Monthly Archives: November 2008

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ tops British Indie Film Awards

  By Ray Bennett LONDON – Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (pictured), a tale of a young boy from Mumbai who becomes a surprise success on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire”, was named best film at the British Independent Film … Continue reading

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Lots of awards contenders in UK January film releases

By Ray Bennett The January UK release schedule is chock-a-block with awards contenders including two with much-anticipated Kate Winslet performances, another with Anne Hathaway, and several films featuring potential BAFTA and Oscar candidates for best actor such as Benicio Del … Continue reading

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Ry Cooder at home in the California desert

There are nearly 100 Ry Cooder tracks on my iPod, just ahead of Randy Newman, including songs, film scores and his last three releases, the superb trilogy “Chávez Ravine” (2005), “My Name Is Buddy” (2007 ) and “I, Flathead” (2008), … Continue reading

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Carl Morgan, a real newspaperman, dies at 77

By Ray Bennett LONDON – I was sad to get a phone call last night from Trevor Wilhelm, a reporter at Canada’s Windsor Star, who said Carl Morgan (pictured), former editor of that newspaper, had died. Carl was city editor … Continue reading

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Recalling Renee on her birthday

‘Your sweet and shiny eyes are like the stars above Laredo, like meat and potatoes to me. In my sweet dreams we are in a bar and it’s your birthday, drinking salty margaritas … ‘  

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THEATRE REVIEW: Kenneth Branagh in ‘Ivanov’

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Anton Chekhov wrote “Ivanov” when he was a mere 27, and it shows, and so the Donmar Warehouse’s West End production benefits enormously from having the play re-imagined with the expertise and wisdom of playwright … Continue reading

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Sean Bean is up to his old tricks in ‘Sharpe’s Peril’

By Ray Bennett Sean Bean admires Bernard Cornwell’s novels about the swashbuckling soldier he plays in the Sharpe films but he takes great delight in the slight change he made to the character.  “He’s supposed to be from London,” grins Bean. … Continue reading

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