You Should Be Reading: Rebecca

Written by Daphne du Maurier and published in 1938, Rebecca is a classic English novel that follows the narration of an unnamed protagonist who, whilst working as the companion to a rich American woman vacationing in Monte Carlo, meets a wealthy widowed Englishman named Maxim de Winter. When he suddenly proposes her hand in marriage, she agrees to accompany him to his mansion, the beautiful West Country estate Manderley, but soon finds that the memory of his first wife, Rebecca, still maintains a grip on her husband and the servants, especially on the housekeeper Mrs Danvers. Haunted by her memory, a mystery that lives on even after Rebecca’s death begins to unravel.

Set to be released next month, the film adaptation is directed by Ben Wheatley and will star Armie Hammer as Maxim de Winter, Lily James as Mrs de Winter, and Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs Danvers.

Film Review: Darkest Hour

Directed by Joe Wright and based on true events, Darkest Hour is set in May 1940 when the fate of Western Europe hangs on Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman). With the German Army now just across the Channel, the newly-appointed Prime Minister must decide between negotiating a peace treaty with Hitler, or stand firm and fight on, knowing that his decision could mean a humiliating defeat for Britain and its empire. With the King, the public and his own political party all questioning his wisdom, the hard-drinking Churchill has to survive his own darkest hour and rally the country behind him.

Film Review: Only God Forgives

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Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, and the first reunion with actor Ryan Gosling after working together on the incredible 2011 crime drama Drive, Only God Forgives follows Julian (Gosling), a drug-smuggler thriving in Bangkok’s criminal underworld who runs a drug business under the cover of a Muay Thai boxing club. Julian’s life soon becomes even more complicated, however, when his mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for the death of his brother, Billy (Tom Burke).

DVD Review: Bel Ami

(Written for HeyUGuys)

Directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod with screenplay by Rachel Bennette, Bel Ami is a British period drama based on the 1885 French novel of the same name written by Guy de Maupassant.

Premiered as an Official Selection at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, the film chronicles the life of Georges Duroy (Robert Pattinson), a penniless ex-soldier who travels through 1890s Paris, rising to power through his manipulation of the city’s most influential and wealthy women – Madeleine Forestier (Uma Thurman), Virginie Rousset (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Clotilde de Marelle (Christina Ricci).

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DVD Review: The Woman In The Fifth

(DVD review written for HeyUGuys)

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Directed and written by Pawel Pawlikowski, The Woman In The Fifth is a French-British-Polish mystery thriller based on the novel of the same name by American novelist Douglas Kennedy. An adaptation of this obviously deeply detailed novel, the film is a pensive and psychological drama, but it doesn’t quite fill you in on everything as you are constantly left to detect what’s real and what’s not for yourself.

The Woman In The Fifth centres around a college lecturer named Tom Wicks (Ethan Hawke) who flees to Paris to move closer to his six-year-old daughter Chloe (Julie Papillon), currently living with his estranged wife Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot), as he attempts to escape an implied troubling past couple of years. When robbed of all his possessions on his journey home, Tom takes a job as a watchman for a local crime boss, Sezer (Samir Guesmi), to earn his keep. Here he finds friendship in one of the waitresses, Ania (Joanna Kulig), and eventually begins a relationship with a mysterious widow named Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas), who will only meet Tom at her apartment in the fifth arrondissement. This is when Tom’s world starts to falter, as his relationship with Margit triggers a string of inexplicable events that begin to take control of his life.

‘Bel Ami’ Starring Robert Pattinson Gets US Release Date

(Written for BritScene)

Released in the UK earlier this month, Magnolia Pictures has announced that they are to distribute 1890s Paris set period drama, Bel Ami, and that they have now set a US theatrical release date for the film which stars British actors Robert Pattinson and Kristin Scott Thomas and American actresses Uma Thurman and Christina Ricci.

Brits At The Box Office: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, David Tennant, Mark Strong & More!

(Written for BritScene)

With not a lot of British-related news going on at the box office over the last couple of weeks, things are starting to heat up again with a couple of new releases this week. It’s actually quite a good week for a number of Brits including Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, David Tennant, and Irish comedy actor Chris O’Dowd, with a great selection of films for the next seven days, and we know that you will be happy to see a couple of these in particular on the big screen at last.

TV Spot & 19 New Images of Robert Pattinson in ‘Bel Ami’

(Written for HeyUGuys)

Here’s one for the girls, with a whole 19 new images of Robert Pattinson and a new TV spot for his latest film, Bel Ami, this week.

Directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod with the screenplay written by Rachel Bennette, Bel Ami is a period drama set in 1890s Paris. Pattinson plays the character of George Duroy, a penniless ex-soldier, as the film chronicles his rise to power through his manipulation of the city’s most influential and wealthy women, played by the likes of Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Watch 10 Minutes of Robert Pattinson in ‘Bel Ami’

(Written for BritScene)

Ten minutes worth of clips for British actor Robert Pattinson‘s upcoming film, Bel Ami, have been released online this week.

Set to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this week (17th February), this 1890s Paris based period drama is based on the novel on the same name written by Guy de Maupassant.

New Trailer for ‘Salmon Fishing in The Yemen’

(Written by BritScene)

MSN Movies released a new trailer for the British movie Salmon Fishing in The Yemen last week. Whilst it shows much of the same footage from the first trailer, this latest one portrays the film as much funnier and light-hearted, which in turn made me more interested than I originally was to see it.

New Trailer for ‘Salmon Fishing in The Yemen’

(Written for BritScene)

CBS Films have released the first trailer for Oscar-nominee director Lasse Hallström‘s (Chocolat) Salmon Fishing in The Yemen this week. Written by Oscar-winner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire), Salmon Fishing in The Yemen is an adaptation of Paul Torday‘s acclaimed novel of the same, which follows a scientist hoping to fulfill a sheikh’s dream of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to his homeland.