Hollywood
Terminator: Dark Fate review – look who's backThursday, 24 October 2019
Sentient machines have taken over the Earth. The leader of the human rebellion is so effective that a robotic ‘terminator’ is sent back in time to ensure he’s never born. A guardian follows, to ensure he is. We’ve been here before. Even in the... Read more... |
Prom 30: The Warner Brothers Story, John Wilson Orchestra review – orchestral richesSaturday, 10 August 2019
Wisecracks can be profound. The late André Previn – who spent most of the period from his late teens to his mid-thirties working in film studios – once responded to a critic’s snub that the music of Korngold all sounded like Hollywood with the line... Read more... |
Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw review – falls flat fastThursday, 01 August 2019
“You know twinkle toes, in another life I bet me and you could’ve done some serious damage.” When Jason Statham’s bad guy turned good finally warmed to Dwayne Johnson’s cartoon-like lawman in Fast & Furious 8, it could well have been a... Read more... |
Godzilla: King of the Monsters review – spectacular stupiditySaturday, 01 June 2019
Just how many cinematic universes can one planet stand? Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island’s Apocalypse Now/ape mash-up suggested there might be useful room for old-school creature features amidst the superhero surfeit. As random,... Read more... |
Cannes 2019: Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood review - sun-soaked black comedyThursday, 23 May 2019
Moments before Quentin Tarantino’s blistering, outrageous work screened at Cannes, a message was delivered on behalf of the director, asking reviewers to avoid spoilers. It’s easy to see why. There’s a lot of pleasure in the film’s initial shock... Read more... |
Hugh Jackman, SSE Hydro, Glasgow review - showman plays to his strengths as he kicks off world tourFriday, 10 May 2019
“I hope you’re not only Wolverine fans or this is going to be a long night,” a grinning Hugh Jackman tells a screaming Glasgow crowd. The line – delivered in front of a giant screen on which Jackman, adamantium claws extended, is climbing out of a... Read more... |
Avengers: Endgame review - Marvel save the biggest and best for lastThursday, 25 April 2019
The Earth’s mightiest defenders are back in a triumphant climax, 11 years in the making. Despite a three hour runtime and an overstuffed preceding chapter, the Russo Brothers pull off the near-impossible by creating a wholly satisfying final chapter... Read more... |
Stan and Ollie review - a worthy double actSaturday, 12 January 2019
Stan & Ollie unfolds mostly during Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy’s 1953 British concert tour, when the boys were on their last legs as a comedy act – Hardy was physically spent – but still showing flashes of their old genius. The lure of the tour... Read more... |
CD: Mary Poppins Returns - Original Motion Picture SoundtrackTuesday, 11 December 2018
This is a soundtrack with vast shoes to fill. Frozen, The Lion King and Aladdin may be the best-selling Disney soundtracks but, alongside The Jungle Book, the original 1964 Mary Poppins has the most beloved array of songs. It takes chutzpah to try... Read more... |
The Old Man & the Gun review - sundown on SundanceFriday, 07 December 2018
Despite having enjoyed a prolific few years in which he has appeared in (among others) All Is Lost, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Truth and Our Souls at Night, Robert Redford has said that The Old Man & the Gun will be his last film role... Read more... |
Blu-ray: My Man GodfreyFriday, 14 September 2018
Life has sped up so, so much in the 82 years since My Man Godfrey appeared. The narrative pacing of many Hollywood films from that era seems painfully slow to modern viewers. My Man Godfrey, on the other hand, watched here in the company of a 15-... Read more... |
The King review - the myth behind the manSaturday, 25 August 2018
The most famous face in musical history, and perhaps the instigator of modern culture as we know it; he truly was the King. But for a documentary focused on such an icon, The King touches very little on Elvis Presley the man. This is not another... Read more... |
