Film Review: Last Christmas

Directed by Paul Feig and based on the song of the same name by George Michael, Last Christmas follows Kate (Emilia Clarke), a young woman subscribed to making bad decisions. Working as an elf all year-round in Santa’s (Michelle Yeoh) Christmas store in London, Kate has somewhat given up on life and spends most nights drinking and taking home strangers. Things seem too good to be true when she meets Tom (Henry Golding), a caring night courier who re-opens her eyes to the more wonderful things in life.

TV Review: Years And Years (BBC One) – Season One

Created and written by Russell T Davies, Years And Years follows a busy British family from Manchester as their lives converging on one crucial night in 2019. As businesswoman Vivienne Rook (Emma Thompson) causes controversy amongst the nation, Daniel (Russell Tovey) is getting married to Ralph (Dino Fetscher), Stephen (Rory Kinnear) and Celeste (T’Nia Miller) worry about their kids (Lydia West and Jade Alleyne), Rosie (Ruth Madeley) is chasing a new partner, and political activist Edith (Jessica Hynes) has’nt been home for years. Presiding over them all is Gran, the imperious Muriel (Anne Reid).

Film Review: Beauty And The Beast (2017)

Directed by Bill Condon and a live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1991 animated film, which is an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont‘s 18th-century fairy tale, Beauty And The Beast follows a selfish prince (Dan Stevens) who is cursed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he learns to fall in love. When a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, Belle (Emma Watson) enters his enchanted castle, Beast takes her prisoner. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

Film Review: Brave

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman and produced by Pixar, Brave follows Merida (Kelly Macdonald), the skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), who is determined to carve her own path in life. As she defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land, her actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom. When she turns to an eccentric old Witch (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Jeremy Irons Joins Emma Thompson In ‘Beautiful Creatures’

(Written for BritScene)

Jeremy Irons is in final talks to star in the young adult fantasy, Beautiful Creatures, it has been announced this week, the upcoming adaptation of the first novel in the New York Times best-selling series written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Meet The Scottish Characters From Pixar’s ‘Brave’

(Written for BritScene)

Disney have released eleven new character posters for Pixar’s upcoming 3D fantasy adventure Brave this week, highlighting both the film’s Scottish cast and Pixar’s stunning animation and attention to detail.

Set to close the 66th Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, Brave follows the epic battles of Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) in ancient Scotland who, determined to make her own path in life, defies an age-old custom against her parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson).

Casting Catch-Up: Tom Felton, Saoirse Ronan, Tom Hiddleston, Emma Thompson, Dominic Cooper & More!

(Weekly feature written for BritScene)

There has been a lot of casting news over the past couple of weeks, so we thought we’d narrow it down a little for you with a short list of the most exciting stories involving which British actors have been recently attached to what. With upcoming films and TV series that we’ve heard a lot from, to a film that has been off the radar for nearly three years, take a look below to see the ongoings of Tom Felton, Nonso Anozie, Matt Milne, Saoirse Ronan, Tom Hiddleston, Leslie Manville, Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson, and Dominic Cooper.

New TV Spot For Pixar’s ‘Brave’ With Music By Scottish Singer Julie Fowlis

(Written for BritScene)

With a new poster and trailer for Pixar’s upcoming 3D adventure, Brave, earlier this week, the film now has a new TV spot, which premiered at this week’s Oscars.

Featuring a beautiful song by Scottish singer Julie Fowlis, named Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird A’ Chuainv which translates from Gàidhlig as My Love is on The High Seas, the new TV spot shows a different side to the film from what we have already seen in the film’s trailers and clips. Focusing even more on the film’s Scottish heritage, the new clip also highlights the film’s stunning animation with close-ups of the characters and detailed scenery.

New Trailer & Poster for Pixar’s Brave

(Written for BritScene)

The second poster and trailer for Pixar’s latest animation, Brave, have arrived this week. In keeping with Pixar’s continued push towards more realistic computer-animated textures in its films, this 3D fantasy adventure which follows the epic battles of Princess Merida in ancient Scotland looks pretty magical.

Emma Thompson and Pierce Bronson To Star In Upcoming Rom-Com ‘Love Punch’

(Written for BritScene)

British actors Emma Thompson and Pierce Bronson are set to co-star in an upcoming romantic comedy, Love Punch, it has been reported this week.

Directed and written by fellow Brit Joel Hopkins (Last Chance Harvey), the film follows Brosnan (I Don’t Know How She Does It) and Thompson (Harry Potter) as a divorced couple who are forced to reunite after their pension is stolen by an unscrupulous businessman, who join forces to steal it back.

New Full Length Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Brave’

(Written for BritScene)

Earlier this week we gave you 7 new images for Pixar’s first fairy tale computer-animation, Brave. Today we have the first full-length trailer for the 3D fantasy adventure which follows the epic battles of Princess Merida in ancient Scotland.

Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) is determined to make her own path in life and defies an age-old custom against her parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Granted one wish by an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters), Merida must rely on her archery skills to undo a beastly curse, forcing her to discover the meaning of true bravery.

7 New Images for Pixar’s ‘Brave’

(Written for BritScene)

This week sees the release of 7 brand new images for Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews’ upcoming 3D computer-animated fantasy adventure, Brave, which is Pixar‘s first fairy tale.

Previously titled The Bear and the Bow, Brave follows the epic battles of Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), a young girl in ancient Scotland who is determined to make her own path in life apart from her parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Granted one wish by an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters), Merida must rely on her bravery and archery skills to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)

It’s the end of an era, and a sad one at that. For the millions of Harry Potter fans around the world, it has all finally come to a close. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, directed by David Yates, is the latest and final instalment to the Harry Potter franchise, based on the novels by J. K. Rowling.

After a decade of filming, the magical trio of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) finish their time at Hogwarts with a fight-to-the-death war. One can’t live whilst the other survives, and the long-awaited finale is here. But will Harry succeed?

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix

Directed by David Yates and based on the fifth book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) return for their fifth year at Hogwarts, only to find that the magical community is in a state of denial about his recent encounter with the sinister Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Suspecting that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) may be fueling the rumours, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) entrusts newly arrived Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) with the task of keeping a protective watch over the wizarding school. With the school failing to provide the students with the tools that they will need to defend Hogwarts against the powers of the Dark Arts, the trio takes it upon themselves to recruit a small group of students to form “Dumbledore’s Army”.

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the third book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) enter their third year at Hogwarts as trouble begins to brew when it is revealed that convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban and is coming after Harry. With yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) tries to help Harry defend himself against the Dementors, the soul-sucking guards of Azkaban who have been employed at Hogwarts to protect the students. But they’re the least of his worries.