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Articles by Ben Peyton
New to Prime Video - SOUNDTRACK TO SIXTEEN
Two 16-year-olds struggle with the trials of teenage life. Directed by: Hillary Shakespeare Starring: Scarlett Marshall, Gino Wilson, Emily Jayne, Celiya Köster-Brown, Jennie Hilliard, Sean Micallef, Jack Boal, George Fanzio, Jamal Hadjkura Maisie (Scarlett Marshall) is 16 and never been kissed. Ben (Gino Wilson) is 16 and never been kissed.
New to Prime Video - AN AMERICAN PICKLE
After being pickled in brine, an immigrant wakes up 100 years later in 21st century New York. Directed by: Brandon Trost Starring: Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Eliot Glazer, Kalen Allen, Jorma Taccone For those lamenting the lack of original ideas in films these days, look no further. Adapted by screenwriter Simon Rich from his 2013 New Yorker novella, 'Sell Out', An American Pickle is as unique as they come.
New to Netflix - ESCAPE FROM PRETORIA
True story of how a group of anti-apartheid activists attempted to escape from a South African prison. Directed by: Francis Annan Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Daniel Webber, Mark Leonard Winter, Nathan Page, Ian Hart South Africa in the 1970s. Apartheid is in full swing. White citizens are afforded the highest status, followed by Asians, coloureds (a multiracial ethnic group native to South Africa who have ancestry from more than one of the various populations of the region) and black Africans.
New to Netflix - BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
Mike and Marcus reunite when their past comes back to haunt them. Directed by: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah Starring: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Alexander Ludwig, Vanessa Hudgens, Paola Nuñez, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Jacob Scipio, Joe Pantoliano The bad boys are coming for you a third time after a break of some 17 years.
Finch - New film review
November 3, 2021November 3, 2021 Ben Peyton Apple TV+, Caleb Landry Jones, Finch, Jo Willems, Miguel Sapochnik, Pandemic, Robots, Streaming, Tom Hanks 3 min read Director: Miguel Sapochnik Starring: Tom Hanks and Caleb Landry Jones Run time: 1h 55min Certificate: 12A ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tom Hanks is no stranger to playing characters forced to endure their own company and fight for survival for several days or even years.
New to Netflix - SHAZAM!
A teenage boy is gifted with the ability to transform into an adult superhero. Directed by: David F. Sandberg Starring: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Marta Milans Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Shazam.
New to Amazon Prime Video - THE KITCHEN
Three mob wives take over their husbands' criminal activities. Directed by: Andrea Berloff Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Bill Camp, Common With all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Etta James tells us that New York in 1978 is a man’s world as we’re quickly introduced to the three female leads. All are married to gangsters and all are, in their own way, victims.
On The Brink of War - Six Minutes to Midnight (Film Review)
There seems to be a standard British film set just before, during or just after the Second World War that is released each year without fail. Sometimes these films are sent straight to digital platforms, some enjoy a stint in cinemas and others are swiftly given a DVD only release.
An Over-Extended WB Advert - Space Jam: A New Legacy (Film Review)
24 years ago, we slammed and, consequently, were welcomed to the jam: Michael Jordan and the cavalcade of Looney Tunes against the alien vermin of the Monstars headed by an intergalactic Goodfellas-style Danny Devito. It became the highest-grossing basketball film of all time, and despite mixed reviews from critics, it became a nostalgic favourite of two generations – it also had a lot of questionable-to-unshowable fanart of certain characters which we won’t get into.
Who’s The King Of The Castle? – Loki Season Finale (TV Review)
This review contains spoilers for the finale of Loki The finale of Disney+ MCU shows have often struggled to bookend the shocking reveals and exciting developments that they begin with – WandaVision’s underwhelming witchy battle and Falcon & Winter Soldier’s overwhelmingly on-the-nose soapbox speech.
"I’m Your Man" To Release in Cinemas and on Curzon Home Cinema This August
Curzon are delighted to announce Maria Schrader’s Berlin award-winning film I’m Your Man; starring award-winning actress Maren Eggert (Die Frau Am Ende Der Strasse; I Was at Home, But) alongside Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast; Downton Abbey). The film premiered at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival, where the German feature saw Maren Eggert win the Silver Bear Award for her leading performance.
"It’s Time For You To Learn The Truth" – The Birthday Cake (Film Review)
Every now and then a film comes along that, on paper, has everything going for it. Every now and then a film comes along with a cast that is so explosively talented and dynamic, it must surely be a winner. Every now and then a film comes along you desperately want to enjoy, but ends up being a convoluted and mind-numbingly dull mess. Step forward, The Birthday Cake.
