Author: James Partridge

Cannes 2016 Review: The Last Face

Synopsis The Last Face centers around a love affair between Dr. Miguel Leon, a relief-aid doctor, and Dr. Wren Petersen, the director of an international aid organization. Set against the devastating backdrop of war-torn Liberia, Miguel and Wren must find a way to keep their relationship alive in extraordinarily difficult conditions battling their mutual passion for the value of life matched by the intensity of their diametrically opposed opinions on how best to solve the conflict that surrounds them. Thoughts Critics are piling on all kinds of hate for Sean Penn’s directorial debut. Sure, the love story isn’t great...

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Cannes 2016 Review: Personal Shopper

Synopsis Maureen, mid-20s, has a job she hates: seeing to the wardrobe of a media celebrity. She couldn’t find anything better to pay for her stay in Paris. And wait. Wait for a sign from the spirit of her twin brother, who died a few months earlier. Until then, her life will stay on hold. Thoughts This film really missed the mark. And, no, this isn’t an anti-Kristen Stewart thing – I really like her as an actress. For me the film had a split personality – and wasn’t sure which side of it’s personality to lead with. The...

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Cannes 2016 Review: It’s Only the End of the World

Synopsis After 12 years of absence, a writer goes back to his hometown, planning on announcing his upcoming death to his family. As resentment soon rewrites the course of the afternoon, fits and feuds unfold, fuelled by loneliness and doubt, while all attempts of empathy are sabotaged by people’s incapacity to listen and love. Thoughts Mommy is one of my favourite films of all time. So I really, really wanted to like this film. And, in a way, I do. But it’s a hard slog at times, despite the superb cast, acting and premise. Rating...

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Cannes 2016 Review: American Honey

Synopsis Star, a teenage girl from a troubled home, runs away with a traveling sales crew who drive across the American Midwest selling magazine subscriptions door to door. Finding her feet in this gang of teenagers, one of whom is Jake, she soon gets into the group’s lifestyle of hard-partying nights, law-bending days, and young love. Thoughts I had no idea what to expect from this going in, but came out wanting to see it again – if my schedule allowed. This engrossing, coming-of-age road trip is only let down by it’s length. At almost three hours and scenes...

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Cinema Release Round-Up: 19 May

The latest X-Men film invades cinema this week, but it’s an engrossing and (surpisingly) optomistic new doco from Michael Moore that’s our pick. Check out the trailers for all this week’s releases here… . Opening today: . WHERE TO INVADE NEXT……FILM OF THE WEEK USA | 120 mintutes | Documentary Director: Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine, Sicko, Fahrenheit 9/11) Featuring: Michael Moore Michael Moore plays the role of ‘invader’, visiting a host of nations to commandeer policies and ideas that will improve prospects in America. What he finds is that the solutions to America’s most entrenched problems already exist...

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