The Jungle Book Review

The Plot 

When fierce tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) forces him to leave the jungle, man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) embarks on a journey of self discovery with the aid of panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and free spirited bear, Baloo (Bill Murray)

The Good

Director Jon Favreau brings this live action reboot of the classic Rudyard Kipling novel to life with the help of just one actor surrounded by an incredible feat of special effects and a host of brilliantly cast voice actors. This update of the Disney animated classic sits firmly on the fence between live action and animation in the modern sense thanks to a beautifully transformed green screen that instantly makes you forget that this is all artificial.

The Jungle Book offers a much darker version of the much loved cartoon thanks in part to the voice talents of Idris Elba’s terrifying tiger, Shere Khan and Scarlett Johansson’s mystifying snake, Kaa. Bill Murray meanwhile manages to bring some much needed lightness to the story as the laid back Baloo, a role in which Murray was born to play and does so spectacularly. We also get the likes of Lupita Nyong’o and Giancarlo Esposito as Raksha and Akela respectively, and Christopher Walken as King Louie (a much more realistic Gigantopithecus as apposed to the animation’s jazzy orang-utan).

 

The Bad

Neel Sethi could not have had a more difficult task for his first feature length role. Most of the film rests on his performance which for the most part is fine but occasionally feels quite wooden. However he no doubt had to act with ultimately nothing thanks to everything else in the film consisting of green screen.

Of course, Disney couldn’t bring back the Jungle Book without the songs. This starts off well, with Bill Murray’s version of The Bare Necessities not undermining the original and giving it a more natural realistic feel. Christopher Walken’s I Wanna Be Like You likewise doesn’t completely copy the jazzy touch of the animation’s version but feels a bit more forced.

It’s surprising too, to learn that this is only rated PG. It feels at times to tip ever so slightly towards the 12A range so if you are thinking about taking young ones, perhaps it would be best to check the BBFC’s insight. Christopher Walken’s chase sequence is among the few that do bring the aforementioned terror to the screen. Though perhaps terror is too strong a word…

The Ugly Truth

Favreau gives us a beautifully rendered jungle with an incredible line-up of voice talents that make this a worthy update. Though Neel Sethi does a good job as the sole live action actor, he can occasionally slip up, no doubt due to the immense amount of green screen he’s given. And while it can dip into darker territories every so often, it’s an incredible piece of work.

Review by Johnny Ellis

BAFTA TV Awards 2016 Nominations

Georgina Campbell and Dermot O’Leary announced this year’s line up of nominees for the BAFTA Television Awards. Wolf Hall, This Is England, Doctor Foster, The C Word and London Spy were all among the shows receiving significant recognition. Check out the full list of nominees for the 2016 BAFTA TV Awards, to be presented in London on 8 May below:

