The 89th Annual Academy Awards: Head vs. Heart

This Sunday marks the annual ceremony in Hollywood where the biggest, most prestigious prizes are given out to celebrate what the assorted members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences deem to be the best selection of films and performances over the past year in cinema. Though I often end up agreeing with…

Moonlight (2016)

With less than a week to go to the big day, I can now officially say that I have seen all of the films nominated for Best Picture. The final nominee to hit British screens this week is Moonlight, the main contender, according to critics anyway, to steal the prize from the picture that many…

Hidden Figures (2016)

There are many different kinds of films that I have special affection for, musicals being one, Disney animations being another and modern Westerns also being held in high esteem. Another genre of movie that seems to get me every single time is that of the ‘secret history’ story, those movies that shine a light on…

Fences (2016)

Next up on my whistle stop tour of Oscar nominated pictures is Fences, a big screen adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize winning 1983 play. Both starring and directed by Denzel Washington, the film is coming in to the Academy Awards ceremony with four nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, so…

20th Century Women (2016)

Though this time in my cinematic year is usually taken up by all of the films that have been nominated for acting and Best Picture awards at the Oscars, 20th Century Women, a partially autobiographical story of director Mike Mill’s early life, had been on my radar of interest for some time. Filled with performers…

Loving (2016)

Welcome to February, or as I like to call it, scampering around trying to see all of the Oscar nominated movies before the ceremony-ary. Next on the list comes Loving, a Jeff Nichols film that, to be honest, didn’t grab me as one to watch during its publicity run, but nevertheless one that I dutifully…