Tag: film
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O.J.: Made in America.
This time last year, I was hooked on HBO’s The People vs. O.J. Simpson, despite initially only tuning in to get a peek at John Travolta’s startling transformation for his role. Only vaguely familiar with the legendary trial, which happened when I was only three or four, I found this re-imagining entertaining and engaging but…
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20th Century Women.
Disgracefully overlooked at this year’s Academy Awards is Mike Mills’ 20th Century Women. It centres around a mother and her son and a set number of individuals who enter their home and lives. Annette Bening’s performance should not be undervalued simply because she is always so consistently outstanding. Every furrow of her brow and each…
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Hidden Figures.
A film with all the right intentions, Hidden Figures is a celebration of three criminally undervalued black women and their invaluable contributions to the US space programme in the 1960s, as NASA attempts to propel a man into orbit for the first time. Hidden Figures opens with our three protagonists gathered around their broken vehicle,…
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Moonlight.
From its first intoxicating moment, to its last; Moonlight is the sensational underdog of this year’s American award season. Capturing the life and mind-set of a young boy entering adulthood in Miami, Moonlight captures the ugliness of adolescence, the agony of addiction and the frustration of growing up as a young, black, gay man in…
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Lion.
The sight of authentic Indian street confectioneries on a kitchen counter sparks a vital memory for Saroo, a university student who’s grown up in Tasmania, adopted by a loving native couple at the age of five. Now in his early twenties, he’s forgotten the first years of his life in India which resulted in being…
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Split.
Split is by no means the worst film M. Night Shyamalan has ever made but that’s hardly saying something. As dumb and eccentric as one would expect, Split centres around three teenage girls kidnapped by Kevin, a man with 23 separate personalities. Confined to a windowless room in a mysterious underground lair with seemingly endless…
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La La Land.
A mere two years since Damien Chazelle scooped up several Oscars with Whiplash – only his second feature film – the director returns with La La Land, looking set to dominate next month’s award ceremony. Starring Ryan Gosling’s charm and Emma Stone’s charisma, La La Land is set in contemporary Hollywood and follows two frustrated artists who find refuge in one…
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Manchester by the Sea.
Following the death of his brother, a handy man residing in Boston must return to his hometown to oversee arrangements for the funeral, as well as the aftercare of his nephew. Lee is insular and isolated, highlighted through the crisp white snow we see him shovelling in the film’s opening scenes. He is often wrapped…
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My Favourite Films of 2016.
In comparison to the year before, 2016 has provided me with much easier access to great cinema. With an independent picture house on my doorstep and through my work at Sheffield Doc/Fest, I’ve been able to indulge in a vast array of astounding films, particularly documentary. Two of the hits from Doc/Fest 2016 have made…
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The Worst Films of 2016.
This year’s worst selection come mainly from the art house scene with only a few mainstream features making an appearance. As usual my list is a mixture of the technically flawed and those that personally offended, outraged or irritated. Some commit the sin of dullness, others are awkwardly amateur, others deeply disappoint. Some may come…
Hannah McHaffie 