FILM REVIEW: Vice starring Christian Bale & Amy Adams

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

RUN TIME: 132 minutes

WHEN?: Released in the UK 25/1/19

Christian Bale reportedly gained 40 pounds rendering him almost unrecognisable to play former US Vice President Dick Cheney and for us this transformation and quiet, authoritative performance makes him the main rival to Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) for this year’s Best Actor Oscar.

  • Read on for reasons including how this follow up to The Big Short is our film of 2019 so far

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THEATRE REVIEW: Six at the Arts Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE?: Arts Theatre RUN TIME: 75 minutes

WHEN?: 17/1/19 (matinee) booking to 5/1/20

It couldn’t be more timely for this musical about the 6 wives of Henry VIII to be returning to the West End as tales of Queen Anne, Mary Queen Of Scots and Elizabeth I dominate cinemas.

  • Read on for reasons including how you’ll be headed home humming the hits with a smile across your face

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FILM REVIEW: Mary Queen Of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan & Margot Robbie

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RUN TIME: 125 minutes

WHEN?: Released in the UK 18/1/19

Screenwriter Beau Willimon told us when he was working on Netflix’s House Of Cards that ‘power is what really interests me’ and it is the fascinating dynamic between rivals here, the titular Mary and Elizabeth I that dominates.

  • Read on for reasons including why we’re baffled that this isn’t doing better in awards season

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for February 2019

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Gillian Anderson and Lily James star in All About Eve

Anderson was unforgettable in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire at the Young Vic in 2014 and James was unmissable on film in 2018 for work including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. Runs at the Noel Coward Theatre from 2/2 to 11/5/19. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Chita Rivera live, Claire Steps album and musical Come From Away 

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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2019 Heat 3 starring Lina Hedlund from Alcazar, Dolly Style, Martin Stenmarck & Omar

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

We’ve described Alcazar as ‘the greatest act never to represent Sweden in Eurovision’ and 1 of its current members, Lina Hedlund (pictured far left above), competes in Heat 3 in Leksand on 16 February.

  • Read on for reasons including which Alcastar-beating former MF winner competes here also

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FILM REVIEW: Colette starring Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Denise Gough & Fiona Shaw

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

RUN TIME?: 111 minutes

WHEN?: Released in the UK 9/1/19

Colette might not be a name familiar to you but Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was described shortly before her death in 1954 as ‘the greatest living French writer of fiction’.

  • Read on for reasons including why this film bears thematic similarities to Glenn Close’s The Wife

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second starring Simon Russell Beale at the Almeida

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Almeida RUN TIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: 12/1/19, runs to 2/2/19

Buckets of blood, soil and water rain down on the cast in director Joe Hill-Gibbins’ 3rd radical reinterpretation of Shakespeare since 2015.

  • Read on for reasons including what to expect from its NT Live showing next week

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FILM REVIEW: Mary Poppins Returns starring Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Ben Whishaw & Julie Walters

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Released in cinemas in the UK 21/12/18

We’re killing time between a Q&A and performance at Sloane Square’s Royal Court Theatre when we chance upon the 50 Smith Street home in Chelsea where Mary Poppins‘ author P.L.Travers lived and used as inspiration for the Cherry Tree Lane home of the Banks family in this.

  • Read on for reasons including why we shed a tear more than once during the film

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THEATRE REVIEW: Coming Clean at Trafalgar Studios 2

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Trafalgar Studios 2 RUN TIME: 115 minutes (including interval)

WHEN?: 9/1/19, press night 11/1 runs to 2/2/19

Coming Clean is the 1st play by author Kevin Elyot who is probably best known for My Night With Reg which won many awards including the 1995 Olivier for Best Comedy.

  • Read on for reasons including how actor Elyot was encouraged to write his 1st play at Bush Theatre

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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2019 Heat 2 starring Margaret, Andreas Johnson & LIAMOO

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

The song we wanted to win the Melodifestivalen final last year was the old-school Rihanna bop My Cabana sung by Margaret (pictured) who appears again in this 2nd heat from Malmö on 9 February where she closes the show.

  • Read on for reasons including details of fellow Heat 2 participants including Andreas Johnson & pre-contest favourite (again) LIAMOO

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