Category Archives: Film

Raymond’s Revue Bar and the music of Henry Mancini

By Ray Bennett For all I know, the late London land baron Paul Raymond might have been the “porn king” of Soho but what I recall is that he published innocuous nudie magazines and ran a strip club called Raymond’s … Continue reading

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Gordon Brothers buys Blockbuster UK

By Ray Bennett Restructuring specialist Gordon Brothers Europe has acquired Blockbuster UK for an undisclosed sum and will retain 264 outlets under license from the US firm with around 2,000 jobs saved.

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My picks for the 2013 Academy Awards

By Ray Bennett Anticipation of this year’s Academy Awards was a pleasure with many great films and terrific performances but then came the nominations the prizes that lead up to the Oscars and it all went pear-shaped. Inexplicable awards have … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

By Ray Bennett Kathryn Bigelow’s taut and exciting “Zero Dark Thirty” tells how a single-minded CIA officer drove the decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden and does not stop for politics or personal lives. Unlike Ben Affleck’s CIA film “Argo”, … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’

By Ray Bennett Steven Spielberg has done a very bold thing with his film “Lincoln” and elected with Daniel Day Lewis to portray a truly great man over one intense period toward the end of his life rather than attempt … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’

By Ray Bennett In all that time Quentin Tarantino spent in his storied video store as a young man, you’d think he would have seen one or two decent films instead of the rubbish he re-peddles. There might be a … Continue reading

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Entertainment industry moves to support HMV rebirth

By Sam Andrews and Ray Bennett / This story appears in Cue Entertainment Provided a buyer can be found, administration could be the best thing for HMV in the long run, according to entertainment industry leaders. Executives said the opportunity to … Continue reading

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FILM REVIEW: Woe are they: ‘Les Miserables’

By Ray Bennett Fans of the musical “Les Miserables” guarantee that it will make you cry, and they are right. Like the stage show, the film is a near three-hour wallow in a swamp of misery with an endless litany … Continue reading

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‘Lincoln’ with 10 tops Bafta nominations

By Ray Bennett Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” (pictured) led the British Academy Film Awards nominations with 10 followed by the musical “Les Miserables” and fantasy film “Life of Pi” both with nine. Nominations for “Lincoln”, which 20th Century Fox will release … Continue reading

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Best in film in 2012: ‘Lincoln’ tops my list

By Ray Bennett For the first time in a long time there are several films this year that would make an excellent choice as best picture along with a raft of great performances. Below are my picks. My yardstick has … Continue reading

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