Moxie review – A powerful film that will hopefully empower audiences to challenge the status quo that they witness

A wave of American High School dramas that tackle hard-hitting issues have been hitting our screens recently, including Love, Simon (2018) and The Hate U Give (2018). Focusing on Generation Z these films feel quite different to their Eighties and Nineties counterparts, as they make it clear from the outset what form of injustice they...

Timbuktu review – A powerful film that achieves its greatness through calm, heartfelt performances

Set around 2012 and inspired by the real-life occupation of Timbuktu, Mali by Ansar Dine (a militant Islamist group), Timbuktu feels in some ways more of a fly-on-the-wall documentary than a feature film: you feel as though you are observing ordinary people as they go about their day-to-day lives as there is a naturalness -- a...

Ponyo review – A whimsical tale that is a delightful dip into the magic of Studio Ghibli

When I posted about my Top 10 Films Not in the English Language I was touched that so many people left their personal recommendations. One of those people was Table 9 Mutant from Cinema Parrot Disco. As you can see from the comments she left, Table 9 Mutant is a big fan of anime. She...

The White Tiger review – An entertaining film that charts the rise of the downtrodden, undervalued underdog

India holds a special place in my heart. Having worked for an Indian company for just over three years, I visited the country around five-six times. While The White Tiger is mostly set in Dhanbad and Delhi, in the east and north of India respectively, the ways of life portrayed had many similarities with my beloved Mumbai,...

Westworld review – An entertaining, clever film that doesn’t let up for a second

It is such a joy watching films released decades earlier and seeing whether their vision of the future came true. Westworld - written and directed by Crichton - gives a glimpse of a then near-future (1983) that I would have liked to have seen become a reality. A fully interactive, highly realistic amusement park sounds brilliant...

Brief Encounter review – A beautiful film written with only the most perfect words from the English language

Brief Encounter (1945) Director: David Lean Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard Protagonists Laura Jesson and Dr Alec Harvey repeatedly meet by chance and, although married to other people, embark on a short affair that neither one of them will ever forget. Winner of the Grand Prize of the Festival at the Cannes Film Festival (1946) Nominated...

[Movies of the Month] November

November NEW RELEASES Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them- It is brilliant to be back in the Potterverse. This first offering in the Beasts series is an effective combination of light-hearted fantasy with dark themes that relate to modern culture and history. ★★★★ 1ST TIMERS Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Funny, touching and with a great...

[Movies of the Month] October

October 1ST TIMERS Midnight Special - Interesting concept but slow to get going. ★★★ Bad Moms - A handful of laugh-out-loud moments but mostly thinly-veiled sexism, in my opinion. ★★ X-Men: Apocalypse - Great to explore the historical side of the X-Men canon.  ★★★★ Underworld: Evolution - Very disappointing; completely OTT. ★★½ REWATCHES World War Z - A good addition to the...

[Movies of the Month] September

September NEW RELEASES The Secret Life of Pets - Not quite as clever or humorous as I was hoping for but certainly a good kids flick. ★★★½ 1ST TIMERS The Reef - This Australian independent certainly tries but fails through weak acting, unengaging characters and by being hugely predictable. ★★ Below - Interesting idea but poorly executed. ★★½...

[Movies of the Month] August

August 1ST TIMERS Into the Woods - Shot well, with great turns by Blunt, Corden and Streep, but the mish-mash of accents is very irritating. ★★★ Rogue - Tense Australian indie that's let down slightly by poor CGI and some wooden acting. ★★★½ The Nice Guys - Crowe and Gosling are the perfect pairing! Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments...

[Movies of the Month] July

July 1ST TIMERS Miss You Already - Emotional engaging from start to finish; very well put together. ★★★★ The Monuments Men - An interesting story with some poignant moments coupled with comedic ones. Isn’t particularly standout, though, considering its all-star cast. ★★★½ Mr. Holmes - This captures the infamous Holmes at a different point in his life. McKellen delivers a...

[Movies of the Month] June

June 1ST TIMERS 4th Man Out - Quite entertaining but ultimately forgettable. ★★½ Rain Man - Uplifting and thoughtful, I can see why this is considered a classic. ★★★★ L!fe Happens - Amusing and thoughtful in places. However, the stars go to Bosworth's fantastic, bolshie character. ★★★½ Hackers - Entertaining and completely of its time. Is this ripe for...