Cinema: The Revenant (2015) I remember watching the much lauded Birdman when it came out and thought ‘this is a bit annoying’; the soundtrack, the frenetic pace and visuals, the close-up camera work. The acting was good, the story a bit ‘meh’ and I was unimpressed. Having seen Inarritu’s other films (Babel, Biutiful) no one could […]
Streaming: Operator (2015) Funded by Kickstarter, Operator was inspired by a genuine 999 call. Director/writer Caroline Bartleet heard and recognised the dramatic possibilities of giving us a brief glimpse into just one fire service phone call. Short films have to be quick and punchy and it’s rare to find a 5 minute film telling a […]
Cinema: Creed (2015) Nine years after Sylvester Stallone figuratively and literally waved goodbye to everyone as Rocky at the end of Rocky Balboa, he returns to the big screen in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Creed’. No longer providing the body (in more than one sense of the word) of the movie, Stallone is without doubt the beating heart that pumps the […]
DVD/Blu-ray: The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) Eddie Coyle is looking at a stretch in prison and doesn’t want to leave his wife and kids reliant on welfare. He works for Jimmy Scalisi, supplying him with guns for a couple of bank jobs, but a cop named Foley is on to Eddie and he’s trying […]
Cinema: The Hateful Eight (2015) Bounty Hunter John Ruth (AKA: ‘The Hangman’ and played by Kurt Russell) heads for Red Rock with his prisoner Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) through a snow clad and frozen Wyoming. On the way they come across another bounty Hunter; Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson), and the new sheriff […]
DVD: Krampus (2015) Christmas is such a great time for films. Over the years we have been treated to some absolute classics, from It’s A Wonderful Life to Scrooged and Elf. There are some alternatives however to the jolly family fun; Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are considered Christmas classics as well as horror films like Black […]
DVD: And Then There Were None (2015) To celebrate Agatha Christie’s 125th anniversary the BBC produced a new version of her novel for Christmas. The story is set in 1939, literally just before the outbreak of WW2. A group of ten strangers are invited under different pretences to an isolated Island for a weekend away. […]
Cinema: Star Wars – The Force Awakens (2015) This is a spoiler free review. The last time a Star Wars film came out it failed to reignite the fan base as it was over soaked with CGI and told a rather needless and complicated back story. George Lucas’ juggernaught was looking like a victim of its […]
Blu-ray: A New Leaf (1971) Henry Graham (Walter Matthau) a spoiled, brattish, self absorbed American ‘aristocrat’ decides on finding out that he has lost all his money, that he must marry a rich woman and kill her to inherit her assets. I must admit to having never heard of Elaine May, despite her directing Ishtar, […]
DVD: Detectorists (2014) Andy and Lance are two hapless mates who share an obsession for metal detecting. Anyone reading that would instantly think Huh? Doesn’t sound that great to me, even the fact that the amazing Toby Jones plays Lance wouldn’t make it sound any more enthralling. Written by, and starring Mackenzie Crook this ‘comedy’ […]