The Children Act (2018, FilmNation Entertainment and BBC Films) Directed by Richard Eyre. Featuring Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead and Ben Chaplin. Based on a novel by Ian McEwan. This English-set drama follows the traumatic life choices surrounding religious objections to blood transfusions by Jehovah Witnesses. Seventeen year-old Adam (Whitehead) is dying and only … Continue reading The Two Reviews: The Children Act and Vice
On Chesil Beach (2018, Number 9 Films, BBC Films & Lionsgate) Directed by Dominic Cooke, based on a novel by Ian McEwan, featuring Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, Emily Watson, Ann-Marie Duff and Samuel West. The film On Chesil Beach is a romantic drama based on the short novel of the same name by Ian McEwan. It is … Continue reading The Two Reviews: On Chesil Beach and BlacKkKlansman
Red Sparrow (2018, 20th Century Fox and TSG Entertainment) Directed by Francis Lawrence, Featuring Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons) Red Sparrow is a Russian spy thriller that tells the story of manipulation, power, survival and betrayal. The main character Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is a Russian ballerina who supports … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Red Sparrow and I, Tonya
Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016, Hypnotic Pictures & Picture Palace Pictures) Directed by Bill Morrison; Produced by Bill Morrison and Madeleine Molyneaux As an archaeologist and a film enthusiast, I have always wanted to explore this topic more – the genuine and artful presentation of the fruits of archaeological discovery on film. There is only … Continue reading The Two Reviews – Documentary Special: Dawson City: Frozen Time and The Newspaperman
Darkest Hour 2017. Directed by Joe Wright, featuring Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn and Kristin Scott Thomas. Darkest Hour is a war-drama that follows the first few weeks of Winston Churchill’s Prime Ministership – a period of intense military and political turmoil for Britain. The German army is marching through Europe, a seemingly unstoppable military force, … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Darkest Hour and The Post
"...several scenes are improvised and have a beautiful natural quality..." The Florida Project is a warm but sometimes poignant drama of poorer citizens who live a day to day existence on a drab estate on the outskirts of Disney World, Orlando. It depicts a slice of life of Orlando’s under-class through the eyes and adventures … Continue reading The Two Reviews: The Florida Project (2017 Sean Baker)
'...a vehicle for comedy and for showing character flaws...' This dark comedy was filmed in 33 days on a relatively small budget, released in late 2017 in the US and had a world release in January 2018. It has already picked up numerous awards. This doesn’t automatically qualify it as a great film, but to … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017 Martin McDonagh)
The Shootist (1976) begins like so many other westerns: the main character, a mysterious lone figure emerging from the wilderness, reluctantly on his way into civilisation. In this case the wilderness is the snow-covered mountains and foothills outside of Carson City and the lone figure, wrapped and hunched against the cold, is John Bernard Books. … Continue reading “The most celebrated shootist extant” – John Wayne and The Shootist
The Woodstock Festival in the summer of 1969, as many will attest to, marked a landmark in the American post-war social consciousness. Michael Wadleigh’s award winning documentary Woodstock (1970) brilliantly captured the infamous concert in its entirety, not only showcasing the creative musical talent that marked the decade prior but also informing us of a … Continue reading The American Road Movie: Driving Away From the 1960s Counterculture
