Weekly
n e m n i a t r e t En I
MEL’S FILM SPARKS A WAR ON WORDS
t’s the book-to-screen adaptation we’ve all been waiting for – The Oxford English Dictionary: The Movie. Although this isn’t the movie’s title, nor is it as straightforward as it may sound, Mel Gibson and Sean Penn have teamed up to make The Professor and the Madman, the story of the creation of one of the most important and foundational books in history. Based on true events, this flick may not be the action-packed or romantic story you were hoping for, but there is enough scandal and mystery to capture any audience. The Braveheart star plays James Murray, a Scottish philologist (someone who studies language) and the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. He shares the screen with criminally insane counterpart William Chester Minor (Sean Penn), who became one of the dictionary’s largest contributors. The two form a bond over a love of the English language (and The Professor and a penchant for the Madman is in big beards!) cinemas now.
REVIEWS
THE CURRENT WAR FILM RATING M For all that it tries to do, The Current War fails to create a lasting spark. Detailing the origins of electric power in the US and the rivalry between inventor Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and entrepreneur George Westinghouse (Michael
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and must overcome naysayers to complete a seemingly impossible task – chronicling every English word in one book. The film also proved a challenging prospect, with Mel and director Farhad Safinia becoming locked in legal trouble with the production company. Mel expressed his disappointment that he wasn’t able to finish the film as he’d wanted. Still, there’s a story to be told here – and never before has a dictionary-based movie sounded so enthralling!
MIND
your language
Shannon), the film has all the makings of a powerful historical drama. By the end, though, we were left thinking, “Watt?” Saturated with extensive subject matter – perhaps too extensive – and a general lack of cohesion in the script, the film fails to capitalise on a real-life story that is truly riddled with backstabbing and drama. With standout performances from Benedict and Michael, and impressive cinematography, the film looks visually enlightening – the rest, however, left us in the dark. Chris Glavovic
AACBB
New Zealand Woman’s Weekly
FILM
TV A GAME IS AFOOT! If you thought you knew about the genius, creativity and madness that went into video game development, think again. Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet features an office of incredibly talented yet dysfunctional colleagues as they strive to release the latest expansion of their ever-popular video game. If gaming is a foreign language to you, don’t worry,
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet is on Apple TV+.
the show is not geek-saturated. The relationships are the pivotal part of the series, and the central characters could be seen in any real-life office – the egotistical boss, the snarky co-worker, and the silent and mysterious IT guy. Nerdy or not, this show is hilarious and has been praised as showing off the game development industry in a positive light. Game on!
