Becoming Cousteau review – a deep dive into the life of a pioneer November 11, 2021 To a generation, Jacques Cousteau was the man who first uncovered the world beneath the waves. An inspiration to anyone who has dreamed of exploring the depths, he has surprisingly few major films about him, although Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a self-confessed homage. Liz Garbus, director of the excellent What [...]
Cry Macho film review: A passable Clint Eastwood cowboy yarn November 10, 2021 If you think Dune took a while to get a remake, spare a thought for Cry Macho. N. Richard Nash’s novel was published in the 1970s, having been rejected as a screenplay, only to be optioned again as a movie due to the book’s success. Multiple attempts have been made to make an adaptation over [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Marvel’s big budget Eternals is a missed opportunity October 28, 2021 After a farewell to Black Widow, and a triumphant debut for Shang-Chi, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe forges ahead with Eternals. The MCU’s trickiest proposition yet has the task of introducing a new team and a new world to the established order. At least with Nomadland’s Chloe Zhao behind the camera, this new [...]
The French Dispatch, review: A playful homage to journalism October 22, 2021 Twenty five years and ten films since his feature debut, Wes Anderson can be considered one of the few remaining superstar directors. Like Nolan, Tarantino, The Coens, and (Paul Thomas) Anderson, he exists outside of the studio franchise churn, making films in which he is the primary selling point. It’s likely many fans will forgo [...]
Dear Evan Hansen, Review: A crushing failure October 22, 2021 Big West End and Broadway shows often take a while to get big screen adaptations, partly because producers are reluctant to offer a home alternative to what they hope you’ll pay a lot of money to see live. Also, because when it goes wrong, it goes really, really wrong. Before December 2019, Cats was a [...]