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Exodus: Gods and Kings – Review

Ridley Scott may be 77, but he’s making films with the energy and ambition of a man half his age. His direction is masterful and with DoP Dariusz Wolski he brings an exquisite painterly detail to this...
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Horrible Bosses 2 – Review

For better or worse, if you’ve watched a mainstream US comedy in the last five years, it’s going to be riddled with improv. Horrible Bosses 2 is no different and Bateman, Day and Sudeikis offer nothing...
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The Book of Life – Review

The Book of Life makes an intriguing attempt at exploring gender stereotypes, but often ends up reinforcing them. Maria (Saldana) ticks a few painfully clichéd feminist heroine boxes, but mostly she is never...
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Son of a Gun – LFF Review

There are few logical explanations for Son of a Gun. The most probable is that writer/director Avery is getting paid by the cliché, each one more laughable and obvious than the last. It’s a shame because...
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A Little Chaos – LFF Review

‘Landscape gardener charms all she meets with fresh approaches to shrubbery’ is a synopsis that will set few pulses racing. Rickman’s first directorial effort since 1997, however, is a solid piece of...
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Foxcatcher – LFF Review

Foxcatcher is a fascinating study of dedication, loneliness and power. In many ways it’s a tonally opposite companion to Whiplash. Sadly, it’s also nowhere near as good. Fry and Futterman’s script...
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The Salvation – LFF Review

The Salvation launches into action with a tense and life-changing encounter for Jon (Mikkelsen) and his family. Unfortunately, from there the plot becomes increasingly ludicrous and lightweight. The...
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Mommy – LFF Review

Most filmmakers can only dream of having made five features and winning the Jury Prize at Cannes by the age of 25. Most filmmakers aren’t Xavier Dolan. With Mommy he shows off his frighteningly assured...
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Whiplash – LFF Review

At the heart of Whiplash lies an uncomfortable truth, relentlessly hammered home with the force of a thousand drumbeats. To be truly great at anything you need to work till you bleed, work until you hate...
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Hungry Hearts – LFF Review

Is it possible to love not too little but too well? This is the question posed by Saverio Costanzo’s incisive and inquisitive script that follows the battle of wills as Jude (Driver) and Mina (Rohrwacher)...