Category Archives: Film

CANNES FILM REVIEW: Andrea Arnold’s ‘Fish Tank’

Posted on May 14, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett CANNES — Following her Festival de Cannes Jury Prize-winning debut feature “Red Road” in 2006, British director Andrea Arnold creates another vivid portrait of a woman in Competition entry “Fish Tank,” in which newcomer Katie Jarvis (pictured) … Continue reading →

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CANNES: Pixar’s animated ‘Up’ and away in 3D

Posted on May 14, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett CANNES – Pixar’s 10th movie, “Up” opened the Festival de Cannes on Wednesday and it should prove as popular at the box office as all their other creations. Walt Disney releases ‘Up’ in the US on May 29 … Continue reading →

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Colin Firth on ‘A Summer in Genoa’ and spandex tights

Posted on May 11, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – It was a demonstration of Colin Firth’s considerable acting range when he donned Spandex tights and cavorted about to Abba tunes at Pinewood Studios for the monster hit “Mamma Mia!”. An even greater testament to the … Continue reading →

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MUSIC REVIEW: ‘Filmharmonic’ at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on May 10, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Filmharmonic concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday night kept a large crowd of film music enthusiasts entertained with scores by top composers including John Williams, Maurice Jarre, John Barry, Lalo … Continue reading →

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Films about newspapers, like newspapers, are a dying breed

Posted on April 26, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett Watching the final edition of The Los Angeles Herald Examiner roll off the presses in November 1989 remains one of the most haunting memories of my life and it’s a tragedy that more papers are going bust. … Continue reading →

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FILM REVIEW: J.J. Abrams’s ‘Star Trek’ reboot

Posted on April 21, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – To put a much-loved but over-the-hill vehicle back in shape takes more than a new battery and a lick of paint. It demands a full-bore refit, and that’s exactly what J.J. Abrams has given “Star Trek.” … Continue reading →

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MUSIC REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: A Musical Journey’ at the O2 Arena

Posted on April 13, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – If you think the world doesn’t need another variation on “Star Wars” on top of the six films, assorted animations, videogames and toys, you forget the extraordinary force of the music John Williams wrote for … Continue reading →

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MUSIC REVIEW: ‘The LSO: A Life in Film’ at the Barbican

Posted on April 11, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The London Symphony Orchestra celebrated its 70-plus years of making music for movies with a sold-out concert at Barbican Hall on April 4 that ended with an enthusiastic standing ovation. The warm response was sparked … Continue reading →

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FILM REVIEW: Richard Curtis’s ‘The Boat That Rocked’

Posted on March 30, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Richard Curtis’ new comedy “The Boat That Rocked”, about the pirate radio stations that sprang up briefly in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, is like a long, slow cruise where all the fun is … Continue reading →

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Interview with composer Maurice Jarre, who has died at 84

Posted on March 30, 2009 by admin

  By Ray Bennett Maurice Jarre, the great French composer who has died at 84, deservedly won Academy Awards for his scores to three David Lean films – “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Doctor Zhivago” and “A Passage to India” – and … Continue reading →

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