THEATRE REVIEW: Ugly Lies the Bone

Posted on March 3, 2017 by admin

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Mind over matter is refined in Lindsey Ferrentino’s absorbing new play “Ugly Lies the Bone” at the National Theatre to the application of virtual reality to deal with physical and emotional pain. Continue reading →

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Notes ahead of the 2017 Academy Awards

Posted on February 26, 2017 by admin

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Repeat screenings of the Academy Awards nominees serve to reinforce original impressions so while I doubt that it will win, my choice for best picture remains Denis Villeneuve’s profound sci-fi picture “Arrival” (pictured).

Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” is a haunting and ultimately life-affirming story of grief and guilt and I would not be displeased if it were to win. Continue reading →

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Sixty years a film critic … how it all started

Posted on February 23, 2017 by admin

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – My life as film critic began 60 years ago with a log of movies I saw along with my verdict on each one. I was 11.

The first movie image I recall seeing was of a man with curly white hair in a battered top hat who reaches deep into a pocket of his baggy overcoat and when he draws out his hand, his fingers and thumb are lighted candles. Continue reading →

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My Top 10 Movie picks for 2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by admin

By Ray Bennett

In a year that has featured many fine films with splendid performances by women, the movie I enjoyed the most was Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” starring Amy Adams (pictured).

In my review from the Toronto International Film Festival, I said: “Science-fiction movies that threaten to depict creatures from outer-space generally leave me cold but Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” presents a plausible “what if?” grounded in a contemplative question for humankind with another standout performance by Amy Adams. Continue reading →

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“Love and Friendship’, ‘Moonlight’ top London critics noms

Posted on December 20, 2016 by admin

kate-beckinsale-love-and-friendship-x650By Ray Bennett

Very pleased to see that Kate Beckinsale (pictured right) has won two nominations in the 37th London Critics’ Circle Awards for her sparkling performance in Whit Stillman’s Jane Austen adaptation “Love and Friendship”, which garnered seven nominations overall including film of the year and British film of the year. Continue reading →

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How Alan Thicke turned failure into success

Posted on December 14, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

Canadian writer and performer Alan Thicke, who died on Tuesday aged 69, was one of the good guys. He found lasting fame on the Eighties sitcom “Growing Pains” but he was multi-faceted and he had to overcome one of the most public failures in TV history.

As he told me once, “nothing succeeds in Hollywood like failure, as long as you fail big.” Continue reading →

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FILM REVIEW: Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’

Posted on December 12, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

Damien Chazell’s musical fantasy “La La Land” starts badly but evolves into a sweet little film for romantics thanks largely to winning performances by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

A tale of two dreamers whose ambitions in Hollywood are at odds in many ways but dovetail when it comes to romance, it’s a shame that the director’s love for musical overkill threatens to swamp a charming story.

“La La Land” begins with such aggressively appalling musical numbers that when I went to see it at the Toronto International Film Festival, I fled after 20 minutes. Only when film lovers I trust  urged me to stick with it did I discover something genuinely pleasing. Continue reading →

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Angie Dickinson was TV’s first top female cop

Posted on September 30, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Angie Dickinson, who turns 85 today, claimed many a young man’s heart in 1959 when, as a woman named Feathers, she squared off in only corset and tights against John Wayne in the great Howard Hawks western, “Rio Bravo”.

16-angie-dickinson-x325We didn’t notice or care that the Duke was old enough to be her father, it was her blazing eyes and fighting spirit and, oh yes, those legs. Continue reading →

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TIFF2016: Women lead the way at Toronto fest

Posted on September 21, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

TORONTO – The big talking point at the 41st annual Toronto International Film Festival, which ended Sunday, was the sheer number of films that featured high-profile performances by women.

Around 400 titles were screened at the shindig, which kicks off the awards season and shines a light on what will be in cinemas and home screens over the coming months. British actresses among those acclaimed for their performances include Gemma Arterton, Sally Hawkins, Rosamund Pike, and Rachel Weisz, along with Amy Adams, Brie Larson, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Hailee Steinfeld, Kristen Stewart and Emma Stone. Continue reading →

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TIFF FILM REVIEW: Rob Reiner’s ‘LBJ’

Posted on September 15, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

TORONTO – Rob Reiner’s “LBJ” is an absorbing drama about President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s first days in office that is made memorable by a skillful and insightful performance by Woody Harrelson.

The film had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival today but distribution details have yet to be announced. Continue reading →

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