CineMumBlog

24/04/2026

Took myself off to see PROJECT HAIL MARY and am so bloody glad I saw this in a cinema. I was in movie heaven, just sitting there in the dark that lends itself to outer space, eating some popcorn and loving every single bit of the ride.
I love me some sci-fi, from thinky pieces that question what makes us human aka BLADE RUNNER, EX MACHINA etc, to horror sci-fi like ALIENS & SUNSHINE to fun, space adventures like STAR WARS & THE EDGE OF TOMORROW. This film falls firmly in fun sci-fi while adding some space set-pieces to rival INTERSTELLAR’S grandiose vistas and packs a similar emotional punch but for very different reasons.
Ryan Gosling’s lead character, Ryland Grace, is a kind-of louche but enthusiastic science teacher with failed professional scientist ambitions. The idea that he becomes the last bastion of hope to Earth under threat seems a long shot, but the movie builds his development nicely so you go with it. And it’s Ryan Gosling…an excellent actor with such casual, inoffensive charm, you can’t help but be on his side. Sandra Huller playing the East German head of Project Hail Mary operation, Eva Stratt, is also just fab with an impeccable starkness never overplayed. A particular karaoke scene stands out as a lovely character moment. I will deliberately keep it light on detail on the character, Rocky, because honestly he is a treat too good to spoil.
I went in knowing very little about the plot of this film except that the Earth is in trouble and this Grace guy seems to be our only hope. And that is really all you need to know. It features some unserious science and inventions which makes it highly accessible as a viewer. Even as a longish film, (over 2 & 1/2 hours) the plot moves swiftly between past and present with some masterful editing (should be up for an award) and balances very tense action with heartwarming moments that may well drop a few tears (this was me). In short, this is a fun, unpretentious space-adventure for everyone and deserves to be seen in a cinema where you will get maximum impact from such a well-crafted and satisfying film. Thanks for having me on board ! :)

08/02/2026

Just finished THE MUPPET SHOW revival episode on Disney+ and it was sooo much fun! Being a long-time fan of both The Muppets and Jim Henson productions, I made this a locked in Sunday night event with the family. And what joy’ My 11yo laughed harder with delight watching this than I’ve heard her watching anything for ages. If you are new to THE MUPPET SHOW, think SNL but more family friendly and with quirky puppet characters.
I fully appreciate the effort that has gone into this high production presentation and felt such awe at the incredible, chaotic and lovable puppetry. It’s an art!
The dedication and love for the original show is obvious and the revival has maintained some familiar beats and sketch styles but with higher production values and gloss. It’s so much fun to see current pop culture presented back to us in the brilliantly ridiculous way only The Muppets can.
Sabrina Carpenter with her natural comic showgirl class was a natural choice for first guest and the great riffs between her and idol, Miss Piggy were perfection. Canon faves like Kermit, Fozzy, Gonzo, Beaker etc and new oddities are there and I tell ya, a whole feeling of “oh my, god this is what I needed!!” washed over me.
This is a soft launch by Disney and will need the data to back-up continued support & get more episodes made so please, chuck it on with the fam and enjoy a great night laughing together.

