After another turbulent and disruptive year in 2023 for a film industry in constant flux, cinema returned with a vengeance in 2024, once again taking over an autumnal “Big Smoke” and UK cinemas beyond, courtesy of the the British Film Institute (BFI), as the 68th edition of one of the world’s most accessible major film […]

In the midst of yet another turbulent and disruptive year for the film industry, cinema once again took over “The Big Smoke” and UK cinemas beyond, courtesy of the the British Film Institute (BFI), as the 67th edition of the London Film Festival (LFF)—one of the world’s most accessible major film festivals—gathered global cinema players […]

After two of the most disruptive years in the history of a film industry still in flux and the success of a streamlined hybrid event last year, cinema once again returned en force to “The Big Smoke” and beyond, courtesy of the the British Film Institute (BFI) in the form of the 66th London Film […]

After eighteen of the most disruptive months in the history of the film industry and a year after a hybrid, mostly virtual and streamlined 64th version of the festival, cinema returns to “The Big Smoke” in force courtesy of the the British Film Institute (BFI) in the form of the 65th London Film Festival (LFF)—one […]

Towards the bitter end of one of the most disruptive years in recent human history, in the middle of a global pandemic and during some of the most uncertain times in the century-old history of the global film industry, cinema returns to “The Big Smoke” and appreciative London cinephiles courtesy of the the British Film […]

Review 136min Genre:       Comedy, Drama, Romance Director:    Noah Baumbach Cast:         Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Azhy Robertson…and more Writers:     Noah Baumbach -Synopsis- When their personal relationship breaks down as they begin to grow apart, a stage actress returns to L.A. with her young son to restart a Hollywood career, while her estranged New York theatre director […]

Heading into the meatier season for releases, and rounding off the year’s major film festival circuit before we head towards the award season railway, October as always brought international film to the ‘Big Smoke’ and treated Londoners to the best global cinema has to offer, as the British public were joined by the world’s media, […]

Review 97min Genre:     Adventure, Comedy, Drama Director:  Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz Cast:       Zack Gottsagen, Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson…and more Writers:   Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz -Synopsis- Armed with the ambition to break free and the dream of becoming a wrestler, a young man with Down’s Syndrome escapes his care home and embarks on an […]

Review 102min Genre:       Drama, Thriller, War Director:    Alejandro Landes Cast:         Sofia Buenaventura, Moises Arias, Julianne Nicholson…more Writers:     Alejandro Landes and Alexis Dos Santos -Synopsis- In the remote mountains and jungles of Latin America, a small close-knit colony of armed, ritualistic young commandos lives wild and trains intensely while waiting for orders. But when a hostage […]

Review 93min Genre:       Comedy, Drama Director:    Bo Burnham Cast:         Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Luke Prael…and more Writers:     Bo Burnham -Synopsis- On the cusp of full teendom but struggling to get over the line, an outwardly shy and awkward solitary fourteen-year-old toils with the distinct 21st century struggles and timeless tribulations of early adolescence, as she […]

Review 85min Genre:       Drama Director:    Jonah Hill Cast:         Sunny Suljic, Na-kel Smith, Lucas Hedges…and more Writer:      Jonah Hill -Synopsis- It ain’t easy to figure out who you are or want to be at thirteen, but for L.A. teen ‘Stevie’ life is about to get eventful in his mid 90s summer, as he balances a troubled […]

Review 127min Genre:     Fact-based, Drama Director:  Ralph Fiennes Cast:       Oleg Ivenko, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Ralph Fiennes…and more Writers:   David Hare and Julie Kavanagh… and more -Synopsis- A chronicle of the makings of Siberian ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev and the difficult non-conformist personality which forged a standout artist—from his youth in Russia through to his time performing […]

Review 139min Genre:       Crime, Drama, Mystery Director:    David Robert Mitchell Cast:         Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Zosia Mamet…and more Writer:      David Robert Mitchell -Synopsis- A directionless young man plunges into the murky depths of Los Angeles when he becomes obsessed with unravelling the mystery of his beautiful and mysterious neighbour who inexplicably disappears, only to uncover […]

As we head towards year’s end into the meatier season for film releases, and the frenzy of awards season which follows, October as always  signalled the return of the world’s most accessible major film festival (and one of the year’s final global film events), as filmmakers and media from across the globe gathered in the […]

Review 113min Genre:       Drama, Thriller Director:    Paul Schrader Cast:         Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric the Entertainer… Writer:       Paul Schrader -Synopsis- Dealing with his own personal tragedy, existential concerns and the demons of his flock, a small town New York priest struggles with a crisis of conscience in a world he no longer understands, in this […]

Review 109min Genre:      Drama Director:   Debra Granik Cast:        Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster, Dana Millican…and more Writers:    Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini and Peter Rock -Synopsis- Forced to abandon their idyllic wild existence in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, an emotionally scarred father and his thirteen year-old daughter struggle to adapt to the society around them, […]

