MA 15+, 106 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Without a lot to go on, little things loom large in this intriguing new feature from Iceland. The land of fire and ice is a powerful presence as…
A stumbling, loosely conceived action thriller that lacks conviction but has atmos, cinematography and music of mood, to recommend it MA15+, 110 minutes 2 Stars Netflix Review by © Jane Freebury This latest film with lead actor, John David Washington, is a…
PG, 101 minutes 3 Stars Netflix Review by © Jane Freebury It’s surprising that the Chinese community that has made America home is under-represented on US cinema screens. There are the very notable novels, and there have been a few, but the big screen…
M, 107 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Beauty pageants demand so much more of contestants than they used to. Parading around in bikinis and glittering gowns used to be the trick, but now you need to show that you excel in…
PG, 115 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Guy isn’t free, just programmed to look like it. When he gets ready for work each day in Free City, he chooses a powder blue shirt to wear. There’s nothing else to choose…
Despite some twee familiarity at the start, this story about a tough, committed businesswoman becomes a story about youth and second chances M, 95 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Another year, another rose show, and still no recognition for the…
MA15+, 119 minutes Netflix 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury This highly accomplished feature is a portrait of the artist as a young woman, unformed and unsure, as she starts out in life. It’s a finely crafted miniature of…
M, 99 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Who brings a baby to a shiva?’ Guests at a funeral keep asking each other the question in this coming-of-age film set deep within New York’s Jewish community. It’s a neat play on…
Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt on a Jungle Cruise. Courtesy Disney M, 127 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury This theme-park inspired Disney feature offers a charming romantic couple front and centre and a sense of fun. If it tends a…
PG, 112 minutes 3 Stars Netflix Review by © Jane Freebury The island of Bali, beautiful in so many ways, forms the backdrop for this sweet romance from the Indonesian film industry. The story is set among the locals and has virtually nothing to…
M, 124 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Building new worlds and creating new rules might just be worth contemplating in these strange times. Edson Oda, a young Japanese-Brazilian writer-director, has gone big and bold in this sci-fi drama,…
M, 134 minutes 4 stars Review by © Jane Freebury Given that Black Widow is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a movie about this particular female superhero has taken a while. After all, Scarlett Johansson has been…
G, 91 minutes Netflix 2 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury The romantic couple in this new Australian feature first clap eyes on each other on their way to a tropical island. No prizes for guessing what eventually happens there, but in romantic…
MA15+, 97 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury It was, at least in part, a career in opera that saw Phillida Lloyd direct one of the most successful screen musicals ever, Mamma Mia!. She had built a terrific reputation for herself…
An irresistible, odd couple comedy of scents and sensibilities M, 100 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury An odd couple forced to get on, due to circumstances, can make for great comedy of course. The African Queen, from way back…
PG, 143 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury Joyous, vibrant. There are good grounds for this song and dance extravaganza becoming a hit. What’s not to like about appealing lead characters and a cast of thousands? It was filmed on location in…
M, 102 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury The actor and filmmaker, Julie Delpy, has a habit of weaving details of her personal life into her work. It’s a seductive practice. My Zoe may or may not reflect this but what the writer-director…
PG, 94 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury To be fair, a fear of sharks is sound as far as phobias go. If a shark appears, who has the presence of mind to decide it belongs to the…
M, 116 minutes 3 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury As you might expect, this amiable comedy from Argentina involves a group of blokes who have had enough of hard times. Their scheme to lift themselves out of their poverty could be a…
PG, 113 minutes 4 Stars Review by © Jane Freebury How do you explain the emergence of a champion? What does it really take to overcome the odds and beat the rest? Dream Alliance, the horse that won the Welsh Grand National…