New to Netflix - DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD
Big screen adaptation of the popular children's animation. Directed by: James Bobin Starring: Isabela Moner, Madeleine Madden, Jeff Wahlberg, Nicholas Coombe, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Q’orianka Kilcher, Benicio Del Toro American educational television show Dora the Explorer is 19 years old.
The Dark Knight: A Joker-Free Discussion
There is no doubt that The Dark Knight is one of the greatest comic book films of all time. Some would even argue it’s one of the best ever films in general – the fact it’s stayed at number 4 on IMDb’s Top 250 Films of all time list for several years now would attest to that. However, whenever people talk about how good it is, the conversation always focuses around one key aspect of the film. That is, of course, Heath Ledger’s legendary performance as the infamous villain, The Joker.
Reclaiming the Rotten: Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja (2017)
Each month, we at FilmHounds take a look at a director’s back catalogue and pick their lowest rated film on Rotten Tomatoes and ask ourselves – why? Why is it their least loved among critics? Regardless, we attempt to see the good in it. This Month: Bong Joon-Ho’s OKJA (2017) Rating: 87% Yes, director Bong’s lowest rated film sits at an impressive 87%, but lowest rated is still lowest rated and Bong is a director of some note.
“It Was Cool To Have That Sheik Connection With Her [Nahnatchka Khan]” - Brett Azar (The FH Interview - Part 1)
Earlier this year, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson returned to the small screen with the sitcom Young Rock, which tells the story of Johnson’s days as a 10-year-old, a high school student, playing football in the University of Miami, and all the important life lessons he learned. The show debuted as NBC’s biggest comedy since 2007, drawing over 5 million viewers, and it will also return for a season 2.
"I Have A Real Punk Spirit" – Director Rob Roth talks Blondie: Vivir En La Habana
Baked in the fiery heat of Cuban sunshine and alive with the hot-blooded energy of live music comes Blondie: Vivir En La Habana, a chic and daring documentary short constructed by New York City native Rob Roth. The film follows the iconic new-wave band Blondie as they participate in a four-day cultural exchange program facilitated by the Cuban Ministry of Culture to play their first-ever show on Cuban soil.
New Trailer for Wildfire
Modern Films are pleased to share the official UK and Irish trailer for the blistering female-driven drama Wildfire. The film is written and directed by Cathy Brady in her feature debut and stars Nora-Jane Noone (Brooklyn, The Magdalene Sisters) alongside Nika McGuigan (Philomena, The Secret Scripture).
"Welcome to The Rock" – Celebrating 25 years of Bay’s Blockbuster
Here’s an idea. How about an action thriller about a group of home-grown terrorists taking over the prison island of Alcatraz and threatening the residents of San Francisco with some “really funky” chemical weapons?
"Welcome to Ireland" - Wild Mountain Thyme (Film review) - Filmhounds Magazine
Based on his own play, Outside Mullingar, John Patrick Shanley has given us a film so wonderfully Irish, it might as well be performed by leprechauns and have Daniel O'Donnell singing the closing credits song. Right in the heart of rural Ireland, County Mayo to be precise, two families own two overlapping farms with an inconveniently positioned pair of gates a bone of contention between them.
Cherry: Tom Holland's Dark New Flick
Film Critic Ben Peyton on the Kingston movie star’s grittiest movie yet Director: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Forrest Goodluck and Jeff Wahlberg Run time: 2h 20min / Certificate: 15 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ After spending the last few years marvelling at Thor’s hammer and polishing Captain America’s shield, the Russo brothers swap super heroes for super soldiers in Cherry, coming to Apple TV+ this March.
Film Archives - Time & Leisure
It may be his first, but should News of the World be Hanks' last western rodeo?
News of the World Film Review
It’s been a long time coming – but does Tom Hanks’ first western live up to the expectation? Director: Paul Greengrass Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Mare Winningham, Ray McKinnon, Elizabeth Marvel and Michael Angelo Covino Run time: 1h 58min / Certificate: 12A ⭐⭐⭐⭐ It’s been almost 10 years since director Paul Greengrass and actor Tom Hanks made a film together. That was 2013’s Oscar-winning Captain Phillips. Reunited again, Hanks expands his repertoire of military men and indeed, Captains.
