***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT, DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN ARRIVAL*** Films are always going to be different the second time around. While you may pick up on the odd thing you missed the first time, you know what to expect, you know how it ends and nothing is going to surprise you. For…
After controversy surround the Oscars over the past two years, 2017 seems to have turned things around. In both 2015 and 2016, all 20 of the acting nominees were white, prompting cries of racism and discrimination to be directed at the Academy. This, in turn, prompted a serious examination of the make-up of the voting…
It’s that exciting time in the film calendar again; the Oscar nominations have been announced (in a new, interesting way), and a select group of people can now add the permanent prefix of ‘Academy-Award Nominee’ to their name. As expected, La La Land leads the pack with a whopping 14 nominations; tying with Titanic and…
The latest film based on a remarkable true story is a more recent affair with an inherently modern twist. It is at once a classic yet contemporary tale, extraordinary and emotional. The film follows the story of Saroo, a young Indian boy who becomes separated from his family. It depicts his struggles as he searches…
Mel Gibson’s return to directing (and apparent return from Hollywood jail) is an unbelievable true story of faith, strength and morality in what would appear to be a landscape absent of these principles. The film centres around Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a conscientious objector in WWII who enlists as a medic. During training, both his…
This film’s release on inauguration day will likely pain you and remind you of some of the greater days the Whitehouse has seen. Pablo Larraín’s depiction of the titular First Lady’s experience of dealing with her husband’s assassination, and its aftermath, is a poignant character examination, intimately crafting an image of the First Lady as…
It’s garnering unbelievable acclaim and being nominated for every award out there, and now it has finally arrived on our screens. Damien Chazelle’s follow up to the phenomenal Whiplash really is as good as everyone says it is, bringing something we haven’t seen for a long time on the cinema screen and injecting it with…
There’s a lot of awards buzz surrounding Kenneth Lonergan’s new drama, and it is all entirely deserved. This portrayal of grief and coping is a quiet powerhouse that will pull you in and take hold of your emotions, not letting up until its final frame. The film centres around Casey Affleck’s Lee Chandler, a handyman whose…
Denis Villeneuve has become a filmmaker to rely on for a brilliant and impactful cinematic experience, yet he presents a very different one with each film. After the crime-led pictures of the past few years, here, he lends his hand to the sci-fi genre, to craft a story unlike anything you have seen or expect.…
David Mackenzie’s tale of two brothers robbing banks brings something different and exciting into the cinema this year. It blends an old western feel with the modern day to provide a strong piece of drama that will enthrall viewers. The film follows struggling father Toby (Chris Pine) and ex-convict Tanner (Ben Foster) as they carry…
