Supporting Indie Film
Written and directed by Julius Onah, co-written by J.C. Lee, a married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student. Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Norbert Leo Butz, Andrea Bang, Marsha Stephanie Blake and Astro.
Continue reading “Review: Luce”
The first feature from director Filippo Meneghetti, follows pensioners Nina (Barbara Sukowa) and Madeleine (Martine Chevallier) who have hidden their deep and passionate love for many decades, but their bond is put to the test when their privacy becomes almost non-existent. Continue reading “Review: Two of Us (Deux)”
A fairly quiet January release, that you probably didn’t see, despite its impressive cast, unfortunately it was mixed in with the rush to get out the lengthy list of awards hungry features. Dev Patel tackles the titular man himself and is supported by some of Britain’s finest, including Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Gwendoline Christie, Ben Whishaw and Peter Capaldi, to name a few, poised to bring a classic to the big screen with a bang. If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows Copperfield through decades of his life as he goes from blessed child to poor factory worker and beyond, and the joyous number of colourful characters he meets along the way. Continue reading “Review: The Personal History of David Copperfield”
For anyone not familiar, Moffie is a derogatory term for a gay man, hitting the nail on the head for a film that follows two gay men who attempt to hide their sexuality in 1980’s South Africa where it’s illegal, at the same time as being conscripted into the military to defend apartheid. Written and directed by Oliver Hermanus, co-written with Jack Sidey, starring: Kai Luke Brummer, Ryan de Villiers, Matthew Vey and Stefan Vermaak. Continue reading “Review: Moffie”
Coming to Netflix on 6th November, Phillip Youmans’ feature directorial debut at the age of only 19, Burning Cane follows an aging mother struggling between her love for her son and her religious convictions. Starring: Karen Kaia Livers, Wendell Pierce, Dominique McClellan and Braelyn Kelly. Continue reading “Review: Burning Cane”
Before Rian Johnson became Mr. Last Jedi, he made the wonderful indie movies that are The Brothers Bloom and Brick and while he might not be returning to that arena any time soon, Knives Out feels like a good compromise between fanboy blockbuster and indie. A good old fashioned murder mystery is the name of this game, renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is drafted in to help find out what really happened to famous author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) and with a family like his, there’s plenty of suspects. Potentially one of the best ensemble casts of 2019, the film also features: Ana de Armas, Toni Collette, Chris Evans, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stansfield, Jaeden Martell and Katherine Langford. Continue reading “Review: Knives Out”
Pete (Cosmo Jarvis) befriends his estranged daughter, Laurie (Lauren Coe) but unable to reveal his identity to her, she becomes infatuated with him and he risks losing her before she even knows he’s her father. The second feature from director Nathalie Biancheri, co-written with Olivia Waring with Sadie Frost and Laurie Kynaston. Continue reading “Review: Nocturnal”
Most people will know Eliza Scanlen from her scene stealing turn on Sharp Objects or maybe even from the early reactions praising her performance in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and most will know Ben Mendelsohn from his Star Wars and Marvel roles but they’re back on team indie this time around in Shannon Murphy’s directorial debut. Babyteeth follows two parents and their seriously ill teenage daughter, who get their lives shaken up when she falls for a small time drug dealer. Continue reading “Review: Babyteeth”
The directorial debut of Billie Piper follows Mandy, a modern woman in a crisis. Raising a son in the midst of a female revolution, mining the pain of her parents separation and professionally writing about a love that no longer exists, she falls upon a troubled man, Pete, who’s searching for a sense of worth, belonging and ‘restored’ male identity. Starring: Leo Bill, Kerry Fox, Toby Woolf and David Thewlis. Continue reading “Review: Rare Beasts”
From the director of Notting Hill, a terminally ill mother arranges to bring her family together one last time before she dies. Starring: Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska, Rainn Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Bex Taylor-Klaus and Anson Boon. Continue reading “Review: Blackbird”
This film hasn’t had an official release yet but it’s festival run has divided viewers, it was a heady topic for Taika Waititi to take on but he isn’t afraid of a challenge. Jojo Rabbit follows a young boy, dedicated to the Nazi cause, whose imaginary best friend is Hitler but finds out that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, Rebel Wilson, Archie Yates, Stephen Merchant and of course, Taika Waititi himself as Hitler. Continue reading “Review: Jojo Rabbit”
