There comes a time, very rarely, where the term enlightened and delightful can be used in the context of a single film. Thankfully, Locke is that film. Being titled and awarding our main protagonist with the surname of one of the pioneers of the age of enlightenment, the father of classical liberalism and a philosopher who contributed endlessly to the notion of identity and that enigmatic term, ‘the self’, it seems only fitting to have one actor have the privilege to don John Locke’s prestigious name while manoeuvring the concrete highways of Birmingham, England, and that is one of our generation’s most promising talents, the one and only Tom Hardy.
Ruth Wilson
Review: Saving Mr. Banks
The fact that I have never seen Mary Poppins should not compromise the extent of happiness that I experienced as a youngster. Yes, it may seem a bit bizarre that I never indulged in Julie Andrew’s Oscar winning performance and one of the most iconic screen roles of all time, but the fact of the matter is, Mary Poppins is a definite Disney film classic whether or not I have seen it. And although I may be in the minority of film critics who have never had the opportunity to see Poppins, I can assure you that it would have not changed my mind on the overall result of John Lee Hancock‘s cookie-cutter retelling film Saving Mr. Banks. Formulaic, emotionally manipulating and typical in Disney’s ugly duckling to sparkling swan narrative arc, Mr.Banks needs a lot more saving than it thinks. Continue reading