Blu-Ray Review: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, have graced many books and featured in numerous adaptations, both on the big and small screen. As a double act, they’ve captivated audiences around the world, what with Holmes’ remarkable powers of deduction and Watson’s incredible knack of being in the right place …
Film Review: Lover for a Day
Philippe Garrel trades in relationships. The French director’s focus is on that eternal fascination for many of his countrymen; love. With a filmography including Regular Lovers, Wild Innocence, The Birth of Love and Emergency Kisses, it’s not like he makes any secret of it. Following on from Jealousy and In the Shadow of a Woman, …
Incoming: The Post
Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks). Racing to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government …
DVD Review: The King’s Choice
Whilst most of us will have at least a vague appreciation of the main events which affected our own countries during World War II, the picture is different when we look farther afield. In the UK, most of our knowledge revolves around the Western Front; but almost entirely France, Belgium and neighbouring countries. The role …
Blu-Ray Review: New World
Ever since Shiri became a huge box office success in 1999, the Korean film industry has undergone a huge boom period. Whilst the North/South spy thriller may have kicked things off, it fuelled a trend for imaginative and impressive crime thrillers. These include Oldboy, Memories of Murder, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Man from Nowhere …
Incoming: Darkest Hour
Darkest Hour begins on the eve of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a …
Film Review: A Woman’s Life
If you’re looking for an uplifting and happy cinematic experience you should really think twice about going to see a Stéphane Brizé film. The French director is in his element when ensconced in intricate studies of human endurance and suffering. His last film, The Measure of a Man, picked up a number of awards and …
DVD Review: Sweet Virginia
Over the last decade, with the advent of streaming services and on-demand, TV has become big business. Arguably overtaking film in terms of both viewer appetite and critical acclaim. Whilst most actors have always started out on the small screen, we’re beginning to see a new generation of film star who made their name in …
Incoming: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with …
Blu-Ray Review: A Ghost Story
Grief and loss are themes which are regularly tackled on the big screen. To a large degree, they often tend to follow a similar path; reflecting the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). However, life doesn’t always follow a logical path. Humans are complex creatures. We often react to stressful situations …