DVD & Digital · GFF24

Film review: Tummy Monster

 Just how far would a desperate person go to get a selfie with someone famous? Scottish filmmaker Ciaran Lyons explores this in his impressive feature debut Tummy Monster. Fusing psychological thriller elements with jet black comedy, the plot centres around tattoo artist Tales (Lorn Macdonald) who is living out of his studio following a run of misfortunes. When an American pop star (Orlando Norman) and his security guard (Michael Akinsilure) turn up at his shop in the dead of night, he thinks his luck might have changed. After giving him the ink that he desires, Tales asks for a quick snap as a memento because his ‘niece is a big fan’ but when the musician surprisingly declines, their spat starts to spiral out of control.

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DVD & Digital

Film review: Defoe

After making a couple of award-winning short films, US-based writer and director James Ross has come across the pond for his debut feature, shifting genre from horror to sports documentary. A lifelong Spurs fan, this biographical film charts the illustrious career of one of their most prolific strikers. Defoe came up playing on the streets of East London before competing at the highest level for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and more, and represented England on the world’s stage.

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DVD & Digital

Film review: The Sweet East

Best known for his work as a cinematographer, Sean Price Williams has brought his rough and ready aesthetic to independent hits such as Good Time, Funny Pages, and Her Smell. Fantasy drama The Sweet East marks his directorial debut and sees him doubling down on his experimental approach and follows high schooler Lillian (Talia Ryder) on a field trip to Washington, D.C. 

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: The Taste of Things

Twenty years on from the end of their marriage, Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel reunite on screen in French romance drama The Taste of Things. Written and directed by Trần Anh Hùng, it is set in 1885 and centres on the relationship between cook Eugénie (Binoche) and Dodin (Magimel), her acclaimed gourmet. Bonded over a shared passion for exquisite cuisine, they are joined in their idyllic chateau by assistant Violette (Galatea Bellugi) and her young niece Pauline (Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire) who is primed to be their latest apprentice.

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DVD & Digital

DVD review: All of Us Strangers

 Throughout his career, writer and director Andrew Haigh has excelled in demonstrating the richness of relationships on screen, from fleeting passion in Weekend to an enduring companionship in 45 Years. His latest effort is romance drama All of Us Strangers, based on the 1987 novel by Taichi Yamada. The plot follows screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) who lives a lonely existence in a desolate London tower block. After a fire drill in his building, he has a brief encounter with neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal) who makes a drunken pass at him. Nights later, whilst looking for inspiration for his next script, he visits his suburban childhood home only to find that his mother (Claire Foy) and father (Jamie Bell) are still there, just as he remembers them, despite having been killed in a car accident around thirty years earlier.

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DVD & Digital

Film review: The Boys in the Boat

There are classic stories that are told time and time again in cinema, and one of which is that of the sports underdog. We’ve had Rocky, Chariots of Fire, Cool Runnings and more, and Depression-era drama Boys in the Boat slots nicely into that category. Directed by George Clooney and based upon the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name, the plot follows working class engineering student Joe Rantz (Callum Turner) as he struggles to stay on top of tuition payments at the University of Washington. Encouraged by his classmate Roger (Sam Strike), the pair sign up for the school’s rowing team in the hope of earning some extra money and they embark on an unlikely trail to compete at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

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Features

Top 10 British Soap Stars Making It in the Movies

Like fish and chips, waiting in queues, and talking about the weather, soap operas are totally ingrained within British culture. Even if you don’t watch them religiously or even regularly, programmes like EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale have been on UK TV guides for decades and their iconic characters have become household names. Now and again, soap stars break free from terrestrial telly and make their way to the big screen. I’ve picked out ten stand outs that are making it in the movies…

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DVD & Digital

Film review: The Beekeeper

 Throughout his chequered career, director David Ayer has had such a penchant for violence and machismo that it’s surprising it’s taken this long for him to team up with Jason Statham. The grit-Brit anti-hero has somewhat established an action sub-genre of his own, the latest entry of which is revenge thriller The Beekeeper. Mild-mannered Mr Clay (Statham) spends his days tending to his hive but when his neighbour Mrs Parker (Phylicia Rashad) falls victim to a cruel phishing scam, he takes it upon himself to expose the corruption within the organisation that wronged her.

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