Samuree Swords (Samuree)

This Frankenstein by Del Toro is a visually stunning piece and his Magnus Opus .Somewhat faithfully keeping to Shelley's novel, the departures are well directed and fitting . The creature is heart- wrenchingly portrayed by Elordi and additionally strangely alluring and dare I say it - a bit sexy. The film is rich and lush with locations , sets and wonderful colours that punctuate the drama. Issac , Goth and Walz hit their mark- but Elordi is clearly the heart and soul - he is magnetic - Academy take note !

Excellent , gritty series, focused on police corruption and the unfortunate aspects of growing up with a family drug addiction . Highlights are Amanda Seyfried's tour de force acting alongside a superb cast. Spoiler alert: Disjointed and rushed ending with a weird song montage; Truman and Mickey were head to head working on finding the culprit of the killings- didn't buy that he wouldn't have told her about him going to rescue a potential overdose - this of course provided the tension needed and the shock value of possibility - but in my opinion, went against character. Plus, Truman , knowing Mickey - and not taking her back - also, not that plausible. Why the hokey - tie off, of all the strands, ending? This sabotaged the gritty real life tone of the series.

Gia Coppola has given this film a dreamy, twinkling quality enhanced by that transfixing score by Andrew Wyatt, giving the film a nostalgic and retro feel. This helps to drive the motif of the dying Vegas showgirl, with its rhinestones, satiny wings , platform heels and false eyelashes, which are abundant, yet not overly done. Anderson is perfect as Shelly, her vulnerability and her passion for performing on equal footing here; her unapologetic turn to her ungrateful and bitter daughter, to her tragic audition as an aging showgirl- a true example of a seasoned actress. Curtis doesn't disappoint and flanks Anderson well as an overly tanned cocktail waitress , all frosty lipstick and ballsy attitude. Unfortunately,Lourde didn't match Anderson's gravitas as she heckles her single mom's negligence in order to provide for her daughter, in the only work she knew- being a Showgirl. There were other weaknesses to the plot and scenes that could have been more compelling to the story - most notably her dinner with her ex lover- who fathered her child ( and stage manager), a broody and seemingly disconnected Bautista. However , it is a melancholy, bittersweet telling that has a particular beauty with softened edges for things that end .

Uncompromising drama about the early settlement of the American West- if you liked the Revenant you will definitely love this - gritty and gory but thankfully not political in its telling. Superb cast that keeps you spellbound - with unrelenting action and a heartbeat of loyalty and honour . Don't miss this one -

Insomnia has very little to do with the actual perpetrator of this disjointed and badly structured plot . The writers relied on a Deus ex machina finale that quite frankly derailed nearly all the previous episodes- ridiculous -

Thin, mediocre film. Never heard of Glenn Powell ; looks like he might have gotten some early work as a Tom Cruise look a like - his style is rather smarmy, cheesy, small town television anchor, who has gotten a lucky break as a leading man... yawn...Adria Arjona is just another pretty actress - plenty of sensuality to mask her very ordinary acting. Linklater is a decent director; this project is truthfully forgettable. An okay watch if you are recovering from flu and you've watched all the good stuff already - verdict : Snooze

It's shiny and colourful ; it's intricate, it has some cool sunsets and billowy clouds as billowy as Bella's sleeves- It's got bankable stars.... This film reminds me of modern art installations where critics wring their hands , flummoxed with writers block; 'what do I say?' So, to appear intellectual ,' with the times' and ultimately progressive , they stumble over themselves with hyperbole; 'genius'! 'Incredible performances!' 'The best movie in ages!' When most people are just looking quizzical - Really Hollywood and all those critics are just afraid to look stupid - when the film is actually a heap of horse dung.

The Iron Claw- Like the opening scene with its menacing black and white grimacing character , the image of The Iron claw -the metaphor is pronounced so clearly . Jack is the typical American testosterone fuelled, toxic father , who leads his sons into the slamming world of wrestling. Demanding he deserves the coveted World Champion belt -he deploys each son to the task- he lists his favourite sons during a family meal and no one winces. Sean Durkin's direction, excels and dominates during those almost uncomfortable closeups ; body parts hitting the ring , giant men jumping off of ring posts , crashing , pummelling; the viewer can feel the jolts and punishing of the contenders- this is beautifully accompanied by a dissonant score by Richard Reed Parry , as are the most poignant scenes in the film. Durkin soars when handling the closeness of the siblings and their dreams to please their toxic father. Astonishingly , the comedy is well couched within the ferocity and doesn't morph into a Blades of Glory type genre. However , as the intensity of the plot increased the direction seemed to falter and keep a distance from the potency and visceral needed to explore this family tragedy further. The absolute disaster that ensued with one brother after another being sacrificed to the wants and wills of their father , is never tackled. There are brief glimpses and an ever- after scene which doesn't really hit the mark. Efron is the stories main thread and narrator , suitably pumped , yet slightly opaque; his most convincing moments were after a brutal loss, the disappointment and defeat weighed heavier than any wrestling belt . This harrowing family tragedy tries to tie off its endings like neatly laced up wrestling boots,leaving too many unanswered questions, despite this, there is a camaraderie with the brothers that truly resonates.

