Book v Film: A Monster Calls

“The answer is that it does not matter what you think, the monster said, because your mind will contradict itself a hundred times each day. You wanted her to go at the same time you were desperate for me to save her. Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.”

Directed by J.A. Bayona and based on the book by Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls follows 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) who is dealing with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness, a less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), his distant father (Toby Kebbell) and his bullying classmates. Amidst his troubles, he finds a most unlikely ally when a Monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the giant yew tree Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth through a collection of fables.

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Film Review: A Monster Calls

Directed by J.A. Bayona and based on the book by Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls follows 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) who is dealing with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness, a less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), his distant father (Toby Kebbell) and his bullying classmates. Amidst his troubles, he finds a most unlikely ally when a Monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the giant yew tree Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth through a collection of fables.

Film Review: Rogue One – A Star Wars Story

Directed by Gareth Edwards, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the first in a series of upcoming standalone Star Wars films which takes place just before the events of Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) but after the prequel trilogy. It follows a group of rebels during a time of conflict, who begin a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, the Galactic Empire’s superweapon,

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.

Captain America 2 Seeks Leading Lady: Anna Kendrick, Felicity Jones & Imogen Poots In The Running

(Written for Lost In The Multiplex)

With Antony Mackie recently announced to be playing the role of Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, in Marvel’s upcoming Captain America sequel, the attention has moved on to finding a female lead, which is now down to three frontrunners – Anna Kendrick, Felicity Jones and Imogen Poots – it has been reported this week.

Film Review: Like Crazy

(Published in Issue 6 of my publication In Retrospect)

Directed by Drake Doremus, Like Crazy tells the story of British student Anna (Felicity Jones) who, whilst studying in America, begins a relationship with Jacob (Anton Yelchin). Unable to resist spending the summer with him before having to return home, Anna overstays her visa and, after a short trip back to her hometown in England, is denied re-entry into America. The couple must now face a long-term relationship, but as they find comfort in new company, Anna with Simon (Charlie Bewley) and Jacob with Sam (Jennifer Lawrence), the two begin to struggle with the pressure, yet they remain determined to make it work.

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British Comedy Drama ‘Albatross’ Released On VOD Today

(Written for BritScene)

British coming-of-age comedy drama, Albatross, has been released on Video-On-Demand today (2nd December), starring Jessica Brown Findlay (TV’s Downton Abbey) as 17-year-old Emelia Conan-Doyle, the heir to the legacy of Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sony Pick The Rights For a Rom-Com About Vibrators!

(Written for BritScene)

It has recently been confirmed that Sony Pictures Classics are in final negotiations of getting the US distribution rights to Hysteria, a British rom-com about the invention of women’s sex toys as an advance in medical science.

Set in London in the Victorian era, the film is based on the true story of how Mortimer Granville came up with the world’s first electro-mechanical vibrator. Two doctors who are treating cases of hysteria in women experiment with this new device as a form of treatment.

Film Review: Cemetery Junction

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From the directors of The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have written and directed an outstanding film. Based in Reading in the 1970’s, the film follows three young lads growing up in a dull town, all wanting more from life. Through these three main characters, we are shown a huge difference in their upbringings, lifestyles and, therefore, aspirations in life. Although they all want the same thing, each is tackling life in their own individual way. We start to understand the reasoning behind these differences in beliefs and efforts as the film begins to shape contrasting lifestyles around them.