tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48989237178046453562012-02-21T14:07:48.034ZJohnny Messias is a journalist who writes about and reviews film, television and shiny discs.johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-74550866488327033292012-02-12T13:03:00.000Z2012-02-21T14:07:48.071Z

My feature article on War Horse, in conversation with director Steven Spielberg. Published Friday 13th January 2012. What do you make next if you are Steven Spielberg, director of so many esteemed and diverse films from the last 40 years...

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-470140234940007602012-01-24T14:00:00.000Z2012-01-24T14:26:04.249Z

You sit there in the cinema waiting for dialogue. For what seems like an eternity, sure he’s expressive you think so WHY ISN’T HE TALKING? But enough about George Smiley in Tinker, Taylor, Soldier Spy, this year everyone loves The Artist. The Artist is lovely. Lovingly crafted, lovingly scored, lovingly acted and the reason it will win everything from the Regional Critics Film Awards (yes, I

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-91787444951875068872011-12-23T21:25:00.003Z2011-12-24T19:13:13.904Z

It's been a week of massive trailers. First up was The Dark Knight Rises second trailer, then The Hobbit, a full year before release - both well received by excited fans. It looks like Ridley Scott may have trumped both of those with a first full trailer for his new space epic, Prometheus. Now Scott is probably one of the best visual stylists in mainstream cinema, so a return to sci-fi, and to

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-5898206695343153722011-12-01T22:06:00.001Z2011-12-01T23:27:38.524Z

It seems Hollywood is now inspired by theatrical events in Stoke Newington. Gird yourselves for John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe himself in a new version of The Raven coming in March 2012. The trailer seems to suggest this is Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, meets The Three Muscateers meets a moustache-twirling Seven. It is actually directed by James McTiegue, of the nearly good V for Vendetta.

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-43863382122040754702011-11-27T21:39:00.001Z2011-11-28T10:32:16.951Z

Prepare to be chilled to the marrow. Poe: Macabre Resurrections is a theatrical piece currently being performed at St Mary's Old Church in Stoke Newington, North London. Fans of the macabre and the dark soul of Edgar Allan Poe need to get themselves to this before December 4th - it is so damn good: a) it warrants a non-film entry b) I'm going to use the wanky term coup de theatre for it. Local

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-45958977439103153932011-10-31T07:32:00.000Z2011-11-02T14:32:45.716Z

Justin Timberlake stars in this sci-fi actioner where everyone is permanently frozen at 25 years old, like living with Hugh Hefner. We’re transported into this high-concept world by writer-director Andrew Niccol, who brought us the dystopias of Gattaca and The Truman Show. This is one of his lesser works but the premise is still juicy. In a genetically engineered future, humans are programmed

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-81118801929670725712011-10-30T09:38:00.000Z2011-10-31T10:22:56.666Z

George Clooney’s political thriller boasts a great cast and snappy dialogue. However an under-powered script suggests people are getting carried away with praise, pre Oscar season. Any fan of The West Wing will tell you that campaign politics are all about backroom deals and handsome strategy wonks ping-ponging dialogue over 20 hour working days. George Clooney’s adaptation of Beau Willimon’s

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-9615837458932752122011-10-24T18:30:00.002+01:002011-10-27T10:38:38.993+01:00

One of the only images from Shame we can show without age verification.Michael Fassbender continues his unstoppable rise in Shame, an art film that is both hypnotic and brave even when it seems to dare you to look away. You'll come out wanting to scrub yourself with hand-gel but not in a Contagion way. In director Steve McQueen’s second feature, Fassbender plays Brandon a young executive in New

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-80279870137733400772011-10-06T11:22:00.001+01:002011-10-06T11:30:08.480+01:00

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life,” Jobs said. “Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-37977380239464184562011-08-01T09:21:00.013+01:002011-09-25T22:43:55.399+01:00

Captain America: The First Avenger is Marvel studios' last curtain raiser before The Avengers in 2012. I reviewed the 3D version for The-void.co.uk, the extra 'D' was not required but the movie was fun, fast moving and light-hearted.Just as the US trade deficit threatens to recast the country as a global weakling, along comes Captain America. Proud, decisive and muscular, he’s here to kick

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-45756278405430191522011-07-25T19:40:00.011+01:002011-07-25T21:42:12.822+01:00

Kate Winslet stars in HBOs lavish mini-series Mildred Pierce. Based on James M Cain's novel, it was last filmed in 1945 starring Joan Crawford and Jack Carson. Director Todd Haynes, who brought a modern sensibility to 1950s scenes in Far from Heaven again brings his eye for frank sexuality and strong women to bear in this five-parter which has just aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK.I reviewed all

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-27533093710882157152011-06-20T23:45:00.001+01:002011-06-20T23:47:16.053+01:00

If you’re over 30 and you don’t want to play superhero Top Trumps at the multiplex, tough titties. It is now all about who has the best pixels, the most righteous pecs and the cutest back-story. You will also need to know whose villains are best at hiding their British or Commonwealth accents and dishing out the ham. On nearly all counts it won’t be the yawnsome Green Lantern.Read more of my