Top of the class? School’s Out Forever (Film Review)
Filmed during 2019 and uncannily featuring a global pandemic, people panic-buying loo rolls and once busy motorways and towns now reduced to eerily deserted wastelands, Rebellion Films have unleashed their debut feature, School’s Out Forever, inspired by Scott K. Andrews’ book. When a prank backfires, rebellious 15-year-old Lee Keegan (Oscar Kennedy) finds himself expelled from the prestigious St Mark’s School for Boys.
Paddington 2
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ben Whishaw swaps James Bond for Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear in the sequel to 2014s hugely successful Paddington, simply named Paddington 2. Simply named, but ingeniously signalled by Paddington himself in the film’s opening. In search of the perfect gift for his Aunt Lucy, Paddington discovers an old pop-up book in Mr Gruber’s antique shop and takes on a series of odd jobs to pay for it.
61 Hugs (Short film)
January 27, 2020January 29, 2020 Ben Peyton 61 Hugs, Aakash Gandhi, CK Goldiing, Documentary, Netflix, Sheffield, Short Film, Slideshow min read Director: CK Goldiing Starring: CK Goldiing Run time: 23min ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Your challenge, should you chose to accept it, is to hug 61 strangers (obviously with their consent!). Think you could do it? Or, more to the point, why would you do it?
New to Amazon Prime Video - 21 BRIDGES
In an attempt to trap a gang of cop killers, the island of Manhattan is shut off from the rest of New York City. Directed by: Brian Kirk Starring: Chadwick Boseman, J.K. Simmons, Sienna Miller, Taylor Kitsch, Keith David, Stephan James Chadwick Boseman swaps Black Panther (watch out for a cheeky reference within the first few moments) for the blue of the NYPD in 21 Bridges, a cop thriller about cop killers.
New to Netflix - LE MANS '66
Ford and Ferrari compete to win the 1966 Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. Directed by: James Mangold Starring: Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Ray McKinnon, Noah Jupe, Tracy Letts With Ford Motor Company’s sales in decline, Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) is determined to appeal to America’s younger generation by making his cars more dynamic and aesthetically pleasing.
New to Prime Video - MIDWAY
Dramatisation of the WWII battle of Midway. Directed by: Roland Emmerich Starring: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Woody Harrelson, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Brennan Brown, Jun Kunimura, Etsushi Toyokawa Geoffrey Blake, Peter Shinkoda Roland Emmerich, World War II and the true account of one single day that turned the war in the Pacific. Combining these three things will either fill you with excitement or dread.
New to Prime Video - BLACK AND BLUE
A rookie cop fights for her life after capturing a police execution on her body-cam. Directed by: Deon Taylor Starring: Naomie Harris, Mike Colter, Frank Grillo, Reid Scott, Tyrese Gibson, Nafessa Williams, Deneen Tyler, James Moses Black Black and Blue is set in a predominantly African-American suburb of New Orleans, where gangs control the neighbourhoods and the police won’t respond to 911 calls unless one of their own, a blue, is in trouble.
American Assassin
Posted October 22, 2017 by Ben Peyton ⭐⭐⭐ The late Vince Flynn wrote thirteen Mitch Rapp novels until his untimely death at the age of 47. The series was continued by his friend, and fellow author, Kyle Mills who is still writing them to this day.
Ad Astra (12A)
Posted 1 week ago by Ben Peyton Director: James Gray Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Liv Tyler, Ruth Negga and Donald Sutherland ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Set in the near future, in a world that isn’t too hard to imagine, tourist trips to the Moon, courtesy of Virgin Galactic of course, are an everyday occurrence and transport you to a whole new world. Granted, some things never change as this one has a shopping centre complete with an Apple store. Probably a Starbucks too.
The Angry Birds Movie 2 (PG)
Posted 16 hours ago by Ben Peyton Director: Thurop Van Orman Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Danny McBride, Josh Gad, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage, Leslie Jones, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Dove Cameron, Tiffany Haddish and Nicki Minaj ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Based on the phenomenally successful mobile phone game of the same name, The Angry Birds return in a sequel to 2016’s hit animation.
OO7 Essential James Bond Film Books » We Are Cult
❉ Top picks of big-screen Bond brought to book. Now, pay attention 007! I’ve loved the Bond films for years and with the very exciting proposition of a Danny Boyle helmed Bond feature reportedly in the works, I imagine I’m going to love them for many more to come. Until 2019 comes, here are some works I recommend to tide the time away. To be drank with martinis. Obviously.
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