I love Taika Waititi. And the most exciting thing happening this January - apart from the new vegan steak bake at Greggs - was the release of Jo Jo Rabbit. It has been far too long since his triumph Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I have recommended this film so many times that I have probably... Continue Reading →
Eighth Grade review: A geeky joy-fest with one major flaw
I have one major issue with this film. And it's a big one. A big dollop of curmudgeon-ey officialdom-ness has slapped a 15 certificate on it. What? This means that all the people who really REALLY need to see it, technically can't. Which is a tragedy. An absolute tragedy. In fact it's a travesty. I... Continue Reading →
Sometimes Always Never review: a wow-fest of word wizardry
Can a whole film really be all about a simple game of Scrabble? Oh yes, yes it can. This film centres entirely around one game and the lasting consequences of it. Sound boring? Not even slightly. Every moment of this beautiful film is an absolute pleasure. It will make you grab the old battered game... Continue Reading →
Long Shot: a saccharine schmaltz shot of sugary bliss
This is like taking a saccharine-infused schmaltz shot...but taking it through your eyeballs. It's an intense smack. A sloppy, syrupy, slush-puppy of a movie - but it's not sickly. It's wonderfully watchable, witty and with a big punch of a life lesson to boot. Story in a nutshell, or shall we say a popcorn kernel,... Continue Reading →
Wild Rose bounds into screens and into your heart
I don't like country music. And I certainly don't like films which err on the side of musicals. Eugh, no. So I went to see this hesitantly! But this film may be both erring on the side of a musical and also all about country music - but it gets you from the moment it... Continue Reading →
Benjamin film review: Siddhartha meets Catcher in the Rye for millennials
Thank you. Thank you God for Curzon Home Streaming without which my cinematic feasting would be a paltry bowl of cornflakes (and i'm talking plain not even the crunchy nut variety)- which would revolve around the big blockbusters of Captain Marvel, the Lego Movie 2 and How to Train your Dragon (isn't it trained by... Continue Reading →
I really don’t like Keira Knightley – but Colette turned me into a fan
I don't know what it is about Keira Knightley, she's done absolutely nothing wrong. Nothing whatsoever, but yet I just don't really like her. I find her kind of annoying. Perhaps she's too good, too nice, too long-necked - but there's something I just don't like. So I went to see Colette with trepidation -... Continue Reading →
Beautiful Boy is beautifully tender
This is an intensely human depiction of a father and son who deeply love each other but struggle to understand each other as the son descends into the depths of drug addiction. If my dad had been around while I was growing up then I'd have wanted him to be just like Dave Sheff (Steve... Continue Reading →
Creed II review: booooooooom!
Booooooooom! Pow! Bam! Wham! Thud! As the big fight between Wilder and Fury swings into the ring in the early hours of tomorrow morning I geared up with some Rocky action. Two hours of bowt after bowt after bloody sweaty bowt, I was exhausted. And I was only watching it. But just watching was enough... Continue Reading →
Lady Bird makes me understand my mum’s abusive texts
Lady Bird is basically a story about a mother-daughter relationship, which is why it was so apt that my mum texted me just before I went to see it. The weather in the UK is currently snowing and you'd be mad to drive but when I went to see this film it was just a... Continue Reading →
offbeat words 