Directed by Tom Harper, ‘Wild Rose’ is a musical drama that tells the story of a Scottish ex-con with Nashville country singer aspirations. While it doesn’t add much new to the genre, and does feel like a Scottish reworking of ‘A Star is Born’, it’s still a wonderfully uplifting and enjoyable affair. By a 'country' … Continue reading Jessie Buckley’s star is born (Wild Rose review)
Tim Burton has been the mind behind some of the most unique films ever made. Unfortunately, this is not one of them. The first of four Disney live action remakes this year(!), Dumbo adapts from the 1941 animated classic, and though Burton brings a wonderful cast and attempts his usual visual flare, the end result … Continue reading Flying Elephant remake fails to soar (Dumbo review)
Ever since Christopher Nolan moved on, DC have really struggled to make their movies work. From a bad start, to a dreadful middle and a strangely fishy end, their franchise so far has only delivered one great movie. Though Shazam! is probably the second-best film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) after Wonder Woman…it’s still not great.
The follow up is one of the hardest things to do, and Jordan Peele had an extraordinarily high bar to reach. The Oscar winning ‘Get Out’ was his debut feature, and his satirical horror as been hailed a modern masterpiece. Thankfully, he didn’t crumble under the pressure, and his second film ‘Us’ confirms that he is a visionary filmmaker who’s just getting started.
After Twenty MCU films, the Twenty First finally has a female lead. Captain Marvel is a fascinating character, and this origin film does wonders to explain her and her motivations. However, with a huge Thanos-shaped shadow still hanging over the MCU, this film suffers from a lack of stakes, originality or excitement.
I’ve never seen a boxing match, but I enjoyed Rocky. I don’t watch Skiing, but I like Eddie The Eagle. And now, Stephen Merchant has added Wrestling to sports I don’t watch, despite enjoying films about them. Fighting with My Family does what every great sports film does. It concentrates on the characters and story rather than the sport. And boy does it work.
Liam Neeson has decided to do something different with his career. After years of starring in action thrillers where a man gets revenge for losing a family member, he has now made a film about a man who gets revenge after losing a family member…but this time it’s a comedy (sort of). Cold Pursuit isn’t … Continue reading Chilling Revenge (Cold Pursuit review)
It’s been 8 years (well, 7 years and 1 month) since Joe Cornish directed Attack the Block. A Sci-Fi Comedy 'Die Hard' with aliens, it was great cinematic escapism set in rural London. This time, Joe Cornish sets his eyes on a younger audience with his family adventure film ‘The Kid Who Would Be King’. … Continue reading Knights of The Times Table (The Kid Who Would Be King review)
Nicolas Cage has starred in... let's be honest... some terrible films. His intensity as an actor has been parodied for years and he has never quite been perfectly cast for this absolutely terrifying madness that he can portray. This all changed with 2018’s Mandy, a psychedelic action horror film. This movie can be summed up very simply; if you’ve ever wanted to see Nicolas Cage light a cigarette using the flame from a burning severed head, then it’s finally here to see.
The Lego Movie was one of 2014’s most unlikely hits. Based on the hit construction toys, nobody could have ever expected it would be as funny or enjoyable as it really was. Continuing the story five years on, the sequel is a gorgeously designed film with hilarious characters and an emotional undertone.
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 