Review 107min Genre:       Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance Director:    Michael Pearce Cast:         Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James…and more Writer:      Michael Pearce -Synopsis- When a repressed young woman meets a mysterious stranger in an isolated island community, she becomes caught between duty towards her oppressive family and an infatuation with a man suspected of multiple murders […]

Review 92min Genre:       Drama, Thriller Director:    Cory Finley Cast:         Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin…and more Writer:      Cory Finley -Synopsis- Two well-to-do suburban Connecticut teens rekindle a childhood friendship and bond over their challenging but opposing personalities and outsider characters, leading to a sinister plan to solve their family issues which quickly gets out of […]

Review 86min Genre:       Horror, Thriller Director:    Brian Taylor Cast:         Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters…and more Writer:      Brian Taylor -Synopsis- When a mysterious condition causes parents in unassuming American suburbia to turn on their kids with violent murderous intentions, a brother and sister must survive the day and avoid their rampaging folks in this demented […]

Review 85min Genre:    Drama, Mystery, Thriller Director: Lynne Ramsay Cast:      Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alessandro Nivola…more Writers:  Jonathan Ames and Lynne Ramsay -Synopsis- When a troubled brutal enforcer/private investigator takes on a case tracking down a missing girl, he gets caught up in a dark conspiracy which takes him down a deep and dark rabbit […]

Review 120min Genre:       Fact-based, Comedy, Drama, Sport Director:    Craig Gillespie Cast:         Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney…and more Writer:      Steven Rogers -Synopsis- Fuelled by resentment and a difficult upbringing dominated by a hyper-critical mother, combative American figure skater Tonya Harding rises through the ranks of competitive global ice skating in the early 90s, only to […]

Review 92min Genre:       Drama Director:    Paddy Considine Cast:         Paddy Considine, Jodie Whittaker, Tony Pitts…and more Writer:      Paddy Considine -Synopsis- When British boxing veteran and middleweight champion ‘Matty Burton’ suffers a catastrophic brain injury during a fight, he’s forced to effectively re-start his life, with huge emotional implications for his wife and infant daughter . . […]

Review 103min Genre:       Fact-based, Comedy, Drama Director:    James Franco Cast:         James Franco, Dave Franco, Alison Brie…and more Writers:     Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber and Greg Sestero -Synopsis- When an aspiring young actor meets an older mysterious wannabe thespian, they join forces and head to tinseltown to follow their dreams of stardom, but when Hollywood rejection […]

Review 111min Genre:       Drama Director:    Sean Baker Cast:         Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe…and more Writers:     Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch -Synopsis- A gritty yet comical tale of brazen behaviour and childlike innocence, set the in the seedy live-in motels in the shadow of the Disney Empire and seen through the eyes of an adorably […]

The 4th of October this year saw the start of the world’s most accessible major international film festival, as filmmakers and media from across the globe joined the great British public in the West End and beyond for 12 days of film promotion and appreciation at the 61st London Film Festival (LFF), brought to us […]

Review 91min Genre:       Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Director:    Dan Bush Cast:         Francesca Eastwood, James Franco, Taryn Manning…more Writers:     Dan Bush and Conal Byrne -Synopsis- When two sisters pull a bank heist to ease their family strife, they get far more than they bargained for after discovering that the seemingly abandoned and potentially lucrative underground vault […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our ‘Indie Spotlight’ series for your consideration. Moon Dogs (2017) 93min Genre:     Comedy, Drama, Music Director:  Philip John Cast:       Jack Parry-Jones, Christy O’Donnell, Tara Lee…and more Writers:   Derek Boyle and Raymond […]

Review 92min Genre:     Drama, Romance Director:  David Lowery Cast:       Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Sonia Acevedo…and more Writer:    David Lowery -Synopsis- A young woman, struggling with the recent loss of her husband, is visited by his white sheet-covered spirit as he becomes a guardian of memories and a spectral observer to the her life (and others) […]

Review 81min Genre:      Documentary Director:   Claire Ferguson Cast:        Ed Mosberg, Helen Sternlicht, Frank Blaichman…and more Writer:     Jonathan Key -Synopsis- Twelve Polish Jewish survivors of the Holocaust recount their harrowing and disparate experiences of the ‘Third Reich’s’ cruelty, as director Claire Ferguson combines extraordinary archival footage with deeply personal testimony, painting a moving portrait of […]

Review 128min Genre:       Crime, Drama Director:    Cristian Mungiu Cast:         Adrian Titieni, Maria-Victoria Dragus, Rares Andrici…and more Writer:      Cristian Mungiu -Synopsis- After his teenage daughter is mysteriously attacked before a series of important exams— a responsible and respected doctor compromises his ethics to ensure his only child’s future, only to painfully realise he can’t control everything […]

