Writer and director Dan Cadan reminisces about the golden age of British wrestling with his feature debut Walk Like a Panther, a so-called comedy set in Yorkshire. Mark Bolton (Stephen Graham) is the cheeky-chappy landlord of The Half Nelson, the local drinking den frequented by a group of former grapplers known as the Panthers. When the beloved pub’s future is threatened by devilish developer Paul Peterson (Stephen Tompkinson), Mark turns to his dad Trevor (Dave Johns) and the rest of the gang to save the day.
Category: DVD & Digital
Reviews of the latest UK DVD & Digital releases.
DVD review: Lean on Pete
Based on the novel of the same name by Willy Vlautin, coming-of-age drama Lean on Pete is the latest feature from critically acclaimed writer and director Andrew Haigh. Set in Portland, Oregon, the plot centres around teenager Charley (Charlie Plummer) who lives with his down-and-out father Ray (Travis Fimmel) in a broken home. At the local racetrack, he meets wily trainer Del (Steve Buscemi) and lands a job helping out with the horses. However, when tragedy strikes in his family and his favourite nag Lean on Pete suffers a setback, Charley takes drastic action that leads to dangerous consequences.
DVD review: Thoroughbreds
Playwright Cory Finley introduces himself to the cinematic landscape with his directorial debut Thoroughbreds, a Sundance-indie-comedy with a sinister neo-noir streak. Olivia Cooke portrays Amanda, a troubled teen that struggles to convey compassion and empathy. Because her issues keep her out of the public schooling system, she reunites with childhood friend Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) who reluctantly agrees offer private tutoring. Though their personalities clash initially, they soon strike up an unusual friendship, and together they hatch a murderous plan.
DVD review: Beast
Set against the striking landscapes of Jersey, psychological romance drama Beast is the feature debut by writer and director Michael Pearce. The plot follows lonely island tour guide Moll (Jessie Buckley) who is very much the black sheep within her insular family. When she falls for rugged and mysterious stranger Pascal (Johnny Flynn), she sees a chance to break free from her isolated existence. Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer on the loose and Moll’s dark past comes back to haunt her.
DVD review: Lady Bird
As an actress, Greta Gerwig is known for her quirky roles in indie movies, rising through the improvisational mumblecore movement and riding the crest of the hipster wave for the flat-white generation. Having co-written on several projects that she has appeared in, she has moved behind the camera to write and direct Lady Bird, a coming-of-age comedy drama set in Sacramento, California. The plot follows attention-seeking teenager Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) who is in her final year of high-school. Whilst clashing with her strong-willed mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf), she navigates her way through the trials and tribulations of bad boyfriends, prom pressure, and deciding what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
DVD review: Phantom Thread
With three Academy Awards to his name, Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most decorated and respected actors of his generation. Since he announced his surprise retirement last year, his final film has been rife with anticipation. His cinema curtain call sees him reunite with writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson for 1950s romance drama Phantom Thread. The plot follows couturier Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) who, with his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) runs a high-end dressmaking company in London. Whilst dining out for breakfast, Reynolds meets impressionable German waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps) who succumbs to his elegance and charm. They embark on a relationship, but she struggles to accustom to his peculiar routines.
DVD review: The Shape of Water
When we talk about visionary directors, imaginations don’t come more vivid than that of Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, known for concocting weird and wonderful dark fantasy fables. His latest effort is 60s romantic drama The Shape of Water, which follows mute cleaner Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins) who works with her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer) at an underground government laboratory. When their boss Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon) brings a mysterious sea-creature to the facility to be held in captivity for scientific research, Elisa and the amphibian form an unorthodox relationship.
DVD review: The Post
As America endures the ‘fake news’ era of the Trump administration, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg casts his directorial eye over the government’s corrupt past with political drama The Post. Centered around attempts to publish incriminating Vietnam War secrets, the plot follows the struggle of a newspaper heiress trying to keep her business afloat. Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) runs The Washington Post with loyal editor in chief Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) by her side. When journalist Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk) tracks a source that leads him to the Pentagon Papers, a moral battle between the press and the government ensues.
DVD review: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
The balancing act of black comedies can be difficult to judge but writer-director Martin McDonagh manages to tread this line impressively. Following a five-year gap, he returns with his third feature Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The crime drama centres around Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand), a mother grieving the death of her daughter who was raped and killed seven months prior. Taking matters into her own hands, she targets Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) with billboards asking why there have been no arrests. This sparks a hostile reaction from Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) and the rest of the community, and the fallout leads to significant consequences for the town.
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DVD review: Darkest Hour
The events of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Britain’s troops from Dunkirk, were told on-screen across land, air and sea last year. Now the story is revisited once again in Churchill biopic drama Darkest Hour, directed by Joe Wright. As Nazi Germany continued to invade Western Europe, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain loses control of his cabinet and is forced to resign from his position. Despite severe doubts from his party, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) is reluctantly appointed as his predecessor. With the support of his wife Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas) and secretary Elizabeth Layton (Lily James), he endeavours to guide the nation through World War II.
Cinema Perspective 