Well, here we are again, another year, another summary. This year's post is obviously going to be slightly different, but there has still been a fantastic selection of great films to watch, albeit from my sofa rather than a multiplex.
From the actor behind ‘Billy Maddison’, ‘Grown Ups 2’ and ‘Jack and Jill’ comes an unbelievable 180 degree-turn. Directed by The Safdie Brothers, 'Uncut Gems' is the breakout serious role Adam Sandler needed to put him back in the hearts of audiences and critics alike. Presented as a two-hour anxiety attack, the film is a … Continue reading “This is how I win…” (Uncut Gems review)
Telling a fictional but all too recognisable story, 'Queen and Slim' is a politically fuelled road-trip romance thriller. Self-referenced as the black Bonnie and Clyde, it’s a film rich in topical messages and emotional drama. After their questionable Tinder date, Queen and Slim are driving home when complications with the law arise. After a police … Continue reading “Well, if it isn’t the black Bonnie and Clyde…” (Queen and Slim review)
Starring Matthew Rhys and Tom Hanks, 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' is a semi-biopic telling the story of cynical Esquire journalist who is sent to meet the legendary American star Fred Rogers. With a delicate tone, charming performances and a heart-warming message, it’s a fitting film for today’s climate. The film is based on … Continue reading “Sometimes we have to ask for help… and that’s okay…” (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood review)
From the creator of ‘The Thick of It’ and ‘The Death of Stalin’, Armando Iannucci brings us his latest project ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’. Not a biopic of the American Magician, it’s the latest adaptation of Charles Dickens timeless novel, and features a fabulously British cast doing fantastically British things. A modern take … Continue reading “I’ve been attempting to learn gentlemen’s humour from a book…” (The Personal History of David Copperfield review)
In an age where sexual harassment is finally beginning to be addressed in the highest places, ‘Bombshell’ tells the accounts of several women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for misconduct. Shot like a documentary, it’s a film that is stylistically reminiscent of last years ‘Vice’, though it’s not quite … Continue reading “Someone has to speak up. Someone has to get mad…” (Bombshell review)
After practicing with the opening sequence of Spectre, director Sam Mendes brings us a relentless WWI film that appears to all take place in one shot. A breathtakingly visceral film, it proves what an accomplished voice in cinema Sam Mendes is.
Joining the likes of ‘The Producers’ and ‘The Great Dictator’, ‘Jojo Rabbit’ is that rarefied comedy that decides to tackle Hitler and the Nazi’s. Despite it being a dangerously easy topic to make a wrong step with, director Taika Waititi has created another film that perfectly walks the line between comedy and emotion without ever causing offence in the wrong way.
In Olivia Wilde’s debut as a feature director, Booksmart is that rare teen comedy that does more than tell a couple of sex jokes about apple pies (too subtle?). Though the film is not as emotionally rich as ‘Eighth Grade’, it still remains a tightly crafted, acutely observed and down-right hilarious coming-of-age comedy.
Years in the making and decades in the narrative, The Irishman (titled onscreen as “I Heard You Paint Houses”) is Martin Scorsese’s latest epic crime drama, telling the life and confessions of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran. Though it doesn’t feel it’s 3 ½ hour run time and the drama is beefy enough to fill it, it also never feels like enough excitement or emotion occurs within the film to justify it’s length.
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 