Christopher Nolan has hit gold again with Oppenheimer July 23, 2023 For the first time in years, blockbuster season hasn’t been dominated by superheroes. Instead, the summer belongs to two very different movies, one of which marks the return of Christopher Nolan. Oppenheimer finds itself going up against Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which has the same release date. The contrast has inspired an unofficial double bill fans [...]
This new Hitchcock documentary is a must-see for film buffs July 22, 2023 Hours and hours of footage are dedicated to examining the work of the late Alfred Hitchcock, but what would the director himself have to say if he were here to reflect on his legacy? That’s the premise at the centre of Mark Cousins’ new film, continuing the historical analysis he began with the epic documentary [...]
See Hugh Jackman before he was famous in 1990s musical now in cinemas July 13, 2023 A West End musical may be the furthest thing imaginable from a Hollywood superhero blockbuster, but the 1998 National Theatre revival of Oklahoma! has a special place in superhero history. It’s the production that gave star Hugh Jackman recognition outside of his native Australia, with the actor auditioning for Wolverine during the show’s run. The [...]
Squaring the Circle: the story behind iconic Pink Floyd and Wings album artwork July 13, 2023 An album cover may have a different context in the era of endless streaming, but the designs on the front of LPs could make you a legend in the 1960s, as this documentary from Anton Corbijn (Control) illustrates by documenting the story of design studio Hipgnosis. Squaring The Circle documents the rise and fall of [...]
Birdbox returns with Birdbox Barcelona – but is it any good? July 13, 2023 Birdbox became a massive hit for Netflix in 2018, not just in terms of viewership but in the way it seemed to capture people’s imagination. Where most Netflix films disappear into the algorithm, the sight of a blindfolded Sandra Bullock leading children from unseen horrors stayed with movie fans. Enter, Birdbox Barcelona… A sequel was [...]
Pixar’s Elemental shows how the animation studio needs to work harder July 6, 2023 Elemental arrives on these shores with the unwanted title of worst performing Pixar movie. Struggling to compete with Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse, can the family comedy drawaudiences here? It imagines a world in which the elements – earth, fire, water, and air – are people living happily in separate communities, avoiding contact with each other. [...]
Mission Impossible: Tom Cruise is back but this franchise is showing its age July 5, 2023 Barbie vs Oppenheimer may be the summer showdown everyone’s talking about, but one movie legend would like to remind you that he’s back. Despite some occasional headline-grabbing bouts of odd behaviour, Tom Cruise is one of the last true movie stars, someone who can get crowds to turn up based on his name alone. But [...]
The Super-8 Years: A compact and worthwhile film July 4, 2023 Annie Ernaux ascended to the top of the literary world following her 2022 Nobel Prize for Literature, and is best known to film fans as screenwriter of 2021 award winner Happening, an adaptation of her novel. These accolades come after decades of success as a writer, the beginnings of which are examined in this short [...]
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken review July 3, 2023 If you have children that haven’t stopped singing Part of Your World since seeing The Little Mermaid, prepare for more underwater obsession. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, the folks behind Shrek and How To Train Your Dragon, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken has a lot going on beneath its awkward title. X-Men actor Lana Condor voices Ruby, [...]
Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny review: A nostalgic treat June 28, 2023 One of the most beloved heroes in cinema history returns for a fifth and final crack of the whip. Normally, nothing is final in Hollywood, but given star Harrison Ford is 81 next month, his claim that he’s done with the character should be taken seriously. It’s 15 years since audiences last saw him in [...]