Movies

For many, The Troubles in Ireland and their peak in the 1960s remain unknown and unspoken. The atrocities committed by the British in border counties like Fermanagh, Derry and cities like Belfast still affect Irish society today; with areas separated by ‘peace walls’ between Protestant and Catholic communities to prohibit further tensions. Despite the Good […]

2021 has been a year of fantastic films. After the lockdown of last year, the cinema has been a pleasing place to go. So has my Netflix queue (I haven’t changed that much). Here are the top ten films that I watched in 2021. 10. No Time to Die The highly anticipated Bond film that […]

Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has consistently produced some of the biggest box-office draws. The upcoming Spider-man No Way Home looks set to mirror past successes. Scheduled to release in the UK on the 15th of December Spider-man No Way Home is perhaps one of the most anticipated releases ever for […]

Netflix Originals have proved to be some of the best televised experiences of recent times. Here, we name the top five of Netflix’s original series and films to watch. 5. Extraction In what comes across as Netflix’s answer to the growing popularity of John Wick, Extraction is a fast-paced action movie with exceptional combat scenes throughout. Though […]

Almost twenty-five years after her death, Princess Diana’s status as a British icon has only grown. When Elton John sang at her funeral “your candle burned out long before your legend ever will,” he wasn’t wrong. But Spencer – the latest Diana saga film – goes against the grain of her typical legend status. Directed by […]

Dune, the crowning achievement in science-fiction writing, was considered by many to be unadaptable. Efforts to get this groundbreaking epic by Frank Herbert off the ground have stalled in the past, from Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ambitious attempt that went nowhere to David Lynch’s 1984 bizarre rendition crashing and burning. Enter Denis Villeneuve. This is a director […]

Venom: Let There Be Carnage, as it is so awkwardly titled, is a sequel to Venom, 2018’s most enigmatic film. Critics were in universal agreement about it being bad, yet the box office returns were so staggering, it defied belief. Andy Serkis has been brought aboard to exorcise the camp, comedy, and bromance between Eddie […]

A story is only as good as the villain who drives it along. They can be some of the most interesting, complex and entertaining aspects of any film, and we have no shortage of incredible bad guys. These are the five male villains who I believe shine above all else in their field. 5. Terence […]

Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond has seen its fair share of rises and dips. His debut, Casino Royale, might be the best Bond film ever made, while its follow-up, Quantum of Solace, was a primary victim of the 2007-08 writers’ strike. Then came 2012’s Skyfall, which instantly became a classic, followed by 2015’s Spectre, […]

Uncut Gems, directed by the Safdie Brothers, is one of my favourite films of the past few years. The primary reason for this is the multitude of filmmaking techniques used throughout the film to induce an unbearably tense and frantic feeling in the audience. This might be the most anxiety-inducing film I’ve ever seen. How […]

James McAvoy is a brilliant Scottish actor who has appeared in numerous movies, TV shows, and theatre productions. He does great accents and has shown impressive range as an actor. He is also very nice to look at. This combination means that I have paid extensive attention to his work and have listed five of […]

Cinemas were experiencing a steady revenue decline even before the pandemic. The restrictions ended up causing an almost total collapse. Tentpole franchise films ended up moving to streaming services. Blockbusters like No Time To Die, Dune and Black Widow were delayed more times than you count. Now we ask: can cinemas recover? Recommended Reading: Film […]

When The Matrix was released in 1999, it changed the shape of Western action films forever. From its impressive CGI work, clever storytelling and complex and intricate martial art sequences, The Matrix had it all. The original trilogy wrapped up in 2003 with the conclusion of The Matrix Revolutions but since then there have been […]

Marvel Studios have been drip-feeding fresh content for the majority of the year. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings certainly lives up to the high expectations set by the many TV shows released by the franchise. Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, and Fala Chen star in Marvel’s newest film. The story follows Shang-Chi […]

Netflix’s new retro slasher trilogy Fear Street follows the teens of Shadyside through their attempt to reverse its doomed path, all while finding themselves in the bloody centre of it. Based on R. L. Stine’s Fear Street book series, the trilogy deals with familiar horror motifs of witchcraft, gory murders, horrors at campsites and nods […]

With everything the Alien franchise has become, it’s easy to forget just how magnificent and influential the original film is. A lot of people say they prefer Aliens, the action-oriented sequel from James Cameron. But what Ridley Scott’s magnus-opus Alien sets out to do, it does like no other film can. Alien’s biggest strength is […]

Director Chris Mckay delivers to Amazon Prime video his take on a science fiction epic, The Tomorrow War, but is there enough quality to keep viewers engaged at home? The Tomorrow War explores a world in which soldiers are taken from the past to fight for humanity in the future. The survivors are then returned […]

I often find it hard to get excited about new films these days. With many filmmakers having an interest in recycling and reusing past ideas and concepts, repackaging them as best they can, it’s hard to get into a film without a sense of Déjà vu. So when Palm Springs was announced, it was hard […]

Bo Burnham is in many ways a perfect figure to usher in this new wave of pandemic performance art. He is a figure of millennial endeavour, being a musical comedian who got his start on YouTube over a decade ago. One of the original internet content creators, a type of job spearheaded by this generation, […]

Cinemas are back in full swing and it is summer season. There is a slate of upcoming blockbusters that are sure to spark interest among many who have been away from the big screen for a long time now. Let’s have a look over what is set to come out in the next few weeks. […]

