Film Pick UK

  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I named Beast as one of my favourite films of 2017 therefore it's great to see this first feature by Michael Pearce on cinema release. Beast is a beauty of a film, that lures you softly and slowly into its darkness. Enigmatic, and laced with cunning, its a cool thriller. The film opens with the scenic beauty of a rugged stretch of Jersey coast. The wind sweeps through the tall grass carrying with it a choir of heavenly voices that lead us to Moll. Its all quite beautiful and yet not quite right. The singing stops and the stoney faced choir leader singles Moll out for criticism. This steely, domineering woman is Molls Mother, powerfully played by Geraldine James.  Moll (Jessie Buckley) with her mess of red hair is pale and nervous, she hangs back, hovering awkwardly on the sidelines of her own birthday party. I felt uneasy as a somewhat creepy older man pins a police badge to her summer dress. Who is he? surely not her brother? Next Molls sister makes a toas...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spending my teenage years in the cultural wasteland that is Romford, Madness occupied a special place in my heart. In the late seventies, early eighties a bygone era pre dating social media, music and clothes defined us. The outward display of who we were and who we were mates with. I loved the look and the sound of the boys. Doc Martins, Ska beats and a humour reminiscent of the silent films of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, who incidentally we all knew because they were still showing those films on TV. We know the band, and who doesn't love Suggs? But what about the nutter on Sax, swinging around in mid air? That one is Lee Thompson the subject and star performer of this absolute gem of a film. Jeff Baynes the camera man has known the band since their early days and shot the videos for Baggy Trousers and House Of Fun (By the way, he also has an Emmy and a BAFTA nomination for his, ahem, more serious work) The film shows a lot of those old videos and footage fro...