Veteran director Ken Loach makes a subdued return to rural Ireland with period drama Jimmy’s Hall. After ten years exiled in America, communist leader Jimmy Gralton (Barry Ward) returns to his homeland to lead a quiet life, but when he’s coaxed into re-opening the community hall by the local community he quickly reignites the displeasure of the church. Continue reading “Review: Jimmy’s Hall (2014)”
The classic tale of Sleeping Beauty is revised in Maleficent, a dark revenge thriller that relies heavily on a steely, captivating performance from Angelina Jolie as the titular villain to earn its wings. A beautiful and inquisitive child, Maleficent (Jolie) leads an idyllic life, until she’s ruthlessly betrayed by the neighbouring humans. Years later, intent on revenge, she curses the king’s newborn child Aurora (Elle Fanning) – an act she soon regrets. Continue reading “Review: Maleficent (2014)”
Playful, yet imbued with intense undertones, Venus In Fur – Roman Polanski’s reworking of David Ives’ play of the same name – is a sharply written and well drawn two-hander. Fed up auditioning terrible actresses for a play he adapted, Thomas (Mathieu Amalric) is left bewildered by the arrival of Vanda (Emmanuelle Seigner), a seemingly atrocious actress who quickly proves her worth. Continue reading “Review: Venus In Fur (2013)”
The loveable reputation of an iconic children’s TV character is scarred by Postman Pat: The Movie, a big-screen outing that’s dead on arrival. Desperate to take his wife on holiday, Pat (Stephen Mangan) is forced to enter a talent competition, where he becomes an overnight sensation. Meanwhile, his hometown is terrorised by evil robots – something that only Pat can stop. With a scattered tone and risible, lifeless script, Postman Pat: The Movie is a far cry from the charming TV series pre-schoolers know and love. Continue reading “Review: Postman Pat: The Movie (2014)”
John Turturro’s fifth feature behind the camera is an amiable, if diluted, sex comedy that features Woody Allen in a rare starring role. When his friend’s business collapses, Floravante (Turturro) is talked into becoming a male prostitute, engaging in rendez-vous with sultry women. He questions his newfound profession, however, after forming a platonic bond with an Hasidic widow (Vanessa Paradis). Continue reading “Review: Fading Gigolo (2013)”
Gorgeously shot, with a pronounced performance from Mia Wasikowska at its core, Tracks is a beautiful retelling of Robyn Davidson’s National Geographic article. In 1977, Davidson decided to abandon the real world and trek from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean, a 1,700-mile expedition through the treacherous Australian desert. Tracks is worth a watch for its visuals alone. Continue reading “Review: Tracks (2013)”
Tasked with resurrecting Japan’s iconic monster Godzilla, Gareth Edwards – advancing to the big leagues on the back of his acclaimed debut Monsters – delivers an impressive blockbuster spectacle, even if it lacks a strong emotional core. After an eerie opening credits sequence that pays homage to the creations lineage, the film picks up fifteen years later, with Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) still searching for answers to the nuclear plant accident that killed his wife. Continue reading “Review: Godzilla (2014)”
Purported to be celebrated director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, The Wind Rises arrives with a lot of expectation, but sadly falls short of his past works’ lustre. Jiro Horikoshi (Hideaki Anno) has dreamt of becoming a pilot since he was a small child. But when an eyesight impediment forces him to change tacks, he instead matures into a famed aeronautical engineer. The Wind Rises is decidedly darker and more measured than Miyazaki’s previous efforts Continue reading “Review: The Wind Rises (2014)”
Next Goal Wins, about American Samoa’s ill-fated football team, is an uplifting and insightful documentary with real heart. Ranked the world’s worst football team, American Samoa are in dire straits. And, with the 2014 World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, Dutch-born coach Thomas Rongen is hired in an attempt to bring the team up to scratch. First-time directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison have fashioned a captivating documentary full of heart and soul Continue reading “Review: Next Goal Wins (2014)”
The latest in a long line of trashy action thrillers spearheaded by French producer extraordinaire Luc Besson, Camille Delamarre’s Brick Mansions – an American remake of 2004 parkour-driven French adrenaline-pumper District B13 – is just about as mindless as they come. The late Paul Walker, who tragically died last November, stars as protagonist Damien Collier, an undercover cop who accepts an assignment to infiltrate an infamous and high-risk housing complex deep within a fictional Detroit. Continue reading “Review: Brick Mansions (2014)”
Empty Screens 