Author Archives: Sam S-P
Review: Her (2013)
There is no filmmaker working today quite like Spike Jonze. He’s the master of thoughtful, playfully reality-bending cinema with punchy messages. HER tells the story of Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a writer who’s life is persistently haunted by a disastrous breakup … Continue reading
Review: You’re Next (2011/13)
YOU’RE NEXT is a good home invasion horror elevated by confidence in direction and the occasional promise of something more. It’s not a game-changer, but it’s just different enough to stand out from the rest of the all-consuming horror market. When an … Continue reading
Review: The Frozen Ground (2013)
An inept filmmaker is one thing, an uninspired filmmaker is another, and neither do much harm in the grand scheme of things. What is more worrying is when you have an artist who’s clearly technically competent, who does their research and claims … Continue reading
Review: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET is a joyous, mostly unashamed feast of sin, and a pleasingly brazen, amusing and different Oscar-contender in comparison to all the more supposedly “fitting” contenders it’s up against this year. Based on Jordan Belfort’s memoir, … Continue reading
Greatest Oscar Injustices 2004-2013
The selection of the Academy Awards is an unfair, flawed system. Everyone knows that. Not long to go now before this year’s awards, so here’s my pick of the biggest mistakes the Academy made over the last decade, and the … Continue reading
Review: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
12 YEARS A SLAVE is a beautifully crafted film about an abhorrent subject. It’s quite an endurance test all-in-all, and I’m not sure whether I’ll ever be able to put myself through it again; not because of the quality of the film, … Continue reading
“I cannot understand how being honest can be improper” (RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman)
The first major blow to the film industry in 2014 has been dealt. Philip Seymour Hoffman has died aged 46. Hoffman was a prolific and incredibly versatile actor, and he did of course have an undeniable raw talent. As comfortable adding … Continue reading
Review: Warm Bodies (2013)
WARM BODIES is the sweetest zombie movie ever made. Not the funniest (that’s SHAUN OF THE DEAD), not the most visually striking (28 DAYS LATER) or the most affecting (COLIN), but certainly the sweetest. When I say sweet, I don’t … Continue reading
A Few Passing Thoughts More…
Another really busy week of movie news that I thought I’d comment briefly on. Annoyingly, AMERICAN HUSTLE is still being showered with critical praise (just give Jennifer Lawrence an award and leave it at that!). More inspiringly, GRAVITY is keeping pace with … Continue reading
SSP Thinks Film 
Luthorland
After months of speculation, and pretty much nothing 100% confirmed about DC/Warner Bros’ mind-blowingly ambitious comic book extravaganza (that still may or may not be called BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN) we now know who’ll be playing Lex Luthor. That man is Jesse … Continue reading →