If I had to pick a theme for British film for 2022, it would be ‘slightly eccentric British person does an interesting thing.’ First, we had The Duke (which was great), then Phantom of the Open (also great), and now we have The Lost King, which is about the unprecedented finding of the lost grave of King Richard III. For those unfamiliar with the history - and I’m not going … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: The Lost King Review
Brit Movie Reviews
One Anglophile’s Take on “The Queen”
In times when nothing stoodBut worsened, or grew strange,There was one constant good:She did not change. ____Philip Larkin, "1952-1977" What exactly can one say about Queen Elizabeth II? She was on the throne of England for 70 years. I never knew a world without her in charge of the Commonwealth. My Dad hasn't either. It was so long that it seemed like her rule was less … [Read more...] about One Anglophile’s Take on “The Queen”
Downton Abbey: A New Era Review – Where Downton Perhaps Becomes A Little Too Self-Aware
This review is SPOILER free. I won't discuss more than what's been given away in the trailers and commercials. The first Downton Abbey film was a smash hit, raking in almost $200 million worldwide. So, a sequel was inevitable. In fact, I suspect we will be getting lots of Downton Abbey film sequels. If they can maintain this quality, we will have years of lovely comforting … [Read more...] about Downton Abbey: A New Era Review – Where Downton Perhaps Becomes A Little Too Self-Aware
One Anglophile’s Take on They Shall Not Grow Old
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrabKK9Bhds By any meaning of the term, They Shall Not Grow Old is an amazing film. The way they actually made the film alone is incredible. The Making Peter Jackson and his crew took hundreds of hours' worth of old footage of World War I, some of it so washed out that it was entirely black or white with some barely identifiable splotches of … [Read more...] about One Anglophile’s Take on They Shall Not Grow Old
Anglophile Life: Book Progress, Bohemian Rhapsody, Peppa Pig, Interesting Articles, Films Watched and More!
This week's column is a little packed with stuff as I wasn't able to write this column last week. So, while I do watch a lot of British TV and movies, I don't normally watch this much in one week - this is spread out over two weeks! Book Progress I’m nearing the end of writing my book. It’s provisionally titled Adventures in Anglotopia. I only have a few chapters left to … [Read more...] about Anglophile Life: Book Progress, Bohemian Rhapsody, Peppa Pig, Interesting Articles, Films Watched and More!
Guest Article: Visiting Brideshead Revisited for the First Time – Comparing the Book, TV Show and Film
By Janna Wong Healy I was not alive in 1945, when Evelyn Waugh’s highly revered and most famous novel, Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder, was published. As an English major in college, I had heard about this thoughtful, beautifully written story of friendship, love, and religion…yet didn’t read it. In 1982, the talk around town … [Read more...] about Guest Article: Visiting Brideshead Revisited for the First Time – Comparing the Book, TV Show and Film
Brit Movie Reviews: On Chesil Beach Review – Starring Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle
On Chesil Beach is one of my favorite English novels, so I was very excited to learn that a movie was made and coming out this spring. Movies like On Chesil Beach often don’t get around to my local cinema, so I have to make the journey into Chicago to see them. We’re lucky that we’re only an hour away, so it’s not too big of a deal to do this. Was On Chesil Beach worth the … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: On Chesil Beach Review – Starring Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle
Brit Movies: Paddington 2 Review – A Sequel Equal To The Original
The first Paddington Film, released in 2015 was one of those rare films that perfectly captures the books they were based on but also creates something new and amazing. As a parent to two young children, I’ve been forced to watch Paddington at least 100 times since it’s come out and, in all honesty, I’m not yet sick of it (though they appear to be as we don’t really watch it … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: Paddington 2 Review – A Sequel Equal To The Original
Brit Movies: King Arthur – Legend of the Sword – Review
I had the chance to see the new Guy Ritchie King Arthur movie last night, and I have thoughts about it. If you don’t like Guy Ritchie movies (or have never heard of him), then you probably won’t like this movie. That being said, it’s a fun movie - enjoyable actually, but it has problems. When I heard this movie was being made, I wasn’t convinced we really needed another movie … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: King Arthur – Legend of the Sword – Review
Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on The Fantastic Mr. Fox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v6-T52zLO0 It has been a very intensive week for me: I've been taking a 3-week film course and I've been very busy with it, especially for this last week. I won't bore you with the details, but it looks like now, I finally have enough time to take on this film. First of all, I have to bring up the "Is this British or not?" question yet … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on “Far From the Madding Crowd” – Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-_9AFwMDmQ It's telling how different I am from others in my generation that, in the same weekend that Avengers 2: Age of Ultron was released, the movie I was excited about was Thomas Vinterberg's Far From the Madding Crowd. And it's also telling how hectic my schedule has been that it took me nigh on a month to actually write about it. I … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on “Far From the Madding Crowd” – Review
Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on The Witches: A film review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_ZyqaN_XNM When I was a kid, my favourite authors were Mark Twain and Roald Dahl. And a few years ago, I decided to re-read his complete works; As it turns out, the darkest work of all, in a corpus replete with child abuse, hand mutilation, cannibalism, and really wonky imagery, was his 1983 novel The Witches. For a long time, I had … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on The Witches: A film review
Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on Paddington: A film review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxeBdrGGU8U The last film I reviewed was one I liked, but freely admit wasn't for everyone. Here's a film that I liked and pretty much IS for everyone. Before I go on, I must admit that I wasn't familiar with the adventures of Paddington before I watched this, and what little memories I had of him may have been conflated with Corduroy Bear. … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: One Anglophile’s Take on Paddington: A film review
