THE LADY IN THE VAN

Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Nicholas Hytner Stars: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Jim Broadbent, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Frances de la Tour, Sam Spruell, Claire Foy, Cecilia Noble. Based on the stage play written by Alan Bennett, one of most successful contemporary playwrights in England with credits including The History Boys, The Madness Of King George, etc, this is "mostly a true story" that mixes fact and fiction in an entertaining mix. The play was inspired by Bennett's encounter with Mary Shepherd (dual Oscar winner Maggie Smith), the Continue reading

MISS YOU ALREADY

Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Catherine Hardwicke Stars: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Paddy Considine, Dominic Cooper, Jacqueline Bissett, Frances de la Tour. Imagine that archetypal chick flick Beaches with a darker edge, and that's what you get with this tear jerker about relationships, female friendship and cancer. There have been many films exploring a relationship touched by the spectre of cancer, from the classic 70s weepie Love Story through to more recent fare and Young Adult tales like The Fault In Our Stars and the quirky Me And Earl And The Dying Girl Continue reading

MR HOLMES

Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Bill Condon Stars: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan, Patrick Kennedy, Roger Allam, Frances de la Tour, John Sessions, Nicholas Rowe. Ever since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first created the fictitious character of Sherlock Holmes in 1887, he has become one of the most enduring and popular character in detective fiction. Holmes has become a staple of the big screen, where he has been played by the likes of Basil Rathbone (who gave us arguably the definitive portrayal in 15 film appearances), Nicol Continue reading

INTO THE WOODS

Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Rob Marshall Stars: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Johnny Depp, Billy Magnusson, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huddlestone, MacKenzie Mauzy, Christine Baranski, Tracey Ullman, Frances de la Tour. It's taken nearly 27 years for Hollywood to bring Into The Woods to the screen, but ultimately this film adaptation may prove something of a disappointment to audiences who enjoyed the stage production. Into The Woods is an adaptation of the 1987 Tony award-winning original hit Broadway musical written by Continue reading