Martin Scorsese has largely built his reputation and ravenous following as a filmmaker on contemporary stories of misfits seeking redemption and Italian American gangsters. Frequently, though, he’s stepped away from that milieu to explore historical subjects and biopics in films like The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York and The Aviator. He hasn’t ventured into the western genre but
Read moreMartin Scorsese’s iconic gangster films such as Goodfellas and Casino have given us fascinating insights into the history and mechanics of American organised crime and the male rituals that define gangster behaviour. These films have an amphetamine-fuelled rock’n’roll rush which, while exhilarating, don’t leave a lot of space for emotional introspection or a critique of gangster culture. In his latest
Read moreDirty Grandpa should not be confused with the similar sounding Jackass movie Bad Grandpa. This would do a disservice to the atrocious Bad Grandpa as astonishingly, Dirty Grandpa is even worse. This embarrassingly awful road trip comedy is little more than a procession of staggeringly unfunny and moronic gags barely held together by an inane and clichéd plot. Somehow Robert
Read moreTime once again to enter the wonderfully off-kilter but seeringly insightful alternate reality of David O Russell’s films. His two previous offerings Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle were an intoxicating mix of comedy, drama and romance that provided some of the best cinema entertainment of recent years. With those films Russell established an ensemble of actors including Robert de
Read moreGrudge Match is a boxing comedy featuring Sylvester Stallone and Robert de Niro but cinephiles need not fear some sort of Alien vs Predator trashing of both the Rocky and Raging Bull legacies as both Stallone and De Niro play brand new characters in this film. Stallone and de Niro are two former champs, Henry “Razor” Sharp and Billy “The
Read moreDavid O. Russell’s latest film Silver Linings Playbook, has been lauded by a number of critics but the praise seems excessive given the way the film lurches awkwardly between gritty indie movie and formula rom com. Much like As Good As It Gets, this film mixes themes of mental illness and redemption with romantic comedy. Unfortunately, it lacks the assurance,
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