Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Phylicia Rashad, Russell Hornsby, Wood Harris, Milo Ventimiglia, Andre Ward, Brigitte Nielsen.
Stories are rarely neat, sequels are never planned that far in advance and yet somehow the Rocky/Creed franchise manages to stitch together a series of films that by rights have no business being thought of in the same bed, let alone sharing a ring together.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, Eleanor Wallwork, Kevin Eldon, Christian Rubeck, Lisa Stokke, Sharon D. Clarke.
Myths and legends are constantly interwoven with the fabric of life, it is in the race memory of us all which sees nursery rhymes as a constant source of bonding between parent and child, stories which captivate the memory with stringer force than anything we might read as adults. It is the fear of something other than perceived reality, of the existence of trolls and dark forests, of monsters and brave souls which we seek assurance from; it is the trepidation and the resolution of such stories which pave the way for all other stories to exist and take shape, the concern of what lies beyond the mirror’s reflection.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Stephen Collins, Edward Day, Simone Lewis, Rose-Marie Christian.
Within us all there is the propensity to harbour both good and evil, to be kind-hearted and to allow the nature of maliciousness to shine through; there is though a realm of mischievousness which can enter both states of mind, not born out of a dark soul, but in the way that you are treated by others, one can only take so much abuse from someone before they start to kick back, when people are excluded and talked about spitefully behind their back, they become harsh, callous perhaps, they become unkind.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Allan Corduner, Nicholas Woodeson, David Fleeshman, Steve Furst, Trevor Allan Davies, Sophia Brown, Clara Francis, Lisa Cohen, Cara Horgan, Liza Sadovy, Bernice Stegers.
Sexuality and faith have never been reliable bed-fellows, the angst that exists between the two states of human need and suffering is only countered by dogma and the words of interpretation; to be different, to love against doctrine and the word of theological study, is to face, in some quarters, questions, if not exile.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Christmas can either be an anathema to the soul, or if you are fortunate it can turn the winter period into one of joyous celebration, the message of spirituality, of throwing your life open to new experiences, of understanding that there is more to this time of year than materialism and personal gain, there is empathy, the freedom to sing, or to be silent, to listen at least to the sound of internal delight taking shape and the welcome poise of surrender to a heavenly guide.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Cast: Florence Pugh, Alexander Skarsgard, Michael Shannon, Michael Moshonov, Simona Brown, Clare Holman, Kate Sumpter, Gennady Fleyscher, Amir Khoury, Katharina Schuttler, Charles Dance, Lubna Azabal, Daniel Litman, Charif Ghattas, Max Irons, Sam Troughton.
In the war to protect what you believe is yours, sometimes you have to employ methods in which are dubious at best, downright ugly at worst, it is the thinking and planning ahead in which wins the minds of the people you are charged with protecting, but one in which the enemy you have created will fight you every step of the way to kill you first.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
A whirlwind of emotions arrives and diverge, divide and multiply at this time of year, we become engaged in the scope of the sentiments passed to us by total strangers and react in kind to the misplaced smile or the sorrowful tear we see on the street. We hope for peace, we yearn for the sound of harmony and reconciliation, of goodwill and the knowledge that come the spring, once we are out Beyond The End of winter the sun will shine on us favourably and with honour.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Gillian Hardie, Leanne Martin, Louise Garcia.
We must always remember that we don’t truly understand, not completely, how another person feels, that despite the smiles and triumphant words shown and yelled to the world, we have no way of knowing the pain they suffer behind closed doors. The world of social media has perhaps exacerbated that sense of false bonhomie, putting on a face for the world in digital form when all you want to do is lock yourself away and deal with the grief that has been placed at your door.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: Paul Duckworth, Michael Fletcher, Stephen Fletcher, Lindzi Germain, Eva McKenna, Andrew Schofield, Hayley Sheen, Keddy Sutton.
Musicians: Howard Gray, Ben Gladwin, Greg Joy, Emily Linden.
Liverpool faces every threat thrown at it by Government with one of the deadliest weapons known to humanity, the ability to laugh and fight back with savage, beautiful humour. In an age when the way we live is under constant threat, it is the greatest of attributes that we possess theatres, artists and writers who are unafraid to deliver the joke that entertains the many, whilst the undercurrent gladly riles the backs of those who see the world only in terms of doctrine and political dogma.
Within the death of innocent hues
we see others take up residence
in bum polished pews,
finding eternal salvation
for the price of a few pence.
Lead us not in to damnation,
wringing hands and buggered beasts
cries the nation,
as they sit in starved contemplation
and face the days alone.
Lied to from every side,
eating the poor, gorging the rich,
pride
comes before a fall, delivered with wit,
who’s to say Humanity isn’t a bitch.