entertainment ■■romance: by the sea Hollywood
Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in The Force Awakens
Films
Movie of the Month
by to m browne
■■big budget: star wars: the force awakens There’s no getting away from
it—J J Abrams’s reboot of the Star Wars franchise is about to steamroller all in its wake, hopefully banishing memories of the lacklustre prequels in the process. So far, the advance word is positive— the trailers have a retro quality that recalls the original films, and Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are all present and correct, alongside new stars Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson. But with the project still shrouded in the kind of secrecy normally associated with MI5, we can only speculate…
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■■comedy: Love The Coopers
Expect plenty of Christmas-themed movies crowding the multiplex this month, veering from the mildly amusing to the sickly sentimental. This offering at least boasts a strong cast, with Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Diane Keaton and John Goodman playing various members of the Cooper family coming together for their annual seasonal gathering—with unexpected and eye-opening results.
© 2015 Lucasf ilm Ltd / © BLEEKER STREET / © LIONSGATE © 20 T H CENTURY FOX / © UNIVERSA L PICTU RES
■■drama: Pawn Sacrifice The epic 1972 chess match between the Soviet world champion Boris Spassky and the eccentric American Bobby Fischer —the Cold War in miniature—has already been the subject of an awardwinning documentary, and now it gets the big-screen treatment, with Tobey Maguire as Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Spassky. It might seem a niche subject, but the story is good enough to lure nonchess fans.
■■horror: Victor Frankenstein
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe surprised many in 2012 with his lead role in The Woman in Black, and now he returns to the horror genre as Igor in this quirky take on the Frankenstein legend, starring James McAvoy as the title character. Rather than a straight adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic, this explores the origins of both characters and the destructive path they take.
royalty Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie last starred together in the forgettable Mr & Mrs Smith, but this drama, centred on a couple trying to save their marriage, has an altogether more serious tone. Jolie also undertakes writing and directorial duties, and legendary cinematographer Christian Berger brings his usual A-game to the project, using mostly natural light.
DVD of the month ■■99 homes*
Surprisingly tense American thriller set in the grubby word of home eviction.
On Your Radar Philippa Sampson, retired Watching: Britain at the Bookies (BBC1) It’s not
horses and dogs—it’s slot machines that ruin lives! Reading: A Light Between Oceans by L M Stedman
A story about circumstances and how they can affect one’s actions, with dire consequences.
Online: Nothing I’d much rather read a good newspaper than surf the web. It’s a lifelong habit as I’ve always taken a great interest in local, national and international affairs. Listening: Nostalgia by Annie Lennox I could listen to this again
and again—it’s just my cup of tea.
Fancy appearing in this section? Send your current cultural favourites, along with short descriptions, to readersletters@readersdigest.co.uk * TO BUY DVDS FEATURED HERE, GO TO SHOP.READERSDIGEST.CO.UK
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e n t e r ta i n m e n t
Music
by man d i g o o d i e r
album of the year Vulnicura by Björk
The Best of 2015
You can’t ignore the beauty of Björk’s ninth album, which is a perfect mix of seductive strings set against electronic beats. The instruments often mimic Björk’s disjointed vocals, and the lyrics are unusually candid, with references throughout to ideas of loss, healing and her own body (there’s a tell-tale wound across Björk’s chest on the cover). An astounding musical accomplishment.
Pop: Uptown Special by Mark Ronson
Folk: Short Movie by Laura Marling
This genre-spanning album runs the gauntlet from Motown soul to Rick James funk, with guest stars such as Stevie Wonder and Bruno Mars combining to create a slice of foottapping nostalgia. In terms of the feel-good factor, it’s a triumph.
The singer-songwriter goes electric on her fifth studio album. It’s an unusually candid outing for Marling, who has a standoffish reputation, but her openness lends itself beautifully to this sparse record, which has the power to pull you into its world.
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World: Songhoy Blues by Music In Exile This Malian band
fled their homes to escape an Islamic militia who’d introduced severe penalties for westerninfluenced guitar music. But despite the tense background, this bluesy take on the Songhoy tradition is a jubilant celebration.
listen to these albums at READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/LISTEN