After nearly six months, I finally returned to the cinema to see the most cinema worthy film. Huge practical action, a mind-boggling premise and a huge amount of noise, ‘Tenet’ is as Nolan as Nolan gets. To say anything about ‘Tenet’ is to potentially give away spoilers best discovered on the screen, so simply stated … Continue reading “All I have for you is a word…” (Tenet review)
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)
I did it. I watched it. I just about survived it. And though I’m scarred, I can at least now brag I survived the worst movie of 2019.
“A thousand generations live in you now”. Luke’s utterance must have also been what J. J. Abrams heard when he was asked to direct the final episode in the Skywalker Saga. Every generation of child, young or old, was waiting to see what he was going to do with the final chapter. The answer? He … Continue reading “A thousand generations live in you now” (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker review)
From Bill Condon (director of Mr Holmes and Beauty and The Beast) comes The Good Liar, a dark crime thriller based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Searle. With an intriguing but weird story, this film walks dangerously close to mediocrity and is only saved by two fantastic performances.
The Shining is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made (and has always been a firm favourite of mine). In 2013, Steven King (author of the original) wrote a sequel, and this is that adaptation. A sequel to the Kubrick masterpiece but still a film of it’s own, it’s a love letter to the original with enough scares and twists to stand alone.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day has long been one of my favourite films. Its action, its emotion and its CGI are all stunning for its age, and upon countless re-watches it still holds up as one of the greatest films ever made. The team behind Terminator: Dark Fate clearly noticed that, and decided to try duplicating that film. What’s left is a fairly enjoyable action flick with none of the flair of the originals.
In 2019’s answer to the endless popularity of Space Exploration films, ‘Ad Astra’ presents a poetic narrative that wouldn’t be out of place in ‘2001’. In Brad Pitt’s second film of the year, he voyages away from 1969 and into the near distant future to tell a story of hope, determination and fatherhood.
In the latest 2019 film based on some famous songs by a specific artist, 'Blinded by the Light' puts the struggles of 1980’s racial tension against a Bruce Springsteen soundtrack. The result is as disorientating as you’d expect, and while it delivers a sweetly uplifting story, it suffers from too many clichés and a lack of clear intention.
Daniel Robinson: From Reel to Real 