Tag Archives: Drama
Review: Frank (2014)
FRANK is not even remotely about Mancunian comic character Frank Sidebottom, it just appropriates his iconography to come up with an original story of its own. This might annoy diehard fans of Chris Sievey and his creation, but I’m sure … Continue reading
“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to” (RIP Robin Williams)
As Jeff Bridges’ self-hating DJ Jack Lucas says of Robin Williams’ Parry in THE FISHER KING, “You’re a psychotic man…a very nice psychotic man”. With the most affection possible, that would accurately describe Robin Williams’ public persona – a mad … Continue reading
Biopics: 3 of The Weirdest and Most Wonderful
Biopics have understandably remained popular throughout cinema’s history. Take a famous figure who lead an interesting life, cast a (usually) big star to play them, and half the battle is already over for any half-decent filmmaker. There are a lot … Continue reading
Review: Not Another Happy Ending (2013)
On the surface, NOT ANOTHER HAPPY ENDING has the makings of the kind of film I tend to love. A British (specifically, it’s shot and set in Glasgow) dramedy with quirky characters in crisis with an indie soundtrack. But from … Continue reading
Review: Out of the Furnace (2013)
OUT OF THE FURNACE is one of those movies I’ve been highly anticipating since the first trailer was released. It looked like a gritty, powerful social drama with an impressive cast and a decent director (Scott Cooper of CRAZY HEART), … Continue reading
Review: Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB is a rewarding film about mortality, against-the-odds achievement, and a brutal critique of big business pharmaceuticals, but it becomes a really great film when it gets into analysing prejudice (for all the good it does). In the … Continue reading
Review: Calvary (2014)
Being the ignorant atheist I am, I had no idea what the word Calvary meant. In fact, when John Michael McDonagh’s follow-up to THE GUARD was first announced, I thought it was called Cavalry. Calvary is actually the name given … Continue reading
Review: Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
SAVING MR. BANKS isn’t like many other biopics, and it’s like next to no films about filmmaking. Movies that retell notoriously troubled productions have a tendency to exaggerate and oversimplify for the sake of smooth storytelling, yet often turn out to … Continue reading
SSP Thinks Film 
“I believe we need heroes, I believe we need certain people who we can measure our own shortcomings by.” (RIP Richard Attenborough)
It’s been a tough month for my childhood. Two weeks ago we lost Robin Williams, and now we must also bid a fond farewell to Lord Richard Attenborough, actor-director extraordinaire, RADA and BAFTA head, and tireless and passionate supporter of … Continue reading →