Category / Cinema

by hutchwp

BAFTAs 2024 – Full list of winners

Best film
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Poor Things

Outstanding British film
All of Us Strangers
How to Have Sex
Napoleon
The Old Oak
Poor Things
Rye Lane
Saltburn
Scrapper
Wonka
The Zone of Interest – WINNER!

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer
Blue Bag Life – Lisa Selby (director), Rebecca Lloyd-Evans (director, producer), Alex Fry (producer)
Bobi Wine: The People’s President – Christopher Sharp (director)
Earth Mama – Savanah Leaf (writer, director, producer), Shirley O’Connor (producer), Medb Riordan (producer) – WINNER!
How to Have Sex – Molly Manning Walker (writer, director)
Is There Anybody Out There? – Ella Glendining (director)

Best film not in the English language
20 Days in Mariupol
Anatomy of a Fall
Past Lives
Society of the Snow
The Zone of Interest – WINNER!

Best documentary
20 Days in Mariupol – WINNER!
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Still: A Michael J Fox Movie
Wham!

Best animated film
The Boy and the Heron – WINNER!
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best director
Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Alexander Payne, The Holdovers
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

Best original screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall – WINNER!
Barbie
The Holdovers
Maestro
Past Lives

Best adapted screenplay
All of Us Strangers
American Fiction – WINNER!
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best leading actress
Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Vivian Oparah, Rye Lane
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things – WINNER!

Best leading actor
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Teo Yoo, Past Lives

Best supporting actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Claire Foy, All of Us Strangers
Sandra Hüller, The Zone of Interest
Rosamund Pike, Saltburn
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – WINNER!

Best supporting actor
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Jacob Elordi, Saltburn
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Paul Mescal, All of Us Strangers
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers

Best casting
All of Us Strangers
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers – WINNER!
How to Have Sex
Killers of the Flower Moon

Best cinematography
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best editing
Anatomy of a Fall
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest

Best costume design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER!

Best makeup and hair
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER!

Best original score
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER!
Poor Things
Saltburn
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best production design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER!
The Zone of Interest

Best sound
Ferrari
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest – WINNER!

Best special visual effects
The Creator
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Poor Things – WINNER!

Best British short animation
Crab Day – WINNER!
Visible Mending
Wild Summon

Best British short film
Festival of Slaps
Gorka
Jellyfish and Lobster – WINNER!
Such a Lovely Day
Yellow

EE Rising Star award (voted for by the public)
Phoebe Dynevor
Ayo Edebiri
Jacob Elordi
Mia McKenna-Bruce – WINNER!
Sophie Wilde

by hutchwp

I’ve cancelled Netflix… and it’s brilliant

When my wife and I moved into our first home together, we decided to subscribe to Netflix. Not long before, I’d cancelled LoveFilm (remember that?!) and we’d set up our internet so wanted to test the waters.

At the time, picking and choosing what to watch on a TV in HD was revolutionary, and the choice was phenomenal. As time progressed, we watched some great series on the blossoming service: Breaking Bad, Orange Is The New Black, Glow, Stranger Things. All our friends were watching the same things. We had great discussions.

As time progressed, more streaming platforms appeared. Amazon Prime Video, with its confusing is-this-included-or-not interface. Now TV, which is home to most of the biggest blockbusters. Apple TV appeared with almost no content, but what it did have was excellent. BFI Player. MUBI. Paramount+. Lionsgate+. Everything was the price of a couple of pints and offered endless options.

Except, it isn’t the price of a pint if you have most or all of them. And you can’t keep up with the content. And nobody is watching anything you’re watching anymore because nobody has the same subscriptions.

So, a month ago we cancelled our Sky subscription. Tomorrow we ditch Netflix. As the cut-off time approaches, we’ve been really focusing on what we do and don’t want to watch. I’ve finally burned through Cobra Kai. I had a brilliant time watching Succession unfold. I’ve watched lovingly-created documentaries about David Beckham, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robbie Williams.

Do I think I’ll miss any of it? Not really. What’s left is Apple TV+ on a trial, BFI Player (the one I really enjoy having) and my wife’s Amazon Prime account, which we’ve never really explored. There are a few things on each we want to watch, but I don’t think we’ll be paying for them for much longer.

