By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
We’re reminded of Rami Malek’s Oscar-winning turn as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody by Butler’s (pictured above) performance here as the King of Rock’n’Roll.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
RELEASED: Friday 10 December 2021
Steven Spielberg’s bold reimagining of the 1961 film might not currently be attracting the audiences it needs to recoup its budget but it’s been shortlisted for our film of the year monsta and you can vote for it to win here.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
John McCrea originated the part of Jamie in the Sheffield and West End productions of this musical and for us his appearance in the film’s most moving segment illustrates beautifully one of the piece’s themes about passing on the wisdom about gay life from 1 generation to the next.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
RELEASED: Preview 11 June 2021, across UK 18 June 2021
RUNTIME: 143 minutes
The sultry height of summer is the perfect time to see this much-delayed film version of the Tony Award-winning musical with a big heart celebrating community and the feeling of no place like home.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Greenwich Picturehouse
WHEN?: Saturday 22 May (matinee)
RUNTIME: 120 minutes
Writer/director Francis Lee’s last film was the monsta-winning God’s Own Country and although the subject matter here is a world apart the themes of same sex love and the differences between the classes are still very much present and correct
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
RELEASED: Friday 16 April 2021
AVAILABLE: on Amazon Prime
RUNTIME: 80 minutes
There’s a universality about Australian journalist Eammon Ashton-Atkinson’s documentary film which he best expresses as being about finding happiness where you least expect it.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN?: 9pm Sunday 4 April 2021
WHERE?: Sky Arts
RUNTIME: 90 minutes
When the National Theatre announced that Josh O’Connor and Jessie Buckley were set to star in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at the venue in summer 2020, it was set to be 1 of the season’s highlights.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
OUT: In UK from 13/1/21 via Premium Video-on-Demand (PVOD) rental
RUNTIME: 151 minutes
We’re here because we loved the 2017 film and 80s TV show – and not because this is the latest in the hugely successful Marvel or DC series which is one of the reasons currently why for us TV is more of an inviting prospect than cinema.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: Netflix
‘Listen you bigoted monsters, just who do you think you are? Your prejudice and your repression won’t get past this Broadway star,’ sings Meryl Streep (pictured centre above) as two-time Tony Award winner Dee Dee Allen on a high school visit to champion a lesbian student unable to take her girlfriend to the prom.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: from 30/9/20 on Netflix (certificate 15, running time 122 minutes)
Author Mart Crowley died in March before this film was released but did see its cast return to perform the play on Broadway on its 50th anniversary and later win a Tony for Best Revival.
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