The winners of the Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced last night in the heart of London. Now in its fifteenth year, the awards payed homage to the best of British independent cinema, at a lavish ceremony attended by some of the industries finest and hosted – for the seventh time – by James Nesbitt, who will next be seen in The Hobbit. Continue reading “Berberian Sound Studio Wins Big At The 2012 BIFA Awards”
Québécois wunderkind Xavier Dolan returns to the fold with Laurence Anyways, a weighty and sprawling three-hour opus that picked up the Queer Palm award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Illustrating a marked improvement in substance over the writer-director’s previous efforts, Laurence Anyways takes its viewers on an intense emotional voyage as Laurence (Melvil Poupaud), a teacher, makes the tough decision to – in the narrow-minded 90‘s – follow his heart and reveal Continue reading “Review: Laurence Anyways (2012)”
I was struck dumb a couple of weeks ago when a radio producer, the very lovely and hospitable Rachael Devine, asked me if I would be interesting in contributing my very own film reviews to a radio show as she was a massive fan of my style of writing. The show in question: Ruth Barnes at Breakfast on Amazing Radio, an online radio station based in Gateshead. I was told the segment would be recorded on Wednesday, November 28, in advance of its airing on Friday Continue reading “Film Reviews On The Radio – Who’d Have Thought It?”
Rise Of The Guardians, DreamWorks Animation’s latest big-budget offering, is every bit as bold as it is visually dazzling, rich in depth and expansive in scope. When the evil Pitch Black (Jude Law) threatens to instil fear in every child, the immortal Guardians – North (Alec Baldwin), Bunny (Hugh Jackman), Tooth (Isla Fisher), Sandman and new recruit Jack Frost (Chris Pine) – must band together to protect childhood innocence and optimism. Continue reading “Review: Rise Of The Guardians (2012)”
Tina (Alice Lowe) is struggling to cope with her overbearing and devious mother, Carol (Eileen Davies), and the recent – and accidental – death of their beloved dog. When new boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram) invites her on a week-long caravanning trip, Tina sees it as her chance to escape the confines of her council house and embarks upon what promises to be a week filled with sex, romance and adventure. Unfortunately for her, the trip quickly spirals out of control after a Continue reading “Review: Sightseers (2012)”
Art curator Harry Dean (Colin Firth) hatches a plan to manipulate his boss, cantankerous billionaire Lionel Shahbandar (Alan Rickman), into acquiring a fake Monet painting. Enlisting the help of rambunctious rodeo queen PJ Puznowski (Cameron Diaz) and talented painter and lifelong friend Major Wingate (Tom Courtenay), Harry’s plan seems foolproof. That is, however, until he starts to develop feelings for PJ, causing his plan to dissever in some unexpected and Continue reading “Review: Gambit (2012)”
Lucas (Mads Mikkelson), a kind, caring and recently divorced nursery teacher, is well-liked by the community of a Danish town – teachers, children and their parents – and resolute in determination to win custody of his son Marcus (Lasse Fogelstrøm). However, as his life starts to find its feet, Lucas’ world is suddenly torn apart when Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), a young girl and daughter of his best friend (Thomas Bo Larsen), accuses him of paedophilia. Continue reading “Review: The Hunt (2012)”
The Scottish BAFTAs took place at Glasgow’s upmarket Radisson Blu Hotel last night where host Edith Bowman, an assortment of Scottish film and television personalities and five hundred guests were on hand to honour and celebrate the very best of film, TV and games over the past twelve months. After a red carpet that was surprisingly removed of rain, wind and thunder and beefed up considerably by the presence of Scottish acting legend and passionate Scot Brian Continue reading “The Angels’ Share Wins Big At The Scottish BAFTAs”
When the American embassy in Iran is ambushed by Iranian revolutionaries in 1979, hostages are taken and people killed in haste. However, six manage to escape through an underground tunnel and take refuge with the Canadian Ambassador in his official residence. With their safety and return to US soil of paramount importance, CIA exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is landed the task and fosters an elaborate plot to smuggle them out as a Canadian Continue reading “Review: Argo (2012)”
After spending the past eight months undergoing therapy in a mental institution, former high school teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) returns to suburban Philadelphia and into the lives of his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver). Wasting no time in attempting to straighten himself up and win back his wife, Pat comes to a deal with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a troubled widow and force of nature, that sees him become her partner for a Continue reading “Review: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)”
Empty Screens 