Film Review: Fantastic Beasts 2 – The Crimes of Grindelwald

The second instalment in the Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald is directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling. Continuing on from its predecessor, the film begins with the escape of the powerful Dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who has set about gathering followers to begin his plan to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. To stop him, a young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists the help of his former student, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). As the wizarding world is increasingly dividing, love and loyalty are tested, and many truths will be revealed that will change the wizarding world as we know it.

Film Review: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Written by J.K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is a spin-off to her Harry Potter franchise. Directed by David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter films, the film is set in 1926 New York and follows ex-Hogwarts student Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) who travels to the city as part of a global study of fantastic beasts. But when he gets caught up in a conflict of a group of extremist No-Majs and a mystical act of destruction, some of the magical creatures in his case are accidentally released. With the help of a No-Maj named Jacob (Dan Fogler) and two members of MACUSA (Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol), he must find all of his creatures before they are blamed for the mysterious deaths that are adding up, causing magic and non-magic folk alike to panic.

Film Review: The Danish Girl

Based on David Ebershoff‘s fictional novel of the same name, The Danish Girl is loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe (Eddie Redmayne) and Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander). Directed by Tom Hooper, the film follows a fictitious love story centred around Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer, being one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery. As we follow Einar’s transformation into Lili, as he begins to find his true self, how will his marriage with Gerda and their artistic work proceed?

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More Casting News for ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

(Written for Filmoria)

We’ve had quite a bit of casting news for the Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, this week.

A few days ago it was announced that Colin Farrell has joined the cast, and now comes news that Brooklyn actress Jenn Murray and casting call winner Faith Wood-Blagrove have come on board, too.

Film Review: The Theory of Everything

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Directed by James Marsh, The Theory of Everything takes a look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones), and is in turn based on Jane’s memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen.

Once a healthy, active young man, Hawking received an earth-shattering diagnosis at 21 years of age. With Jane fighting tirelessly by his side, Stephen embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, studying the very thing he now has precious little of – time.

Dream On: First Official Trailer & New Images for Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables

(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)

This week we have the first official trailer and a number of new images for Tom Hooper’s big screen adaptation of the epic musical drama, Les Miserables.

Adapted from the hugely successful stage show that has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and 21 languages and based on Victor Hugo’s classic 1862 novel, the film is set in 19th century France and follows a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who seeks redemption.

Film Review: My Week With Marilyn

Directed by Simon Curtis and based on two books by Colin Clark, My Week With Marilyn depicts the making of the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl, which starred Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) and Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). During this time, 23-year-old Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), determined to make his way in the film business, worked as a lowly assistant and documented the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe. Desperate to get away from her retinue of Hollywood hangers-on and the pressures of work, Colin escorts Marilyn around and introduces her to some of the pleasures of British life.

Behind-The-Scenes Featurette For ‘My Week With Marilyn’

(Written for BritScene)

A new behind-the-scenes featurette for Simon Curtis‘ My Week With Marilyn has been released this week, which includes commentary from leading lady Michelle Williams and some of the British cast, Judi Dench and Emma Watson.

Based on Colin Clark’s two diary accounts of his time on set for The Prince and the Showgirl with Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier in 1957, My Week With Marilyn focuses on the week in which Clark spent his week escorting Monroe around England after her husband, Arthur Muller, left the country. Introducing her to British life, Monroe begins to escape from her Hollywood routine and the pressures of work, letting Clark see a side of her that the cameras didn’t know.

First Trailer for ‘My Week With Marilyn’

(Written for BritScene)

My Week With Marilyn has had very little promotion despite its intriguing hype. Premiering at the New York Film Festival this weekend, we have finally been given a trailer to show us non-press folks what we will be missing out on.

Based on Colin Clark‘s two dairy accounts of his time on set for The Prince and the Showgirl with Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier in 1957, the film focuses on the week in which Clark spent with Monroe after her husband, Arthur Miller, left the country.

An American actress, and a worldwide icon, the film is set in England where Clark, an assistant on the set, spends the week escorting Monroe around, introducing her to British life as she begins to escape from her Hollywood routine and the pressures of work.