A black screen. Red text. A red screen. A black, familiar logo. There’s something incredibly reassuring about the Studio Ghibli logo. It’s like an old mate patting you on the back and saying ‘Alright fella?’ And you smile and repeat the words to your pal. You’re in good hands and you know the day is… Continue reading The Red Turtle (2017) ★★★★★
North-East England, 1865 is the setting for William Oldroyd’s take on the Nikolai Leskov novel, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and has quite rightly cemented rising star Florence Pugh’s reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting screen talents. Playwright Alice Birch has penned a witty, gutsy and enigmatic (much like our heroine) script that… Continue reading Lady Macbeth (2017) ★★★★★
It’s February, which means it’s Oscars time. Now, I don’t put much stock in the awards. I rarely agree with the results and am always disappointed for those that are snubbed. This year, a victim of that is the wonderful Amy Adams, who should be in the Best Actress category. Still, nevertheless, the Academy Awards… Continue reading 89th Academy Awards: Oscars 2017
In my annual post of the top ten best films of the year (based on UK release dates), I named High-Rise as my favourite of 2016. Now co-writer/director Ben Wheatley follows this up with Free Fire which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival where it won the prestigious People’s Choice Best… Continue reading Free Fire (2017) ★★★★
Well, here we go are again: at the end of yet another year, looking back over twelve months of cinema. Extraordinary cinema, it must be said. After the difficulty in assembling the best ten of 2015 I didn’t think 2016 could possible beat it for sheer quality and diversity. Well, perhaps it did, perhaps it… Continue reading Top 10 Films of 2016
It’s funny what a second viewing can do. A few weeks ago, on a cold, damp, blustery Monday night I went to a preview screening of Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival. I didn’t enjoy it. Now, perhaps it was the weather. Perhaps it was the time of the screening. It was nine at night, I’d worked a… Continue reading Arrival (2016) ★★★★
Fashion designer turned film director (and writer/producer) Tom Ford returns to the big screen seven years after his superb debut feature, A Single Man. His new film, Nocturnal Animals is based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright. If there’s one aspect of filmmaking Ford excels, it’s set and production design. Obviously,… Continue reading Nocturnal Animals (2016) ★★★★
