With reports of the long awaited fifth instalment still appearing regularly, Tom Jolliffe looks back at the iconic action franchise on the 34th anniversary of the first movie… As an 80’s kid, the end of the decade and into the 90’s saw two action franchises become particularly prevalent among my video collection. I’d not be […]
Statham Fights a Megalodon: How to Double Down on Silliness
Tom Jolliffe looks back at The Meg and other ludicrous films that audiences will love or hate… Jason Statham has fought international terrorists, mobsters, the yakuza, probably carb cravings and more throughout his career as an action man. Some might say he’s become a little one note with his excessive scowling, growling and intense raspy […]
Greatness Beckons for Anya Taylor-Joy
Tom Jolliffe on the rise of Anya Taylor-Joy and just how far she could go… Have you seen The Queen’s Gambit? Have you? What about you? You must see The Queen’s Gambit (and repeat ad nauseum). The latest water cooler TV show that only a few sad wretches haven’t yet seen is making waves across […]
Grief, depression, guilt and mortality in Maborosi
Tom Jolliffe looks back at Hirokazu Kore-eda’s debut narrative feature Maborosi from 1995 – a masterclass in the art of subtle, meditative storytelling… Hirokazu Koreeda struck a huge chord worldwide in recent years with the acclaimed Shoplifters. A melancholic, gritty and charming depiction of family and class. It travelled well outside of his native Japan […]
A look back at the original Bourne trilogy
Tom Jolliffe looks back at the original Jason Bourne trilogy, its impact on action cinema, and whether it still holds up… At a time when the Bond franchise was growing tired, and a slew of over the top action films attempted to have either edge or attitude (xXx) or riff on The Matrix, another franchise […]
Back to 1991: Ten Essential Movies from Thirty Years Ago
Tom Jolliffe ventures back 30 years to look at 10 essential films from the year 1991… If it was depressing enough realising 2001 was 20 years ago, how about pondering a little on the fact 1991 is now 30 years ago. It’s terrifying how quickly time has flown. Still, whilst it’s with some melancholy that […]
Why Writers are Such Popular Protagonists
Tom Jolliffe on what makes writers a popular choice for a protagonist… There are many popular archetypes for a cinema protagonist. How often do you see a cop as the lead character in a film? It’s a regular character choice, particularly in action and thriller films. Almost every protagonist needs some kind of vocation I […]
Seconds with Eddie Murphy: Beverly Hills Cop 2 and Another 48 Hours
Tom Jolliffe looks back at Eddie Murphy’s first two sequels, Beverly Hills Cop 2 and Another 48 Hours… With Eddie Murphy hitting the comeback trail recently, and venturing back to sequel territory with Coming 2 America, now’s a good time to look back at the beginnings of The Murphy Sequel. The standup comedian turned actor […]
Is Hollywood going to lose a golden goose in China?
Tom Jolliffe looks at an evolving landscape in Chinese cinema, a market that pre-pandemic, had Hollywood seeing dollar signs… Hollywood still remains the hub of cinema around the world. As an entity it churns out money spinning blockbusters across America, and across the world. For a long time the US market seemed to be far […]
Simu Liu praises Destin Daniel Cretton’s Marvel upgrade to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty director
As Destin Daniel Cretton moves onto Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, what does that mean for his Marvel introductory character Shang-Chi? If you ask actor Simu Liu, the man who starred in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Cretton is a perfect choice for the job of reassembling Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – which may […]
