Tag: 2015

Film

‘Ant Man,’ directed by Peyton Reed

Movie, 2015 Super-hero film which swerves around being half-way great entertainment, to occasional ludicrous, too-stretched daft, to just a little confusing, in either the too real stupid action scenes and intertextuality with other Marvel characters. It feels as if the tropes and clichés are given the twist of including intelligent yet brainwashed ants. That’s about it. Otherwise, you have removed parents, a protégé gone bad, … Continue reading ‘Ant Man,’ directed by Peyton Reed

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Book

‘The Sellout,’ by Paul Beatty

Novel, 2015 Terrific, fast-paced novel, in which black identities, cultures and essences are examined and explored with and through old minstrel actors, vanishing city names in Los Angeles ghettos and various intellectuals and bus drivers, fighting questions of who they are and how they should behave. A real gritty and trippy ride, with some great angles and attitudes along the way; the questions of other … Continue reading ‘The Sellout,’ by Paul Beatty

Andy Kingston1 Comment
Film

‘A Walk in the Woods,’ directed by Ken Kwapis

Movie, 2015 Part buddy movie, part road movie, part environmental comment, in which Bill Bryson and his improbably addled friend set off to hike the notoriously unforgiving, 2,000 mile long Appalachian Trail. Robert Redford and Nick Nolte are even more grizzled than the bears they encounter, and deliver a decent, solid if hardly pulse-busting film. Gorgeous scenery, pot shots against all consuming ambition and the … Continue reading ‘A Walk in the Woods,’ directed by Ken Kwapis

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

“The Program”, directed by Stephen Frears

Movie, 2015 Account of the tragic rise and fall of American cyclist Lance Armstrong, and an expose and account of how his doping regime in his team led him to win the Tour de France seven times. Armstrong is played as a man hellbent on winning; while there is some sympathy for his suffering Cancer, for most of the film, that desire and dedication to … Continue reading “The Program”, directed by Stephen Frears

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

“Good Night and Good Riddance,” by David Cavanagh

Non-fiction, 2015 Examination of John Peel’s radio broadcasting career, through a chronology of some the dj’s shows. A book by an admirer rather than a blinkered fan, and obviously a music enthusiast with a turn of words. If some of the contextual details feel a little particular, this is no disaster, as the book moves along nicely, painting a picture of Peel and some of … Continue reading “Good Night and Good Riddance,” by David Cavanagh

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

“Gutshot,” by Amelia Gray

Fiction, 2015 Collection of short, usually very pithy narratives which feel confusing and almost confrontational on occasion. At their best – and there are one or two crackers – humour shines through the savagery of life and death situations and corporeal failings. There are, however, a number of less engaging pieces which, for whatever reason, don’t quite hit home. Still, well worth checking out for … Continue reading “Gutshot,” by Amelia Gray

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

“The Big Short”, directed by Adam McKay

Movie, 2015 Comedy drama based on the banking collapse in the USA in 2008, which in turn, led to a global financial disaster. One of those films whose strengths are also its frustrations; the greed and systematic complicity keeping bankers ahead and feeding on those lower in the wealth chain deserves blowing to pieces. Maybe a film like this can help. Stylish narrative tricks and … Continue reading “The Big Short”, directed by Adam McKay

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

"The Revenant," directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Movie, 2015 Revenge family drama in the trappers’ Wild West, with a bear-attack, some mastery in muttering and portrayals of Indians which feel a little tired and old-fashioned. The sentiments and narrative also feel a little overdone, but against all these criticisms, the locations are stunning and brought out by some wonderful photography. The action sequences are full of grit and gore, and things are … Continue reading "The Revenant," directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

"The Story of My Teeth," by Valeria Luiselli

Novel, 2015 A novel about an auctioneer who loses his teeth when he’s robbed of everything he has, and the lives of those around him. This is a book whose narrative and conception are acutely self-referential, which cuts the flow, though doesn’t entirely bring things to a halt. A bold work which only half comes off – there’s much to admire, but the book has … Continue reading "The Story of My Teeth," by Valeria Luiselli

Andy KingstonLeave a comment
Uncategorized

"Black Mountain Poets", directed by Jamie Adams

Movie, 2015 Low key love story among a group of poets on a retreat in the rainy greenery of Wales. While this is a piece which works well enough and delivers some good moments, there’s also something uneasy in the satire, which feels a little self-referential and apologetic. Lo-fi attacks low achievement; indie attacking independent, but with no incisive comment or defence. For all this, … Continue reading "Black Mountain Poets", directed by Jamie Adams

Andy KingstonLeave a comment