Importantly, I never went as far as ditching my DVDs and Blu-Rays. Many of my friends did, only to find that their beloved series or film has vanished from their chosen streaming platform. Many DVDs are sat in charity shop bargain bins, waiting for someone to pick them up. I for one love rummaging in a charity shop, and often find a cool CD or vinyl in there.

I predict DVDs will have a resurgence in the near future. Because spending £1 on five films you keep forever has to be better than paying £150 a year just to watch those same episodes of Friends you like.

by hutchwp

Film review: LOLA (Andrew Legge, 2023)

The Hanbury sisters in the film LOLA

LOLA is a beautifully constructed science fiction tale that is as innovative as it is chilling.

Directed by Andrew Legge in his directorial debut, it tells the story of sisters Thomasina (Emma Appleton) and Martha (Stefanie Martini), who together invent a machine that transmits television broadcasts from the future. Initially using it to discover cultural touchpoints 30 years ahead of time, they then switch it to the war effort. After they use it to help prevent a German attack on British soldiers, they are enlisted by the Allied Forces and begin coordinating defence strategies with Lieutenant Sebastien Holloway (Rory Fleck-Byrne).

In LOLA, Legge has created a deeply rich alternative world that plays out with a good pace to great effect. The storytelling technique utilised is innovative and delivered with great aplomb by the two leads, each bringing humour and realism to their respective roles. Neither steals the show, instead complimenting each other with natural comradery.

With a 79-minute running time, there isn’t scope to slow down and the length and pace feels perfect. It’s an exciting debut and one that rightly has those that discover it wondering what Legge will come up with next.

by hutchwp

Film review – Medusa Deluxe (Thomas Hardiman, 2022)

Medusa Deluxe – A gritty debut

Thomas Hardiman’s stylishly gritty debut finds a new setting for a well-worn path. The story unfolds around a murder that takes place during a hairdressing competition, meshing together neatly with some strong performances from the entire cast, creating a powerful piece of cinema.

Murder mysteries have come back into fashion in recent times. Two ensemble blockbuster franchises have helped bring this wave of popularity to people’s attention – Rian Johnson’s Knives Out and Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot – but the genre doesn’t need a host of A-listers to succeed.

In a way Medusa Deluxe operates in exactly the same way. It is an ensemble piece, with none of the all-British cast standing out as significantly more established than the next, although a few are certainly recognisable. Their interactions and interplay are the real star.

It’s impossible to watch the film without the awareness that this is a one-shot labour if love. Admittedly, there are a few points where there is an obvious cut in the action, but even in the handful of long shots this represents a mammoth undertaking that almost gives Boiling Point a run for its money.

There is a verve to the performances that really disconcerted me as a viewer. Clare Perkins starts the film overflowing with anger as hardened hairdresser Cleve, and only ramps up further as her colleagues and models shrink with nervousness. Harriet Webb brings an element of sympathy to her prickly take on Kendra, which is an important part of the story.

Despite a few moments of heavy-handedness, the really shocking moments of Medusa Deluxe will stick with you for a while after watching. The one-shot approach is an interesting element that brings urgency but the real draw here is an intriguing story and some top-drawer performances from a strong cast.

by hutchwp

Halloween Quiz 2023 – Just for fun – ANSWERS

Here are the answers to the quiz we posted last week.

Picture Round

1. Get Out

2. Hotel Transylvania

3. It

4. What Lies Beneath

5. Cocaine Bear

6. Nightmare On Elm Street

7. Raw

8. Us

9. Arachnophobia

10. Psycho

11. Scary Movie

12. Shaun of the Dead

Questions

1. 1979

2. Bernard Herrmann

3. Jaws 2

4. Freddy Krüger

5. Mary Shelley

6. Inside No. 9

7. Night of the Living Dead

8. Gizmo

9. Stephen King

10. Ghostbusters

by hutchwp

What’s the deal with the Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl Netflix collaboration?

You may have noticed on Netflix recently a handful of sepia-tinged thumbnails popping up in your Trending Now or Recommends lists. Based on the lack of advertising generally, all you are left with is the titles alone: Poison, The Rat Catcher, The Swan and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

These curiosities make up a series of four adaptations of Roald Dahl short stories by the distinctive director Wes Anderson. Bringing together a wonderful ensemble cast – including Rupert Friend, Richard Ayoade, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel and Ralph Fiennes – the four shorts really are quite special. Marrying the distinctive styles of two great storytellers from very different eras, there is a high-art uniqueness that lands in a place that feels fresh and intriguing.

