Idris “Stringer Bell” Elba, the star of HBO’s The Wire and the BBC’s Luther, is about to sign on to play the role of Nelson Mandela in an “official” biopic of the man, to start filming sometime next year. You’d hope Elba doesn’t receive the same criticism as when he played Heimdall, a Norse God […]

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die… Twin Town, 1997. Directed by Kevin Allen. Starring Llyr Ifans, Rhys Ifans and Dougray Scott. If you have ever visited Swansea, or any place in Wales for that matter, you would have no doubt seen or experienced the idiotic […]

Anghus Houvouras presents an outlandish new theory on Gremlins… Gremlins has been on cable a lot lately, and I started noticing something the more I watched. Was this silly, enjoyable little monster movie a thinly veiled attempt at warning us about the “Red Menace” of Communist China? At first, it sounds crazy. Actually, it still […]

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die… Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1998. Directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Johnny Depp, Benicio del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, Ellen Barkin, Christina Ricci and Cameron Diaz. “We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert […]

Hugo, 2011. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Ben Kingsley, Asa Butterfield, Sacha Baron Cohen and Chloe Grace Moretz. SYNOPSIS: An orphaned young boy becomes wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. Hugo is one of those strange movies. One of those movies that you know probably deserves a couple of […]

The Beaver, 2011. Directed by Jodie Foster. Starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence. SYNOPSIS: After losing his job and his family a man develops an alternate personality, which takes the form of a beaver hand puppet. Mel Gibson talking to a beaver puppet? Surely this had to be a bizarre documentary […]

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die… Almost Famous, 2000. Directed by Cameron Crowe. Starring Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson and Philip Seymour-Hoffman. Almost Famous is the story of 15 year old aspiring writer William (Fugit) who after several articles for […]

Trespass, 2011. Directed by Joel Schumacher. Starring Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Cam Gigandet, Ben Mendelsohn, Liana Liberato and Jordana Spiro. SYNOPSIS: A wealthy couple are held hostage in their home by a group of cold-blooded criminals. Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage. Academy Award-winner Nicole Kidman. Two of my favourite stars together in the same film; when […]

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die… Harry Brown, 2009. Directed by Daniel Barber. Starring Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Ben Drew, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Jack O’Connell and Liam Cunningham. Harry Brown is the directorial debut of Daniel Barber and sees Michael Caine as the aging […]

Wild Bill, 2011. Directed by Dexter Fletcher. Starring Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter, Liz White, Sammy Williams, Leo Gregory, Jaime Winstone, Jason Flemyng, Andy Serkis and Olivia Williams. SYNOPSIS: Upon his release from prison, a violent ex-con attempts to build a new life for himself with his two sons, only to run into trouble with his […]