A One Mann’s Movies Film Review of “Hanky Panky” (2024). I sometimes get sent screeners for movies that – erm – will normally struggle to get a cinema release. Many of them are almost unwatchable pants (hmmm… killer pants… where is my scriptwriting pad?) But sometimes they become quirky, strangely watchable oddities. “Hanky Panky”, sent to me by Actor/Writer/Co-director Nick Roth and soon to be on streaming services, is one such movie. You’ll probably find yourself either thinking “this it’s bat-shit crazy nonsense”. Or you’ll find yourself weirdly drawn into the madness! Given this is 100 ..read more

Last year (see here) as part of our Flickering Dreams podcast show we had a fun game with our Oscar Predictions: trying to predict, almost a year ahead, which films would be nominated as the Ten “Best Films” at the Oscars. So, it’s that time again and my friend and colleague Scott Forbes has thrown down the gauntlet! So, here are my predictions for the 10 films which I think will make up the Best Film Oscar nominations next year. I’ve also named some standby’s (in ranked order) to slot into the list if (for any reason) any of my main list don’t get released within the Oscar window for the 97 ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies Film Review of “Back to Black” (2024). You’d need to be a bit out of it, particularly if you are from the UK, not to realise that “Back to Black” is a biopic of the legendary but tragic singer Amy Winehouse who died in 2011. The film is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, who burst onto the movie scene with a wonderful film about another music legend (John Lennon in 2009’s “Nowhere Boy”). It’s written by Matt Greenhalgh, who also wrote “Nowhere Boy” and who has an impressive CV of more recent scripts. So, the film has pedigree and it does make for an interesting watch. Howeve ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Scoop” (2024). It’s a moment in British television history and a journalistic ‘Scoop’ of epic proportions. On November 16th 2019 and, in a Newsnight special, BBC reporter Emily Maitlis engages with Prince Andrew head-to-head. It’s an interview that Andrew hoped would clear his name in regards to the Jeffrey Epstein under-age sex trafficking scandal. It did not go to plan! Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: Sam McAllister (Billie Piper) is a “booker” for the BBC’s Newsnight programme. A bit of a maverick, she doesn’t quite fit in to the corporate mould, but ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” (2024). There are films that make me love cinema. And then again, there are films that make me despair for cinema. Guess which category “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” falls into? Even the title is nonsensical…. what is it supposed to even mean? Godzilla vs Kong? Godzilla multiplied by Kong? Godzilla meets a really cross Kong? Godzilla loves Kong? Sigh…. Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: The Kong Hollow Earth team, led by Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) detect strange signals: signals which her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Fast Charlie” (2024). “Fast Charlie”, streaming on Prime Video, attracted me for two reasons*. Firstly, however dire some of his film choices have been, I do like watching Pierce Brosnan on the screen. Secondly, this one was directed by the veteren film director Phillip Noyce who led two of my favourite thrillers of all time: “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger”, both starring Harrison Ford. Sadly, this didn’t live up to those classics. But it still had its moments. (* Cheap joke about Morena Baccarin swerved and avoided!) Bob the Movie Man Rating: Pl ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Mother’s Instinct” (2024). What a treat to see a psychological thriller where you can be genuinely surprised by the twists and turns. “Mother’s Instinct” delivers just that, bolstered by excellent performances by two of the finest actresses working today. Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: It’s 1960 and Celine (Anne Hathaway) and Alice (Jessica Chastain) are neighbours who are also the best of friends. Their sons Max (Baylen D. Bielitz) and Theo (Eamon Patrick O’Connell) are also inseperable. But when tragedy strikes and one of the boys is killed, a chasm ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (2024). I went into “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” with low expectations and they were pretty universally met. It bends over backwards to tick the ‘Ghostbusters’ boxes. So much so that it sticks its head up its own spectral deformity. Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: When Ray Stanz (Dan Ackroyd) receives a strange object from wide-boy Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani) a terrifying ancient force is unleashed. It takes the talents of the original Ghostbusters and the new generation to combat the threat to New York and the world ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Drive Away Dolls” (2024). The Coen brothers hold a solid standing of respect with me. There films, although variable, have never been less than interesting. The trailor for this solo outing, directed by Ethan Coen and co-written by Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke, looked quirky and fun. And it featured an all star cast. I like a raunchy comedy like the best of them but, as “Movie 43” proved, an all-star cast is no promise of cinema-heaven. Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: Lesbian friends Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are in n ..read more

A One Mann’s Movies review of “Cabrini” (2024). When my two Flickering Dreams colleagues, Andy Godfrey and Scott Forbes, BOTH gave “Cabrini” an unusual 10/10 score, I made it my mission to find a showing. Not easy, as it seems to be on very limited release. But I found it on show in “Everyman” and was so glad I did. Extraordinary stuff. Bob the Movie Man Rating: Plot Summary: In a remarkable true story, it’s 1889 and the highly driven nun Mother Cabrini implores the Pope to let her go on a mission – the first ever by a female – to do good in China. The Pope refuses, but allows her to take he ..read more