Category Archives: Film

FILM REVIEW: Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood’

By Ray Bennett Richard Linklater’s latest film is about a mother and her son and daughter but he has titled it “Boyhood” and it becomes clear that he sees it as an exercise in nostalgia. It will strike a chord … Continue reading

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BFI to screen sci-fi spectacular at British Museum

By Ray Bennett The BFI has announced a sci-fi film spectacular called “Sci-fi: Days of Fear and Wonder” with classic titles to kick off in the grounds of the British Museum in London on the August bank holiday weekend.

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Restored Orson Welles classic set for re-release

By Ray Bennett Park Circus said it will release Orson Welles’s classic 1947 film noir “The Lady From Shanghai” with a new 4K restoration in UK cinemas on July 25. The exhibitor said the restored Sony Pictures title was “ripe … Continue reading

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National Theatre to make its first movie: ‘London Road’

By Ray Bennett The National Theatre announced its first involvement in the production and distribution of a feature film, a screen version of its hit documentary stage musical “London Road”. The screen adaptation by Alecky Blythe, who wrote the theatrical … Continue reading

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British Pathé uploads news archive to YouTube

By Ray Bennett British Pathé said it has uploaded its entire collection of 85,600 historic films in high resolution for viewers around the world to watch on YouTube. The newsreel archive said the release of vintage news reports and cinemagazines … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah’ (spoilers)

By Ray Bennett Darren Aronofsky’s epic “Noah” is uproarious fun because it’s hard to tell if it’s an impressionist but serious take on the biblical tale or a giant piss-take. (Note: This review contains many spoilers.) It has splashy special effects, … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Scarlett Johansson in ‘Under the Skin’

By Ray Bennett The vivid old Scots word “eldritch” could have been coined for Jonathan Glazer’s spooky new film “Under the Skin” starring Scarlett Johansson as an alien on the prowl in Scotland. Based on Michael Faber’s novel of the … Continue reading

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What an Oscar or Bafta means to home entertainment

By Ray Bennett The Oscars and the Bafta Film Awards generate huge publicity but it’s very hard to say how much they benefit specific titles. HMV’s Andy Anderson observes drolly that the best case scenario for a film in awards … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: The Coen Bros.’ ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’

By Ray Bennett LONDON – In the 1960s, the sign that it was time to leave a party was when the humourless bloke with the beard pulled out his guitar. The Coen Bros. make that guy the focus of “Inside … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a blend of “Wall Street” without the great speeches, “Caligula” with the decadence and the porn and “Scarface” with the drugs but without the machine guns. It’s … Continue reading

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