Reviews 1094 results

Napoleon Movie Review

Scott and writer David Scarpa have chosen to focus more on the relationship between Napoleon (Joaquin Phoenix) and his wife Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Theirs was a dysfunctional union not helped in the least by the temper of the times and Napoleon’s odd nature and habits. Scott’s forcefulness with action sequences is also reduced and this seems an odd choice.   //     One battle scene however is very effective and it is based on what is generally considered ...

Thanksgiving Movie Review

The story starts with an ugly example of consumer greed, both the retail store forcing its staff to work on that most gluttonous of holidays and the unruly crowd waiting anxiously to score a free waffle iron upon entry. The resultant riot is shown in all its run-red glory and the violence on display is the action that tips the first domino.   //   Roth keeps the constantly dwindling cast in his sights and when they are dispatched it shows no lack of imagination. With ...

Saltburn Movie Review

Oliver is the odd man out. A student at Oxford that can claim neither money nor position. When he comes into contact with fellow student Felix Catto (Jacob Elordi) he sees him as possessing everything he fancies. Rich and from a family of privilege, he is great with the ladies and comfortable in his own skin. It is everything Oliver is not.   //     When he is invited to vacation at the Catton residence, a huge estate called Saltburn, he gets a glimpse of a way ...

Watch the trailer for The Eight Mountains – coming to cinemas November 30!

Summer 1984, a secluded alpine village in the Aosta Valley. Holidaying with his mother (Elena Lietti) and father (Filippo Timi), 11-year-old Pietro befriends Bruno, the local son of a stonemason, and the two spend an idyllic vacation together. But when Pietro’s well-meaning but impetuous dad suggests that Bruno return to Turin with them so that he can receive a proper education, he inadvertently drives a wedge between the boys.   //     In adulthood, their ...

British Film Festival – Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis Movie Review

They created one of the world’s most visible graphic designs with their album cover for Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Their story is a fascinating one and it parallels the history of some megalithic bands from back in the sixties and seventies.   //     Fans of artists such as the above-mentioned Floyd, Peter Gabriel, The Nice, 10cc and Led Zeppelin will find much fascination with the views of various talking ...

The Marvels Movie Review

Incorporating moments of hand-drawn animation and teen angst alongside contemporary family dynamics sets the film firmly in the current day. Basing almost all the action around the three main female characters, Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan is also a welcome change from the usual testosterone-fueled fare.   //     The story is not a particularly strong one but the interactions between the three ...

The Dive Movie Review

Two sisters May (Louisa Krause) and Drew (Sophie Lowe) haven’t seen each other in some time. They plan a scuba diving trip to reconnect. Underwater escapades were part of their childhood and while giving them a love for the ocean, it also seems to have stirred up some heady emotions.   //     They plan to dive and explore an underwater cave and mid-adventure, a seismic occurrence happens and ends up trapping May under a heavy stone. Thus begins a race by Drew ...

British Film Festival – The Old Oak Movie Review

He has consistently staked out his own territory in the industry. A space that often includes amateur or non-actor cast members and stories cut from the swatch of real life. This results in outstanding work that is socially relevant and emotionally satisfying but it’s a risky proposal.   //     The Old Oak is topical and relevant but those risks outweigh the end results somewhat. The acting is underwhelming and counter to Loach’s usual emotional accuracy this ...

Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie Review

Set in a run-down and closed to the public pizza joint with the previously mentioned singing and dancing cyborgs featured as the main act, Five Nights At Freddy’s takes the first few reels to set the scene. Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson) is haunted by dreams of the time his little brother was kidnapped and is raising his little sister Abby (Piper Rubio) by himself.   //     Consumed by those awful memories Mike seems unable to keep a job until he gets a gig as ...

Dumb Money Movie Review

Brokers on Wall Street use a technique called Short Selling where they bet on the decline of a company's fortunes to make money. It’s based on borrowing a stock, selling the stock and then buying the stock back to return it to the lender. If the stock price goes down, then you'll pay less to replace the shares and make a profit.   //   If that sounds dubious, it’s probably because it is. Dumb Money follows the story of Keith Gill (Paul Dano) a video blog host who ...