Category: Review

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

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The superhero team-up to end all, Captain America: Civil War is a heady, often exhausting combination of satisfying, fan servicing set pieces and underdeveloped political debates. After more destruction and casualties come as a result of another attempt to save the world, Captain America et al. – Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) to mention a few others – are urged to take accountability and sign away their independence. Continue reading “Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)” →

Review: Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

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Everybody Wants Some

In this, a so-called “spiritual successor” to Dazed & Confused, Richard Linklater skips forward to the 80s, cutting a languid and loose mediation on college life through the eyes of Jake (Blake Jenner), a freshman keen to celebrate his newfound freedom. In the three-day run up to classes starting, the frats – all part of the baseball team – party, lust after the opposite sex and test one another’s masculinity through silly contests and intellect. Continue reading “Review: Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)” →

Review: The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

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Plot surrenders to anarchic wit in this entertaining, if quickly forgettable animated evolution of the popular slingshot app that became a worldwide craze upon its initial release. The bare bones of it is that Red (Jason Sudeikis), an outcast bird with anger issues, is appointed leader when fiendish pigs dupe them into friendship, only to make a run for it with all the unhatched eggs. Continue reading “Review: The Angry Birds Movie (2016)” →

Review: Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

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Florence

It’s without surprise that Meryl Streep shines as Florence Foster Jenkins in Stephen Frears’ pleasantly amusing biopic of the tone-deaf socialite who fulfilled her wish of singing – if you can it call it that – in front of thousands at the Carnegie Hall. This is a biopic that favours frothy entertainment over tragic drama, thus the darker aspects of Jenkins’ life, such as her battle with syphilis, are never dwelled upon. Continue reading “Review: Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)” →

Review: The Jungle Book (2016)

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Jon Favreau’s enthralling live-action spin on Rudyard Kipling’s beloved novel is the latest in the line of Disney reinterpretations after recent hits Maleficent and Cinderella. Priding itself on heart-pumping dramatics and masterful visuals that recreate all on display, excluding Neel Sethi’s man-cub Mowgli, it manages to honour the old (both Kipling’s source material and the animated classic) while celebrating the cutting-edge in equal measure. Continue reading “Review: The Jungle Book (2016)” →

Review: Hush (2016)

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The director of Oculus collaborates with star Kate Siegel on Hush, a crafty home invasion chiller that was snapped up by Netflix shortly after its SXSW premiere. The premise is simple – a deaf woman (Siegel) is tormented by an unnamed assailant (John Gallagher Jr.) in the middle of nowhere – but it’s captivating nonetheless. Continue reading “Review: Hush (2016)” →

Review: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)

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Marvel remain the favourite with their Cinematic Universe as DC’s marquee match-up Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is a crushing bore. Zack Snyder’s direction proves an oppressive burden; the darkness and heavy-handed approach leaving no room for humour or levity as Batman (Ben Affleck) rages with anger and Superman (Henry Cavill) sulks. Continue reading “Review: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016)” →

Review: The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016)

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Kristen Stewart is out and the A-list duo of Jessica Chastain and Emily Blunt are in for The Huntsman: Winter’s War, the prequel-cum-sequel to Snow White And The Huntsman that no one asked for. Save for the talent, this is in no way an improvement on what came before – if anything, it’s a duller and more muddled affair that quickly loses attention. Continue reading “Review: The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016)” →

What I’ve Seen: March 11, 2016

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Each week in the UK sees the arrival of a handful of films – sometimes more, sometimes less. I don’t always get a chance to see all of them, but from now on – week to week – I’ll be documenting, along with a few words’ review, each of the films I do see. Continue reading “What I’ve Seen: March 11, 2016” →

Review: London Has Fallen (2016)

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In this doubly preposterous and cut-price sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, Gerard Butler returns to punch, stab and shoot his way through the destruction in order to get the President of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) to safety once more as no-nonsense Secret Service agent Mike Banning. This time, the action has relocated to London, where heads of state from around the world have converged for the Prime Minister’s funeral. Continue reading “Review: London Has Fallen (2016)” →