John Wick, the ultra-violent 2014 action flick that starred Keanu Reeves as a cool, taciturn, ruthlessly efficient and seemingly invincible assassin, was something of a guilty pleasure and a surprise hit at the box office. So now we get this sequel, which once again takes us into this shadowy world of assassins and their strange…
Quiet intelligence, heartache and heartbreak are at the centre of the finely constructed contemporary drama, Manchester by the Sea. A restrained but compelling performance from Casey Affleck (Triple 9) and magnificent cinematography (the director of photography is Jody Lee Lipes) are its hallmarks. Manchester by the Sea tells the story of the Chandler family, a…
The Jurassic Park/Jurassic World movie franchise has grossed more than $6 billion globally. Let’s face it, dinosaurs are big business and long before their film adaptation they held not just scientific, but public fascination. Now, in time for the school holidays, family friendly Jurassic Creatures has come to Cheltenham (opposite Southland Shopping Centre). We’re talking about more…
You want to go to hell? Then just watch Hellboy. That’s probably a bit harsh; although you certainly won’t get those two hours – which can definitely be better spent – back. From the pages of Mike Mignola’s seminal work, the legendary half-demon superhero Hellboy (David Harbour) travels England to battle a trio of rampaging…
Formed in Glasgow, Nightshift has been active for five years. The collective has experienced line-up changes and released two albums prior to Homosapien. Their 2021 album Zöe and a compilation tape, Made of the Earth, marked their previous outputs. The current lineup includes Chris White moving from drums to guitar, Eothen Stearn on vocals and…
Horse Jumper of Love is a Boston-based trio composed of Dimitri Giannopoulos (vocals/guitar), John Margaris (bass), and James Doran (drums). Known for their intricate approach to indie rock, the band has gained recognition for their expressive compositions that explore both gentle and intense soundscapes. Since their formation, they have developed a reputation for introspective songwriting,…
Beautifully shot in Sápmi, the traditional homeland of the Sámi, the indigenous people of the Arctic, Árru is a slow burn, intense drama about deeply buried trauma. It concerns a family of reindeer herders whose ancestral land and livelihood is being threatened by a copper mining project. Single mother Maia (Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska) and…
A mighty confusing psychological thriller, The Girl on the Train partly suffers by overdoing the signaling of time frames on the screen. It takes ages to figure out just what is going on and by then you can’t help thinking it is all too hard. Devastated by her recent divorce, Rachel (Emily Blunt) spends her…
There have been many great films that have depicted teachers as caring individuals who have moulded young minds and shaped their charges for the better – from To Sir With Love through to Lean on Me, Dangerous Minds, and Dead Poet’s Society – and there have also been a few that have depicted the jaded…
A deceptively clever period crime drama, director Graham Moore’s The Outfit is a slow burn mesmeriser. Set in Chicago in 1956, all the action takes place at the premises of a bespoke tailor. Leonard (Mark Rylance) is a well-spoken, nondescript British “cutter” who takes great pride and pleasure in his work. His narrative about what…