24/05/2024

SH**UN could be the most impeccable TV series I have seen. Certainly it is the best historical drama. Every aspect of this luxe production from actors to the cinematography & editing is of the highest quality. I simply can’t fault any aspect.
Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, SH**UN tells the story of British sailor, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), who along with his crew, arrive in Japan during a time of major unrest between the ruling Council of powerful lords. John comes under the power of the shrewd & intimidating Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) & this unfamiliar culture will come to change his life, forever. Based loosely on real people & history, the epic story is one you will never forget.
While John might appear the main protagonist, he is really just part of an incredible ensemble of Japanese characters speaking mainly Japanese (subtitled) throughout. And it was utterly thrilling. The series demands our utter attention & we are brought in, like John, to learn about this ancient Japanese culture, people & the intrigues & power plays afoot.
I was truly thrown by some of the performances & none more so than a sensational Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Toranaga. If he seems a familiar face it is because he has had roles in many blockbuster films like BULLET TRAIN, 47 RONIN & SUNSHINE. It is thrilling to watch him play such a meaty and key part in SH**UN. Another special mention goes to Anna Sawai (MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS) as the extremely talented & beautiful but tortured Toda Mariko. Her performance has my whole heart & she is, in many ways, the true hero of the show. Cosmo Jarvis is just so enjoyable as fish-out-of-water, but cunning John. He has a highly watchable quality, rather like a softer yet still gruff Tom Hardy. I could go on, there are so many remarkable performances in this show. It reminded me of GAME OF THRONES when it began. All incredible characters & full of plotting.
SH**UN should not be missed. It has everything you could want. Beauty, action, intrigue, romance and the kind of dramatic movements that leave you speechless such is their emotional power. Enjoy!

05/09/2023

Some enchanted morning, with coffee in hand, I took myself off to see THE LITTLE MERMAID. The 1989 animation classic was my first Disney obsession. I persuaded people to take me to see it 5 times at the cinema so my excitement for this live-action version was high. I have felt a tad disappointed by previous Disney live-actions, finding them often overblown and a tad stilted. The same cannot be said for THE LITTLE MERMAID and the whole experience was magical. This is the best live-action interpretation they have done.
The casting is absolute perfection. Halle Bailey is the perfect Ariel with her truly sublime voice but also her ability to capture the sweet, stubborn naïveté and idealism of the character. And Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric is just lovely with an undeniable chemistry with Bailey. As I got older and had my own daughter, I started to side more with King Triton (gasp) when watching the original. Ariel is 15…too young to leave home and get married!! This version brought all the joy in the romance back to me and in no small part due to these performances and the extra scenes and songs (penned by the iconic Lin-Manuel Miranda). Javier Bardem makes a truly magnificent King Triton and I nearly bowed down off my seat to the floor to Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. I mean….LADY SMASHED IT.
To note, I did not take my sensitive 8yo to see the film and it is a bit scarier than the original. With a sense of real world underwater shadows and lighting, this creates an eerie atmosphere to the underwater sequences. And in live-action, some of the intense sequences just become that bit more intense.
But I loved every magical moment of it and fell in love with the story all over again. Can’t wait to share it with my daughter when she is ready and I can’t recommend it enough! Coming to Disney Plus today Wed 6 Sep! 💙🧜🏾‍♀️

07/04/2023

This pic could be my face while watching DAISY JONES & THE SIX ❤️ We are let behind-the-scenes into the genesis of an imagined major rock band with a Fleetwood-Mac-esque sound (a major inspo for the story is this 1970s band). The journey, both professional & personal, is thrilling. Impressively, the actors were trained as musicians & singers to a remarkable level. You can listen to the absolute banger of a soundtrack now.
DJ&TS explores the fallout that occurs when extremely talented & creative individuals, Daisy Jones (Riley Keough) and Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin), are thrown together professionally. Like a bolt of lightning, they challenge & fascinate each other with repercussions for all. But this is no sensationalist rock drama. Yes there is s*x, drugs & rock n’roll, but it’s tamer than BRIDGERTON and with more soul than ALMOST FAMOUS. The story is refreshingly mature with human struggles that pull you right into these characters.
The casting is perfection, not a weak note among them. The two leads, Daisy and Billy, need to be equals; both talented, charismatic & tortured (but not too tortured that it’s tedious). Both Keough & Claflin achieve this fine balance with an ease & magnetism that is a real hook for the show. It’s genuinely thrilling to watch them light up the stage. Keough’s Daisy grabbed my heart & didn’t let go. Her unapologetic confidence, fragility & joy beam through her whole self & her earnest eyes. Claflin does a magnificent job of balancing the brusque ego of a talented, frontman with the obvious cracks of teetering on the edge of losing all he holds dear.
Every actor breathes a special energy & light to their character. Camila Morrone as Camila Dunne has a heroine’s commanding presence and grace that is instantly sympathetic. The remaining characters played by Will Harrison (Graham), Suki Waterhouse (Karen), Josh Whitehouse (Eddie), Sebastian Chacon (Warren), Nabiyah Be (Daisy’s singer friend, Simone), Tom Wright (Teddy) & an always welcome Timothy Olyphant (Rod) are all dynamic with compelling story arcs.
As a fan of the book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I had been looking forward to this series. It surpassed all my hopes!

