HMV calls for votes on Best of British films and albums

Posted on May 4, 2012 by admin

Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation Parade on Oxford Street, London / Photo: EMI Music

By Ray Bennett

HMV has launched a national poll on Facebook that asks fans to choose the best British movie and record album from the past 60 years to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Best of British campaign lists 60 titles in both categories with votes open to Facebook users until May 20. The retailer’s digital and social media agency MMK Media has developed a new application for the purpose: hmv.com/jubilee.

Fans may select five films and five albums released since 1952 from HMV’s suggested long-lists and nominate their own titles. Results of the survey will be published just ahead of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in the first week of June. Entrants have the chance to win a complete set of all 60 albums on CD and the 60 films on DVD. Continue reading →

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Richard Curtis in praise of ‘Animal House’ and sketch movies

Posted on May 2, 2012 by admin

John Belushi as Bluto in 'Animal House' directed by John Landis

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Universal Studios has released many movies by British comedy writer Richard Curtis including “Notting Hill”, “Love Actually” and “Bridget Jones’ Diary”. No surprise, then, that he was asked to host a Grand Classics charity screening at the Electric Cinema as part Universal’s 100th anniversary celebrations.

Perhaps also it should not have been a surprise that from the studio’s vast range of pictures he chose “Animal House” (1978), which he called “a great cheerful American comedy” because it’s on his Rotten Tomatoes list of the five films he cannot live without. Continue reading →

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Restored ‘Lawrence Of Arabia’ set for Blu-ray

Posted on February 16, 2012 by admin

By Ray Bennett

Held by many to be the greatest film ever made, David Lean’s 1962 masterpiece “Lawrence Of Arabia” has been completely re-mastered and restored in 4K resolution and will be re-released in cinemas and on Blu-ray Disc. Continue reading →

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‘The Artist’, ‘A Separation’ wow London critics

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin

Michael Fassbender was named British actor of the year for 'Shame' and 'A Dangerous Method'

By Ray Bennett

Entertainment’s “The Artist” and Artificial Eye’s “A Separation” were the big winners with three prizes apiece at the 32nd annual London Film Critics Circle Awards presented on Thursday.

French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius was on hand to collect the awards for best film and best director joined by star Jean Dujardin, who was named actor of the year.

“A Separation” won as best foreign language film and the film’s director Asghar Farhadi won for best screenplay. The film’s Sereh Bayat was named best supporting actress. The two could not attend and producer Negar Eskandarfar accepted the awards on their behalf. Continue reading →

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‘The Artist’, ‘Tinker Tailor’ lead in Bafta film nominations

Posted on January 17, 2012 by admin

Gary Oldman as George Smiley in Tomas Alfredson's film of John Le Carré's 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'

By Ray Bennett

StudioCanal’s “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and other UK films joined many of the movies that were celebrated at the Golden Globes in nominations announced today for the British Academy Film Awards.

Presented on Feb. 17 by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, sponsored by Orange, and set to be telecast live on BBC1, the awards pit “Tinker Tailor” against Globes winners “The Artist” (Entertainment) and “The Descendants” (20th Century Fox) plus Icon’s “Drive” and Disney’s “The Help” in the competition for best film. Continue reading →

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‘The Artist’ top in Golden Globes

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

Golden Globe winner Jean Dujardin with Bérénice Bejo in best comedy 'The Artist'

By Ray Bennett

Entertainment’s “The Artist” and 20th Century Fox’s “The Descendants” were the big winners at the Golden Globes last night. “The Artist” took three awards including best comedy or musical, while “The Descendants” won two including best drama.

The awards presented on Sunday in Los Angeles saw “The Artist” star Jean Dujardin pick up the prize for best actor in a comedy and musical, and the film’s composer Ludovic Bource win for best score.

George Clooney was named best actor in a drama for “The Descendants”, which 20th Century Fox will release in UK cinemas on Jan. 27. Continue reading →

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Film Review: The Iron Lady

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Iron Lady’

By Ray Bennett – Like lawyers for the defence with their clients, actors do not ask if the characters they play are guilty or not, they seek only to give a good account of them.

Meryl Streep cannot be blamed for her wish to find humanity in the character of Margaret Thatcher and it’s not really her fault that it goes missing in “The Iron Lady”.

Streep’s gift for mimicry is equal to the task along with the right makeup, prosthetics and lighting, but it’s not a gripping performance. The film is a dull and undistinguished attempt at iconography that reveals little of a politician who became adored and reviled in equal measure. Continue reading →

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Best Film in 2011: The Artist, plus more of the year’s best

Posted on December 31, 2011 by admin

Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo in Michael Hazanavicius' 'The Artist'

By Ray Bennett

Here are my choices for the best in film in 2011. Some of these films will be released in the UK over the next couple of months but they are all eligible for the major awards.  Continue reading →

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‘Drive’, ‘Tinker Tailor’ top London critics’ nominations

Posted on December 20, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett

US crime thriller “Drive” and UK espionage mystery “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ claimed six spots to top the nominations for the 32nd London Film Critics’ Circle Awards.

Nominations for “Drive”, released in the UK by Icon, included best film and best director for Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn plus best actor for star Ryan Gosling (pictured), best supporting actor for Albert Brooks, technical achievement for composer Cliff Martinez, and best British actress for Carey Mulligan, who also was cited for “Shame”.

Nominations for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, released here by StudioCanal, were for film, British film, actor and British actor for Gary Oldman, screenwriter for Peter Staughan and the late Bridget O’Connor, and technical achievement for production designer Maria Djurkovic. Continue reading →

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PREVIEW: George Clooney in ‘The Descendants’

Posted on November 2, 2011 by admin

George Clooney and Shailene Woodley as his daughter in Alexander Payne's 'The Descendants'

By Ray Bennett

When Kaui Hart Hemmings’ novel “The Descendants”, about a family in Hawaii troubled by modern anguish and ancient concerns, was published in the UK, the Daily Mail’s response was typical. Her assured touch and fine grasp of the absurd “ensures that this novel steers a deliciously scenic route between heartbreak and hilarity,” the paper said. Continue reading →

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