Review 110min Genre:       Documentary Director:    Clay Tweel Cast:         Steve Gleason, Michel Varisco-Gleason, Rivers Gleason…more Writer:      Clay Tweel -Synopsis- A candid chronicle of the life of former professional American Football player Steve Gleason after he’s diagnosed with ALS (motor neurone disease) at the age of 34; as he begins a video diary to capture his essence […]

Review 107min Genre:      Drama Director:   Kelly Reichardt Cast:        Michelle Williams, Laura Dern, Lily Gladstone…and more Writers:    Kelly Reichardt and Maile Meloy -Synopsis- Writer/director Kelly Reichardt’s nuanced character study set in contemporary small-town Montana, where the lives of three very different women intersect as they struggle with life’s trials and try to make their way in […]

Review 88min Genre:      Drama, Sci-fi Director:   Alex Helfrecht and Jörg Tittel Cast:        Lorenzo Allchurch, Agyness Deyn, Jonathan Pryce …and more Writers:    György Dragomán, Alex Helfrecht and Jörg Tittel -Synopsis- Young ‘Djata’ lives a normal idyllic life in a totalitarian state oblivious to the brutal realities around him, but when his father is mysteriously abducted by […]

The 5th of October signalled the start of 12 days of appreciation for the art of filmmaking with the 60th edition of the London Film Festival (LFF), brought to us by the British Film Institute (BFI). As usual the LFF was a more egalitarian affair than its prestigious European counterparts (Cannes, Venice), with members of […]

Review 116min Genre:      Drama Director:   Brady Corbet Cast:        Robert Pattinson, Liam Cunningham, Bérénice Bejo…and more Writers:    Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold -Synopsis- In the backdrop of war-torn rural France at the end of the First World War; an American diplomat negotiating the terms of German surrender relocates to a French village with his European wife and […]

Review 88min Genre:      Comedy, Drama Director:   Todd Solondz Cast:        Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn…and more Writer:     Todd Solondz -Synopsis- The dysfunctional lives of very different people are linked by a loveable dachshund who enriches the disillusioned existences of  its various inappropriate owners in this quirky Indie black comedy from writer/director Todd Solondz. If you’ve […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our “Indie Spotlight” series for your consideration. Anna Unbound (2015) (English Language) 89min Genre:     Drama, Mystery, Thriller Director:  Bernd Porr Cast:       Vasso Georgiadou, James Robson, Martin Sweeney…and more Writers:   Bernd Porr, […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our “Indie Spotlight” series for your consideration. Three Days In Auschwitz (2015) (English Language) 55min Genre:      Documentary Director:   Philippe Mora Cast:        Philippe Mora, Mirka Mora Country:   USA | Australia | Germany […]

Review 115min Genre:       Crime, Drama Director:    Jacques Audiard Cast:         Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan…and more Writers:     Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain & Noé Debré -Synopsis- After escaping persecution in Sri Lanka, a refugee and his unorthodox family struggle to build a new life as caretakers in the dangerous suburbs of Paris in this Palme d’Or-winning drama from the […]

Review 138min Genre:       Crime, Drama, Thriller Director:    Sebastian Schipper Cast:         Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski…and more Writers:     Sebastian Schipper, Olivia Neergaard-Holm… and more -Synopsis- On a night out; a lonely young Spanish girl sparks-up a potential romance and friendship with a Berliner and his rogue friends, but her hazy dream turns into a nightmare […]

Review 132min Genre:     Western, Horror Director:  S. Craig Zahler Cast:       Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox…and more Writer:    S. Craig Zahler -Synopsis- Following a mysterious kidnapping in small-town old American west, a group of townsfolk form a posse to track down the cave-dwelling savages that took their people in this unique western/horror/drama indie from 1st […]

Review 118min Genre:     Drama Director:  Lenny Abrahamson Cast:       Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen…and more Writer:    Emma Donoghue -Synopsis- “Jack”, a five year-old boy, discovers the majesty of the world as he escapes the confines of a small room where he’s spent his entire life isolated from the world with his “Ma”, only to deal […]

Review 79min Genre:      Comedy, Drama Director:   Paul Weitz Cast:        Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden…and more Writer:     Paul Weitz -Synopsis- When her newly pregnant teenage granddaughter turns up on her doorstep asking for help, a no-nonsense lesbian grandma sets out on a journey to help her grandchild with an abortion, while both teaching and […]

In an ongoing effort to help aspiring filmmakers and promote independent films, particularly those struggling with distribution and releases, we periodically feature films in our “Indie Spotlight” series for your consideration. Ping Pong Summer (2014) (English Language) 82min Genre:     Comedy Director:  Michael Tully Cast:       Marcello Conte, Judah Friedlander, Susan Sarandon…and more Writer:    Michael Tully -Synopsis- […]