Nostalgia seems to be a huge feature of present Hollywood output. The most prestigious films of late are The Artist and Hugo, both of which pay affectionate homage to early cinema. War Horse could have belonged to Hollywood’s golden era. Classic Disney films are being regularly re-released, and the entire Star Wars saga is making … Continue reading
After far too much procrastination, I’ve finally got round to seeing The Descendants – the latest offering from director Alexander Payne who already has excellent films like Sideways, Election and About Schmidt under his belt. Whilst not in the same league as Payne’s previous work, The Descendants does get under the skin of the viewer … Continue reading
The extremely tired found-footage motif is churned out yet again for Chronicle – a low budget indie pic which is essentially a riff on the superhero origin story. Directorial technique issues aside, the story itself is an entertaining, well-told one, and against the odds manages to bring something fresh to a very crowded genre. When … Continue reading
Since George Lucas has decided to re-release his Star Wars films in chronological order (as opposed to the order they were made), I have decide to attempt to review them as someone with no previous knowledge of the franchise. Frankly, for anyone new to Star Wars, viewing them in this order is ridiculous as it … Continue reading
Slightly trimmed by the censors to get a 12A rating, The Woman in Black is nevertheless a nerve rattling gothic horror experience nigh-on guaranteed to cause sleepless nights. I’m pleased to report I have had at least one so far – a sign this film has done its job well. Why the filmmakers wanted a … Continue reading
Martha Marcy May Marlene (herein after referred to as MMMM) has a title that’s a marketing nightmare (try saying it correctly from memory). The film itself is also rather nightmarish, in that it deals with a mentally disturbed girl escaping the clutches of a cult, and her sister’s futile attempts at rehabilitation. In flashback we … Continue reading
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE ENTIRE STAR WARS SAGA With the upcoming re-release of The Phantom Menace in cinemas (converted to 3D), and with the re-release of all six Star Wars films in 3D due over the next six years, I thought this an opportune moment to re-assess the Star Wars prequel trilogy with the benefit … Continue reading
I really, really did intend to see The Descendants this week. After all, it features an Oscar nominated George Clooney and it’s directed by Alexander Payne, whose films I like a great deal. But darn it all – The Grey has Liam Neeson trying to survive wolf attacks in an Arctic wilderness following a plane … Continue reading