Brit Movie Reviews: Hyde Park on Hudson
I'm generally at my most happiest when I'm watching a period movie set in the 1930's. So, I was excited enough about Hyde Park on the Hudson to plan a special trip into Chicago (we live an hour away) to see it. Hyde Park on Hudson is the latest Oscar bait to come out this winter and it's the type of movie that will succeed at the Oscars. The subject matter is relatively … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: Hyde Park on Hudson
Brit DVD Reviews: Injustice DVD – A Review – Acorn Media
William Travers is an honest London lawyer who always believes 100% in his client’s innocence. When Travers learns that he successfully defended a man who was actually guilty of a horrible crime, Travers suffers a mental breakdown and leaves London to settle in quiet Suffolk. After an old college pal is accused of murdering his beautiful secretary, Travers is pulled back into … [Read more...] about Brit DVD Reviews: Injustice DVD – A Review – Acorn Media
Brit Movie Review: “Brave” – Pixar’s latest animation features Scottish princess “Merida”
BRAVE Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell Duration: 100 mins With the voices of: Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly Score: 3 out of 5 Review by JAMES BARTLETT Firstly, BE WARNED – there’s a big spoiler in my review (something unexpected that happens in Brave) – so if you don’t want to know what it is, stop reading now! Merida … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Review: “Brave” – Pixar’s latest animation features Scottish princess “Merida”
Movie Review: “Prometheus” – Ridley Scott returns to scary space
Whether you consider it to be a prequel or a sequel, British director Ridley Scott’s Prometheus is one highly-anticipated movie – even if only by the many fans of Alien and its sequels (the series started back in 1979 with Alien, which was also directed by Scott). Now the year is 2089, and archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and boyfriend Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) … [Read more...] about Movie Review: “Prometheus” – Ridley Scott returns to scary space
Brit Movie Review: The Dictator – Starring Sacha Baron Cohen
THE DICTATOR Director: Larry David Duration: 88 mins Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley Score: 4 out of 5 Review by JAMES BARTLETT Sacha Baron Cohen is back, and this time he’s General Wadeen, the ruthless dictator of the Republic of Wadiya in North Africa. The General keeps all the country’s oil profits for himself and has a fleet of … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Review: The Dictator – Starring Sacha Baron Cohen
Movie Review: Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson
Review by JAMES BARTLETT Lured by the chance for a golden age in the golden raj – and also in search of a new lease of life (whether they want it or not), a plucky group of senior Brits sign up for a stay at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India. There’s newly-widowed and broke Evelyn (Dench), the unhappily married Ainslies, Doug and Jean (Nighy and Penelope … [Read more...] about Movie Review: Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson
Brit Movie Reviews: Pirates! Band of Misfits – From the Creators of Wallace and Gromit
Review by JAMES BARTLETT It’s 1857. Pirate-hating Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton) is on the throne and her navy is on the march, but life aboard the ship of Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) is full of looting, cutlasses and regular Ham Nights – it’s just a shame that they’re not very good at their job. It’s worse at this time of the year, because all the baddest … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: Pirates! Band of Misfits – From the Creators of Wallace and Gromit
Brit Movie Reviews: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen – Love and An Impossible Dream?
Review by JAMES BARTLETT It sounds like complete madness; a joke. That’s what dedicated angler and Government employee Dr. Alfred Jones (McGregor) thinks when he’s told that rich Sheikh Muhammad (Waked) wants to fish for salmon in his homeland. Harriet (Blunt) is trying to make the project happen for him, though “Fred” quickly tells her why it won’t work: Yemen is known for … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen – Love and An Impossible Dream?
Brit Movie Reviews: The Woman in Black Review – Daniel Radcliffe post-Harry Potter
Like it or not the Harry Potter movies are over, and actor Daniel Radcliffe – despite having enough in the bank to walk away forever – is trying to move onto the next stage of his career. He’s already performed on stage to some acclaim, but his next movie project was always going to be highly-anticipated, and doubtless the knives were out when it was announced he’d be donning … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: The Woman in Black Review – Daniel Radcliffe post-Harry Potter
Brit Movie Reviews: The Decoy Bride Review Starring David Tennant and Kelly MacDonald
Many Doctor Who and David Tennant fans have been waiting for The Decoy Bride for some time. It's had a strange release schedule (being released in Italy months ago for some reason). But it's finally opened in the USA on the IFC On Demand service. It will open in US theaters in march. This is David Tennant's first turn at becoming the next Hugh Grant - i.e. star of British … [Read more...] about Brit Movie Reviews: The Decoy Bride Review Starring David Tennant and Kelly MacDonald
Brit Movies: The Iron Lady Review from an American Perspective
Making a biopic about Margaret Thatcher is not an easy thing to do. She’s not a sparkling conversationalist, she’s not overly witty, and she’s not electric in personality. However she is one of the most significant women of the last century and remains England’s first and only female Prime Minister. She is a woman who, while in office, caused as much controversy as she gained … [Read more...] about Brit Movies: The Iron Lady Review from an American Perspective
Brit Movies Reviews – Coriolanus – Ralph Fiennes stars and directs Shakespeare’s tragedy
Fiennes – most recently seen on screen as Lord Voldemeort in the tumultuous final two movies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – goes all Shakespearean for his directorial debut, taking on one of the bard’s lesser-performed works. Screenwriter John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator, The Last Samurai) adapted Shakespeare’s base-on-truth early 17th century story for the big … [Read more...] about Brit Movies Reviews – Coriolanus – Ralph Fiennes stars and directs Shakespeare’s tragedy
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
