March 30, 2020, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Sam Ashurst

Writer: Sam Ashurst

Cast: Elf Lyons, Hazel Townsend, Dane Baptiste

Producers: Sam Ashurst, Elf Lyons

Music: Lottie Depresstival

Cinematography: Sam Ashurst

Editor: Sam Ashurst

Cert: 18 (TBC)

Running time: 76mins

Year: 2020

What’s the story: Film director Stanley Durall (Ashurst) records an audio commentary to accompany his once-banned debut film, God’s Lonely Woman, plus interspersed behind-the-scenes footage. As Durall recounts the shoot, disturbing revelations come to light.

What’s the verdict: After his memorable debut Frankenstein’s Creature, Sam Ashurst again proves large budgets are not required to produce exciting cinema, and that good ideas are free.

Channeling the spirit of 70s Euro-horror...

March 30, 2020, Posted in  Features Comments: No comments

Back in 2018, we were lucky enough to talk with director Sam Ashurst about his debut feature, Frankenstein’s Creature. That film is a singular experience and left us excited for what Ashurst would deliver next.

We are happy to report then that his follow-up film, A Little More Flesh, does not disappoint. A dazzling black comedy whose laughs often freeze in the throat, it tackles issues around the abuse of women in the film industry, and skewers the once-tacitly approved view of directors’ unacceptable behaviour as simply being artists at work.

A film-within-a-film movie, A Little More Flesh unfolds as a director recording an audio commentary for his first feature, a once-banned slice of 70s porn entitled God’s L...

March 24, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 86 of The Movie Robcast sees the Robs remote recording. Abiding by social distancing measures, they’re in their respective abodes, but that doesn’t stop them from covering a wide range of movie topics and other affairs of state.

Unsurprisingly, top of the list is the Coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 took quite a turn for the dramatic since the last episode, with first cinemas and theatres closing, then pubs and restaurants, then the whole country being put into lockdown.

So, Contagion and Outbreak are part of the discussion, along with thoughts on what will happen to cinema releases if the pandemic stretches into the summer.

It’s not all doom and gloom though...

March 16, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

In episode 85 of The Movie Robcast, Robs Daniel and Wallis go on an epic journey while reviewing Pixar’s Onward.

Well, they’re outside in the middle of London again as Rob Wallis is on his lunchbreak and they have to find shelter because it starts raining. It seemed epic at the time.

As they are discussing a fantasy movie, Rob W has opportunity to bust out his Gollum impersonation. It really is something rather special.

Conversation inevitably moves onto the impact of the Coronavirus. As this was recorded on March 11th, the Robs still think Disney’s live-action Mulan will be the next movie they cover. The beautiful fools...

March 16, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Episode 84 of The Movie Robcast casts an eye over the latest telling of The Invisible Man. From the Blumhouse stable and directed by Upgrade creator Leigh Whannell, it boasts Elisabeth Moss in the lead role as an abused woman who fears her ex may be closer than she realises.

One of the Robs enjoyed this take on the classic, the other had more trouble seeing the good stuff. But, it makes for a lively discussion and they both agree this remake of a classic Universal monster is far superior to the 2017 redo of The Mummy.

Rob Wallis also points out that, while The Mummy was an indisputable stinker, the podcast episode reviewing it was rather funny. So, in an act of shameless promotion, here it is again for those intrigued…
apple.co/39qcGJ9

As this was recorded on Tuesday 3rd March...

March 14, 2020, Posted in  Features Comments: One comment

This feature was first written when The Hunt was one of the few new films in cinemas. Cinemas that are now closed. What a difference a week makes… But, by the time you read this you’ll most likely be able to watch The Hunt from the comfort of your quarantine zone, as Universal rush release it to digital rental.

In our current world of postponed movies, it is ironic you’ll be freely able to watch The Hunt, because this Blumhouse shocker led the way. Pulled from its original release date of autumn 2019 following mass-shootings in the US, it briefly hit cinemas in the UK on 11th March and 13th in the States.

Back in 2019, right-wing media quickly piled in on a film they saw as a gleefully sadistic tale of liberal elitists hunting Trump supporters...

March 4, 2020, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Leigh Whannell

Writer: Leigh Whannell, H.G. Wells (source novel, uncredited)

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Harriet Dyer, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Michael Dorman

Producers: Jason Blum, Kylie Du Fresne

Music: Benjamin Wallfisch

Cinematography: Stefan Duscio

Editor: Andy Canny

Cert: 15

Running time: 124mins

Year: 2020

What’s the story: When Cecilia (Moss) escapes abusive boyfriend Adrian Griffin (Jackson-Cohen), she believes the worst is behind her. But, as odd and unsettling occurrences mount, Cecilia begins to think Griffin may still be close by.

What’s the verdict: Leigh Whannell’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’ irresistibly premised 1897 source novel is a case of “interesting subtext, shame about the telling”.

February 15, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

The Movie Robcast is on a roll! Three episodes in one week, it must be awards season. But, we couldn’t let Parasite’s UK theatrical release come and go without us reviewing this record-breaking, Oscar winning triumph.

So, the two Robs take a close view at Bong Joon-ho’s latest movie. This could be the director’s best yet, and when you remember his previous films include The Host and Memories of Murder that is saying something.

Any discussion of Parasite also has to go into spoiler territory, which the Robs duly do. Don’t worry, we give a clear warning so you won’t accidentally stumble into areas you don’t want to hear until you’ve seen the movie.

As this was originally supposed to be a joint episode with Birds of Prey, we had to specially record an intro from a wet and chilly...

February 14, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

In episode 82 of The Movie Robcast, Robs Daniel and Wallis review Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Suicide Squad spin-off.

To do full justice to the movie, its comic origins and add an important female point-of-view on this female-led movie, Rob Daniel also sits down with friend of the podcast Sarah Johnson for her take. Sarah has a fantastic knowledge of all things Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn and movies, coupled with impeccable taste, so it was great to have her on!

The wide-ranging discussion covers Harley Quinn in the comics and in the movies, the Birds of Prey team, the Gotham Sirens, the John Wick stunt team’s involvement in the film and whether or not it’s any darn good...

February 14, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: No comments

Robs Daniel and Wallis give their take on Oscars 2020, aka The 92nd Academy Awards, aka the year that a film not in the English language finally won the Best Picture statue, not just Best Foreign Film. Sorry, Best *International* Film, as the Academy are now calling it.

Parasite’s sweeping victory, picking up four Oscars, turned an otherwise standard Oscars show into a night to remember. But, there are still plenty of other things to talk about, from Joaquin Phoenix’s heart-in-the-right-place-but-wildly-scattershot acceptance speech for his performance in Joker to Brad Pitt’s rather moving words when winning Best Supporting Actor for Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood.

Although the best speech of the evening has to go to Olivia Colman, when presenting the Oscar for Best Actor...