Jawbone: Film Review

By Wyndham Hacket Pain Looking at the premise of Jawbone you’d be forgiven for sighing and thinking not another boxing film. In the last couple of years alone Bleed for This, Southpaw, Creed, Grudge Match, and Hands of Stone have all been released, with mixed success. Cinema’s love of the sport is evident but means that each subsequent release finds it more difficult be original. It can be hard to know what can be added to the genre when classic...

Alien Covenant: Film Review

By Linda Marric After the disappointment felt by most on the release of the long awaited Alien Prequel Prometheus, waiting for the next instalment proved to be a nerve-wracking affair. Fans and aficionados of the franchise will spend weeks, months or even years picking the latest instalment apart, but luckily for the casual consumer, all you need to know is that Alien: Covenant is a true and decisive return to form by Ridley Scott. Covenant not only makes up for...

A Dog’s Purpose: Film Review

By Linda Marric They say, never work with children or animals, but in the case of A Dog’s Purpose that old adage can safely be left at the door. Initially marred by controversy relating to a now debunked animal abuse accusation during filming, the film was later exonerated by a third party investigation which found that there was no foul play. Despite suffering from bad reviews, which one suspects were mostly associated with the scandal, the film is way more...

Unlocked: Film Review

Wyndham Hacket Pain @WyndhamHP Set predominately in London, Unlocked follows former CIA agent Alice Racine (Noomi Rapace), who is brought back into action as suspicions arise that the capital might be under threat from a biological bomb. After she is tricked into providing information to the wrong side she rushes around the city hunting those behind the bomb and trying to stop the potential attack, with both American and British secret services questioning her actions and allegiances. The setup may...

Sleepless: Film Review and Competition

By Linda Marric There is something rather familiar about the new Jamie Foxx vehicle Sleepless, and it isn’t just because the film has been adapted from a far superior French movie. What is familiar about it is its attempt at emulating the highly successful Fast and Furious franchise; it’s big, it’s noisy and has more guns and cars than you can shake a stick at. Yes, it is a predictable, and yes it is as hollow and as meat-headed a...

Mindhorn: Film Review

By James McAllister Richard Thorncroft (Julian Barratt) is Mindhorn… or rather he was Mindhorn, back in the 80s. Armed with a robotic eye that allowed him to “literally see truth”, Detective Bruce P. Mindhorn was the Isle of Man’s answer to Bergerac; a treasured TV sleuth with dapper looks and a seductive charm. The ladies loved him, his co-stars envied him, and audiences adored him. Fast-forward 25 years, however, and Thorncroft’s career is in a critical condition. Overcome by his...

Citizen Jane: Battle for the City – Film Review

Wyndham Hacket Pain @WyndhamHP In many ways Jane Jacobs is rather an unassuming figure. For much of her life she was dismissed as merely a house wife and had to fight to be heard at time when the gender divide was much greater than it is now. Yet despite never holding an academic position her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities still remains one of the most influential books ever written about urban areas. Apart from being...

Heal the Living: Film Review

By Linda Marric Adapted from Maylis de Kerangal’s fantastic novel of the same name, Heal The Living is the third feature from critically acclaimed French director Katell Quillévéré (Suzanne, Love Like Poison). This beautifully atmospheric and truly devastating piece of filmmaking, is one of the most emotionally charged films of the year. First shown as part of the programme at the London Film Festival in 2016, the film is finally getting a nationwide release courtesy of Curzon Artificial Eye, which...

Lady Macbeth: Film Review

By Linda Marric Fans of the Shakespeare might be a little surprised to find out that William Oldroyd’s brilliant debut feature Lady Macbeth isn’t exactly an adaptation of one of the Bard’s most loved tragedies. Set in rural England, this Victorian chamber piece is every bit as dark and twisted as any shakespearian tragedy worth its salt. Not only does Oldroyd manage to immerse his audience in this suffocatingly patriarchal world, but he also offers a very modern stance on...

Page 14 of 36 1 13 14 15 36
-->