Leading actor

Idris Elba, Luther

Stephen Graham, This is England ’90

Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall

Ben Whishaw, London Spy

Leading actress

Claire Foy, Wolf Hall

Suranne Jones, Doctor Foster

Ruth Madeley, Don’t Take My Baby

Sheridan Smith, The C-Word

Supporting actor

Tom Courtenay, Unforgotten

Anton Lesser, Wolf Hall

Ian McKellen, The Dresser

Cyril Nri, Cucumber

Supporting actress

Chanel Cresswell, This is England ’90

Michelle Gomez, Doctor Who

Lesley Manville, River

Eleanor Worthington-Cox, The Enfield Haunting

Entertainment performance

Leigh Francis, Celebrity Juice

Stephen Fry, QI

Graham Norton, The Graham Norton Show

Romesh Ranganathan, Asian Provocateur

Male performance in a comedy programme

Hugh Bonneville, W1A

Toby Jones, Detectorists

Peter Kay, Peter Kay’s Car Share

Javone Prince, The Javone Prince Show

Female performance in a comedy programme

Michaela Coel, Chewing Gum

Sian Gibson, Peter Kay’s Car Share

Miranda Hart, Miranda

Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe

Drama series

Humans

The Last Panthers

No Offence

Wolf Hall

Single drama

The C-Word

Cyberbully

Don’t Take My Baby

The Go-Between

Mini-series

Doctor Foster

The Enfield Haunting

London Spy

This is England ’90

Soap and continuing drama

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Holby City

International

The Good Wife

Narcos

Spiral

Transparent

Entertainment programme

Adele at the BBC

Britain’s Got Talent

Strictly Come Dancing

TFI Friday Anniversary Special

Comedy and comedy entertainment programme

Charlie Brooker’s Election Wipe

Have I Got News For You

QI

Would I Lie to You

Scripted comedy

Chewing Gum

Peep Show

People Just Do Nothing

Peter Kay’s Car Share

Features

Back in Time for Dinner

The Great British Bake Off

Kevin McCloud: Escape to the Wild

Travel Man

Radio Times Audience Award

Doctor Foster

The Great British Bake Off

Humans

Making a Murderer

Peter Kay’s Car Share

Poldark

Current affairs

Children of the Gaza War

Escape from Isis (Dispatches)

Jihad: A British Story

Outbreak: The Truth about Ebola

Single documentary

Bitter Lake

Life After Suicide

Louis Theroux: Transgender Kids

My Son the Jihadi

Factual series

The Detectives

Great Ormond Street

The Murder Detectives

The Tribe

Reality and constructed factual

First Dates

Gogglebox

I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds

Specialist factual

Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners

Grayson Perry’s Dream House

The Hunt

Rudolf Nureyev: Dance to Freedom

News coverage

BBC News at Six: Paris Attacks Special

Channel 4 News: Paris Massacre

ITV News at Ten: Refugee Crisis

Sky News: From Turkey to Greece

Sport

The Ashes (Sky Sports)

The Grand National (Channel 4)

MOTD Live: FA Cup Final (BBC One)

Six Nations: Final Day (BBC One)

Live event

Big Blue Live (BBC One)

The Sound of Music Live! (ITV)

Stargazing Live: Brit in Space, Tim Peake Special (BBC Two)

The Vote (More4)

Eddie The Eagle Review

The Plot

Inspired by real life sporting events, a determined young British athlete Eddie Edwards sets out to compete in the 1988 winter Olympics in the most dangerous event of Ski jumping. Sacrificing everything he faces ridicule and overcomes the opposition of fellow athletes on his quest to fulfil his implausible but inspiring Olympic dream

The Good

Eddie the Eagle Edwards is a memorable and much beloved sporting icon who has come to symbolise the true Olympic spirit. Easily deserving of big screen celebration this film will remind older audiences of his death defying feats and introduce new generations to them.

Eddie was a likeable and utterly unique young man, remembered as much for his oversized glasses, jutting chin and constant happy grin as for his unprecedented sporting feats. Rising British star Taron Egerton transforms himself convincingly to capture the charming mannerisms and instantly recognisable physical presence of the ski jumping eccentric. Egerton’s emotionally sincere performance ensures that the film also never runs any danger of inadvertently turning Edwards into a figure of ridicule. In less capable hands it would have been very easy to merely turn Eddie into a clueless slapstick buffoon.

Thankfully star Egerton and director Dexter Fletcher treat Edwards with respect, looking beyond his affectionate ‘Eagle’ nickname and famously enthusiastic antics to explore what drove him to literally risk life and limb in pursuit of participating in the Olympics. Though the film takes considerable artistic licence with Eddie’s actual journey it remains a fair reflection of who he was and what he achieved against considerable odds on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

Hugh Jackman works very well with Egerton, playing the Eddie’s invented coach, a disgraced former champion grudgingly won over by Eddie’s irrepressible determination and sporting enthusiasm. His character allows the film to more neatly adhere to the satisfying sporting movie clichés. It may be pure fiction but the reluctant coaching figure allows audiences to enjoy flamboyant training montages and allows the film to more easily articulate the emotions and motivations behind Eddie’s Olympic dream.

