Movie scene : Babylon

 

BABYLON (Film of the Month spot)

Credit: Paramount

After delivering box-office magic with the likes of La La Land, Whiplash and First Man, writer/director Damien Chazelle upscales his big screen vision once again with Babylon, a gloriously excessive ode to classic Hollywood. 

Think of an 18-rated The Artist, with a dash of Mulholland Drive thrown in, and you have an idea of what to expect here. Depicting all the glitz, glamour, debauchery and decadence of the era, the story follows various characters as they carve their own paths to stardom. The sensational Margot Robbie shines as Nellie LaRoy, a wild-child actress looking to make it big in Tinseltown. Brad Pitt is on the other side of the coin as Jack Conrad, an established box-office superstar who must adjust with ever changing times. When he hires Manny Torres (Diego Calva) to be his assistant, the three navigate the magical and dangerous world of Los Angeles – a vibrant and sometimes nefarious beast that will swallow up anyone indiscriminately. An amazing ensemble including Jean Smart, Olivia Wilde and Jovan Adepo help propel this into must-see territory.

Movie Review

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

Credit: Universal

The wait is finally over for the original cast members of the most popular dinosaur blockbuster of all-time to unite with their modern reboot counterparts. After the events of Jurassic World: 

Fallen Kingdom, the unthinkable has happened and now dinosaurs are on the loose. Will humankind be replaced as the apex predators of this world? In a frantic bid for survival, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) team up with original franchise heroes Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) in a blistering action-adventure, and a fitting grand stage finale to the (second) Jurassic era.

Film Review

THE LUNA CINEMA (in the film of the month slot)

Credit: 20th Century Fox (Moulin Rouge)

The Luna Cinema always delivers outstanding events and is a true highlight of the capital’s summer calendar. They’ve been established for a long time now and have become the market leaders in outdoor film. 

With threads that include a Drive-In cinema, a Brighton Beach event and specialised kids screenings, their full slate now returns across the country and their London line-up is as fantastic as always. Famed for their staggering list of truly draw-dropping venues, The Luna Cinema always has an unforgettable experience in mind. This year the likes of The Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre, The Old Royal Naval College, Hampton Court and Westminster Abbey all play host to legendary movies like No Time To Die, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars and Clueless

Film Review

ELVIS

Credit: Warner Bros

Visionary director Baz Luhrmann – responsible for stone cold classics like Moulin Rouge, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby – tackles the greatest rock and roll superstar of all time in this absorbing and well-made biopic. 

Starring Austin Butler as the king himself Elvis Presley, the film focuses on the rise of the legend. With an all-star ensemble attached too, including Tom Hanks, Richard Roxburgh, Luke Bracey, Olivia DeJonge, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Kodi Smit-McPhee and Dacre Montgomery, Elvis is a definitive account of an icon. Full of fantastic performances and top-tapping hits, this is a sure-fire success you won’t want to miss.

Movie Review

DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS

Credit: Warner Bros

There’s a lot of untapped potential in the vaults of DC Comics. Their live action films have had varying degrees of success lately, and their straight to DVD feature-length animation slate has been an ever-present force for well over 15 years.

So now DC look to a winning formula, by featuring everyone’s favourite super-pets in a gorgeous animation style that befits such a big studio film. Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne ‘The  Rock’ Johnson) and the Man of Steel himself Superman (voiced by John Krasinski) are crime-fighting best friends in Metropolis. But when Superman is kidnapped, Krypto must embrace his inner hero to mount a rescue mission, with a little help from Ace (Kevin Hart), the canine companion of The Batman (Keanu Reeves). This is a wonderful family movie that really utilises the DC superhero slate to full effect.