The cleverest line in Sherlock Gnomes, the sequel to 2011’s Gnomeo And Juliet, comes near the end – when Sherlock’s enemy, Moriarty, tells the great detective “I don’t need you!” Apparently lots of people are queuing up to have Moriarty as their nemesis, which is a funny and refreshing response to the usual movie dynamic… Sherlock Gnomes Read More
A Violent Man 3 stars
Forgive the pun but A Violent Man punches above its weight. I’m no expert on MMA – I’m a lover not a fighter. Well I’m definitely not a fighter, anyway. But I still found a lot to appreciate in this low-budget thriller about a young man who finds that just when a potential path to… A Violent Man Read More
Singularity 1.5 stars
This is a story about mankind versus machine, as killer robots patrol the earth and the few human survivors dream of Aurora – a semi-mythical stronghold in the north, free of all robots. Yes, even those little Roombas which do the hoovering for you. It’s 2020 and VA Industries, the world’s biggest robotics company, has… Singularity Read More
Funny Cow 4 stars
In the 1970s the Northern working men’s club circuit was both a launchpad for an entertainment career and a dismal corner where acts went to die. If they even had the energy to do that. And in Funny Cow, as well as comics, singers and ventriloquists, we’re treated to a performance by the world’s most… Funny Cow Read More
Fishbowl California 4 stars
Some screen icons are so ingrained in our memories, it takes something special for us to move past them. Viewing Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal recently, I finally laid to rest the image of Death playing Twister with Bill and Ted. The question was, faced with another inept dreamer called Rodney in Fishbowl California, would I be… Fishbowl California Read More
Persona 4.5 stars
Having watched The Seventh Seal last week – my first Bergman movie – and managed some semblance of understanding (with help I hasten to add!), tonight I was ready for Round 2. And I have to say I’m still chin-stroking, and I came out of the cinema six hours ago. In that time I could… Persona Read More
Avengers: Infinity War 4 stars
I enjoyed Avengers: Infinity War, despite or perhaps because I wasn’t always sure what was going on. A familiar superhero problem for me, though at least this time I spotted Stan Lee. The movie is fantastic fun, a ballsy blast, though for me mostly emotionally unengaging. Admittedly I’m not that invested in superheroes, but also so… Avengers: Infinity War Read More
The Leisure Seeker 3.5 stars
“You know what I love about you John? Your silence is never embarrassing” says Ella, still delighted at landing this catch all those years ago. Which would’ve made me warm to her instantly, even if she wasn’t played by Helen Mirren, as I’m a huge fan of companionable silences. He too still can’t believe how… The Leisure Seeker Read More
The Seventh Seal 5 stars
I’d never watched The Seventh Seal before, though somewhere along the line I’ve almost certainly pretended I have. No film lover could be unaware of Ingmar Bergman’s masterpiece, though I was worried that memories of its parodies would prove insurmountable when I was finally faced with Death’s presence – it’s hard to take even mortality seriously… The Seventh Seal Read More
The 12 3 stars
*** Check out my interviews with The 12‘s director James Whitehill and screenwriter Jessica Whitehill *** Astonishingly The 12 was made in five days – yes I said FIVE DAYS – which is less time than it takes me to decide what to watch on Netflix. A bleakly witty church invasion thriller, it’s a refreshing take… The 12 Read More
Never Steady, Never Still 4 stars
I’m all for seeing your life reflected in a movie, but sometimes it can be a little too close for comfort. I watched the Canadian film Never Steady, Never Still – about Judy, a middle aged woman living with Parkinson’s disease whose husband Ed dies – four days after my mum passed away. She was… Never Steady, Never Still Read More
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society 3.5 stars
There’s a cosiness to the word-count guzzling Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, in a lie-back-and-think-of-postwar-England kind of way. We know what we’re going to get: fabulous 1940s fashions (wide-leg high waisted jeans, here I come); clattering typewriters; bosom-hoiking landladies; beautiful views. Plus love, loss, and employment for several British national treasures. But it… The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Read More
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