Avengers Infinity War Premiere Pictures
Check out literally hundreds of pictures from the star studded world premiere for Avengers Infinity War. The entire cast walked the carpet including Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, Gwyneth Paltrow, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Letita Wright, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin, Sean Gunn, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, and Chris Pratt.
Galleries Below and our own interviews from the recent Avengers Infinity War UK Fan Event as well:
Sherlock Gnomes Review
The Plot
Gnomeo & Juliet have moved to London and have a new garden home. While they’re busy navigating their relationship and new roles as leaders of their combined Gnome family, tragedy strikes as Garden Gnomes across London suddenly disappear. Fortunately Gnomeo and Juliet cross paths with the world’s most brilliant team of ornamental detectives Dr Watson and Sherlock Gnomes.
The Good
Sherlock Gnomes represents a significant change in style and genre from Gnomeo and Juliet’s first adventure, switching gears from romantic comedy into outright action adventure. Borrowing the classic template of the greatest detective stories the film fuses it playfully with colourful animation and daft Garden Gnome antics.
Sherlock Gnomes voice cast is a sheer embarrassment of riches with returning stars James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Stephen Merchant, David Walliams and Ashley Jensen taking their place alongside the added talents of Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Johnny Depp.
Superstar Depp is often celebrated as one of the most whimsically versatile character actors. This time yet again. His recognisable vocal charms make Sherlock Gnomes a credible character and not just a bad pun. Depp perfectly captures Sherlock’s defining characteristic blend of refined illuminating charisma and flagrant arrogance. The combined vocal talents of an enthusiastic cast help inject some genuine emotion in spite of the unapologetically cartoonish visuals.
The film’s colourful Gnome world is perfectly complimented by a frequently toe tapping soundtrack comprised of classic Elton john material and original songs. Executive producer Elton John generously once again gifts the film a free reign over his impressive back catalogue and helps provide new songs alongside the reimagined hits. The soundtrack quality is so high that it elevates the consistently elevates the overall appeal of the film.
Sherlock Gnomes is both mischievously silly and endearingly innocent. There’s something comforting about a film aimed at a young audience that doesn’t feel the need to cram in heavy handed adult themes or heart-breaking life lessons. Garden Gnomes are such a perfect symbol of kitsch childish fun that it would be a terrible mistake to abandon that welcome silliness. Thankfully this film knows exactly how to delight young fans.
The Bad
Those that weren’t immediately won over by the first film’s barrage of Gnome based gags and heavy reliance on silly slapstick and puns won’t necessarily find this new adventure sufficiently different to change their mind. The film’s cartoonish visuals and frequent silliness is aimed most squarely at a mostly younger audience. While not lacking in charm it’s fair to say that overall the film lacks the kind of layered emotional complexity that Pixar and Disney consistently manage to offer adults.
The film’s catchy soundtrack and energetic vocal performances don’t change the fact that endless reimagining’s of Sherlock Holmes stories are becoming increasingly overly familiar. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle certainly would never have imagined seeing his iconic creations transformed into animated garden ornaments. We’ll never know for certain whether he would have approved of this most unlikely transformation or merely have been mortified.
The Ugly Truth
Sherlock Gnomes is a brightly coloured and action packed romp through London’s iconic landmarks and a fun detective adventure. A talented voice cast and a magnificent soundtrack make the film an easy watch for patient parents and delighted kids.
Review by Russell Nelson
BAFTA TV Craft Awards Winners 2018
The British Academy Television Craft Awards 2018 ceremony took place yesterday evening in London and announced winners in a wide range of technical categories ahead of the BAFTA TV Awards ceremony next month. Three Girls, Chris Packham Aspergers and Me, Blue Planet II, This Country and Game Of Thrones were among the night’s big winners.
