DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-Ray Review: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, have graced many books and featured in numerous adaptations, both on the big and small screen. As a double act, they’ve captivated audiences around the world, what with Holmes’ remarkable powers of deduction and Watson’s incredible knack of being in the right place …
DVD Review: The King’s Choice
Whilst most of us will have at least a vague appreciation of the main events which affected our own countries during World War II, the picture is different when we look farther afield. In the UK, most of our knowledge revolves around the Western Front; but almost entirely France, Belgium and neighbouring countries. The role …
Blu-Ray Review: New World
Ever since Shiri became a huge box office success in 1999, the Korean film industry has undergone a huge boom period. Whilst the North/South spy thriller may have kicked things off, it fuelled a trend for imaginative and impressive crime thrillers. These include Oldboy, Memories of Murder, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Man from Nowhere …
DVD Review: Sweet Virginia
Over the last decade, with the advent of streaming services and on-demand, TV has become big business. Arguably overtaking film in terms of both viewer appetite and critical acclaim. Whilst most actors have always started out on the small screen, we’re beginning to see a new generation of film star who made their name in …
Blu-Ray Review: A Ghost Story
Grief and loss are themes which are regularly tackled on the big screen. To a large degree, they often tend to follow a similar path; reflecting the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). However, life doesn’t always follow a logical path. Humans are complex creatures. We often react to stressful situations …
Blu-Ray Review: Una
The allegations against Harvey Weinstein have opened up a whole Pandora’s Box of historical abuse and sexual assault. If (decent) men have become aware of anything in 2017, it should be the sheer scale of the problem. Physical and verbal abuse is something that women have to live with every day. There’s often a power …
DVD Review: Final Portrait
Geoffrey Rush is no stranger to portraying great artists on the big screen. His breakout role came in Scott Hick’s Shine. His depiction of pianist David Helfgott was deservedly rewarded with an Oscar. His third Academy Award nomination was for his portrayal of the Marquis de Sade in Quills. Other notable historical beneficiaries of the …
Blu-Ray Review: Jungle
Hollywood is littered with stories of child actors who went off the rails and/or struggled to establish themselves within the film industry as an adult. Drew Barrymore is probably the most famous example, but she managed to eventually escape her demons to forge an impressive career for herself. Daniel Radcliffe’s journey hasn’t been anywhere near …
DVD Review: Bad Day for the Cut
Whilst the Troubles have been officially over since the signing of the Good Friday agreement in the 1990s, it’s not like members of paramilitary groups suddenly disappeared. Admittedly, some went into politics or quietly slipped back into civilian life, but many simply shifted their focus to other criminal activities. They still cast a shadow over …
Blu-Ray Review: Brawl in Cell Block 99
Since Vince Vaughn burst onto the scene with his performance in Doug Liman’s critically-acclaimed comedy-drama Swingers, his career has hardly taken the trajectory many expected. Most of his success has come in comedies, with notable performances in the likes of Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Old School and The Break-Up. His forays into …