The early-20th Century struggle for women’s suffrage in Britain is given earnest, if somewhat pedestrian, treatment by director Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane) in Suffragette. The film ticks a lot of boxes, but never quite elevates itself beyond many other solid British period dramas. The film’s release hasn’t been particularly well-timed. With the aftermath of the…
You may not know much about the French music scene but they have quietly been churning out some great new music with the help of Howlin’ Banana Records. Psych-folk group Blondi’s Salvation’s sophomore album Wisdom Whisper, is the labels latest release and it is an intricate and complex listen from beginning to end. With tracks…
It always mystifies me a bit when I hear the younger generation discussing early era British punk rock and rightfully so, groups like The Clash, Buzzcocks and the Sex Pistols are blurted out quickly but I hardly ever hear anyone talk about The Jam. Led by Paul Weller, this trio is very British but there…
Remember playing marbles? I didn’t play marbles a lot, but the boys at school did and I can still remember them bandying about terms like: steelies, clearies, cats eyes, and shooters. Reading The Marble Collector brought a rush of nostalgia for the days when kids played with things other than iPads, games consoles and phones….
Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, RocknRolla) is at the helm of this fresh take on the popular TV series, which ran for four seasons from 1964 to ’68. Set against the backdrop of the early ‘60s, at the height of the Cold War, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. centres on CIA agent…
Disney’s latest animated adventure asks the question, what if the asteroid that forever changed life on earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? The Good Dinosaur is about a family of Apatosauruses, in particular the runt of the litter. His name is Arlo and, basically, he’s a scaredy-cat. From the moment…
If you want to have a laugh and a bit of fun in the frenzied days leading into the festive season look no further than the latest offering at The Owl and Cat Theatre. After Party was written by Michael Thebridge, his first produced play, and is skilfully directed by Gabrielle Savrone. It is the…
A couple of powerhouse performances are at the heart of this drama about a pair of gamblers, one of whom lays it all on the line. Mississippi Grind was inspired by films from the ‘70s such as Five Easy Pieces, Scarecrow, The Last Detail, California Split and Midnight Cowboy. The movie is about flawed characters…
Once upon a time Terrence Malick was a revered filmmaker, especially after his first two films – the powerful Badlands and the visually beautiful Days of Heaven. But lately he seems to have become more obtuse in his filmmaking, churning out soporific and dull psychological claptrap. Since when was it almost compulsory to need a…
Violet is a Musical based on a short story, “The Ugliest Pilgrim”, by Doris Betts. It first appeared Off-Broadway in 1997, but was produced on Broadway in 2014. The book and lyrics are by Brian Crawley. The music is by Jeanine Tesori. Some of Ms Tesori’s other work includes: Thoroughly Modern Millie (2000), Caroline, or…
