Billie documentary review – an oral history of Billie Holiday November 12, 2020 Great documentaries are often founded on great discoveries. In the case of James Erskine’s Billie, that discovery is a treasure trove of interviews by the late Linda Lipnack Kuehl. A writer based in Washington, she spent a decade between the 60s and 70s researching a book about Billie Holiday, interviewing friends, fellow performers, and key [...]
The Mandalorian Season 2 episode by episode: S2E1 review November 6, 2020 *** SPOILERS AHEAD: If you haven’t watched the most recent episodes of The Mandalorian Season 2, look away now*** The debut episode of Season 2 was something to behold. The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) got to lean into the show’s Western influences by defending a small town from a giant dragon, alongside a great guest star [...]
Lucky Grandma review – growing old disgracefully November 5, 2020 Chinese legend Tsai Chin will be a familiar face to many, with six decades of success including two Bond films, 90s hit The Joy Luck Club, and a recurring role on the series Gray’s Anatomy. Those unfamiliar with her talents will certainly remember the name after seeing her as the grouchy lead in this striking [...]
Luxor review – Andrea Riseborough shines in a story of love and trauma November 5, 2020 An early selling-point of cinema was its ability to allow people to see locations on the other side of the world, places they could never dream of getting to in person. A century on, current restrictions mean we are once again travelling through our screens, and new drama Luxor provides the perfect antidote for those [...]
Mogul Mowgli review: Riz Ahmed shines in timely rap drama October 29, 2020 There’s something joyous about seeing a star let loose in a passion project after a long period in Hollywoodland. Mogul Mowgli’s co-writer, producer and star Riz Ahmed revels in the project, putting in a performance that stands as one of his best. He plays Zed, a British-Pakistani rapper living in New York where his music [...]
The Painter and the Thief review: A brilliant, moving documentary October 29, 2020 Premiering at Sundance in January, Norwegian documentary filmmaker Benjamin Ree (2016’s Magnus) brings us The Painter and the Thief, an unusual tale of crime and reconciliation. We meet Barbara Kysilkova, a Czech painter based in Oslo, as she learns two of her most celebrated paintings have been stolen during the night. The authorities bluntly inform [...]
Pixie review: Tarantino meets Sligo in charming Irish heist October 23, 2020 Certain images can sell a movie almost without context: Jack Nicholson grinning through a hole in a door, or John Travolta and Uma Thurman doing the twist. Pixie may not be as iconic as those movies, but its accompanying show of Alec Baldwin, dressed as a priest and brandishing a firearm is certainly enough to [...]
The Secret Garden review – death by 1,000 adaptations October 23, 2020 Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel The Secret Garden has been adapted numerous times for film, television and the stage, with the most recent being a 1993 version produced by Francis Ford Coppola. Times have changed, but the allure and magic of The Secret Garden was enough for the producers of the Harry Potter and Paddington [...]
Summer of 85 – François Ozon’s latest is a nostalgia ride October 23, 2020 French director François Ozon (Frantz, By The Grace of God) goes back thirty five years for his nostalgic teen drama Summer of 85. Félix Lefebvre plays Alex, a 16-year-old facing a serious police charge relating to the death of his friend, David (Benjamin Voisin). With the help of his teacher, he is able to piece [...]
Robert Zemeckis The Witches is a dark Dahl triumph October 21, 2020 Readers over a certain age will remember losing sleep over the 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book The Witches, in which Anjelica Huston donned hideous prosthetics that are still unsettling to this day. It perfectly captured the spirit of Roald Dahl’s storytelling, which always towed the line between wonder and abject terror. Robert Zemeckis (Back [...]