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-20514223026583071902011-03-30T06:54:00.002+01:002011-03-30T07:08:25.640+01:00

It's Friday April 1st and having dismissed the news (Mel Gibson in Ten Commandments remake! etc) you want to go to the movies. So which big, glossy Hollywood movie should you see?Check out my Source Code review for a science fiction action film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Duncan Jones (Moon).Dip into my non-review of Sucker Punch - extreme circumstances meant I was unable to complete

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-23129212841980123432011-02-27T16:03:00.001Z2011-02-27T16:03:50.652Z

Tonight at the Oscars all of Hollywood is united in one thought. Thank hell Ricky Gervais isn’t here. Sure it is all a massive PR back-slap-athon designed to sell more product but hey; it can also be a fun way to spend five hours of your life while overdosing on pringles and tequila.I’m not an old fart yet but I hark back to the days of Billy Crystal’s assured handling of the Telecast. He would

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-42547373743504963202011-02-22T22:18:00.012Z2011-02-23T14:47:57.207Z

For the true artiste award ceremonies are bunkum. Blah blah blah. Yeah we know. But imagine an artist who has made his name by being anonymous. Now put him in a room with people so famous they have to be replaced by cardboard cut-outs when they go to the toilet. Yay, Banksy at the Oscars. I love it that an Academy executive (imagine a ponytail) has said: ”The fun but disquieting scenario is that

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-23222659254090672042011-02-13T18:37:00.008Z2011-02-13T19:24:43.159Z

Tiaras, tantrums and tit-tape. But enough about Jonathan Ross. This is the Baftas 2011. We all know Colin Firth is going to both win and deliver a humble, pithy speech. We also know The King's Speech is going to be announced best film. So where's the fun at tonight?Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producerClio Bernard, a film lecturer in Whitstable is nominated for The Abor, and

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-47656989291433902062011-01-18T07:01:00.007Z2011-01-18T10:41:41.702Z

Let's get the obvious part out of the way: The King's Speech is a lovely film and perfectly accomplished in every department. From set dressers, to sound editors, to director Tom Hooper and his actors - I mean c'mon, they even have Derek Jacobi and Michael Gambon in supporting roles....but the main story will be Colin Firth, who even your grandma who hasn't been to the pictures since Gone with

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-59506111638792666282010-12-20T22:47:00.003Z2010-12-20T22:52:10.630Z

The other 2010 release that is not really ‘about facebook’ is a compelling conundrum that will slot into many people’s top ten lists for the year.While superlatives should be attached to Catfish for filmmaking style, originality and for the journey it takes the audience on, it presents a problem for the reviewer. The less you know about it - going in - the better. And once you have seen it,

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-26673615929590665042010-11-24T22:30:00.008Z2010-12-20T22:46:56.811Z

I have to admit the movie Catfish has left me stumped tonight. For starters its going to be a bugger to review. Yes it slots straight into my top ten of 2010, as the other great movie that's not really 'about' facebook, but the less you know about it the better. I'll go further, you may almost need to know nothing about it to appreciate it. The more I want to rave about this movie, the more I

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-14242573811083629982010-11-08T22:06:00.001Z2010-11-08T22:08:09.303Z

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-43725419685576277162010-11-07T21:46:00.003Z2010-11-23T18:21:02.707Z

In short: Phonebooth in a coffin with a blackberry. It works against its limitations: a quirky thriller to catch.Claustrophobics may want to look away now. Or don’t if you fancy confronting your ultimate worse case scenario.Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) wakes in pitch-black darkness, bound and buried alive in a wooden coffin. No, he’d not been on a stag weekend in Swansea, he’s a civilian truck

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-45376913581342773482010-11-07T21:33:00.003Z2010-11-23T18:29:29.781Z

In short: a funny romp with lots of rural Brits getting snobby and hot underthe collar over sex, and Gemma Arterton having fun.Tamara Drewe is a darkly humourous romp based on English manners and infidelity, adapted from Posy Simmonds’ comic strip, directed with customary skill by Stephen Frears (The Queen), and starring Gravesend’s very own, Gemma Arterton. In her best role yet, Arterton’s

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-31401194649232256092010-07-28T11:00:00.000+01:002010-07-28T11:00:33.552+01:00

Inception (*****Five stars)

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-76809835303360009552010-07-23T17:45:00.000+01:002010-07-23T17:45:01.175+01:00

Toy Story 3 (*****)

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4898923717804645356.post-11378041400245323072010-06-02T14:06:00.013+01:002011-10-27T09:03:31.394+01:00

Ladies put down your Luella Classic Baby Gisele handbag: SATC2 is utter tripe.Let's get some things straight, I have consulted with genuine females* and gay men before writing this and in my time I have watched and enjoyed the TV adventures of Carrie and co. I thought the first movie outing was abysmal: a pornographic celebration of label culture, a plainly stupid plot about two people who fail

johnnymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06972060411143610979noreply@blogger.com0