Full list of nominees and winners below:
SPECIAL AWARD
GAME OF THRONES
BREAKTHROUGH TALENT sponsored by Sara Putt Associates
BERNARD MACMAHON (Director), ALLISON McGOURTY (Writer, Producer and Music Supervisor) Arena, American Epic, The Sessions – Lo-Max Films / Wildwood Enterprises / BBC Arena / BBC Four
CHARLOTTE WOLF (Writer) Inspector George Gently (Episode 1) – Company Pictures / BBC One
DAISY MAY COOPER (Writer), CHARLIE COOPER (Writer) This Country – BBC Studios Comedy / BBC Three
TOM PURSEY (Producer and Director) Fighting Cancer: My Online Diary – AMOS Pictures / Channel 4
COSTUME DESIGN sponsored by CARAT London
ALISON McCOSH Peaky Blinders – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
JANE PETRIE The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
JOANNA EATWELL Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
MICHELE CLAPTON Game of Thrones – HBO Programming / Bighead, Littlehead / Television 360 / Startling Television / Sky Atlantic
DIRECTOR: FACTUAL
ANNA HALL Catching a Killer: The Search for Natalie Hemming – True Vision / Channel 4
CHARLIE RUSSELL Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me – Raw TV / BBC Two
WILL YAPP The Real Full Monty – Spun Gold TV / ITV
XAVIER ALFORD Drugsland: Heroin Love Story – BBC Studios’ Unscripted Productions / Open University/ BBC Three
DIRECTOR: FICTION sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
JANE CAMPION Top of the Lake: China Girl – See-Saw Films / BBC Two
MACKENZIE CROOK Detectorists – Channel X North / Treasure Trove Productions / Lola Entertainment / BBC Four
PAUL WHITTINGTON Little Boy Blue – ITV Studios / ITV
PHILIPPA LOWTHORPE Three Girls – BBC Studios Drama / Studio Lambert / BBC One
DIRECTOR: MULTI-CAMERA
CHRIS POWER Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway – ITV Studios / Mitre Television / ITV
JAMES MORGAN Wild Alaska Live – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC One
JULIA KNOWLES World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – BBC Studios / BBC One
NIKKI PARSONS Strictly Come Dancing – BBC Studios / BBC One
EDITING: FACTUAL
ANNA PRICE Louis Theroux: Dark States (Heroin Town) – BBC Studios’ Documentary Unit / BBC Two
GED MURPHY David Bowie: The Last Five Years – BBC Studios / BBC Two
MATT MEECH Blue Planet II (One Ocean) – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Worldwide / Open University / WDR / BBC America / Tencent / France Televisions / CCTV9/ BBC One
NIGEL BUCK Blue Planet II (The Deep) – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Worldwide / Open University / WDR / BBC America / Tencent / France Televisions / CCTV9/ BBC One
WILL GRAYBURN Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me – Raw TV / BBC Two
EDITING: FICTION
ANDREW JOHN McCLELLAND Line of Duty (Episode 4) – World Productions / BBC One
DAN ROBERTS Peaky Blinders (Episode 5) – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
PIA DI CIAULA The Crown (Episode 9) – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
ÚNA NÍ DHONGHAÍLE Three Girls – BBC Studios Drama / Studio Lambert / BBC One
ENTERTAINMENT CRAFT TEAM sponsored by Hotcam
DAVE DAVEY, DAVID TENCH, DOMINIC TOLFTS, KEVIN DUFF The Voice UK – ITV Studios / Talpa / ITV
JASON GILKISON, MARK KENYON, PATRICK DOHERTY, DAVID NEWTON Strictly Come Dancing – BBC Studios / BBC One
NIGEL CATMUR, DAVID COLE, KATE DAWKINS, KEVIN DUFF World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – BBC Studios / BBC Two
RICHARD VALENTINE, TOBY ALINGTON, SIMON SANDERS One Love Manchester – BBC Studios / SB Projects / BBC One
MAKE UP & HAIR DESIGN sponsored by MAC Cosmetics and Make-up Artist Magazine
CHRISSIE BAKER The Miniaturist – The Forge / BBC One
JACQUELINE FOWLER Gunpowder – Kudos / Thriker Films / BBC One
JAN ARCHIBALD, ERIKA ÖKVIST, AUDREY DOYLE Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
LOZ SCHIAVO Peaky Blinders – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
ORIGINAL MUSIC
JOCELYN POOK King Charles III – Drama Republic / BBC Two
KATYA MIHAILOVA Born to be Free: Saving Russia’s Whales – Roast Beef Productions / Channel 4
MAX RICHTER Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
NICO MUHLY Howards End – Playground Entertainment / BBC One
PHOTOGRAPHY: FACTUAL sponsored by The Farm
CAMERA TEAM Blue Planet II (One Ocean) – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Worldwide / Open University / WDR/ BBC America / Tencent / France Televisions / CCTV9 / BBC One
DANIEL VERNON, DANIEL DEWSBURY The Detectives: Murder on the Streets – Minnow Films / Open University / BBC Two
FADI AL-HALABI, HASSAN KATTAN, THAER MOHAMMED Storyville, Last Men in Aleppo (Storyville) – Larm Film / Aleppo Media Centre / Kloos & Co. Medien / BBC Four
OLIVIER SARBIL The Fight for Mosul (Dispatches) – Mongoose Pictures / Frontline PBS / Channel 4
PHOTOGRAPHY & LIGHTING: FICTION
ADRIANO GOLDMAN The Crown (Episode 4) – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
JOHANN PERRY Against the Law – BBC Studios’ Documentary Unit / BBC Two
MARK PATTEN Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
STEPHAN PEHRSSON USS Callister (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
PRODUCTION DESIGN sponsored by Microsoft
DEBORAH RILEY, ROB CAMERON Game of Thrones – HBO Programming / Bighead, Littlehead / Television 360 / Startling Television / Sky Atlantic
JOEL COLLINS, PHIL SIMS USS Callister (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
