So many mediocre cgi-drenched fairy tales, mythical adventures and superhero films have filled our cinema screens lately that audiences would be forgiven for feeling a bit jaded and approaching the Snow White re-imagining, Maleficent with low expectations. This film is, however, one of the cinematic surprises of the year. Exciting, funny, visually captivating and even emotionally involving Maleficent more than
Read moreAfter our classic live album extravaganza last week, we return to more recent recordings on Built For Speed with new music from Bob Mould, Halfway, Jack White and many others. On the movie front we review documentary The Last Impresario which examines the remarkable life of theatre producer Michael White. We also take a look at the latest cinematic adaptation from
Read moreThis week on Built For Speed we bring you the thrill of live rock’n’roll (just recorded, engineered and re-played via CD and digital download) as we play tracks from our favourite live albums. There’ll be classics from Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy, Roky Erickson and many others. On the movie front we let you know whether the latest collaboration between Drew Barrymore
Read moreThe film adaptations of Marvel’s X-Men Comics, which feature super-powered mutants or X-Men led by Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) battling super-villain Magneto (Ian McKellan) and fearful, prejudiced “normal” humans, began in startling fashion in 2000. With 2006’s disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand and 2009’s clunky spin-off X-Men Origins: Wolverine, though, the franchise seemed to be in very poor shape, at
Read moreDespite its meagre budget, the superbly shot, powerfully acted Polish drama Ida is one of the finest films so far this year. Set in the 1960’s, this story of faith, family, guilt and grief, bitterly reflects on a turbulent period in Poland’s post-war history. Like the recent Philomena, Ida sees a naive religious woman takes to the road with a
Read moreThe Trip was one of recent cinema and television’s comic highlights. Beginning as a TV show it featured comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing themselves in a semi-fictionalised scenario as they toured England’s Lake District sampling its food and culture. The TV series and its compressed cinema version mixed foodie lifestyle show with the two leads’ wonderfully acerbic but
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