The highs, lows and eventual triumph of singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, as portrayed by a chimp. Better Man certainly brings back musical memories, though rather than the nostalgia-fest one might expect they force us to face the uncomfortable truth: as the real Robbie Williams belted out Angels from the stage and thousands of us sang it… Better Man Read More
This is history! The Oasis Knebworth 1996 trailer is here
*** My 5/5 review is now live *** The story of the largest concert of the ‘90s, through the eyes of the fans who were there, with additional interviews with the band and concert organisers. If you see me in the crowd, please let me know! **************************** Back in the mid-90s, after getting paid and… This is history! The Oasis Knebworth 1996 trailer is here Read More
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart 4 stars
The first feature-length documentary about the legendary band who wrote more than 1,000 songs, created twenty number one hits and sold more than 220 million records to date. Just because you’re famous, doesn’t mean you’re immune from petty sibling arguments. One of my favourite moments in the illuminating, entertaining and musically joyous documentary The Bee… The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart Read More
Divas and dreamers in The High Note trailer
“In the history of music, only five women over 40 ever had a no.1 hit. And only one of them was black” superstar singer Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross) tells Dakota Johnson’s Maggie, her personal assistant and also a would-be music producer. There look to be some barnstorming numbers in this, though I couldn’t take… Divas and dreamers in The High Note trailer Read More
Yesterday 3 stars
Jack Malik, unsuccessful at both singer-songwriting and love, is cycling home one night though his Suffolk hometown when the electricity fails across the world for 12 seconds and he’s hit by a bus. It’s a calamity for Jack (Himesh Patel), though it doesn’t seem to affect anyone else much, who see it as a jokey… Yesterday Read More
Anima (Short Film) Short Film 4 stars
Anima is a sometimes mesmerising experience – ironic when you consider both the soundtrack (it’s a film “best played loud”), and that it’s a denunciation of dystopian societies, whose messages to control their populations can be almost hypnotic. This is a film that moves between dreamlike and nightmarish, from realistic settings to the entirely stylised…. Anima (Short Film) Read More
Rocketman 4.5 stars
Several times during Rocketman young Reggie Dwight reappears in Elton John’s life, even as the singer-songwriter is trying to escape him, before he realises that little Reggie is the anchor for everything. Elton’s childhood was often bleak. Yet despite this film’s honest depictions of loneliness, addiction and despair, Rocketman is a joyous and boisterous fantasy grounded in… Rocketman Read More
The Perfection 3.5 stars
Considering its title, the symmetry in new Netflix thriller horror The Perfection – only fully revealed at the very end – is to be expected. The trailer (below, which I’m going to assume you’ve seen) positions this as a straight-up horror, and Charlotte (Allison Williams) as a demented stalker, wielding a kitchen machete and with… The Perfection Read More
Blinded By The Light trailer: Bruce lights the way in 80s Luton
The 80s were a crazy decade – awesome music, terrible politics. (Possibly the latter helped cause the former.) In Blinded By The Light it’s 1987 and Mrs Thatcher is in power, while record players and Walkmans hum with Wham! and Bananarama (when it comes to the 80s, if you never tried to wind a cassette… Blinded By The Light trailer: Bruce lights the way in 80s Luton Read More
Carmine Street Guitars 4 stars
There’s a funny moment in the documentary Carmine Street Guitars when there’s an attempt to set up the realtor selling the six million-dollar building next door as the bad guy, but it’s very brief. Properietor and legendary guitar maker Rick Kelly is frosty and monosyllabic with the salesman, but anyway is much more interested in whether… Carmine Street Guitars Read More
Her Smell 3.5 stars
For a film about music and musicians, the soundtrack to Her Smell is less the songs, and more the chanting, stomping fans out in front of the stage – in love with Becky Something, and furious with her at the same time. Becky (a riveting Elisabeth Moss), lead singer with punk rock band Something She, is… Her Smell Read More
Fisherman’s Friends 2.5 stars
“Emotions have no place in business” says hotshot London music executive Danny (Daniel Mays) and there’s your Britflick red flag right there. Fisherman’s Friends ticks so many boxes it makes me wonder if there’s a secret list of British film industry definites and nice-to-haves, with any funding dependent on a 75% hit rate. Based on… Fisherman’s Friends Read More