: Nicolas Cage shines as Nicolas Cage April 25, 2022 In recent years, Nicolas Cage has joined that exclusive club of beloved cult stars. Like William Shatner, Christopher Walken, and Jeff Goldblum before him, the actor has a balance of craft and eccentricity that makes him a fascinating pop culture figure. Also like those stars, Cage is embracing his oddball reputation. He turned heads with [...]
The Lost City review: Bullock and Tatum shine in lowbrow comedy April 10, 2022 Like her Speed co-star Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock is a star who never seems too far from a hit. There’s something about the girl-next-door charm of the Oscar winner that keeps people coming back even in an era where brands are more popular than stars. Having found success with Gravity, Birdbox, and Ocean’s 8 over [...]
Compartment No 6 continues a fine lineage of train-based romance movies April 10, 2022 If TikTok celeb Francis Bourgeois has taught us anything, it’s that trains can be exciting. Cinema shares that sentiment, with memorable classics including Brief Encounter and Strangers On A Train giving the everyday form of transport a sense of romance. Juho Kuosmanen’s drama Compartment No 6 may not have the same sweeping sentiment, but it [...]
The Bad Guys review: Better than average animated fun April 7, 2022 Once the home of giants including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How To Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks has played it safe over the last few years, with competitor Pixar disappearing into the distance. Films like Boss Baby, Trolls, and The Croods are enjoyable, but they are glossy distractions for children rather than something worth remembering. [...]
The Bad Guys review: Passable family film putting villains in the spotlight April 1, 2022 Once the home of giants including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How To Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks has played it safe over the last few years, with competitor Pixar disappearing into the distance. Films like Boss Baby, Trolls, and The Croods are enjoyable, but they are glossy distractions for children rather than something worth remembering. [...]
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 review: formulaic fun that offers nothing new April 1, 2022 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 reunites viewers with the titular hero (voiced by Ben Schwartz), now living a happy if restless life with his human guardians Tom and Maddie (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter). That bliss is soon shattered, however, when Sonic’s arch enemy Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) returns from the mushroom dimension he was sent [...]