The first Magic Mike, it's fair to say, was far more successful than anyone could really have predicted it would be. Grossing more than $160 million from a $7 million budget and generally considered to be the beginning of the McConaissance, a sequel was inevitable, and now Mike Lane and the Kings of Tampa have returned for Magic Mike XXL. … [Read more...]
Review: Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
Pitch Perfect 2 starts as it means to go on; choreographed pop mash ups and a fantastic politically incorrect joke (literally), which puts a great big smile on your face that will barely leave you for the 115 minutes run time. … [Read more...]
Review: The Voices (2014)
Of all the things that the director of Persepolis could have gone on to make, no one could have predicted that it would be The Voices. A pitch-black horror comedy about a mentally unstable serial killer who talks to his pets, it is, if nothing else, a sure sign of Marjane Satrapi's versatility. … [Read more...]
Review: Appropriate Behaviour (2015)
It's always good to find a fresh voice in cinema, and when that voice is as unique as Desiree Akhavan's, it's even better. Appropriate Behaviour, her feature debut as writer, director and star, may not be entirely original, owing something of a debt to Lena Dunham's Girls among others, but it is a remarkably confident, assured start to what should be an extremely promising … [Read more...]
Review: Inherent Vice (2014)
Drenched in 1970s California sun and a haze of pot smoke we are introduced to Larry ˜Doc' Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) the private detective with huge sideburns who is the heart of the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film Inherent Vice. Based on the novel by Thomas Pynchon, it is a hard-boiled private detective genre given a contemporary spin by Anderson. … [Read more...]
Review: Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the original Dumb And Dumber was released right in the middle of the meteoric rise of Jim Carrey to mega stardom. A much loved and oft quoted film, the original has previously spawned a (terrible) prequel so to dip a toe in sequel territory would seem a risky proposition. … [Read more...]
Review: The Interview (2014)
When history looks back at The Interview, the latest comedy with Seth Rogen and James Franco, it will talk mainly about the scandal around its release. Telling the controversial story of an assassination plot against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the actual North Korean government issued a statement threatening 'merciless' action against Colombia Pictures if it went ahead … [Read more...]
Review: Pride (2014)
If the idea of Dominic West dancing to win over a group of stuffy homophobic miners makes you laugh, chances are you'll enjoy Pride. A historical comedy that looks back at a group of lesbian and gay activists who supported the miners during the strikes of the 1980s, director Matthew Warchus and writer Stephen Beresford have combined to create something similar in tone to The … [Read more...]
D’Review: Mrs. Brown’s Boys D’Movie (2014)
Following the long British comedy hall tradition of men dressing as women comes the film version of the ultra-popular TV show Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie. … [Read more...]
Review: Paddington (2014)
It's tough to know what's surprising about the latest incarnation of Paddington Bear, that there was furore about the film's content being suitable for children or the fact that it's very, very good. … [Read more...]