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
Notes ahead of the 2017 Academy Awards
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 →