As I finished watching my favourite of the bunch – the sharp-scripted Poison, about a man struggling under the threat of an imminent deadly poisonous snake bite – I wondered whether these could have been made twenty years ago. Or even ten years ago? I could only think of one outlet for them, which would be as part of the festive programming of a terrestrial channel, probably on Boxing Day, when the rigidities of multi-part series and familiarities are relaxed as the nation forgoes its own schedules to Quality Street and sherry.

I’m thrilled these four short films have seen the light of day, although I also wonder whether they’ve been done a disservice in the manner of release. With little fanfare, they’ve just appeared in the faces of the casual scroller, with more than a little whiff of that U2 x iPhone collab we all loved so much. I know someone who accidentally watched the longest of the bunch – The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar – and wondered what on Earth was going on. With no explanation, it’s easy to see why the unfinished stylings of Wes Anderson could confuse. Actors look at the camera, the prop department hand items to the scenes apologetically, the elaborate sets are shifted as if they were part of an experimental theatre piece. These quirks that elevate the experience for fans of Anderson risk perturbing casual viewers, or indeed fans of Roald Dahl’s more popular output.

With results this good, perhaps Netflix decided that was a risk they were willing to take.

by hutchwp

Halloween Quiz 2023 – Just for fun

Round 1 – Picture Round
Round 2 – Questions

Just for fun, here’s a free Halloween film quiz for you to use in your office, with your friends, or with your family!

Just print them off or share them on your screen and hey presto – instant fun!

I’ll publish the answers in a separate post.

UPDATE

Here are the answers

by hutchwp

Film review – Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

It has been twenty-three years since we first saw the original Chicken Run on the big screen. A lot has happened since then. Upon its release in Britain, Tony Blair was the Prime Minister, the country was congratulating itself on avoiding the millennium bug, but we were still wondering what to do with the big dome we’d built in London. The biggest film at the box office was Gladiator, Kylie Minogue hadn’t made her golden-hot panted comeback yet and we were hotly awaiting the release of PlayStation 2. Oh, and Erling Haaland was about to be born.

Basically, it was a while ago.

So how does bringing back such an old film feel, after all this time? Honestly… like a huge big warm hug.

This is not a departure in style. Indeed, it picks up right where we left the clucky gang of misfits – on the idyllic island they’d found at the end of the first film. The opening act is something of a scene setter, introducing us to the new lead character in the film. Molly, played by Bella Ramsey, longs for everything her mum and dad ran away from in the first film. From her island, the outside world is full of wonder, delight and mystery. Frustrated by a feeling of suffocation, she escapes the island and looks for a new adventure with the first chicken she finds, a zesty Liverpudlian called Frizzle (played playfully by Josie Sedgwick-Davies).

Much speculation has been made about the refreshed voice acting cast. Only a few of the original cast have maintained their spots in the cast, with high profile names such as Phil Daniels, Timothy Spall and Julia Sawalha being recast. In their case, it was a simple move to ensure the voices sounded as youthful as the characters they were playing. It’s a distraction when the voice doesn’t match what you’re seeing, and you only need to see the first 20 minutes of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to know how skin-crawlingly dreadful it is for your brain to have to work overtime to live with it. There may be more reasons at play for some of the cast, but there’s a whole additional essay that could be written about that…

I loved the film, and the small screening I was lucky enough to attend with all agreed. The audience was a mix of older fans revisiting a childhood memory, and younger people who were being introduced to the chickens for the first time. My four-year-old daughter, well-versed in Aardman, had a fantastic time and was annoyed she couldn’t watch it again any time soon. She was restless during the first 10 minutes but a swift bribe with a Curly-Wurly and she was golden. My only concern is how many sheltered children will be asking questions about their chicken nuggets next time they eat them.

This isn’t groundbreaking material, but nor does it need to be. As the film plays out, it does feel familiar. There’s an evil plot, the protagonists need to club together to stop them. But that’s children’s animation. It’s a formula that might feel tired to some, but sometimes what you need is exactly this. A big huge warm hug. And when hugs are this good, I don’t think you need much more.