Tom Jolliffe looks back at Brazil and 12 Monkeys, released in December 1985 and 1995 respectively… Former Python animation specialist, Terry Gilliam turned his hand to film direction and became known for creating films absolutely loaded with visual whimsy and outlandishly creative ideas. The limits of budget never stifled Gilliam’s own limits despite some frustrations, […]
It Ain’t Christmas Without Die Hard
Tom Jolliffe on why Die Hard is still essential Christmas viewing (and why it IS a Christmas film)… It’s Christmas time. It’s been Christmas since the last piece of candy was collected on the most lacklustre Halloween in forever. In fact I recall last Christmas, adverts on TV already pitching this Christmas. The season is […]
Infinitely Repeatable: The Movies We Can Watch Over and Over Again
Tom Jolliffe on the films he could watch over and over again and never tire of… We all have our favourite films. There are some that have a deeply profound effect. There are some that get deep within our bones and leave us in awe, or take a heavy emotional investment. You could watch Requiem For […]
Overkill: Star Wars, Marvel and Disney’s upcoming slate
Tom Jolliffe on the next few years of content for Star Wars, Marvel and Disney… Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Ask my belly. He likes chocolate, but this sack of indulgence is such that my daughter used it as a bongo drum this morning and shouted ‘wobbly wobbly.’ True story. […]
2021 according to Johnny Mnemonic
Tom Jolliffe looks at the world of Johnny Mnemonic, and its mid-90’s depiction of what 2021 might be like… 2020 has been a relentless hundred hand slap to the balls. Edge of Tomorrow predicted 2020 as an Earth besieged by aliens, one year after Blade Runner had offered up the prospect of replicants walking among […]
The Movies To Watch Out For In 2021
Tom Jolliffe looks ahead to the cinematic offerings that 2021 will bring… Despite the uncertainty running throughout the film industry in the continuing pandemic, and a genuine threat to the future of cinemas, 2021 (in principal) promises a whole host of cinematic delights. Looking ahead to some of the most enticing films will also bring […]
Why Creed needs to leave Rocky Balboa behind
Tom Jolliffe on Creed III, and why it’s time to sever ties with Rocky… When Ryan Coogler made Creed in 2015, diving into Rocky Balboa’s cinematic universe, he managed to smash all expectations. The prospect of a Rocky spinoff, focused on the son of Apollo Creed (Adonis, as played by Michael B. Jordan), piqued curiosity […]
When Arnold Schwarzenegger prevented the End of Days
Tom Jolliffe looks back at the Y2K era Schwarzenegger vehicle End of Days, released during a period of millennium apocalypse fascination… Remember Y2K? Remember the threat of an impending apocalyptic event? Or if not that, PCs around the world going haywire. As it transpires, soothsayers from the middle ages were a bit off course with […]
Great Directors and Their Forgotten Gems
Tom Jolliffe looks at the forgotten gems that most great directors have… If you think of many great directors you cast your mind to their career highlights. Those iconic films. Many of these directors become largely defined by one or two films in particular (sometimes more). Additionally occasionally you might also remember those films that […]
Let’s Get Weird! Cinematic Oddities
Tom Jolliffe looks at the weird wonders of cinema… There are pretty standard films when it comes to cinema. It could be straight horror (masked killer stalks teens) or Die Hard formula (terrorists take over something, everyman hero stops them). Sometimes a film lowdown tells you everything you need to know about what you’re about […]
