 By Adam Ray Palmer
Today’s review is of an already highly acclaimed New Zealand film from writer/director/actor/all-round-talent Taika Waititi called Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Based on the book by Barry Crump, Waititi adapts the novel for the big screen and also gives himself an acting credit alongside Sam Neill and Julian Dennison. The Phoenix in Leicester never lets me down when I need to see rarer gems, and it didn’t disappoint me here either… 22/9/2016 The Infiltrator Film Review. By Adam Ray Palmer
Today’s review is of crime-thriller The Infiltrator with Bryan Cranston and Diane Kruger. This is a perfect film to fill your Breaking Bad shaped hole in your heart for 100 minutes. I caught this movie on a cold and misty evening at the Phoenix Leicester which set the tone completely for a tense and moody drama. The Breaking Bad passion in me (my favourite TV series) was working overtime here as Walter White starred in a film very similar to that narrative… 20/9/2016 Pete's Dragon Film Review. By Adam Ray Palmer
Today’s review is of the children’s fantasy film made by the people who brought us all every children’s classic ever, yes Disney. Pete’s Dragon stars newcomer Oakes Fegley with Hollywood regular Bryce Dallas Howard and movie legend Robert Redford. For a remake, I knew very little of this film, but I was pleasantly surprised… 15/9/2016 Captain Fantastic Film Review. By Adam Ray Palmer
Today’s review is a heart-warming tale, with a little bit of black comedy; from writer/director Matt Ross called Captain Fantastic. Having only briefly read up about this movie, The Phoenix in Leicester was the only venue showing it around me and I knew I had to catch this family-movie (with an edge). The theatre was near enough full which was a promising sign, I just hoped it wouldn’t end up being ‘Captain Mediocre’ or worse…  By Adam Ray Palmer
Our last review from Venezia73 will be for James Franco’s In Dubious Battle that screened in the Sala Giardini theatre with the main man in attendance. Based on a novel by John Steinbeck published in 1936, James Franco directs and produces with Matt Rager adapting the screenplay. Screening out of competition here, In Dubious Battle played to over 3,000 people in four days and received great acclaim…  By Adam Ray Palmer
One late evening at Venezia73, I popped into the Sala Volpi theatre (a new one this year) to catch a Belgian film that seemed to be gaining popularity here. The starring talent all hail from Belgium as does one half of the directing/writing pair. The other, Jessica Woodworth, was born in the US. King of the Belgians was the only foreign language film I caught this year so I was hoping for it to be the best choice I had made...  By Adam Ray Palmer
A decade has passed since Mel’s last picture he directed, now Gibson returns with his WW2 epic Hacksaw Ridge. This film debuts here in Venice in the ‘Out of Competition’ category. Starring in this war movie is Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer and Sam Worthington. Hacksaw Ridge looks set for an award season release, but can it collect the prizes?  By Adam Ray Palmer
What a Venice Film Festival this is shaping up to be. I have been spoilt with quality films this week and I don’t think it’ll let up with tomorrow’s Hacksaw Ridge either. It says a lot when the ‘worse’ film I have seen personally so far is The Light Between Oceans when in fact it is actually good. Sadly, for now, TLBO will stay there with this praising review for Brimstone. Brimstone is directed and written by Martin Koolhoven starring Dakota Fanning and Guy Pearce.  By Adam Ray Palmer
Tom Ford, fashion designer and part-time filmmaker, returns to the movie industry 7 years after A Single Man. This time around with an all-star cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ford debuts his film Nocturnal Animals at Venezia73. Along with La La Land, I was most looking forward to seeing Nocturnal Animals this year…  By Adam Ray Palmer
My third review from Venezia73 is the sci-fi drama Arrival from Prisoners and Sicario director Denis Villeneuve. Denis’s usual dark and moody filming technique doesn’t disappoint here but what is surprising is the narrative he has chosen to adapt. I thought I had been quite lucky with the two films I had seen before with The Light Between Oceans and La La Land, but then Arrival, erm, arrived. |
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27/9/2016
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