20/02/2023

I am utterly thrilled to see Emma Mackey receive the BAFTA Rising Star Award. I saw Frances O’Connor’s EMILY film starring Mackey in the lead role as Emily Bronte in January. Mackey was just brilliant and so sensitive in her performance. Clearly she is one of those rare actors that can convey a whole inner world with the tiniest flicker of expression, it was a lovely performance.
This film has stayed with me since watching as I thought it was a remarkably beautiful work. EMILY is not an exact factual biography, and does imaginatively tweak aspects of the Bronte story as far as it is known. But what it manages to do is convince you of an imaginative, emotionally accurate portrait of Emily Bronte. You can utterly sense and feel that the experiences and feelings as shown in the film, though imaginatively recreated, could give rise to the author that gave us Wuthering Heights as well as her stunning poems. It was a film of rare conviction with every performance ringing true with special mention to Oliver Jackson-Cohen (as William Weightman), Fionn Whitehead (as Bramwell Bronte) and Alexandra Dowling (as Charlotte Bronte).
It was also a stunning cinematographic work, with those trees and moors whispering their mysteries to the audience along with the characters. And the just sublime soundtrack by Abel Korzeniowski (A SINGLE MAN, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS) is my new go-to calm-the-soul soundtrack.
Frances O’Connor has created a rare treat, a sensitive, beautiful story masterfully told, which I found more moving than many of the WUTHERING HEIGHTS film adaptations I have seen. And Emma Mackey, I look so forward to where you go from here, splendid work! ❤️🌱

27/07/2022

THE LAST UNICORN (1982), my all-time favourite animation, is turning 40 this year with a special celebration being held this Saturday 30th July @ Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Featuring a very special screening of a restored cut of the film and in person appearances by screenwriter and author of the original book, Peter S. Beagle, and producer Michael Chase Walker.
The film has been painstakingly restored cel by cel by a gorgeous group of people who you can follow .
And at https://www.thelastunicorn40th.com/
And keep track of more special events.

Apart from its truly stunning animation and incredible voice performances (featuring Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee), I think what makes this film so remarkable is it’s unusual, quite adult world-weary perspective on the world it depicts. The unicorn encounters humans and fellow travellers that feel weathered, like life has left its scars, and we see a few of these ordinary folk lifted up, made heroic and given hope. The language is a fusion: Shakespearean, poetic, lyrical and casual-modern. Magic itself is shown as not merely light and fun but glorious, flawed and dangerous, sometimes demanding sacrifice. And this makes magic in the film seem believable and enthralling. Life, quests, adventure and love are not without risks but ultimately they are worth it. These are heady themes for young children but also what makes the film so mesmerising for children and adults alike.

put together a really nice list of reasons why this animation is so special and you can read it here:
https://collider.com/reasons-your-kids-should-watch-the-last-unicorn/

I watched the film recently with my 7yo daughter and was delighted to see the film weave its very special magic on her. If you have not yet, do seek out this unique journey for yourself. And read the stunning, classic book by Peter S. Beagle, with a new edition out now. See for more details 🦄❤️✨

25/07/2022

My favourite animation is turning 40 this year with a special celebration being held on the 30th July @ Academy Museum of Motion Pictures this weekend, including a very special screening of a restored cut of the film 🌺🦄❤️
The film has been painstakingly restored cel by cel by a gorgeous group of people who you can follow @ The Last Unicorn 40th Anniversary .

