Eleanor Reviews

Director: Roger Donaldson Cast:  Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier Where can I watch?: The Bounty is streaming on Netflix Rating: 2/5 Review: The true story of HMS Bounty , the mutiny and the continued bloodline of the mutineers on Pitcairn Island is, undoubtedly, a fascinating one. It's unfortunate, then, that Roger Donaldson's attempt to bring the high sea drama to the screen is so, well, dull. Opening with paradisaical images of tropical islands under nectarine skies (punctuated with an eerie score by Vangelis of Blade Runner fame), the film starts of promisingly... And quickly loses its way. After the initial 'culture-gasm' of seeing Anthony Hopkins (the doomed captain, William Bligh) and Laurence Olivier face off in a naval court, we find ourselves aboard The Bounty , with fresh-faced Mel Gibson wrestling with the underwritten role of rebellious Fletcher Christian. There are the usual naval tropes abound: lashings for the impudent sai...

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...

***/**** (3.5 stars) DVD release/Available to stream Disclaimer: The version I saw had been edited for content on an Emirates flight. Queen 's appearance at Live Aid is considered one of the most iconic musical performances of the 20th Century. And yet, it almost didn't happen. Charting their formation, meteoric rise and subsequent heartbreak, Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of one of the world's most loved rock bands. Queen 's songs are the very definition of 'timeless'. I remember listening to We Are The Champions on cassette tape (yes, I am that old!) in my Dad's car as a child, and stomping my feet along to We Will Rock You. Once I attended a concert at the Emirates Stadium and, before the band came on, they played Bohemian Rhapsody on the loud speaker - every one of the thousands of people in the ground sang along at full volume (including the high notes of 'Galileo'!) and there may even have been some air guitar here ...

***** 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 ...

**** Whisked from her quiet, sheltered life in the country to the dizzying heights of Paris after marrying socialite Willy, Colette finds herself putting pen to paper when her husband's business begins to crumble. The resulting novel,  Claudine à l'école, is a resounding success - but it isn't Colette's name on the cover... Keira Knightley has been away from our screens for a little while. A problematic actress, she's somewhat renowned for her wooden performances and jutting jaw. However, she's back in sensational style as Colette, the remarkable woman who wrote some of the best-selling novels of the 20th Century on behalf of her husband, Willy (Dominic West). Something of a female bildungsroman, the film follows her from naive country girl to oppressed writer, fashion icon to pioneer of sexual expression - and Knightley captures each stage with subtle grace and understanding. Initially wide-eyed, she goes from rage at her husband's infid...