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The 2015 Films of the Year
Time for the long awaited films of the year top 10 as well so without further ado: 10. Inherent Vice 9. Legend 8. Ant-Man 7. The...
Dec 31, 2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
And so, the day has finally arrived and Star Wars returns to our screens with Episode VII: The Force Awakens. I won't give you any spoilers don't worry (but suffice to say, everyone involved with the production has done a sterling job keeping everything quiet) and I won't even give too much of a review. This is everything you will want from this film and more. Absolutely heaven-sent for fans with reference points left, right and centre that will have you beaming. It's funny,
Dec 18, 2015
The 2015 Albums of the Year
So here it is the greatest music this year has had to offer: 20. Unknown Multi Orchestra - Multi-Love The new age of psych-rock is upon...
Dec 7, 2015
The 2015 Playlist: Tracks of the Year
What a year for music it has been. Before we count down the best albums here's the very best tracks of the year. 30. Wolf Alice - Bros...
Dec 7, 2015
Steve Jobs
The Surprise Film of the Year Award may just have to go to Steve Jobs. Positioned as the Apple version of The Social Network this is a masterwork by Danny Boyle and Michael Fassbender. Absolutely gripping from start to finish this biopic plays out like a Shakespearean theatre production full of pulsating language and may just rival the brilliant Facebook biopic. Like Birdman before it, this is largely set backstage at three key product launches in Jobs' career and charts his
Nov 26, 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II
Blockbuster season continues with the release of the final Hunger Games film: Mockingjay Part II. Now, I'm a self-confessed fan of the series and this, again, is a great version of the brilliant book. Catching Fire is still the peak of the series but this is a meaty and satisfying conclusion to a well-loved franchise. Divergent and The Maze Runner have tried to homage and steal some of Suzanne Collins' thunder but, once again, this is a step-up in class from those two. It's r
Nov 23, 2015
Kill Your Friends
Smaller films have done very well this year. Attracting bigger stars, laden with kick-ass soundtracks and finding popularity as the bigger blockbusters are attracting people back to the cinema. American Ultra and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse are two recent examples and this adaptation of John Niven's cult novel Kill Your Friends is the latest. Billed as the 'Britpop American Psycho', this is the story of an A&R Executive cheating his way to the top of the pile, akin
Nov 19, 2015
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, bizarrely, does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It'll either sound like the last thing in the world you want to see or, if you're like me, it'll sound like a great bit of fun. Fun is exactly what this gem offers up. The 'Z-Movie' has been done to absolute death, as has the 'Zom-Com', but this is a great alternative for any Zombieland fans. A smattering of Superbad-esque, boys-own humour, some jumpy bits and a satisfying amou
Nov 12, 2015
Spectre
So, the winter blockbuster season is upon us and, with Mockingjay and Star Wars to look forward to, the first to line up is Spectre, rumoured to be Daniel Craig's last outing as James Bond. To my mind, Skyfall had a great first half somewhat ruined by a baffling and nonsensical second act and this follows directly on from that film, with Bond going rogue after a shadowy organisation linking all the villains from the Craig series of films. This, of course, is Spectre and headi
Oct 27, 2015
Legend
Legend just cements the view, if it wasn't blatantly obvious already, that Tom Hardy should always be the leading man in films and not just relegated to a scene-stealing side character. This is an Oscar-worthy performance of force and personality portraying the Kray twins perfectly as charming and personable but dangerous and not-a-little mad. This is a great telling of the story, if a little one-note. Biopics tend to lack the thrilling twists and turns of an original piece a
Oct 23, 2015
The Martian
The Martian has got its fair share of hype, largely down to the enormous popularity of Andy Weir's novel. A great plot idea mixed with humour and logical science meant the book flew off the shelves and Ridley Scott does well here to stick with that winning formula. Continuing his good recent form, The Martian is great weekend entertainment and the two-and-a-half-hour runtime breezes by. Matt Damon is perfectly cast as stranded Botanist Mark Watney. He's eminently watchable he
Oct 12, 2015
Macbeth
This is the version of Macbeth they should be watching in schools after studying the play. Continuing the modern-day theme of making everything gritty, dark and/or stylised this dresses up the Scottish play with smoky slow-mo and gritty battle scenes. It looks great in parts but OTT in others and it's best to know going in to expect pretentiousness (although being a Shakespeare you should know this already.) Lots of good and bad here so let's start with the good and Michael F
Oct 12, 2015
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