Back when Jaws was first released, there was a torrent of copycats and imitations, whether in the water (Orca – Killer Whale, Pirahna) or animals on the loose (Grizzly). Now we have Beast, a film that would fall into that category if released in the 70s. It does for lions what Jaws did for sharks….
Tag: cinema
Nope
There are not many directors who have made such an impact on the movie landscape as Jordan Peele. His first two films, Get Out and Us, have already become regarded as greats of the horror genre, while his latest film, Nope, was one of the year’s most anticipated films. Now it has arrived, has Peele…
Bullet Train
Trains have always been a great place to set a movie. Think Murder on the Orient Express, Silver Streak and The First Great Train Robbery. They are enclosed; they can create tension and guarantee someone will end up being thrown off. The latest movie on a locomotive is Bullet Train, two hours of increasingly comic…
DC League of Super-Pets
Another week, another superhero movie. This time, it’s the turn of super pets. Krypto the Superdog appeared in 1955 as part of the ever-expanded Superman universe. Since then, Krypto has appeared in comics, animation, and the TV series Smallville and Titans. Now, the canine friend of Superman has its feature film, but to be honest,…
Where The Crawdads Sing
Delia Owen’s Where The Crawdads Sing is a literary phenomenon. Selling over 12 million copies, it was inevitable that film companies would turn the book into a movie. The book is now in cinemas thanks to producer Reece Witherspoon and her Happy Sunshine company. Having never read the book, I have to admit that on…
The Railway Children Return
The Railway Children is one of the best-loved family films made in 1970 and directed by actor Lionel Jeffries; it has stood the test of time and is often screened on TV for a new generation to enjoy. Based on the novel by E. Nesbit, the story has been remade several times, and now we…
Thor: Love and Thunder
They often say that lightning never strikes twice, something you find with most movie franchises. Marvel’s Thor is a perfect example of the lightning theory. The first film, directed by Kenneth Branagh, was a decent mythical adventure, whereas the sequel, Thor: The Dark World, was a mess and regarded by many as the worst Marvel…
Minions: The Rise of Gru
We were first introduced to the Minions in 2010 as supporting characters in the animation, Despicable Me. Since then, they have become the face of Illumination Animations, starred in two more Despicable Me movies, a series of short films, countless merchandise and TV adverts, and a movie of their own. Now we get the sequel…
Elvis
I felt trepidation before entering Baz Luhrmann’s epic biopic, Elvis. Luhrmann is not known for subtle filmmaking. After the first 10 minutes of a movie that is 20 minutes shy of three hours, I was already feeling bludgeoned into submission by the relentless editing, full-on visuals and deafening soundtrack. Then something happened. A moment in…
Lightyear
At the start of Lightyear, this prequel (of sorts) to Toy Story, we are told that in 1995, Andy went to see the Buzz Lightyear movie and became a fan of the character. This was that movie. Two questions came to mind: firstly, how was the technology so up-to-date back in the 90s, and yet…
Jurassic World Dominion
Halfway through Jurassic World Dominion, Dr Ian Malcolm exclaims, in an ironic way, “Jurassic World? Not a fan!” Sadly, this seems to be a critique of the film the character is in, as this third instalment of the new franchise, which promised so much, manages to deliver so little. A film that ticks every box…
Men
Alex Garland is a writer and director who isn’t happy with delivering straightforward, easy-to-access cinema. With films like Ex-Machina and Annihilation on his CV, he pushes the boundaries of movie making with visually stunning treats and mind-blowing storytelling. Now comes his latest, Men, a modern-day horror fairy tale that, like his previous films, is beautiful,…
Stu Loves Film 