Category Archives: Film

Slaughterhouse Rulez. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Michael Sheen, Hermione Corfield, Simon Pegg, Asa Butterfield, Finn Cole, Nick Frost, Jo Hartley, Hanko Footman, Isabella Laughland, Jamie Blackley, Jassa Ahluwalia, Tom Rhys Harries, Kit Connor, Jane Staness, Sophie Rutter, Alex MacQueen, Margot Robbie.

We are playing dangerous games with the Devil, not the fabled creature who fell foul of a Celestial’s wrath, not the inhabitant of that Church and Bible inspired cess pit of flames and torture but instead our very own devil, our naked ambition, our rape of the land and the unquenchable thirst to dominate our will upon the throne of greed and violation. Our willingness to fracture the land in the pursuit of gas is one that will be an undoing, one in which will unleash a poison unless stopped, and one that audiences will find perfectly ripe for exploiting in a comedy-horror.

Slaughterhouse Rulez. Film Review. full post

(456 words, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

The Nutcracker And The Four Realms. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * *

Cast: Mackenzie Foy, Matthew Macfadyen, Keira Knightly, Helen Mirren, Jayden Fowora-Knight, Tom Sweet, Meera Syal, Ellie Bamber, Morgan Freeman, Omid Djalili, Jack Whitehall, Eugenio Derbez, Richard E. Grant, Misty Copeland, Anna Madeley.

Any form of art should be there to inspire, to look upon something that has been created with disdain is not a natural state of mind, regardless say of the genre, the alluded too message, the perhaps dressed up vanity, or even the down at heel scrawled attempt, it is our soul that we are attempting to save, to express, to live with, and in that event of hoped for salvation and appreciation, we feel hope, we touch promise and dare to dream.

The Nutcracker And The Four Realms. Film Review. full post

(529 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

The Burying Party. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Matthew Staite, Joyce Branagh, Sid Phoenix, Will Burren, Mike Barrowman, Andrew Caley, Tom Coliandris, Howard Corlett, Christian Faber, Ian Horseman, Mark Kitto, Benjamin Longthorne, Carl Mountfield, Will Mytum, Harry Owens, Sally Paffett, Ruth Rundle, Christopher Wollaton.

The truth of words is never valued until the poet dies, only then does the nation mourn and revere the simplicity, the timing, the passion of that composer of fruit-laden images, whether in war or peace, the poet is there to capture the reflection of their country’s right and wrongs but also to search deep inside for the truth of their existence. If a poet cannot write without unburdening their soul, then how do we expect politicians and generals to be legitimate in their actions and held to account for their own rights and wrongs as they order The Burying Party to stand guard and await the dead they have killed.

The Burying Party. Film Review. full post

(521 words, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)

Bohemian Rhapsody. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Lucy Boynton, Mike Myers, Aiden Gillen, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, Aaron McCusker, Max Bennett, Jess Rodomska, Ace Bhatti, Dickie Beau, Dermot Murphy, Meneka Das, Neil Fox-Roberts.

Queen can be viewed in two different ways, there will be those who champion the band, who see the band and revel in the music created, the uniqueness, the harmony of expression, the explosion of personality and the dedication to craft songs and albums in which nobody has been able to come close to capturing the vibe of since; then there will be those who see them as one of the architects of overhype, of being part of all that was perhaps wrong with rock, of destructive traits, of having a leading man who allowed his demons and desires to get in the way of making music.

Bohemian Rhapsody. Film Review. full post

(642 words, estimated 2:34 mins reading time)

First Man. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Claire Foy, Ryan Gosling, Pablo Schreiber, Christopher Abbott, Ethan Embry, Ciaran Hinds, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Shea Whigham, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas, Corey Michael Smith, Brady Smith, Olivia Hamilton, John David Whalen, Leon Bridges.

If a film’s aim is to educate and inform, to make an audience appreciate the life and actions of the subject at hand, then Damien Chazelle’s in depth, almost microscopic, look at the life of Neil Armstrong, of the lead up to moment when he became the first human to take a tentative step on the surface of the Moon, the trials, the agony, the heartache that spurred him on, then First Man would be rightly considered to one of the most endearing and enduring of epics.

First Man. Film Review. full post

(497 words, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Hunter Killer. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound And Vision Rating *

Cast: Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Linda Cardellini, Toby Stephens, Common, Adam James,Â Cory Johnson, Henry Goodman, Carter MacIntyre, Shane Taylor, Kola Bokinni, Mikey Collins, Will Attenborough, Kieron Bimpson, David Gyasi, Michael Nyqvist, Caroline Goodall, David Yelland, Stuart Milligan.

The land of cliche is under constant threat of never being allowed to die in peace, to be remembered for the small annoyances, for the large discomfort felt, a hero must be seen to stand tall and have the attention of the audience, but they must be seen as being more than a two dimensional caricature which sends a signal to the audience, that the land of cliche is being primed and prepped once more for boarding.

Hunter Killer. Film Review. full post

(524 words, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)

Bad Times At The El Royale. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Jeff Bridges, Manny Jacinto, Nick Offerman, Katherine Isabelle, Cailee Spaeny, Cynthia Erivo, Lewis Pullman, Xavier Dolan, Alvina August, Jonathan Whitesell, Sarah Smyth, Jim O’ Heir, Charles Halford, Mark O’ Brien, Bethany Brown, Hannah Zirke, Tally Rodin, Sophia Lauchlin Hirt, Austin James, Billy Wickman, James Quach, Vincent Washington, Caroline Koziol, Austin Abell.

Bad Times At The El Royale. Film Review. full post

(530 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

A Star Is Born (2018). Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Rafi Gavron, Anthony Ramos, Dave Chappelle, Alec Baldwin, Marlon Williams, Brandi Carlile, Ron Rifkin, Barry Shabaka Henley, Michael D. Roberts, Michael Harney, Rebecca Field, Drena De Niro, Greg Grunberg.

A Star Is Born (2018). Film Review. full post

(538 words, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

Johnny English Strikes Again. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 5/10

Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Olga Kurylenko, Emma Thompson, Jake Lacey, Charles Dance, Ben Miller, Miranda Hennessy, Adam James, Irena Tyshna, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Adam Greaves-Neal.

Rowan Atkinson will always be considered one of the finest pursuers of comedy truth that the U.K. has been blessed with nurturing, supporting and enjoying, of that simple fact there can be no doubt, no argument and yet as time goes on it is possible to wish he would concentrate his considerable talents on the straight television drama, or theatrical endeavour. As his time occupying the role of Inspector Maigret has proved, his talent for empathy, for the understanding of what drives certain men in the periods they live in is just as keenly honed as his notable characters of Edmund Blackadder, Mr. Bean, and the inept but ultimately decent Johnny English have been explored.

Johnny English Strikes Again. Film Review. full post

(499 words, estimated 2:0 mins reading time)

Venom. Film Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahemed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate, Melora Walters, Woody Harrelson, Peggy Lu, Malcolm C. Murray, Dope Aluko, Wayne Pere, Michelle Lee, Stan Lee.

There was a time when Todd McFarlane’s name was as arguably huge as the house of Marvel itself, an artist who breathed new and exciting life into the company for his work on Spider-man and who brought into being one of the most dynamic, deadliest characters in the world to fruition. Todd McFarlane’s name deserves recognition and awe in the same breath as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Alex Ross and John Romita, a name that will undoubtedly endure and give graphic novel fans the chills when they think of one particular character above them all, that of Venom.

Venom. Film Review. full post

(615 words, estimated 2:28 mins reading time)