Lightyear review: Enjoyably nostalgic flight from the past June 17, 2022 Just when you thought Hollywood couldn’t find a new way to rehash old material, here comes a new category of film entirely. Lightyear is a spin-off of Toy Story, but one that imagines Buzz Lightyear as a real person. As the film explains in its opening moments, this is the movie that the toy was [...]
Leave No Traces review: A laboured Polish language Oscar hopeful June 11, 2022 True crime has enjoyed a wave of popularity in the streaming age, inviting viewers to piece together what happened as the clues come in. While Leave No Traces doesn’t have quite the same mystery, it does show how impactful cinema can be derived from real events. Set in 1983, Poland’s submission for this year’s Best [...]
Swan Song review: A finely coiffed LGBTQ+ comedy June 11, 2022 There has been a rise in the number of LGBTQ+ stories being told in movies and TV, but generally they have been about younger characters coming of age in the modern world. New comedy-drama Swan Song puts the spotlight on a different age bracket, crafting a small tale with a lot of heart. Udo Kier [...]
Hustle review: Adam Sandler finds his acting hat again in sports drama June 11, 2022 Every now and again, Adam Sandler remembers he can act. Before it became a social media punchline, 2019’s Uncut Gems contained the best performance of the comedy giant’s career, almost making you forget all about the hideous Netflix comedies that have made him millions. Happily, this week sees the arrival of more serious Sandler in [...]
Jurassic World: Dominion ends franchise that’s ready for a meteor strike June 10, 2022 The Jurassic World trilogy ends not with a roar but with a squeak. Dominion calls upon the stars of Steven Spielberg’s original Jurassic Park to capitalise on the current trend for legacy sequels (it’s arguable that 2015’s Jurassic World, a movie that was both a remake and reboot, started the fad). But the wholesale shake-up [...]
The Bob’s Burgers Movie review: A fine dish that’ll deliver for fans May 27, 2022 The Bob’s Burgers Movie has overcome many hurdles to get to our screens. The quirky animated sitcom has survived the Disney takeover of 20th Century Fox and a global pandemic to be released in cinemas, at a time when most animated movies have gone to streaming. Like The Simpsons Movie 15 years ago, it plays [...]
Psycho: Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece stands test of time 62 years on May 27, 2022 Some movies leave a lasting influence long after the creators have gone. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, a low budget movie shot in black and white with actors from his TV show, would go on to change not just the horror genre, but films in general. 62 years on from its release, the piece feels as vital [...]
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts review: the ultimate primer for Jubilee weekend May 27, 2022 As the bunting goes up and street parties creep closer, Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts seeks to capitalise on the hype surrounding The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, providing snapshot of the many facets of Her Majesty’s life. Composed entirely of archive footage, A Portrait in Parts looks at Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign and all the cultural [...]
Why Tenerife is the beacon of the Canaries May 27, 2022 THE WEEKEND: Many will have soaked up the sun in Gran Canaria, or had fun on the strip in Lanzarote. Tenerife, however, feels more abundant with five-star luxury. It is the only Canary Island to have Michelin Starred restaurants, for instance, with six stars spread across five eateries. WHERE? Home was the Ritz-Carlton Abama, a [...]
Benediction film review: A smart portrait of the fascinating Sigfried Sassoon May 26, 2022 Author biopics can be terribly dull, but then few authors have lived a life quite like Sigfried Sassoon. The British poet’s words became a chilling epitaph for so many in the First World War, but Benediction by director Terence Davies (Distant Voices, Still Lives) shows an uncompromising picture of the real man. Jack Lowden plays the [...]