Check out their website for more details:
https://www.thelastunicorn40th.com

Here are just some reasons this film is so unique and beautiful as summed up by Collider.

Rankin/Bass made a lot of animated classics but The Last Unicorn may be its masterpiece and there are lots of reasons to watch it with your kids.

28/06/2022

TOP GUN: MAVERICK is some of the most fun I have ever had at the cinema. What an absolute, roaring treat of a film. Tom Cruise never disappoints as an entertainer and this film is a gift to any TOP GUN fan with all you could want.
TOP GUN:MAV often mirrors the flow of the original film with familiar scenes, but never offers a dull copy. In fact it provides that rare nostalgia that builds on the original and makes both films even better. Without offering spoilers there is Tom Cruise at his absolute best as Maverick, a more mature romance for Mav with Penny (played by an ever stunning Jennifer Connolly) and a continuation of the Mav and Goose story through Goose and Carole’s son, Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’, played superbly by Miles Teller (who bears an uncanny resemblance to the imagined child of Goose (Anthony Edwards) and Carole (Meg Ryan)).
But the real stars of the film and the necessity for a trip to the cinema, are all the aerial dogfight scenes with fast, beautiful, jets doing crazy stunts and a mission which feels somewhat grounded in reality. I just love action where you can really understand the architecture of the challenge and this is what TOP GUN:MAV does best, perhaps better than any other film I know. When it is time for our pilots to head out on their mission, we are comrades right along with them. And my god what a thrill-ride that is.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is a true companion piece to the original film. You will laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel exhilarated and you will think “I don’t like that look, Mav” are some of the best words in film. And you will love those beautiful fighter planes including the new Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and classic F-14 Tomcats and that roar off a jet carrier. And most of all feel awe for that special talent of the pilots that fly those glittering, sleek beasts through the skies. Believe everyone, this is a must-see at the cinema.

24/06/2022

ELVIS, the new movie by Baz Luhrmann is a towering accomplishment. Even the thought of attempting to emulate Elvis Presley (aka The King) for the big screen, made me nervous. Very nervous. But Luhrmann damn well pulls it off. And Austin Butler took my breath away as Elvis. My mind felt like tricks were being played on it...how had this young actor achieved what he has? The moves, the voice, the manner, the look and both the danger and the charm...all there. It seemed to work a double lens on me. I was both moved by the story of the King and simultaneously enthralled by the obvious and immense effort and work by Butler, which in its sheer scale, can only be described as some kind of magic.
The film is quite long, nearly 3 hours, and can be described as split into 2 acts; the first act, a series of connected tableaus or montages spinning you in Baz’s glitzy kaleidoscopic style through the early stages of Presley’s life until we start to slow down around meeting Priscilla and the Christmas TV special of 1968. You are able to fully appreciate Austin’s Elvis from here and the poignant pay-off for your journey so far.
It is important to keep in mind that the story of Elvis can be seen as a tragedy on a Shakespearean scale. Our core narrator is Elvis’s long-time manager, Colonel Tom Parker, (an excellent but creepy Tom Hanks). Parker is a Faustian character and untrustworthy narrator reminding you that this story has edge ...and real darkness. Perhaps a flaw with the film is a little too much time with Colonel Parker? But he certainly serves an important role in Elvis’s life and has one of the best, most revealing lines in the film about Elvis’s vital need for the love of his fans.
I have a soft-spot for Baz Luhrmann films and count MOULIN ROUGE, ROMEO + JULIET & STRICTLY BALLROOM as favourites. Watching a really fabulous, very good Luhrmann film is like experiencing a kind of beautiful, fantastical magic trick or dream. There is sublime gorgeousness and glitter but at its soul is real empathy, life and love. ELVIS is one of his greatest tricks and I’m going to hold onto its magic aftertaste for as long as I can.