Making Eddie’s coach a macho former champion who squandered his natural athleticism provides a slightly heavy handed but convenient contrast to Eddie’s unassuming physique but unfaltering spirit.

Overall the film’s soundtrack and costumes also have considerable fun with the 1980s backdrop. Garishly coloured winter sports attire combines with a well-chosen selection of late 80’s pop classics to give audiences a real flavour of time. Director Dexter Fletcher and legendary stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong also deserve considerable credit for capturing the perilous adventures of ski jumping. It allows audiences to fully comprehend just how terrifying Eddie’s achievements actually were.

The Bad

Those familiar with Eddie’s extraordinary real life story will quickly notice some very significant changes to the big screen version of events. Most obviously the film invents a flamboyant and reluctant coach for the eccentric British sportsman. Serving as a convenient plot device, Jackman’s character gives Eddie someone to talk to and provides an easy source of comedy, tension and emotional subplots. In reality Eddie’s journey to Olympic fame was far more solitary, arguably making it even more astonishing and impressive. While most audiences will forgive the film some artistic licence in exchange for amusing training montages, sporting purists may be a little disappointed at the need to make a truly unique story at least superficially more conventional.

The Ugly Truth

The film perfectly captures the joyous spirit of Eddie The Eagle’s memorable sporting achievements, even if it injects a fair amount of cliché big screen fiction into an already incredible true story.

Review by Russell Nelson

Empire Awards Winners 2016

Honouring the best films and entertainment of the past year, the Jameson Empire Awards took place this evening, hosted by David Walliams. The force remained strong for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which received the most awards, including Best Director presented by Vue Entertainment for J.J. Abrams, Best Visual Effects, Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy collected by C-3PO himself, Anthony Daniels, and Best Male and Female Newcomer awards for stars John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, who were both present to accept their trophies.

Three honorary awards were bestowed by Empire magazine: Empire Inspiration presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey; Empire Hero; and Empire Legend. British actor-director Paddy Considine was presented with the Empire Inspiration award by long-time collaborator and friend Shane Meadows, and actor Stanley Tucci was named Empire Hero. Miranda Richardson, currently filming Churchill with Tucci, presented him with the award in recognition of his recent performances in high-profile films including the Hunger Games series and Spotlight. The late Alan Rickman was posthumously named this year’s Empire Legend by Editor in Chief of Empire, Terri White and News Editor, Chris Hewitt who commented on stage:”This is a heartfelt tribute from the Empire staff to an actor who touched us all with his extraordinary career.”

Other stars of the screen honoured at the ceremony included Matt Damon, who was in attendance to receive the Jameson Best Actor award for his performance in The Martian. Director Paul Greengrass, who has recently reunited with Damon on the upcoming Jason Bourne, presented the award to him on stage. Alicia Vikander was crowned Best Actress for The Danish Girl, as announced by Richard E. Grant.

The top film awards of the evening – Best British Film presented by The Hollywood Reporter and Best Film presented by Sky Movies went to Spectreand The Revenant respectively. Director Sam Mendes collected the Best British Film award from Jonathan Ross for Spectre, which also won Best Thriller presented by Corinthia Hotel London. Further awards dedicated to popular genres were Best Horror, which went to The Hallow and was received by director Corin Hardy and actor Joseph Mawle, and Best Comedy presented by Absolute Radio, which was awarded to Spy and collected by actor Peter Serafinowicz from comedian Katherine Ryan.

The award for Best TV Series, presented by Wuaki TV, presented this year for the first time, went to This Is England ’90. Series director and co-writerShane Meadows collected the award alongside cast members Thomas Turgoose, Jo Hartley and Chanel Cresswell.

Other new awards announced at the end of the ceremony included: Batman: Arkham Knight for Best Game presented by the Forever Hope Foundation; Inside Out for Best Animation; Amy for Best Documentary; The Big Short for Best Screenplay; and World Of Tomorrow for Best Short Filmpresented by Jameson Irish Whiskey. Mad Max: Fury Road triumphed in the newly introduced craft categories, taking four awards in total for: Best Soundtrack; Best Costume Design; Best Make-Up And Hairstyling; and Best Production Design.

