Category Archives: Film

BERLIN FILM REVIEW: Ralph Fiennes’s ‘Coriolanus’

Posted on February 14, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett BERLIN – At a time when revolution is once again in the air around the world, Ralph Fiennes delivers a ferocious reminder of the perils in store when a warrior becomes the head of state. He directs … Continue reading →

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BERLIN FILM REVIEW: Dirk Lutter’s ‘The Education’

Posted on February 13, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett BERLIN – German director Dirk Lutter’s “The Education” is clearly intended to be a cautionary tale that takes a bite out of large companies for the way they often mistreat their staff but it’s a toothless affair … Continue reading →

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FILM REVIEW: Brian Welsh’s ‘In Our Name’

Posted on December 9, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – A sober portrait of a returning soldier who suffers from post-combat stress, “In Our Name” holds suspense without melodrama and features an outstanding performance as the British Army private by Joanne Froggatt (pictured).

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THEATRE REVIEW: Emma Williams shines in ‘Love Story’

Posted on December 7, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Those for whom Arthur Hiller’s 1970 tearjerker “Love Story” is the hallmark of mawkish manipulation will be amazed to learn that Erich Segal’s original novella has been turned into a delightfully elegant and satisfying stage … Continue reading →

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Extraordinary how potent film music is

Posted on October 25, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The shower sequence in “Psycho” is one of the most famous in film history with its combination of 75 camera set-ups and some of the most indelible film music ever written. It’s impossible to think … Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: John Gray’s ‘White Irish Drinkers’

Posted on September 22, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – A movie with the unprepossessing title “White Irish Drinkers’ about two brothers living in the Brooklyn docklands in 1975 could easily be filled with clichés but in the hands of filmmaker John Gray it’s a … Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: Keanu Reeves in ‘Henry’s Crime’

Posted on September 21, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – Combining a back-stage theatrical romance and a drama about a bank robbery into one spoof might have seemed a good idea at the time but while Malcolm Venville’s “Henry’s Crime” is billed as a comedy … Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: David M. Rosenthal’s ‘Janie Jones’

Posted on September 20, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – An earnest tale about a faded rock star who discovers he has a teenaged daughter and takes her on the road, “Janie Jones” follows a predictable path and despite decent performances it does not catch … Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: John Sayles’s ‘Amigo’

Posted on September 20, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – John Sayles’s “Amigo” is set during the U.S. incursion in the Philippines in 1900 but the parallels with Afghanistan and Iraq today are clear. It’s an impressive film, but the indie filmmaker has little to … Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: Max Winkler’s ‘Ceremony’

Posted on September 20, 2010 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – Max Winkler’s humorless “Ceremony” falls into the category of would-be comedies in which a hapless young man scores with a gorgeous woman completely out of his league. As Sam Davis, the young man in question, … Continue reading →

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