It was 40 years ago when the original Ghostbusters hit our screens and became one of the most successful comedy films ever. The heady mix of giggles, special effects, and scares worked on every level, and even now, looking at the film, I think it might be dubious in some of its contents and is…
Tag: comedy
Wicked Little Letters
When you were young, you were told that swearing was neither big nor clever. Some would say that those who use excessively bad language do not have the vocabulary to cover what they are trying to say. On the evidence of Wicked Little Letters, the new British comedy-drama, these theories can be thrown out the…
The Holdovers
They often say they don’t make movies like they used to. Alexander Payne, the director of such small-scale comedy dramas as About Schmidt, Election and Sideways, has managed to do exactly that. The Holdovers is a bitter-sweet tale of three very different characters brought together during Christmas; we are lucky enough to watch them grow….
Poor Things
Yorgos Lanthimos is a name that might not roll off the tongue, but it’s a name that you need to learn quickly because he is one of the most exciting directors on the scene. His films push the boundaries of cinema to the limit. With a batch of celebrated movies behind him: Dogtooth, The Lobster,…
Next Goal Wins
Director Taika Waititi was a rising star in the directing world with movies like Eagle vs Shark, Boy, What We Do In The Shadows and The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, all quirky comedies built of fascinating characters. Then the big boys came calling and tackling Marvel with Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi’s unusual wit and charm created…
Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget
Aardman Animation has always been at the forefront of clay animation, but what puts them at the front of the filmmaking process is their ability to use whimsical humour, something that suits the Britishness of the products. In 2000, they produced Chicken Run, an affectionate pastiche of The Great Escape but with chickens. Twenty-three years…
Wonka
We are living in very dark times. With wars and political upheaval, the cost of living crisis and corruption all around, you feel downhearted every time you switch the news on. Fear not, good people, for there is a way to feel joy for a few hours, in the form of the latest film from…
The Marvels
Ever since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios has found it hard to follow the epic finale. Issues have been coming their way from substandard productions, introductions of characters that no one knows, too many T.V. shows leading to poor receptions, problems with the effects teams and a future studio star being accused of abuse leading to…
Typist Artist Pirate King
It has taken writer and director Carol Morley six years to bring to the screen the story of Audrey Amiss, a woman suffering from severe mental health issues who was a hidden gem in the art world. Typist Artist Pirate King is a fictional tale of two women who may seem so different yet are…
The Great Escaper
At the prime of their successes, Michael Caine and the late Glenda Jackson were the darlings of British cinema. He was the king of action and adventure, many hits including The Italian Job, Zulu, the Harry Palmer movies, and The Man Who Would Be King. She was the Oscar-winning actress in Women in Love and…
Dumb Money
Something extraordinary happened at the height of the pandemic in America. A videogame store became the focus of Wall Street when its shares went through the roof, all generated by a mild-mannered blogger and YouTuber. Dumb Money is a story told most simplistically by the director of I, Tonya and a cast that does a…
Barbie
This weekend saw something I thought I would never see again. A cinema foyer packed with screens sold out. The reason behind this phenomenon is this weekend saw the release of two of the year’s biggest and most anticipated movies: Oppenheimer and Barbie, or as it has now been renamed, Barberheimer. Two completely different movies…
Stu Loves Film 