A Quiet Place Part II review: Horror sequel well worth the wait June 2, 2021 Along with Peter Rabbit 2 and No Time To Die, A Quiet Place II was one of the movies that signalled cinemas would be uniquely impacted by the events of the last year. We’re still waiting on Bond, but Peter Rabbit 2 arrived recently to a rapturous reception from audiences (slightly less so from critics). [...]
The return of DocHouse: A docu-cinema’s rise from lockdown May 28, 2021 Today sees the return of The Bertha DocHouse, the UK’s first and only cinema devoted entirely to documentaries. The 56-seat cinema is housed at Curzon Bloomsbury, formerly known as The Renoir, in the area’s Brunswick Centre. Historically a monument to obscure independent storytelling, DocHouse’s presence continues that tradition by highlighting a genre many now associate [...]
Ben Whishaw goes off the deep end in tense debut feature Surge May 27, 2021 Debut features from new directors are exciting prospects. They can be unfiltered, rough and ready works that jump out of the screen and smack you across the face. They can also be derivative junk whose name you forget before the credits have even rolled. For Aneil Karis, an award-winning short filmmaker, Surge falls firmly into [...]
First Cow movie review – pure cinematic moo-phoria May 27, 2021 For European fans of independent filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, it’s been a long wait for the director’s first film since 2016’s Certain Women. Released at the beginning of March 2020 in the US, we’ve had to wait over a year longer because… well, you know why. Nevertheless, First Cow is a pleasant period piece that is [...]
Cruella is a fabulous origin story for Disney’s most enduring villain May 26, 2021 “Cruella de Vil, Cruella de Vil, if she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will…”. This ditty in Disney’s 1961 animation 101 Dalmations leaves little room for nuance as it introduced one of its most enduring villains. Whether hand drawn, or in the form of Glenn Glose’s 90s portrayals, Cruella de Vil is a narcissistic, [...]
Vanquish film review – a dreadful John Wick knock off May 26, 2021 There are certain stars that draw a reaction when they become involved in a project. Oscar winner Morgan Freeman is one of those names, with the Shawshank Redemption and Bruce Almighty star’s gravitas lending something to any film he appears in. Sadly, all the prestige in the world can’t save his latest action-thriller, Vanquish. Ruby [...]
Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In is a personal tale of greatness May 26, 2021 In the world of football, few men have dominated quite like Sir Alex Ferguson. Even if you are a supporter of one of the teams his Manchester United side made miserable, the numbers speak for themselves. Thirteen Premier League Titles, 2 Champions Leagues, 5 FA Cups, and a lifetime of memories for those whom he [...]
Hating Peter Tatchell director Christopher Amos on the controversial campaigner May 21, 2021 Launching on Netflix today is the documentary Hating Peter Tatchell, a look at the life of one of the most high-profile LGBTQ+ rights activists in the world. For most of his life, Tatchell has been on the front line of the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation, often using extreme means to get a media spotlight on [...]
Army Of The Dead review – brainless heist is pure Zack Snyder May 21, 2021 This is the year Zack Snyder took care of unfinished business. After reviving interest in the DC Universe with The Snyder Cut on HBO Max, he has jumped over to another streaming service for a project that has been in the works since 2007. Army Of The Dead is one of those projects that always [...]
Hating Peter Tatchell review – a profile of an anarchic hero May 20, 2021 The advent of social media has made activism a daily practice for many, and something that’s witnessed by many more. From symbolic gestures to mass demonstrations, it feels as though mobilising a group to get their voices heard is easier than ever. Hating Peter Tatchell looks at a man who was putting a spotlight on [...]