Eleanor Reviews

Director: Steven Spielberg Cast:  Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bruce Greenwood  Where can I watch?:  You can watch The Post on Netflix . Rating:  4/5 Review:  Spielberg. Hanks. Streep. They may be part of cinema's 'old guard' now, but there's still something reassuring about seeing these 'titans of the movies' getting together to make a film - you immediately know you're in safe hands. Taking on the momentous occasion when the female-owned Washington Post took on the US government over the publication of a damning Vietnam report, this meaty topic certainly gives our auteurs something to sink their teeth into: there are secret phone calls; tense standoffs; scenes of the printing press whirring and clanking; and Tom Hanks posturing like only Tom Hanks can. Despite the outcome being well-known, such is Spielberg's deft direction, it's still nail-biting in some sections, as characters grapple with the enormity of t...

***** It's 1962. Tough guy bouncer, renowned 'bullshitter' and family man Tony Lip finds himself out of a job. When he receives a call from a doctor looking for a driver, he jumps at the chance. But Dr Don Shirley is no ordinary doctor, and his journey across the Deep South will be far from easy... There's not really any other way to say this, so I'll just come straight out with it: I loved Green Book . A poignant tale of injustice, it's strong central message shines out brightly without dipping into the realms of cliche - and this is thanks to both the eloquent, intelligent script and the outstanding performances from Viggo Mortensen as Tony Lip and Mahershala Ali as Dr Shirley. Blending the themes of sadness, strife and ignorance with our very human ability to laugh and connect with others, it resonates as a timeless tale of friendship in the face of continuing adversity. The addition of the visually striking musical pieces brings an extra ...

**** Arriving on the shores of Scotland, Mary Stuart moves to reclaim her title and her position as Queen. A Catholic and with a claim to the throne of England, she immediately poses a threat to Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant and the last of the House of Tudor.  The relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor is one that has fascinated historians and artists alike for centuries. In a history that's dominated by male sovereigns, Mary and Elizabeth ruled alongside each other until Elizabeth had her cousin executed - surely that means that the two hated each other? In his play which premiered in 1800, Friedrich Schiller portrays Mary's last days, and the fraught relationship between the two women - one that is far from the 'black and white' dynamic that you might expect. Since then, numerous historians have revisited this momentous moment and dissected the connection between the two. One such biography is John Guy's Queen of Scots: The True Life ...