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Author Archives: Sam Sewell-Peterson
Review in Brief: The Young Offenders (2016)
Two adorable scallywags on a pushbike road trip and demonstrating stupidity, heart and Gallic humour aplenty? I’m in. The dual leads (Alex Murphy and Chris Walley, sporting equally horrendous teen face fuzz and questionable fashion sense) could have great things … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Alex Murphy, Black Comedy, Chris Walley, The Young Offenders
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Review in Brief: Jackie (2016)
Natalie Portman is pretty near perfect as Jackie Kennedy. There’s nowhere to hide with her forever centre-frame and sometimes uncomfortably close up when she is at her most vulnerable. I would have preferred more scenes with the priest (sadly not … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Billy Crudup, Biopic, Drama, Jackie, John Hurt, Natalie Portman
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Review: Jesus, Bro! (2017)
For the uninitiated, MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS is a popular web series of car seat film reviews. Often said screenings are of so-called “faith movies”, which are popular in certain quarters of American Society, and quite baffling to everyone else. JESUS, BRO! … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Split (2016)
SPLIT brings back every single one of M Night Shyamalan’s worst habits as a director with interest. After the briefest of returns to form with THE VISIT (it was a straight horror: he can do straight horror) now he thinks … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Movies
Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Anna Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, M Night Shyamalan, Split, The Visit, Thriller
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Review in Brief: Toni Erdmann (2016)
Pretty much every review I’ve seen of TONI ERDMANN has been focussed on how unexpectedly good a two-and-a-half hour German comedy turns out to be. I find that overly reductive and more than a little patronising. American comedies are often … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Black Comedy, Jack Nicholson, Maren Ade, Sandra Hüller, Toni Erdmann, World Cinema
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Review: Wonder Woman (2017)
Through my own astonishing poor planning and lack of research, I’ve now seen WONDER WOMAN twice in the cinema, both times with subtitles. Luckily for me the film is compelling enough that I was drawn in and didn’t notice after … Continue reading
Review: Swiss Army Man (2016)
SWISS ARMY MAN is like one of those weird one-off dreams. It questions humankind’s fear of death by allowing one of us to have a (admittedly skewed) relationship with a symbol of that fear. Hank (Paul Dano) loses it in … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Black Comedy, Daniel Radcliffe, Paul Dano, Swiss Army Man
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Review in Brief: Seoul Station (2016)
SEOUL STATION brings back slapstick zombies and a good punch of dark satire in its final act, but as a companion piece to TRAIN TO BUSAN, it falls rather short in terms of character. None of the supposed protagonists are … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Seoul Station, Train to Busan, World Cinema, Yeon Sang-ho
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Review in Brief: Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Do you need to have played the games to get something out of the ASSASSIN’S CREED movie? No, but it’ll certainly help. Anyone can enjoy the detailed costume designs, the well-mounted action and the moody atmosphere, and equally fans of … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Assassin's Creed, Charlotte Rampling, Justin Kurzel, Michael Fassbender
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Review: The Levelling (2016/17)
THE LEVELLING is very much like farming soap opera THE ARCHERS, only bleaker, with better acting and real animals. If you’re American, or not middle-class enough know about The Archers, don’t worry about it. Taking a forced sabbatical from her … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged David Troughton, Drama, Ellie Kendrick, Hope Dickson Leach, Nina Forever, The Archers, The Levelling
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