If ever proof were needed, which of course it isn't, of Dame Judi Dench's acting ability then Philomena will go down as a masterclass in poignancy and depth from one of the finest actors to have lived. Adapted from the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, itself based on a true story, Philomena is deftly directed by Stephen Frears from a script co-written by star Steve Coogan. … [Read more...]
Review: Captain Phillips (2013)
Like no other modern director of mainstream movies, Paul Greengrass captures the geo-political spirit of the times while keeping his films very personal. That's harder than it sounds. Marshaling action, fights and explosions and still making a film intimate and engaging is quite a trick. From his Bourne films to United 93 and Green Zone, Greengrass pinpoints and examines the … [Read more...]
Bernie (2011) review by That Art House Guy
Richard Linklater's Bernie was completed in 2011 and had its debut at the LA film festival. It wasn't until April 2012 that it had a limited release run in the USA, and now, another year on, it is finally arriving on screens in the UK. The release schedule is not the only curious thing about Bernie. Based on a true story (and in this case it seems that for once, a film … [Read more...]
Bully (2001) review by The Documentalist
Bully is the chilling true story of the murder of Bobby Kent by a group of high school friends from Florida following years of relentless psychological, physical and sexual abuse. Adapted from the book Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge by Jim Schutze, Larry Clark (Kids, Ken Park) takes the directing reigns and creates his usual gritty, dark world full of hopelessness … [Read more...]