Category Archives: London Life
Theatre Review: ‘ear for eye’, by Debbie Tucker Green, at Royal Court Theatre
Posted on by Janet AweMassive respect to writer-director, Debbie Tucker Green, for her play ‘ear for eye’, performed at the Royal Court Theatre by an outstanding cast. A whip-smart, often poetic, sometimes funny, definitely poignant look at current and historic racism, oppression and double standards in the UK and US, and demonstrating the long-lasting, far-reaching impact. So many elements […]
BFI London Film Festival 2018: Preview: The Hate U Give
Posted on by Janet AweThe film opens with a black family sitting around the dinner table. Mother – Lisa (played by Regina Hall), father – Mav (Russell Hornsby), a teenage boy – Seven (Lamar Johnson) and 16-year old girl – Starr (Amandla Stenberg) as well as a young boy – Sekani (TJ Wright). The father is giving the kids […]
BFI London Film Festival 2018: Preview: Assassination Nation
Posted on by Janet AweWTF did I just witness?! I walked out of Assassination Nation buzzing from this arse-kicking movie that turns the much-retold tale of the oppressed women persecuted in the Salem Witch Trials firmly on its head. It kicks off with an extensive, frenetic trigger-warning, advising that the film – set around the lives of four American […]
BFI London Film Festival 2018: Preview: Mandy
Posted on by Janet AweNicolas Cage is in fine grunting form as a man hell-bent on revenge after the peace of his idyllic and loved-up, secluded-forest life with his beautiful, adoring wife is brutally shattered by the invasion of a cult of violent motorbike-riding, drug-taking, hippy-cum-psychos. Full of laughable moments that you probably shouldn’t be laughing at, the writer-director, […]
BFI London Film Festival 2017: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Posted on by Janet AweAs always, I really enjoyed the BFI London Film Festival this year. The list of great films that I saw during the previews include: Filmworker, the wonderful documentary about Stanley Kubrick’s right-hand man, Leon Vitali, who never truly got the recognition that he deserved; Rollerdreams – also a great documentary, this time about the history […]
BFI London Film Festival Preview: Indivisible
Posted on by Janet AweDarkly comic and enchanting, Indivisible (or, “Indivisibli”, in Italian) is the story of beautiful Siamese twin sisters, Dasy and Viola. Joined at the hip, they are exploited by their money-hungry parents who use their disability and angelic singing voices as a novelty crowd-pleaser, raking in money by shamelessly touring them around their Italian city of […]
BFI London Film Festival Previews: Moonlight
Posted on by Janet AweMoonlight is a cleverly-conceived, beautifully-executed, complex and unexpected film. It follows Chiron – a black kid growing up in Miami, during the 1980s – through three key and very distinct phases of his life: from young boy, through teenage years, to manhood. Set against a powerful musical soundscape and at-times-captivating landscape, a subtle metaphorical language helps connect the three […]
Prophetic Satire: Constable and PC Savage
Posted on by Janet AweSatire has always had an extremely important role to play, in keeping a check on society. Back in the day – way, way before South Park – there were court jesters, employed not merely to entertain but also as comedic “truth tellers”, in the privileged position of being allowed to mock anyone, including the King, […]
BFI London Film Festival: A Date For Mad Mary
Posted on by Janet AweSet in Ireland, this very dry comedy sees ‘Mad’ Mary McArdle released from a six-month prison stretch and returned to the home she shares with her Mum and Nan, days before she’s due to be Maid of Honour at her best friend, Charlene’s, wedding. Instead of a warm welcome from the childhood friend she adores […]