Reviews

Category: Reviews

‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ movie review

Ben Stiller is one of those performers who’s created such a recognisable niche in comedy that he’s almost become a genre in and of himself.

If you go and see a Ben Stiller film, you pretty much know what you’re going to get. That’s not a criticism – Stiller is an able performer, and frequently very funny. With The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, however, Stiller defies expectations and proves that he has far more strings to his bow.

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‘Downton Abbey’ Christmas 2013 special review

Downton Abbey never fails to over-promise and under-deliver. There is, at least, a kind of consistency in this; but it makes for exasperating viewing. After the calamitous events of last Christmas’s festive episode, this year, writer Julian Fellowes was taking no chances. Like an over-cautious Christmas tree decorator, he sought to take his characters out … >

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‘Yonderland’ finale: ‘Dirty Ernie’ review

Negatus’ kinks are further developed in this finale, as his boss Imperatrix is due to arrive to sort things out herself, due to Negatus’ incompetence. In disguise as a tramp (the titular Ernie), Negatus plans to destroy Debbie once and for all. Along the way he learns that being pure motiveless evil isn’t necessarily great for your self-esteem.

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‘Coriolanus’ play review

One of the less popular of Shakespeare’s tragedies, it’s a rare treat to see a stage production of Coriolanus.

One of the main reasons it’s not in as popular as Macbeth, King Lear and Hamlet is audiences find Coriolanus impenetrable. Reflective moments are few and far between amidst scenes of blood and thunder and political intrigue. There is little in terms of soliloquies, which are hallmarks of his greatest plays.

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‘Atlantis’ Episode 12: ‘Touched by the Gods – Part One’ review

With the werewolf shenanigans of ‘Hunger Pangs’ past, and not even referenced, the opening part of Atlantis’s Christmas-straddling finale was rooted in earlier events. Returning in a dream that saw Hercules dead, Jason was reminded of the fateful bargain he struck with Pasiphae’s vengeful sister, the witch Circe. It was a creepy and effective start to a storyline full of promise.

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‘The Great Train Robbery’: ‘A Copper’s Tale’ review

Shouldn’t Jim Broadbent have been classed as a National Treasure by now? Kept in The Tower of London with the Crown and whatnot, only to be released so that he can appear in top quality drama? Broadbent is, and always has been, the big birthday cake of drama – seeing him at once both excites and reassures. You know you’re in for something special.

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‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ musical review

Full of brash lights and gorgeous colours, Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert rolls into Brighton for the holiday season. What there is in plot, you could hide under two and a half sequins, but that hardly matters when the camp is pitched to the highest level and the audience are having a wonderful time.

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‘The Great Train Robbery’: ‘A Robber’s Tale’ review

It wasn’t always called ‘The Great Train Robbery’, but history has a way of swaddling itself in mythology.

Back in 1963 it was known as ‘The Cheddington Mail Van Raid’. And in the same way as that title removes any notion of excitement and romanticism from the act, so Chris Chibnall’s A Robber’s Tale strips away the mythology that has crystallised around the greatest folkloric tale in British larceny and presents us with the facts (or as close to them) of what was a train robbery that time wrongly mythologised into something ‘Great’.

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‘Sherlock’ spoiler-free review: ‘The Empty Hearse’

The wait is over everyone. After a two-year gap, Sherlock is back for three more devilishly intricate, deliriously fun episodes. Written by co-creator Mark Gatiss (who also appears as Sherlock’s older brother Mycroft), first episode ‘The Empty Hearse’ sees our curly-haired hero “return from the dead” after two years travelling the world and dismantling Jim … >

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