Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Written by Jo Bromilow
 Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz
Certificate: 12A
Trailer It's been called 'the next Twilight', but to draw a comparison between the two does a disservice to this superior teen offering. Set in a post-apocolyptic America (Panem) divided into twelve Districts, Collins introduces us to a futuristic tale of Theseus and the Minotaur - or, as has been the catcall of critics, a Westernised Battle Royale.
Wednesday, 07 March 2012
Written by Ivan Radford
If you're unlucky enough to follow me on Twitter, you'll be aware of the terrifying addiction that took over my my life for the past 12 weeks: The Hunger Games. When a big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' trilogy was first revealed, I took one look at it, was impressed, but dismissed it as Battle Royale. Several months later and I'm a changed man: I love the emotional (and surprisingly political) spin on the dystopian-reality-TV-kids-killing-each-other format; I'm torn between two fictional male characters (today is a Peeta day - yesterday was all about Gale); I have an unhealthy urge to shoot everything with arrows; and I can't wait to set my clothes on fire. All of these things would actually be true if I were physically able to put the flipping books down. I'm reading them all again right now. I'm typing with my chin just so I can keep turning the pages. It's taken a frankly superhuman amount of effort just to look away from the text for two minutes to enjoy the latest Hunger Games clip - and even then, I could only manage it because I knew it contained Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss talking to Cinna, her down-to-earth stylist with a nose for costume flair. But even the first full clip featuring Lenny Kravitz talking fashion couldn't cure my addiction. So before I go back to living between Collins' two covers, read on to watch the clip. Then start counting down to The Hunger Games on Friday 23rd March. Then start sending letters to Lionsgate to demand that they release this film as soon as possible. Then I can finally enjoy what looks to be a cracking cinematic version of Collins' novels, get over this obsession, and maybe, just maybe, I CAN GET MY SODDING LIFE BACK.
Friday, 02 March 2012
Written by Ivan Radford
The below message appeared on The Hunger Games Facebook page today from author Suzanne Collins. Needless to say, I'm very jealous...
Dear Readers,
I’ve just had the opportunity to see the finished film of The Hunger Games. I’m really happy with how it turned out. I feel like the book and the film are individual yet complementary pieces that enhance one another. The film opens up the world beyond Katniss’ point of view, allowing the audience access to the happenings of places… like the Hunger Games control room and President Snow’s rose garden, thereby adding a new dimension to the story.
Friday, 27 January 2012
Written by Ivan Radford
Drake Doremus' superbly moving anti-rom-com Like Crazy is out in UK cinemas today. Here are five reasons why you should see it...
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Written by Ivan Radford
If you've look at the Orange BAFTA rising star nominations for 2012, you'll have noticed something pretty obvious: they're all men. Manly male men with man-beards or mannishly clean-shaven male faces. Men. Menny men men. It's an amazing achievement for Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Chris O'Dowd, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston. Not just because the Rising Star award is a really nice award - newcomer gongs are a great way to encourage talent - but because they've managed to somehow stop Jessica Chastain getting a nomination. As we all know after Jessica Chastain's triple-headed win at the New York Film Critics Circle awards (and many others), the King Ghidorah of superb acting is a difficult beast to slay. It wasn't as if she was on her own, either. Chastain Monster had evolved for BAFTA's Rising Star award, acquiring the heads of Jennifer Lawrence and Felicity Jones to help bite the legs off unsuspecting villagers voters. But the five-headed creature of manhood still managed to triumph. 
So how did they do it?
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Written by Ivan Radford
 In a seemingly endless wave of dystopian-movies-this and reality-TV-films-that, it takes something special to stand out. It turns out that something is Jennifer Lawrence with a bow and arrow. And The Hunger Games trailer certainly has that. Based on Suzanne Colinns' best-selling novel, The Hunger Games is about a bunch of kids (aged between 12 and 18) who are selected as part of an annual, incredibly-fatal TV contest. It's a bit like Battle Royale. With a PG-13 certificate. But if you're worried about the lack of violence and the glossy looks of the gorgeous teen cast, don't: Jennifer Lawrence is only in it because Katniss Everdeen volunteers to replace her younger sister in the kill-or-be-killed tournament. The Hunger Games may not have the blood splatter of Kinji Fukasaku's mental murder spree, but director Gary Ross has got garish pink costumes, a big budget and one heck of a sympathetic heroine. The Hunger Games UK release date is Friday 23rd March next year - and the film is looking very good. Hell, The Hunger Games trailer alone craps all over I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Read on for the full video.
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Written by Ivan Radford
 Director: Drake Doremus
Cast: Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin
Trailer Like Crazy is one of those anti-rom-coms that claims to break movie cliches and be truthful and stuff. The problem with that is it can easily fall into another set of cliches - those of the anti-rom-com that claims to break movie cliches and be truthful and stuff. But Drake Doremus' indie flick does actually do something different to the norm. Perhaps not emotionally, but structurally. Which makes its cliche-breaking even more moving. And truthful. And stuff.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Written by Ivan Radford
 Director: Jodie Foster
Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence
Certificate: 15
Trailer/Clips Brave. Bold. Brown. Furry. All of these words could be used to described Jodie Foster's Beaver. But it's not as warm and fuzzy as you might expect. In fact, Jodie Foster's Beaver is an untidy mess.
We first meet Walter (Mel) at the height of his depression. His career has gone down the pan, his son (Yelchin) worries he's turning into his dad, and his life is an ink stain that blackens everything. We even get a voiceover to tell us exactly that: "Walter's life is an ink stain that blackens everything," it drones, over an unsubtle shot of an ink stain blackening everything.
Monday, 30 May 2011
Written by Ivan Radford
 Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult
Certificate: 12A
Trailers/Clips It's been over a decade since we saw a small boy get separated from his mum at a Nazi concentration camp in 1944 and twist the metal gates apart out of good old, healthy rage. Now we're revisiting that cheerful moment, shot for shot. It's a bold move for a prequel to Bryan Singer's X-Men movies, but X-Men: First Class is certainly bold. And cool to boot.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Written by Ivan Radford
 Director: Jodie Foster
Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence
Certificate: TBC
Release Date: Friday 17th June Two-time Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with two-time Academy Award® winner Mel Gibson in THE BEAVER - an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life.
Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can't seem to get himself back on track...until a beaver hand puppet enters his life.
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