Evil Dead
I need to start this with a confession. I have never seen The Evil Dead. Not the Evil Dead movie – I saw that at the weekend – but the original, which has the definite article as part of its… Continue Reading
The Place Beyond The Pines
I am unconvinced by Ryan Gosling. There was a critical mass of opinion supporting him as the latest great American actor (notwithstanding the fact that he’s Canadian) after his performance in Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn’s LA crime thriller of last… Continue Reading
Oblivion
Oblivion is a Tom Cruise film. It’s a very Tom Cruise film. It features lots of close-ups of Tom Cruise’s face. Tom Cruise stands heroically looking at things on several occasions. The full nature of just how Tom Cruise-y Oblivion… Continue Reading
Trance
Danny Boyle is back with a movie filmed at the same time as he was making preparations for his triumphant Olympic opening ceremony. Trance is, perhaps, the film in Boyle’s career which most resembles his startling debut Shallow Grave featuring,… Continue Reading
What In God’s Name, by Simon Rich
I rarely write posts about books because I rarely read anything that’s current. I might stock up on books as they come out but the order in which I read them is almost entirely on whim and often a reaction… Continue Reading
Bravo Figaro
Mark Thomas – Bravo Figaro – Nuffield Theatre, Southampton – March 24, 2013 Perhaps the most telling line in Mark Thomas’ performance of Bravo Figaro is the one least related to the story he is trying to tell. In fact,… Continue Reading
An Evening With Rich Hall
An Evening With Rich Hall – Nuffield Theatre, Southampton – March 17, 2013 Rich Hall is a veteran of both the US and UK comedy circuits and, having married a British woman, he splits his time between London and his… Continue Reading
Parker
My feelings about Jason Statham are similar to those I hold for Mark Wahlberg – there is something about him as a screen presence that holds the attention. His films may not be the greatest but they are usually entertaining… Continue Reading
Endings – How do you create a satisfactory ending?
I recently spent a brilliant day at Mountbatten School in Romsey talking to groups of children about my book and writing in general. Much of that time was spent taking questions and trying to present some semblance of a useful… Continue Reading
Side Effects
It’s difficult to take Steven Soderbergh seriously when he says that he is retiring from making films. Side Effects is his 10th movie since 2006, an absolutely phenomenal rate of production, and his last 4 films have represented perhaps his… Continue Reading