Lavish but forgettable and too blunt in its Diana allegory. 5/10
I mooched over to the National Gallery to see what was on there. I’d not heard of “A Radical Light“, which is the Sainsbury Wing exhibition. This is perhaps not surprising. It’s an artists’ art exhibition. The Divisionists were a bunch of disparate late 19th century artists in what was a rather shaky country called… Read More
Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft mode again, Morgan Freeman playing Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy proving once again why he’s the hot young thing of British acting. Will there be a sequel? Could McAvoy’s Wesley Gibson be the successor to Damon’s Jason Bourne? In a word, no. Wanted was enjoyable but it was no Bourne… Read More
I’m on a two-day culturefest and I’m back at the British Museum for Hadrian – the next in the empire series. Can’t say it was as good as the Terracotta Warriors. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Hadrian was a pretty interesting guy but the exhibition is largely full of statues of the Hirsute one.… Read More
I’m at the British Museum. Last time I was here was for the Terracotta Warriors. Now it’s for “American Scene” in the invariably excellet print room. It’s a take on American prints roughly from the first half of the 20th century. The marketing throws out the two famous names: Hopper and Pollock. But there’s lots… Read More
Took Friday off and headed to the Hayward. Having been to an entertaining evening celebration of all thing Hayward a few weeks earlier (Antony Gormley special guesting), was even more keen to go to the Psycho Buildings exhibition that’s been the cultural talk of the town of late. If you like buildings and you’re a… Read More
Last Sunday I trotted off to the Courtauld (never been before) with two of the History of Art gang to see the Cézanne exhibition there. Only a room. Bit steep for a fiver (this causes an argument later in the week), but I get in for free – thank you Art Fund membership. Good though.… Read More
Very good noir action movie – still a benchmark for the genre, partly thanks to Heath Ledger’s Joker, but Bale’s Batman is top notch. 9/10
Gibney documentary that should be compulsory viewing. Powerful, chilling and anger-inducing like few films I’ve seen. The ending with Gibney’s father is a masterstroke. 10/10
Dire outing for Indy. An embarrassing film, that plays up to old Indiana Jones stereotypes that feel misplaced in the 21st century, while missing some moments to inject the wisecracking whipcracking Indy we all know and love. Or knew and loved. Spielberg doesn’t have too many misses, but boy this was one. 3/10
A touch of the Brief Encounter about this low-budget charming film that has since vanished from sight. Anne-Marie Duff captivates as usual. 7/10
Nicely told with just the right level of emotional tug. Based on the well-known (and slightly controversial) book. Another directorial success for Sean Penn. 8/10
A story about a lookalikes commune interspered with a film about nuns jumping out of a plane piloted by Werner Herzog. Undoubtedly one of the oddest films I’ve ever seen. 4/10
Early outing for Ryan Gosling in this whimsical, but ultimately very touching fantasy tale. 8/10
Bit worthy and somehow never quite grabs you like you think you ought to be grabbed. James McAvoy feels oddly miscast, and Keira Knightley is too picture perfect for the role. 6/10
Good idea and Smith is better cast than one might think. Was not expecting much from this, but found it compelling.
Well made; shame they never followed through on the trilogy. 7/10
Gripping; brutal; and a true story. Not for the faint hearted but one of the better films of its genre. 7/10
Steamy and sweltering. Firmly in the “they don’t make ’em like that any more” camp. It’s not as jaw-droppingly good as Liz Taylor and Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but as Tennessee Williams’ adaptations go, it’s a damn good movie. 7/10
Dross. Even Claire Danes couldn’t salvage this. How on earth the producers got the likes of De Niro and Pfeiffer to sign on is a my$$tery. 2/10