Contrary to popular belief, many sequels end up being on par to their predecessor. In some cases, they end up surpassing it. Some examples of this include Terminator: Judgement Day, Mad Max: Fury Road, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Blade Runner 2049. Although there is a certain sequel out there that while doesn’t quite […]

If you ask me, there is one film you need to see as cinemas return. Not because the film is good (which it is – very), but it marks a fantastic return to the art of filmmaking and the medium of cinema that we’ve been starved of for so long. I’m talking of course about […]

Disney’s 2021 release of Cruella explores the backstory of 101 Dalmatians’ infamous villain Cruella De Vil.  The plot The story begins in Estella’s childhood, where the death of her mother acts as a catalyst for a journey of danger, revenge and betrayal. The character develops from the role of a rebellious preteen, all the way to […]

Despite the character of Venom being one of my all-time favourites in all of comic book history, my reaction to his solo outing back in 2018 was concerning at first. I went with the ‘so bad it’s good’ mindset which seemed to be a general consensus. But on a repeat viewing, I could not bring […]

Another day, another perplexing backstory announced in the works at Hollywood.  This time it’s rising star Timothée Chalamet who will take up the mantle of the mythical confectionary guru Willy Wonka in an apparent prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There is no doubt that Chalamet will do a fine job with what he […]

Something about Netflix’s latest thriller addition, The Woman in the Window, adapted from the novel of the same name by AJ Finn, makes me wonder whether a conflict between two filmmakers was at the heart of this film’s production. Such is the mismatched and muddled style of what it is I’m watching that it came as […]

As a Disney fanatic, lockdown has given me a lot of time to watch all my favourite films on Disney Plus. As a result, I have compiled a list of my top five film recommendations so you can skip to the very best Disney films out there – in my opinion. 5. Lady and the […]

3.7/5 Yes, yes, yes – I am yet again coming to you with a review of a film Hugh Grant is in. Florence Foster Jenkins, a 2016 Stephen Frears film, is based on the true story of the eponymous New York socialite singer (Meryl Streep) and her devoted husband St. Clair Bayfield. It’s a comedy […]

3.5/5 Hello and welcome to the Hugh Grant fan bandwagon. Since I’m re-watching basically all of his classic films (it’s Christmas, leave me be), I thought I may as well review them. First up is Notting Hill – the Richard Curtis film that made this pocket of London one of the most famous. The plot […]

Seeing as it’s officially December, it’s officially OK to watch Christmas films. After one hell of a year, who doesn’t fancy cozying up in bed watching some disgustingly happy people play around in snow, delivering an overarchingly positive message of hope and love? Even a pessimist like me wouldn’t say no to that. So, without […]

No, you aren’t going to get shot going to watch this film. Joker is directed by the guy who made The Hangover trilogy and uses that basis to claim comedy is dead. We know Todd. We saw them too. It stars Joaquin Phoenix (a name I will spell once and only once) as Arthur Fleck. […]

Well, that’ll teach me to get my hopes up. IT: Chapter 2 is the sequel to the 2017 horror about a child-eating clown. A film that is excellent when it’s being a charming kid-drama and annoying when it’s being a dull jump-scare fest. All in all, it was good enough to get me to read […]

5/5 It’s the age-old dream of many: move to New York and start a life there. It’s a magical, monumental fairytale. A childhood dream of millions. But those brave enough to pack up their bags and head across the Atlantic to the City of Dreams know full well how difficult it really is. And so […]

4.5/5 Pet Sematary is a horror blockbuster released earlier this year, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Its horrifying storyline managed to capture audiences around the globe, even if King was hesitant to publish the novel originally, considering it too distressing. Dr Louis Creed (played by Jason Clarke) discovers a mysterious […]

According to just about every Hollywood-scoping, star-scanning, movie minding website on the internet, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is being dragged, webbing and screaming, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The previous two films featuring Holland’s Peter Parker (Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home) have been well received by fans and critics alike. So why would anyone […]

9/10 Braveheart – the patriotic story of the heroic and consumer of the English, William Wallace. This film follows the medieval story of a child who lost his family to war before developing and maturing into the saviour of Scotland. When the love of his life is gruesomely slaughtered, Wallace leads a rebellion against Edward […]

Whether you’re desperate for some Monday morning running motivation or hitting the town for your mate’s 21st, dance music can lift anyone’s mood, regardless of age. However, looking forward to times when summer festivals are popping up everywhere in the UK, I’m going to discuss the five best DJs that I believe have had the […]

I have never been sporty, but discovering ice skater Tonya Harding had me head over skates. Discovering Tonya Harding was a motivational, song-inspiring and empowering experience. It’s thrilling to watch her on ice, making history with her skating by becoming the first American woman to land a triple axel in a compeition. Before watching I, […]

Grown Ups is explosively funny, unforgettable and comedy gold. Fans of Adam Sandler films believe that this is one of his best films ever, even though there is some crude humou in there. Grown Ups doesn’t disappoint and it gives us a strong, memorable message: that family is the most important thing. Co-writer Sandler, who […]

4/5 Classic 2000s films are hard to beat, though the first time I watched The Devil Wears Prada, it didn’t strike me as such. I turned it off halfway through. However, upon giving it another go, I can confirm that this 2006 star-studded Hollywood dramatisation of the book by the same name, is a classic […]