Liam Trim provides some alternatives to the Royal Wedding in the third of a three part feature… The big day is upon us. The masculine apocalypse is now. The horsemen will round the corner towards Westminster Abbey any moment, dragging their cargo of the merry middle class and nostalgic Eton boy politicians, right into our […]

Female writing/producing duo Monica Breen and Alison Schapker are long-term collaborators of J.J. Abrams. Having worked on his TV shows Alias and Lost, they have also just renewed a deal with Warner Bros to co-executive produce Fringe for a fourth season. They are also said to be developing another series for Abrams’ Bad Robot company. […]

Carmen, 1984. Directed by Francesco Rosi. Starring Julia Migenes, Plácido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi and Faith Esham. SYNOPSIS: A soldier falls in love with a beautiful factory worker but his feelings are not reciprocated. I know absolutely nothing about opera. I dabble amateurishly in appreciating classical music because my curiosity was stirred by my love of […]

Morning Glory, 2010. Directed by Roger Michell. Starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Ty Burrell and Jeff Goldblum. SYNOPSIS: An aspiring producer takes on the challenge of reviving the fortunes of a struggling morning television show. The ongoing and increasingly shocking twists and turns of the News of the World hacking scandal […]

Slaughter High, 1986. Directed by George Dugdale, Mark Ezra and Peter Litten. Starring Caroline Munro, Simon Scuddamore and Billy Hartman. SYNOPSIS: A high school reunion turns into a bloodbath when a former student seeks revenge against the pranksters who left him disfigured. Slaughter High is one of those rare cult oddities, it is a cheap […]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, 2011. Directed by David Yates. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, Ralph Fiennes, Warrick Davis, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane. SYNOPSIS: Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord Voldemort for a final showdown in the epic conclusion to […]

The Tree of Life, 2011. Written and Directed by Terrence Malick. Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. SYNOPSIS: A spiritually adrift man seeks answers to the origin and meaning of life. Terrence Malick directed his first feature film, Badlands, in 1973 and subsequently has made only four films since then. Each is a […]

D’Artagnan’s Daughter (French: La Fille de D’Artagnan), 1994. Directed by Bertrand Tavernier. Starring Sophie Marceau, Philippe Noire, Sami Frey, Jean-Luc Bideau, Raoul Billerey and Claude Rich. SYNOPSIS: For sheltering a runaway slave in her convent, Eloïse D’Artagnan’s guardian is murdered – Eloïse vows revenge and sets off to find her famous father to ask for […]

The Devil’s Rock, 2011. Directed by Paul Campion. Starring Craig Hall, Matthew Sunderland, Gina Varela, Karlos Drinkwater and Luke Hawker. SYNOPSIS: On the eve of D Day, two Kiwi commandos discover an occult plot by the Nazis to unleash demonic forces to win the war. On paper The Devil’s Rock has a refreshing and promising […]

The Conspirator, 2010. Directed by Robert Redford. Starring James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, Evan Rachel Wood, Justin Long and Colm Meaney. SYNOPSIS: The lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth […]