Minamata film review – Johnny Depp shines in muddled drama August 17, 2021 The name Minamata may not be familiar to most, but the Johnny Depp-produced film is based on a shocking true story. In the early 70s, W. Eugene Smith (played here by Depp), an influential photojournalist for Life Magazine, is brought out of substance-addled seclusion by Japanese translator Aileen (Minami). She tells him about Minamata, a [...]
The Last Letter From Your Lover review is a waste of talent August 6, 2021 Two blockbuster heroes share top billing as Shailene Woodley (Divergent) and Felicity Jones (Star Wars: Rogue One) play two women in different times in literary adaptation The Last Letter From Your Lover. Jones plays Ellie, a journalist recovering from a break-up who views love with a degree of scepticism. This is shaken when she discovers [...]
Zola review – Twitter thread movie adaptation is full of suspense August 6, 2021 ‘Based on a true story’ is a common concept for movies, but how about ‘based on a Twitter thread’? In 2015, A’Ziah “Zola” King tweeted “Y’all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out???????? It’s kind of long but full of suspense.” The subsequent thread become a viral sensation, described [...]
Stillwater – Amanda Knox-inspired drama is slow but solid August 5, 2021 Whoever said “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” clearly didn’t work on publicity for Stillwater, as this week’s drama comes to the screen with a lot of baggage. The film is very loosely inspired by the trial of Amanda Knox, who posted tweets denouncing the film. As if that wasn’t enough, star Matt Damon [...]
Sundance Film Festival: London 2021 – Our Best of The Fest July 30, 2021 Thursday sees the return of Sundance London to Picturehouse Central. Like many events, the 2020 edition was held online, but the independent film extravaganza will once again be taking place in-person this week with a stellar line up picked from the best of its parent event in Utah. Fifteen features have been chosen, along with [...]
The Suicide Squad review: DC antiheroes get film they deserve July 30, 2021 If there’s one group that deserves a second chance, it’s Suicide Squad. David Ayer’s 2016 original had a lot of promise but became a lesson in studio interference, held back by a nervous Warner Bros who made their own edit that was poorly received. This week’s The Suicide Squad also had a turbulent path to [...]
Sundance London review: The Sparks Brothers is Edgar Wright’s love letter to music July 29, 2021 In another universe, Edgar Wright should be working on his third Ant-Man movie. It’s seven years since his departure from the Marvel film due to ‘creative differences’, in which time he has made three movies – car chase hit Baby Driver, the upcoming Last Night In Soho, and this week’s critically adored music doc The [...]
Jungle Cruise is a silly but entertaining Disney adventure July 28, 2021 Musclebound A-lister Dwayne Johnson has made his name in the movie business by making hits from unlikely source material. Reviving the Fast and Furious, GI Joe, and Jumanji franchises, his face alone is enough to make hits out of dodgy propositions. Skyscraper, San Andreas, arcade game adaptation Rampage: the list goes on. Can he work [...]
The World To Come review – a passionate if familiar love story July 22, 2021 The early days of America provide the backdrop to this stripped-down drama, set in 19th century America. The daily routine of grieving mother Abigail (Katherine Waterston) is interrupted by the arrival of Tallie (Vanessa Kirby), a neighbour who comes for a visit. The pair strike up an instant friendship that turns to attraction, but their [...]
Night of The Kings is an inventive, hard-hitting prison drama July 22, 2021 The prison movie is an inexhaustible inspiration for filmmakers. Just when you think you’ve seen every permutation, a film comes along and shows you something different. Ivorian filmmaker Philippe Lacôte (2014’s Run) goes into the heart of an infamous location for his new story, Night of The Kings. We find ourselves The Ivory Coast’s notorious [...]