Legend remade in 60 seconds was awarded the annual Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds short film award, presented to its director Marc Barnes by jury member Corin Hardy. A total of 355 contestants from four countries submitted a 60-second remake of their favourite film to enter this year’s competition. The entries were judged by a panel of film experts including director Corin Hardy, producer Bekki Wray-Rogers, actress Faye Marsay and Paul Keenan, CEO of Bauer Media, owners of Empire magazine. All 2016 entries and finalists are available to watch atwww.jamesonempireDISS.com.

The 21^st annual Jameson Empire Awards were once again held at Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel, in Park Lane in the heart of London’s Mayfair. In attendance were nominees, presenters and other distinguished guests from the entertainment world, including: Matt Damon; Sam Mendes;Daisy Ridley; John Boyega; Anthony Daniels; Paul Greengrass; Miranda Richardson; Shane Meadows; Paddy Considine; Andy Serkis; Stanley Tucci; Laura Carmichael; Caitlin Moran; Max Irons; Jonathan Ross; Jane Goldman; Richard E. Grant; Thomas Turgoose; Sarah Gavron; Maisie Williams; Amara Karan; Daniel Mays; Craig Roberts; Peter Serafinowicz; Katherine Ryan; Johnny Vegas; Joseph Mawle; Meera Syal and Georgina Campbell

The Elle Style Awards Winners 2016

The 19^th ELLE Style Awards, in association with H&M, recognise the contribution of the world’s most inspiring fashion insiders and brightest emerging talent, honouring their achievements and celebrating their global influence on the industry.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Suki Waterhouse, James Norton, Will Poulter, Ellie Goulding, Bella Hadid and Lana Del Ray were just some of the stylish celebrities that graced the red carpet at tonight’s star-studded ceremony. The official closing party of London Fashion Week, hosted by Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, was held at Tate Britain.

The ELLE Style Awards ceremony kicked-off with a surprise performance by girl group All Saints, marking their first public appearance since announcing their reunion. The nineties hit-makers performed number-one crowd favourites, including ‘Never Ever’, ‘I Know Where It’s At’ and ‘Pure Shores’. The entertainment continued into the evening as neo soul duo Lion Babe headlined the after party with a DJ set in the neon-lit venue.

THE ELLE STYLE AWARDS 2016 WINNERS
AWARD	WINNER	PRESENTER
STYLE INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR	JOURDAN DUNN	CAROLINE RUSH & EVA CHEN
TV ACTRESS OF THE YEAR	LIV TYLER	STELLA MCCARTNEY
MALE MODEL OF THE YEAR	LUCKY BLUE SMITH	ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY
H&M CONSCIOUS AWARD	ALEK WEK	JULIA RESTOIN-ROITFELD
BRITISH DESIGNER OF THE YEAR	ROKSANDA	ROISIN MURPHY
BREAKTHROUGH STAR OF THE YEAR	SUKI WATERHOUSE	JEREMY IRVINE
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR	LANA DEL REY	NOOMI RAPACE
FASHION DIRECTOR’S WOMAN OF THE YEAR	ARIZONA MUSE	ANNE-MARIE CURTIS & CHARLOTTE DELLAL
ACTOR OF YEAR	MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS	STACY MARTIN
ACCESSORIES DESIGNER OF THE YEAR	ANYA HINDMARCH	LILY DONALDSON
BRITISH BRAND OF THE YEAR	STELLA MCCARTNEY	ELLIE GOULDING
ALBUM OF THE YEAR	JAMIE XX	BELLA HADID
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR	ELIZABETH OLSEN	JAMES NORTON
EDITOR’S CHOICE OF THE YEAR	CLARE WAIGHT KELLER, CHLOE	LORRAINE CANDY
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT	ANNIE LENNOX	ABI MORGAN
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO FASHION	ALBER ELBAZ	JOHNNY COCA
INSPIRING WOMEN OF THE YEAR	KARLIE KLOSS	NICK KNIGHT