When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace.

The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in cinemas September 11!
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As the beloved cast of characters navigates how to lead Downton Abbey into the future, they must embrace change and welcome a new chapter.

Starring Simon Russell Beale, Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Paul Giamatti, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Alessandro Nivola, Dominic West, Penelope Wilton, Arty Froushan, Joely Richardson, Paul Copley and Douglas Reith, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is coming to cinemas this September!
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Wisely the filmmakers have stitched together multiple plot lines this time (as opposed to a royal visit being the main feature in the first film). This leads to a richer tapestry to work with and this creates improvements on the first movie in almost every way.

One plot line is the mystery inheritance of a villa in France by Violet Crawley, played by the series MVP Maggie Smith. This necessitates a trip across the pond and provides the opportunity of showcasing some amazing scenery and contributes to even more visual candy.

Another is allowing an American film crew to use the house as a film set and this insures an interesting expansion of the cast. Nowhere does this feel like anything the common man would ever experience in normal life and that is surely the point. Pure escapism sometimes needs the grand life and this is grand indeed.
Rob Hudson
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Starring Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Tuppence Middleton, Lesley Nicol, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton, and new cast members Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, Dominic West and Jonathan Zaccaï.

Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in Australian cinemas March 17, 2022!

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Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley portrays the formative years of Colette, the pioneering writer who goes on to become a cultural icon in France and inspire generations of artists.

Directed by Wash Westmoreland (from the Academy Award-winning Still Alice), who wrote the screenplay with the late Richard Glatzer (Still Alice) and Rebecca Lenkiewicz (writer of Academy Award winner Ida), the film illuminates the passions and ambitions that drove Colette to blaze trails as one of the most celebrated authors of her time.

After marrying a successful Parisian man of letters known commonly as “Willy” (Dominic West), Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley) is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendour of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him.

She pens a semi-autobiographical novel, about a brazen country girl named Claudine, that becomes a bestseller and a cultural sensation. Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris, and their adventures go on to inspire additional Claudine novels. Colette’s subsequent fight over the creative ownership of these books defies gender roles and drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression.

Colette will be released in Australian cinemas December 20!
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To enter this great competition just fill out the entry form below.

Competition will be drawn 17 December 2018, winners will be notified by mail.

The new Laura Croft (Alicia Vikander) looks like she spent many hours in the gym and as such presents a much more muscular hero than the one that came before. This allows more close ups during the now more convincing physical altercations. Not unlike the transitions made available by Daniel Craig when he became the new Bond all those year ago.

The film still over relies on driving the action scenes with computer generated special effects but the hand to hand combat moments are more visceral than before. The solving puzzle aspect is really only hinted at. This is also an origin story so future films might get the mix more balanced.

There are moments of genuine emotional connection with the on screen actions and actors but unfortunately they are often submerged in a film that struggles to keep the view engaged during its more than ample 118 minute running time. Other reboots have takes a few tries to hit the mark so there is always hope next time around.

Rob Hudson
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Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.

Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous.

Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.

TOMB RAIDER is directed by Roar Uthaug and stars Oscar winner Alicia Vikander in the lead role, Dominic West, Walton Goggins and Daniel Wu.

TOMB RAIDER releases in Australian cinemas on March 15, 2018.
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The storyline revolves around a TV show called Money Monster that dispenses financial advice and features George Clooney as Lee Gates, its smarmy and egotistical host. When Gates’ on-screen advice looses one of its viewers his life savings, he concocts a plan for revenge.
 

 
While the film is set in the television studio, it’s a claustrophobic thriller as Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) seeks retribution for the loss of his inheritance and life’s savings. When through a scenario that could only happen in the movies, they move the action outdoors, the film enters the realm of farce and the suspension of disbelief requires too much of its audience.

The film’s climax is almost comical in its execution, which is a shame because there are a number of very effective moments and even a surprise or two. Emily Meade as Budwell’s pregnant girlfriend Molly has a great scene where she gets to deliver one of the most over the top monologues ever, that scene alone is almost worth the price of admission. There is a much better film hidden in what remains a bit of a disappointing outing for cast and crew.

Rob Hudson
www.moneymonster-movie.com

Based on Vera Brittain’s best-selling memoir of the same name, the story is a personal journey of an extraordinary young woman striving for an education and fighting for the youth and lives of her loved ones during World War I. From the producer of The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, Testament Of Youth stars Kit Harrington, Emily Watson, Dominic West and Alicia Vikander.

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Competition will be drawn 22 April 2015, winners will be notified by mail.