Angus Macfadyen, reprising his role as Robert the Bruce, is a lot older than when he portrayed the future Scottish king in Braveheart, though it fits this Robert; a man wiser, ground down, painfully aware of where his actions have led the country: “I truly believed that God had chosen me to be King. And then we… Robert The Bruce Read More
Toy Story 4 4.5 stars
Homemade toy Forky, unable to comprehend that he is alive, and then unwilling to accept his new role as a plaything, is desperate to be disposed of as a used spork should be. For him trash means warm and safe, and his constant attempts to throw himself in the rubbish basket (with “get in… Toy Story 4 Read More
Booksmart 4 stars
Usually the kids in teen comedies leave me feeling incredibly old, but Booksmart‘s Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) seem even more middle-aged than me. They’re very clever, and very hard-working, and only have one day left at high school before graduation. That focus and drive means that even school Principal Brown (Jason Sudeikis)… Booksmart Read More
The Last Tree (Sundance London) 4 stars
Shola Amoo’s second feature is an accomplished and absorbing film, following the teenage Femi as he struggles to create his own identity and sense of place from disparate memories, experiences and expectations. Little confusions, which for teenagers can still loom large, are woven into far more serious choices. There’s a sweet scene when Femi, walking along… The Last Tree (Sundance London) Read More
Animals (Sundance London) 3.5 stars
It’s rare to find a film that combines such huge respect for the gorgeousness and grubbiness of female friendship with such dizzying disrespect for the human liver. They’re connected in this film of course, though I still feel drained just thinking about the sheer quantities of white wine consumed by best friends Laura and Tyler… Animals (Sundance London) Read More
A Vigilante 4 stars
I like this movie’s title – a vigilante, not the vigilante, which would have positioned this as just another exploitation piece. Sadie, herself a survivor of horrific abuse at the hands of her husband, is not out for acclaim but wants to sink into the grey shadows. It also suggests there are more out there,… A Vigilante Read More
I Love My Mum 3 stars
Bickering – so easy to do in real life – is a vastly underrated acting skill. I Love my Mum, the new comedy from writer-director Alberto Sciamma, is soundtracked to the constant hum of tiny aggressions and endless reproaches, a stuck record that needs a kick in order to jump forward. Olga (Kierston Wareing) and… I Love My Mum Read More
Late Night (Sundance London) 3 stars
When late night chat show host Katherine Newbury is told she’s being replaced, she finally has to face her writers’ room. Literally, as most of the men in there have never even seen her in the flesh before. Those men are all white, and privileged, though not as hirsute as I was expecting. They’re lazy,… Late Night (Sundance London) Read More
Corporate Animals (Sundance London) 3 stars
Imagine The Descent crossed with The Office, but nastier. That’s Corporate Animals. It’s uneven, but often brutally hilarious, as horrible boss Lucy (Demi Moore) forces her key employees into a team-building exercise exploring caves in New Mexico. Always wanting to push her employees on to greatness, even if they don’t want to go, Lucy declines… Corporate Animals (Sundance London) Read More
Always Be My Maybe 3.5 stars
Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) is magazine cover-famous. She’s a top chef with a successful LA restaurant, another about to open in San Francisco, and a New York venue coming later. Her childhood friend friend Marcus Kim (Randall Park) is lamppost-famous. His flyers for his 15-year-old band Hello Peril have finally reached the other side of San Francisco,… Always Be My Maybe Read More
Secret Life Of Pets 2 3 stars
Cute animals in movies often become scene-stealers. Jonesy the ginger cat in Alien. Daisy the floppy-eared beagle in John Wick. Black Phillip the satanic goat in The Witch. Okay, not that last one. In The Secret Life Of Pets 2, it’s Rooster. He’s not actually a rooster, he’s a Welsh sheepdog, wonderfully voiced by Harrison Ford. He… Secret Life Of Pets 2 Read More
The Hustle 2 stars
Did I feel some affinity with Josephine and Penny’s conned victims after watching The Hustle? Partly. Though it’s not like I wasn’t warned, with a wave of terrible reviews out ahead of my own cinema visit. The Hustle is a bad film but a great con, where you know you’re being scammed every step of… The Hustle Read More
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