Category Film Reviews

BFI #LFF 2019: AXONE Film Review

Sayani Gupta as Upasna in AXONE

When given time to breathe, Nicholas Kharkongor’s AXONE packs an emotional punch, turning this light-hearted and bittersweet comedy into something much more poignant and resonant

3.5 out of 5 stars

Following the success of his debut film MANTRA, filmmaker Nicholas Kharkongor returns to the big screen with his latest film AXONE, a bittersweet comedy about love, friendship and overcoming prejudice.

Set on a hot summer’s day, AXONE follows Upasna and Chanbi, two friends who want to prepare a special North Easter...

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MRS LOWRY & SON Film Review

Vanessa Redgrave and Timothy Spall in Mrs Lowry & Son (2019)

Despite towering performances from Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave, MRS LOWRY & SON feels more like an extended chamber piece than a portrait of an actual artist

3 out of 5 stars

The city of Salford is famous for many things – its part in the industrial revolution, Ordsall Hall and Eccles cakes to name but a few. But its most famous export is undoubtedly LS Lowry, the artist famous for his distinctive urban life paintings and “matchstick men”...

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YESTERDAY Film Review

Himesh Patel in YESTERDAY

Himesh Patel as Jack Malk in YESTERDAY. Photo Credit: Jonathan Prime, Universal Pictures

Charming, warm, and pleasantly surprising, YESTERDAY is a joyous ride through the back catalogue of The Beatles even if the leads fail to leave a lasting impression

3.5 out of 5 stars

Imagine a world without The Beatles. No John, Paul, George and Ringo. No Beatlemania. No Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band...

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ROCKETMAN Film Review

Taron Egerton as Elton John in ROCKETMAN (2019)

Taron Egerton as Elton John in ROCKETMAN (2019). Photo Credit: David Appleby © 2018 Paramount Pictures

Dexter Fletcher’s ROCKETMAN takes a brutal look back at Elton John’s hedonistic lifestyle in a film as flamboyant as its subject

4 out of 5 stars

Fresh from the success of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, Director Dexter Fletcher returns to the big screen with his latest biopic, ROCKETMAN, an exciting, explosive and exuberant tribute to music legend Elton John.

Described as a “musical fantasy”, ROCKETMAN follows the si...

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WILD ROSE Film Review

WILD ROSE Film

WILD ROSE is a richly stirring human story about a young woman balancing her dreams of being a country music star with the responsibilities of motherhood

4 out of 5 stars

Actress Jessie Buckley delivers the star performance of the year in Tom Harper’s electrifying crowd pleaser WILD ROSE.

Fresh out of prison with a track record of bad behaviour, charisma and an electrifying set of vocal chords, WILD ROSE follows 23-year-old Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley), a single mum who dreams of becoming a country sing...

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Film Review: THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB

Claire Foy in The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

Claire Foy as Lisbeth Salander in THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB (2018)

Opting for style over substance, THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB boasts enough inventive set pieces to keep you engaged but ultimately feels disconnected from the rest of the series

Considering its been seven years since David Fincher’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO hit UK cinema screens, you kind of wonder why Sony has even bothered reboot the Millennium series once again...

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Film Review: THE MUSIC OF SILENCE

Toby Sebastian - The Music Of Silence (Andrea Bocelli)

Despite its strong cast performances, THE MUSIC OF SILENCE ultimately falls short of getting under the skin of living legend Andrea Bocelli

Whether you’re an Opera fan or not, chances are you’ve heard of Andrea Bocelli. The internationally renowned tenor has been entertaining audiences all over the world with his astounding voice for 25 years, selling more than 20 million records worldwide, filling stadiums galore and bringing joy to the masses...

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BFI #LFF 2018: PACHAMAMA Film Review

Pachamama Film Still

Charming, colourful and vividly imagined, PACHAMAMA is a children’s animated adventure story which touches on Peruvian history

From the studio behind ERNEST AND CELESTINE, Juan Antin brings his animated children’s tale PACHAMAMA to the big screen at the BFI London Film Festival.

Set in 16th-Century Peru, PACHAMAMA follows fun-loving 10-year-old Tepulpaï who lives in a remote village in the Andes Mountains...

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BFI #LFF 2018: YOURS IN SISTERHOOD Film Review

YOURS IN SISTERHOOD Film Still

Fusing the past with the present, YOURS IN SISTERHOOD is a collective portrait of feminism now and forty years ago

UK-born filmmaker Irene Lusztig presents a collective portrait of feminism and the lost art of letter writing in her new documentary YOURS IN SISTERHOOD.

Filmed between 2015 and 2017, YOURS IN SISTERHOOD invites strangers in communities across the US to give voice to letters sent to the editor of Ms. Magazine – America’s first mainstream feminist magazine – in the 1970s...

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BFI #LFF 2018: THE CHAMBERMAID (LA CAMARISTA) Film Review

THE CHAMBERMAID Film Still

Lila Avilés confronts the monotony of long workdays in her compelling and deeply resonant debut feature THE CHAMBERMAID

Mexican actor-turned-director Lila Avilés confronts the monotony of long workdays with a quiet examination of forgotten belongings and budding friendships in her acutely observed feature debut THE CHAMBERMAID.

Set almost entirely within the rooms, corridors and service spaces of one of Mexico City’s five-star hotels, THE CHAMBERMAID follows Eve, a hard-working and diligent ...

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