To shore up their throne a monarch will lean heavily on symbolism, as does director Josie Rourke; so much so that the constant allusions to the symmetry and asymmetry in the two queens’ lives sometimes threaten to overwhelm the whole movie. My advice is simply to lie back and enjoy it, as otherwise your frustrations will… Mary Queen Of Scots Read More
Gerard Butler’s “Keepers” Reappears As “The Vanishing” In New Trailer
I’ve always liked the idea of living in an isolated lighthouse for some peace and quiet, plus I’m the only person I know who loves big lights. Now, though, I think I’d refuse to go without 300 Spartan soldiers to protect me – after watching this trailer, which manages to be both eerie and violent… Gerard Butler’s “Keepers” Reappears As “The Vanishing” In New Trailer Read More
OutLaw King 3.5 stars
This is a traditional account of Robert Bruce’s fightback against the English as the Scottish nobleman claims his country’s crown, taking on Edward I and his son Edward, Prince Of Wales (later Edward II). There are no gimmicks, and watching it on Netflix, it did feel as if TV is a good home for it;… OutLaw King Read More
Black Sea 4 stars
*** Check out my submarine movies section *** Black Sea is a brutal watch, almost a horror film as the deaths mount, with fear itself a virus. And although not a straight East-West underwater battle, it still has Westerners fighting with Russians. At one point they each take over different ends of their submarine, with the Brits… Black Sea Read More
The Etruscan Smile (Boston Film Festival) 3.5 stars
Most of the characters in The Etruscan Smile are stuck in their ways, though Emily (Thora Birch) – who could easily be the most caricatured of all, with her diarised mothering, “autonomous baby”, and cry-it-out sleep training – is actually the one most prepared to accept she might have made a mistake. Her husband Ian… The Etruscan Smile (Boston Film Festival) Read More
T2: Trainspotting 4 stars
“Skanky nostalgia” is how my friend affectionately described the oddly-named T2: Trainspotting, after a screening filled with fellow 40-somethings. In fact when you see it, listen out when the lights go up for the collective “ooohhh” as we oldies stretch our stiffened limbs up out of our seats. Director Danny Boyle has, though, managed to stay just the right side of that nostalgia… T2: Trainspotting Read More