Category Archives: Comment

On Stanley Kubrick’s ‘A Clockwork Orange’

Posted on April 5, 2019 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Stanley Kubrick’s controversial ‘A Clockwork Orange’ starring Malcolm McDowell is re-released in the United Kingdom today. As always with Kubrick, it is a striking combination of visual power, evocative music and powerful drama. Now controversial … Continue reading →

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‘The Favourite’ set to clean up at the Bafta film awards

Posted on January 9, 2019 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – This year’s Bafta Film Awards nominations are predictably conventional but it hardly matters as the immensely popular ‘The Favourite’ (pictured) is a shoo-in for many of its 12 nominations including the actress prizes, Brits Christian … Continue reading →

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A critic’s lament: Do you see what I see?

Posted on January 2, 2019 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? Those imponderables challenge a critic with every review. For me, Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Roma’ is the best film of 2018 but a friend has a … Continue reading →

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‘Roma’, ‘Cold War’ lead my Top 10 film picks of 2018

Posted on January 1, 2019 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – One of the great advantages of being a member of the Critics’ Circle and BAFTA is that distributors send out dozens of screeners of films for which they seek consideration in the annual awards. It means … Continue reading →

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Make stars accept awards for action-film crafts winners

Posted on August 11, 2018 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The American Motion Picture Academy has made a foolish error by introducing a condescending award for popular films. The thinking appears to be that fans of blockbuster action, super-hero and animated films will flock to … Continue reading →

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Diversity in the top Academy Awards: a look at the numbers

Posted on March 4, 2018 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – In the discussion about diversity in the top prizes of the Academy Awards, it’s worth noting that the Oscar for best director has gone to a white American male only five times in the 16 … Continue reading →

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BAFTA Film Awards: my predictions and favourites

Posted on February 18, 2018 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – My hopes are with Guillermo del Toro’s dazzling “The Shape of Water” (pictured) at tonight’s 71st British Academy Film Awards although such is the high calibre of most of the nominees that it would be … Continue reading →

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Do film critics matter any more?

Posted on July 13, 2017 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – When everyone is a critic, who needs critics? It’s a question asked more and more in the movie industry as the ranks of mainstream critics dwindle and the tide of those with something to say online … Continue reading →

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Twenty of the best films of the century so far

Posted on June 19, 2017 by admin

  By Ray Bennett LONDON – The New York Times critics have named their choices of the best movies of the 21st century so far. They include titles such as “I’m Not There”, “L’Enfant” and “The 40-Year Old Virgin” but … Continue reading →

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A subjective list of movie scores that I like very much

Posted on June 5, 2017 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – “A good music score,” two-time Academy Award winner Randy Newman told me, “cannot turn a bad movie into a good movie but it can raise its IQ by a couple of notches.” My friends at … Continue reading →

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