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Tag Archives: Drama
Review in Brief: Elle (2016)
ELLE is like the darkest soap opera you’ve ever seen. You get all the extra-marital affairs and mummy and daddy issues you might expect from nightly soft drama telly of the like of EAST ENDERS, but it also subjects us … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Black Comedy, Drama, East Enders, Elle, Gaspar Noé, Isabelle Huppert, Lars von Trier, Paul Verhoeven, Soap Opera
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Review: Boy (2010)
Handled delicately, grief makes for a great film. Boiling Taika Waititi’s films down to their core themes, if EAGLE VS. SHARK was about battling depression and HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE was about finding a place to truly belong, then BOY … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Black Comedy, Boy, Drama, Eagle vs Shark, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, James Rollerston, Michael Jackson, Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok
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Review in Brief: A United Kingdom (2016)
There’s not a whole lot wrong with A UNITED KINGDOM, but at the same time there’s also very little to set the world on fire. You can imagine it becoming a firm favourite for cosy Sunday afternoon viewing in years … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged A United Kingdom, Amma Asante, David Oyelowo, Drama, Historical Drama, Rosamund Pike
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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: 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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Review in Brief: Eye in the Sky (2016)
It might be about as subtle as an airstrike, but drone warfare thriller EYE IN THE SKY fields an interesting debate. Just how far can you push “For the greater good”? In the moment, if you could save more lives, … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Alan Rickman, Drama, Eye in the Sky, Gavin Hood, Helen Mirren, Tsotsi
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Review: Eagle vs Shark (2007)
You can always spot a Taika Waititi project, and EAGLE VS SHARK is unmistakably that. He’s got a unique comic voice and an appealing sideways view of the more painful and complex aspects of our world. Just look at how … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Black Comedy, Brian Sergent, Comedy, Drama, Eagle vs Shark, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jemaine Clement, Loren Taylor, Napoleon Dynamite, Taika Waititi
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Review: Manchester by the Sea (2016)
The Oscars are almost upon us and once again I’ve only managed to see about half of the movies in the running. LA LA LAND might be the bookies’ favourite, but MANCHESTER BY THE SEA is my pick to take … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Academy Awards, Casey Affleck, CJ Wilson, Drama, Kenneth Lonergan, Kyle Chandler, La La Land, Lucas Hedges, Manchester By the Sea, Oscars
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Review: The Crown – Season 1 (2016)
THE CROWN was by far and away my television highlight of 2016. Following the first decade of Queen Elizabeth II’s long reign, it boasts stately performances, sumptuous production design and an intimate examination of real people in a unique situation. … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review, Television
Tagged Alex Jennings, Carry On, Claire Foy, Drama, Educating Rita, Jared Harris, John Lithgow, Matt Smith, Peter Morgan, The Crown, The Graduate, TV, Vanessa Kirby, Victoria Hamilton
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