To begin , it's fair to assume that if you aren't familiar with Leonard Bernstein or his canon, this film might not resonate. Opening scene; it takes off like the opening of Candide, tone and tempo with long dramatic shots and Lenny opening his arms to the world's stage. This is couched within the setting of an interview , reenacting stories of his life, with his premiere as the replacement of Bruno Walter conducting at Carnegie Hall. As Lenny lets his mind go through his journey , the audience is taken there with him, first in Black and white in the 40's , ending in colour as the years progress. This retelling is punctuated with Bernsteins music throughout , achingly moving, especially with the arrival of his intended wife , Felicia . Cooper's direction confounds and astounds simultaneously; the ghost like apparition of Felicia in a minute sliver of a shot through a stage curtain while Bernstein's silhouette dominates the screen ; with the constant motif of the back or profile of Felicia's golden coif,slowly panning into the corner of shots whilst watching Lenny conduct- especially in what appears to be a long take of Mahlers Resurrection- the camera pulling back to find Felicia was magical and heart wrenching ; the perspectives changing in a two shot; from a death bed to a window and a sprawling lawn, where the audience sees grief in Lenny's youngest ,running in the distance ,to Bernstein catching and embracing her . The tour de force was the Fancy Free scene; a metaphor for Lenny and Felicia 's love and foreshadowing her heartbreak with Bernsteins infidelity. These little gems are touches of brilliance , creativity and tenderness, immersed with the soundscape of Bernstein's musical narrative . None of the canon is played in full, and the film soundtrack ( on Spotify) is quite frankly, a disappointment ,as they have left the film dialogue in - instead they should have just recorded Bernstein's originals ,sans talking . , Cooper has outdone himself as director and certainly embraced Leonard Bernsteins fever and genius . However, the baton belongs to Carrie Mulligan. Her tight wired loyalty and devotion was spellbinding. Watch it more than once, to fully understand this exceptionally crafted film. Bernstein definitely provoked and lived between his summers of contradictions.

It's been two years, due to Covid , that one of our favourite past times , going to the cinema, has finally returned - only to be colossally disappointed by Ridley Scott's strange menagerie- a tragi- comedy called House of Gucci. The true tragedy here is that within this weird and disjointed film , there are some very good performances . The film has a hopeful start - but quickly depreciates - the story is patchy and not very persuasive - there is a fabulous love- making scene ( and one of the best for direction and purpose) with Gaga and Driver - their chemistry is believable - its climax is acted out with fever and hilarity with the best quick - cut segue into their marriage ceremony- but even this isn't enough to save the House of Gucci from demolition. There are scenes that almost seem stuck together for no particular reason - as if the film editor fell asleep in the cutting room. Gucci and Patrizia's marriage falls apart without the audience's witness- in one scene, the police come to the Gucci's doorway due to tax evasion - then suddenly , Driver is in Switzerland and has gone 360 on his feelings for his beloved wife - the story line is as bankrupt as the Gucci household. Lady Gaga is great fun to watch as the betrayed wife - Driver's Italian accent goes in and out as haphazardly as his 'Maurizio wig' - Leto is focused on an 'Oscar' and is unrecognisable as the buffoonish and impoverished Gucci cousin- doing his own Gucci parody in a theatre near you. Oh and Salma Hayek as a tarot card clairvoyant who assists in Patrizia's criminal rebuttal; worthy of a Saturday Night live skit. Pacino -whose presence should add gravitas- actually looks off camera during a pivotal scene with Leto- in what appears to be a scene rehearsal (?) - Jeremy Irons is properly cast as the stoic and crumbling head of family - but his death and exit seemed rushed with zero emotional baggage. A talented ensemble gathered - but the result is a very silly and awful film.