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STAR WARS: The Last Jedi review

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STAR WARS: The Last Jedi starring Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher  directed by Rian Johnson A review by Helen J. Reynolds The Last Jedi (episode VIII) follows on immediately after The Force Awakens , with the rebellion fighting the good fight but with fewer numbers and just one hope: Luke Skywalker. But before we go to him, we're thrown first into battle. The opening gives us an emotionally charged bomb-squad sequence commanded by Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaacs) that sets the tone for the movie.  Poe's way of fighting is bold and gutsy: he goes rogue on orders, treats his enemies with humourous contempt and is fearless in action, but in this new era of Star Wars he is far, far away from being hailed a hero. In fact for most of the movie, his instincts truly endanger the rebellion. As Admiral Holden (Laura Dern) deftly puts it, 'A trigger happy fly boy is the last thing we need right now'.  This is as much Poe's movie as it is Rey's. Wh...
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THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES review

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THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris A review of Helen J. Reynolds Based loosely on the lives of tennis players Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), focusing on their famous match pitting men against women. This is an enjoyable film that has a lot of relevance to the current social and political climate. An almost incredible event: a then 55 year-old retired athlete believed he would easily be able to beat a 29 year old, world number one champion - simply because he was a man and she a woman. It's an idea that nowadays no-one who knows anything about sport would think let alone set a $100,000 bet on. The circus surrounding Bobby and his exaggerated rhetoric reflects the political culture we're currently experiencing. Billie even said herself that she didn't take him seriously; rather, it's the followers of the Bobby-esque cult that were the real worry. Whil...
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Christmas Movies

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You know you’re getting old when Christmas movies are purely a DVD dive instead of a cinema visit. They just don’t make ’em like they used to ... Here are my top five:  The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992) A classic within a classic. Best to view on Christmas Eve for that moment when Kermit's coming home from work and stops for a skate and a song with the penguins, and you realise it really is ‘just one more sleep til Chrissstmasss’. Also enjoyable is the Santa Cam when we fly across the rooftops in Scroorge’s past. Can there be anything more Christmassy than Victorian chimneys in the snow? Love Actually (2003) Actually my partner’s favourite – it’s filled with enough humour that men need not run to the hills rather than watching this ‘chick flick’. Yes, that warm fuzzy feeling is all around and could be stomach churning for those with a high gag reflex. However, the relationships are centred in truth, often without the ro...
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