Few films arrive with expectations as high as Christopher Nolan’s, let alone one which is an adaptation of one of the most ancient, epic and influential stories of all time. And yet, arriving after a wait that has felt almost as long as Odysseus’ journey home, The Odyssey somehow manages to surpass every hope to offer a…
Having debuted with one of the best comedies of the last decade (Booksmart), Olivia Wilde returns with her third feature to claim yet another. The Invite is a hysterical chamber piece, an incisive character study and impeccable showcase for its cast, with a poignancy bubbling beneath which surfaces by the final act. Based on the Spanish film, Sentimental, The…
Hollywood has long traded in nostalgia and known quantities, rolling out sequels and spin-offs for as long as they are profitable, with belated sequels – often released decades after their predecessors – being particularly fashionable for the past decade or so. Regardless of the sequels’ quality or the real need for them to be made…
The bar for a Steven Spielberg film is high, even specifically for a Spielberg sci-fi and more specifically for a Spielberg sci-fi dealing with close encounters. Disclosure Day arrives with the hype-filled baggage of Spielberg’s filmography and while it doesn’t reach those heady heights, it still offers a fun ride, provokes intriguing questions and is sprinkled with…
With the release this week of Toy Story 5’s official song from Taylor Swift, and my recent rabbit hole of movie song playlists on Spotify, I’ve been thinking a lot about the iconic movie songs of yesteryear and their absence in modern cinema. It feels like a true movie soundtrack hit is so rare these days,…
It is a truth universally acknowledged that we, as a society, have suffered from a dearth of good romantic comedies – possibly symptomatic of our cynical age but also a genre that’s, potentially, a salve for it. We were rom-com-less for years before a somewhat renaissance unfortunately consisting mainly of streaming slop: the genre (and…
No matter how many films you see, you never know when your next watch might become a seminal experience in your life. This recently happened to me when I finally watched The Red Shoes for the first time. Now, obviously this is an esteemed classic, lauded by cinephiles the world over and made by certified master filmmakers…
After twenty years and a long build up, the sequel to the cult hit has finally hit screens. Whilst it serves as little more than an addendum to the first, it does have something to say and offers some fun in checking in on beloved characters. We catch up with Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) just…
My second Michaela Coel-starring art-centred film in as many days, the ever-prolific Steven Soderbergh offers up a small-scale comedy with plenty to sink your teeth into. Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), an artist at heart who works in a food truck by day is approached by the children (Jessica Gunning and James Corden) of the once-great…
The first of three Zendaya-Robert Pattinson starrers this year has arrived. A highly-anticipated, high-concept, twisted romantic-comedy-drama, The Drama really delivers on its promises. We meet Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson), a happily engaged couple as they make the final arrangements in the week running up to their wedding. The stage is set through flashbacks…
