London Film Festival 2019: Lynn + Lucy

Rating: ★★★★ The titular characters in Lynn + Lucy are lifelong best friends, and even live opposite each other on the same street. But the film explores tragic circumstances where a bond this strong can swiftly be broken. Lynn (Roxanne Scrimshaw) is a married stay-at-home mum turned hairdressing assistant, who is delighted when her best friend Lucy (Nichola Burley) gives birth to her first child. … Continue reading London Film Festival 2019: Lynn + Lucy

London Film Festival 2019: Jojo Rabbit

Rating: ★★★★★ The premise of Jojo Rabbit is a bold one, and something that could have very easily been executed terribly on-screen. Whilst you might feel some apprehension about the concept of a 10-year-old boy who has Hitler as an imaginary friend, Taika Waititi has turned it into something brilliant and poignant. As mentioned above, the film follows Johannes ‘Jojo’ Betzler, who lives in Nazi … Continue reading London Film Festival 2019: Jojo Rabbit

Great lead, average film: My thoughts on “Brightburn”

Rating: ★★★ It was difficult to avoid trailers for James Gunn’s Brightburn, and as a result it was difficult to avoid my excitement too. I had very much been looking forward to this one, as I’m always interested in characters that use their powers for evil instead of good. In a similar vein to Josh Trank’s Chronicle, the film follows a teenager who starts to … Continue reading Great lead, average film: My thoughts on “Brightburn”

“Rocketman”: A dazzling, brutally honest biopic

Rating: ★★★★ 1/2 Biopics are always challenging. Trying to condense the life of a public figure into a couple of hours is never easy, which is why it can go wrong. It must be even more intimidating when your subject is still alive, and in this case, Elton John is very much alive and kicking at the age of 72. Rocketman was a project that was … Continue reading “Rocketman”: A dazzling, brutally honest biopic

Dark comedy at its finest: My thoughts on “Dead In A Week (or your money back)”

This review discusses dark topics such as death and suicide. Reader discretion advised.   Rating: ★★★★ Getting comedy right is difficult enough, let alone trying to do it with sensitive topics. But Dead In A Week (or your money back) hits the nail on the head. After several failed suicide attempts, William (Aneurin Barnard) signs a contract with veteran assassin Leslie (Tom Wilkinson), who promises he’ll … Continue reading Dark comedy at its finest: My thoughts on “Dead In A Week (or your money back)”

Trust No One: My thoughts on thriller “Greta”

Rating: ★★★★ It felt like I’d been waiting an eternity for Greta, and the suspense was killing me. I’d seen plenty of feedback from those who attended TIFF, and the trailer had played before so many films I’d seen in the cinema. The concept had intrigued me from day one, as I find myself very drawn to thrillers such as this one. Being stalked is … Continue reading Trust No One: My thoughts on thriller “Greta”

Not as bad as I was expecting: My thoughts on “Shazam!”

Rating: ★★★   I have to admit, when I first saw the trailer for Shazam!, I felt pretty underwhelmed. It didn’t seem like the kind of film I’d enjoy. I often get tired of cringey, over the top humour, which is basically what the trailer was packed full of. Having said all of this, I ended up being pleasantly surprised by the film after agreeing … Continue reading Not as bad as I was expecting: My thoughts on “Shazam!”

An action-packed mix of super powers, solidarity and cats: My thoughts on “Captain Marvel”

Rating: ★★★ 1/2 Ever since Captain Marvel was announced, it dominated social media for a number of reasons. People were either hyped, or couldn’t wait to slag it off. As a casual superhero fan I was interested to see what all the fuss was about, and how Brie Larson would perform in the titular role. Ever since I saw her in Room, I’ve been so impressed by … Continue reading An action-packed mix of super powers, solidarity and cats: My thoughts on “Captain Marvel”