22 April 2016. DEMOLITION ***1/2 The title is unfortunate, for it may keep people away, thinking it’s just another Schwarzenegger destruction blockbuster. It is nothing of the sort. It is rather an introspective, modern tale of a man’s blocked emotions and his inability to love. Jake Gyllenhaal once again gives a fascinating, Oscar-worthy performance (remember […]
Film: The Jungle Book – this sumptuous live-action version does not disappoint
15 April 2016. THE JUNGLE BOOK **** We are all more or less familiar with this adventure tale about a little boy growing up in the jungle amongst wild animals, either through the original classic by Rudyard Kipling, its various apparitions as comics, or the unforgettable Disney animated film of 1967. This sumptuous live-action version […]
Film: Truth – how two top TV journalists had their careers destroyed
8 April 2016. TRUTH *** Let’s be honest – it’s the strong acting of Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, and the rest of the accomplished cast, that makes this film especially worthwhile. But its recounting of the true incident in 2004 that cost the careers of two top television journalists in the U.S. is also […]
Film: Kung fu Panda 3 – about everyone finding their own best self
1 April 2016. Not the greatest week dear cinephiles, but a fine one for your kids with the Panda film, which you will also enjoy. 1 to see, 2 to skip. KUNG FU PANDA 3 *** What a delight to see an animated film for children that has fun and action but also an underlying […]
Film: A perfect day – a droll look at the absurdity of war
A PERFECT DAY ***1/2 The multi-awarded Spanish director Fernando Leon de Aranoa – of such socially-conscious yet personal films as “Les Lundi au Soleil” and “Princesas” – has come up with another winner. This time he’s gone international, taking a droll, almost sarcastic look at the consequences and absurdity of war, somewhere in the Balkans […]
Film: Brooklyn – a love story about a girl who emigrates alone
15 March 2016. BROOKLYN **** A fine romantic film is a rarity, and here is such a pearl. Underlying the romance is the more meaty tale of a young girl emigrating alone to America from her home in Ireland in the early 1950s, with all the turmoil that such a move entails: the fears of a […]
Film: the mum and her little boy who live in a single room
11 March 2016. ROOM **** This film, that spends half of its time in the confines of one room with just a mother and her little boy, yet remains powerful and touching, is a masterwork. Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, it’s a riveting tale directed by Lenny Abrahamson, with amazing portrayals by little Jacob […]
Film: Spotlight – exposing a coverup of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
26 February 2016. SPOTLIGHT **** Whatever your background, belief or religion, you will be shaken by this gripping, true account of tenacious newspaper reporting. It’s about the Boston Globe revealing in 2001-2002 the extent of the decades-long coverup of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Countless priests in the Boston area were molesting innocent children and […]
Film: Hail Caesar! The latest from the Coen brothers
19 February 2016. HAIL CAESAR! **1/2 Oh dear, I was so looking forward to another great Coen brothers film after seeing the hilarious trailer. But unfortunately it was not to be. Like Woody Allen, the super-talented brothers can’t win ’em all… and this has none of the coherence or brilliance of O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, […]
Film pick: Chocolat – the true story of a black circus performer in 1800s France
12 February 2016. CHOCOLAT **1/2 (vo French) This bittersweet tale is based on the true story of a black circus performer in the France of the late 1800s. It features Omar Sy of “Les Intouchables”, and James Thierree, a grandson of Charlie Chaplin who has an uncanny resemblance to the famed comic. Actor/director Roschdy Zem has […]
