No Second Draft – ramblings about film and TV
-
on: Palm Springs
Synopsis: Look, we’ve all seen Groundhog Day, right? Yeah. It’s that. 1. Ok fine, I’m being slightly facetious with the synopsis. But there is no denying that if I told you that Palm Springs was a romantic comedy centred around the premise of a constantly repeating day, Groundhog Day would be the first thing that came to mind.…
-
on: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Synopsis: After the traumatic experience of being in Suicide Squad and around Jared Leto, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) decides to strike out on her own, resulting in her being drawn into a madcap chase for a diamond sought after by crime boss Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) and his psychopathic bodyguard Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina). Luckily…
-
My 25 Favourite Films of All Time
More lockdown/quarantine/circuit-breaker/whatever-euphemism-your-country-is-using content. This time, a run-down of my Top 25 favourite films. Ever. Some definition of ‘favourite’ – I go with one film per filmmaker otherwise a good 1/4 of this list is Kubrick, and these are hardly the ‘best’ films of all time, just those that connect with me in some way. Obviously…
-
on: Thoroughbreds
[Continuing the lockdown reviews on recommended movies that can be found on streaming services. Today, 2017’s Thoroughbreds, which has just arrived on Netflix.] Synopsis: After a nasty animal-related incident, former best friends Amanda (Olivia Cooke) and Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) reunite and rekindle their friendship over animal cruelty, blackmail, and a plot to murder Lily’s abusive stepfather.…
-
on: The Assistant
Synopsis: Just a normal day in the life of Jane (Julia Garner), a beleaguered admin assistant employed at a major film production company. Photocopying. Making calls. Arranging the schedule of her mogul boss. Picking earrings off the floor. Writing blank cheques. Arranging a hotel room for a beautiful new assistant who just arrived from Iowa.…
-
My Favourite Things: Community
Thanks to our good friend COVID-19, there is little chance of me getting to a cinema to watch any new releases. With that, I thought it would be a good time to revisit this aborted attempt at an ongoing feature, with special emphasis on media available on popular streaming services (you know which one I…
-
on: Swallow
Synopsis: Hunter (Haley Bennett) has it all. A rich husband, a gorgeous house, a baby on the way, and an addiction to eating non-food items like metal and dirt. Wait, what was that last one again? 1. Swallow must be commended for avoiding the obvious temptation to turn into a gawking freakshow, or a more upscale version…
-
on: Uncut Gems
Synopsis: In New York City circa 2012, jeweller and compulsive gambler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) spends a weekend chasing a rare black opal that promises to be the solution to all his problems. 1. I don’t normally start these things by talking about the acting, but it is unavoidable for this particular movie, especially considering…
-
on: Little Women
Synopsis: The latest adaptation of the classic tale of the March sisters – ladylike Meg (Emma Watson), tomboy Jo (Saoirse Ronan), quiet Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and ambitious Amy (Florence Pugh) – as they struggle to find happiness and fulfilment in civil-war era Massachusetts, all the while supporting their saintly mother Marmee (Laura Dern) and pining…
-
on: The Lighthouse
Synopsis: When a storm hits, lighthouse keepers Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) and Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) end up stranded on a tiny island off the coast of 19th century New England. Then the craziness begins. 1. The closest approximation to The Shining since … well, The Shining, The Lighthouse is that rarest of things –…
Contact the author