Trevor Hogg details the early days of Pixar in the first of a three-part feature on the phenomenally successful animation studio… Realizing that he could not draw, aspiring animator Ed Catmull decided to change his academic focus to physics and computer science. “In the early 1970s, I headed to graduate school at the University of […]

In which Gerry Hayes dons his yellow lycra con-outfit and tries to hide from the geeks… X-Men, 2000. X2, 2003. X-Men: The Last Stand, 2006. Directed by Bryan Singer (I and II), Brett Ratner (III). Starring a bunch of weird mutants. TV’s been having an X-Fest lately and I’ve been exposed to more X-Men than […]

Day of the Dead, 2008. Directed by Steve Miner. Starring Mena Suvari, Nick Cannon and Ving Rhames. SYNOPSIS: When the population of a small town become infected by a flu-like virus that turns them into flesh easting zombies, an elite military force is sent in to clean up the mess in a re-imagining of George […]

Up, 2009. Directed by Pete Doctor and Bob Peterson. Featuring the voice talents of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer and Jordan Nagai. SYNOPSIS: Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate […]

Trevor Hogg profiles the career of legendary British filmmaker Carol Reed in the second of a two-part feature… read the first part here. “I don’t think people care what sort of curtains I have,” stated the British filmmaker. “I don’t think they care about the technical people. Stars are the draw. They earn their publicity. […]

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire set for remake of the Carol Reed classic? According to CHUD.com, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire are attached to a remake of the classic 1949 British film noir The Third Man, with screenwriter Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, and the upcoming The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of […]

In which Gerry Hayes wishes he was drunk… Hannibal Rising, 2007. Directed by Peter Webber. Starring Gaspard Ulliel, Li Gong, Rhys Ifans. Screenplay by Thomas Harris based on a novel by Thomas Harris. I almost don’t want to include Hannibal Rising in this column because it is one of those films that has waded so […]

Trevor Hogg profiles the career of legendary British filmmaker Carol Reed in the first of a two-part feature… Following in the footsteps of his father Sir Herbert Beerholm Tree, who founded the Royal School of Dramatic Arts, Carol Reed decided to pursue a career in the theatre. “I wasn’t a very good actor,” reflected the […]

In which Gerry Hayes tries to insert a USB cable into the base of his skull to avoid having to type this stuff… The Matrix Revolutions, 2003. Directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski. Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving. Written by Andy and Larry Wachowski. Matrix III. Now don’t get me wrong […]

Tom Conran with his thoughts on an early screening in Sheffield and Q&A with Shane Meadows, Paddy Considine and Mark Herbert… Le Donk and Scor-Zay-Zee (2009). Directed by Shane Meadows. Starring Paddy Considine, Dean Palinczuk and Olivia Coleman. Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine reunite for the first time since Dead Man’s Shoes (2004) in this […]