MARTIN CHILDS, ALISON HARVEY The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
PAT CAMPBELL The State – Archery Pictures / Channel 4
SOUND: FACTUAL
ANDY DEACON, KEVIN DUFF, ANDY JAMES, MARK McLOUGHLIN World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – BBC Studios / BBC Two
GRAHAM WILD, GEORGE FRY, JAMES BURCHILL Mountain: Life at the Extreme (Himalaya) – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Two
GRAHAM WILD, TIM OWENS, KATE HOPKINS Blue Planet II (Coral Reefs) – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Worldwide / Open University / WDR/ BBC America / Tencent / France Televisions / CCTV9 / BBC One
KARL MAINZER, ROWAN JENNINGS, ADAM SCOURFIELD, SEAN O’NEIL David Bowie: The Last Five Years – BBC Studios / BBC Two
RUSSELL EDWARDS, TRISTAN POWELL, ROBERT ENTWISTLE, MARC WOJTANOWSKI The Grand Tour – W Chump and Sons / Amazon
SOUND: FICTION
FORBES NOONAN, BEN NORRINGTON, JIM GODDARD, GRANT BRIDGEMAN Peaky Blinders (Episode 6) – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
SOUND TEAM Sherlock – Hartswood Films / BBC One
SOUND TEAM Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
SOUND TEAM The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
JOHN RODDA, TIM CAVAGIN, KENNY CLARK, MICHAEL MAROUSSAS USS Callister (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
SPECIAL, VISUAL & GRAPHIC EFFECTS sponsored by Autodesk
BLUEBOLT, COLIN GORRY EFFECTS LTD, ADAM GLASMAN, ROB PIZZEY Taboo – Scott Free London / Hardy Son & Baker / BBC One
DNEG TV, JEAN-CLEMENT SORET, RUSSELL McLEAN, JOEL COLLINS Metalhead (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
ONE OF US, ASA SHOUL, CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
THOMAS HORTON, FREEFOLK, DOUBLE NEGATIVE, NVIZIBLE Emerald City – NBC Universal / 5Star
TITLES & GRAPHIC IDENTITY
BDH CREATIVE Blue Planet II – BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit / BBC Worldwide / Open University / WDR/ BBC America / Tencent / France Televisions / CCTV9 / BBC One
LIQUID TV Have I Got News for You – Hat Trick Productions / BBC One
MORGAN BERINGER Top of the Lake: China Girl – See-Saw Films / BBC Two
WILLIAM BARTLETT SS-GB – Sid Gentle Films / BBC One
WRITER: COMEDY
DAISY MAY COOPER, CHARLIE COOPER This Country – BBC Studios Comedy / BBC Three
PAUL COLEMAN, PETER KAY, SIAN GIBSON Peter Kay’s Car Share – Goodnight Vienna Productions / BBC One
SHARON HORGAN, ROB DELANEY Catastrophe – Avalon Television / Merman / Birdbath Productions / Channel 4
STEVE PEMBERTON, REECE SHEARSMITH Inside No. 9 – BBC Studios Comedy / BBC Two
WRITER: DRAMA
CHARLIE BROOKER Hang the DJ (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
NICOLE TAYLOR Three Girls – BBC Studios Drama / Studio Lambert / BBC One
PETER MORGAN The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
STEVEN KNIGHT Peaky Blinders – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
Austin Powers Verne Troyer Dies Aged 49
Verne Troyer the beloved Austin Powers star, best known as diminutive super villain Mini-Me, has sadly died at the age of 49. His family confirmed the news on a post on his official Facebook page read.
“It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today. .. Over the years he’s struggled and won… but unfortunately this time was too much.”
News of his death follows his admission to hospital in Los Angeles earlier this month, although precise details about his health were not made public at that time. Troyer had been hospitalised last year due to ongoing substance abuse issues and released a statement at that time addressing the concerns of his fans and thanking them for all their messages of support.
Troyer featured in countless films and tv shows in a lengthy career that saw him feature in Harry Potter and Austin Powers among countless other big screen outings. He notably worked with friend Heath Ledger on Terry Gilliam’s fantasy adventure The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and was a frequent presence on British television screens as part of Celebrity Big Brother and gameshow Celebrity Juice.
He was also a passionate advocate for a number of charities and an inspirational figure for many differently abled performers due to his success and outspoken challenging of Hollywood stereotypes.
He will be deeply missed and we look back on the time we were lucky enough to spend with him with both sadness and joy.
Bat Out Of Hell The Musical Review
The Plot
In a dystopian future wild teens wander the apocalyptic streets, mysteriously never aging past 18 years old. The tyrannical Falco rules high above them with his wife and rebellious daughter Raven trapped in a luxurious skyscraper. Until a forbidden romance between Raven and Strat, the rock and roll leader of the Lost youth, threatens to tear both worlds apart.
The Good
Meatloaf’s epic musical collaboration with composer Jim Steinman remains one of the highest selling and most iconic albums of all time. Originally created with the intention of being a theatrical production, after over 40 years Steinman finally realises that dream to the delight of long term fans and new audiences alike.
As crowd pleasing ‘jukebox’ musical Bat Out of Hell draws upon a truly unique collection of songs, made even more powerful by audiences existing familiarity. Few West End productions can boast soaring power ballads with even half the power of I’ll Do Anything For Love. It’s simply an enjoyable embarrassment of musical riches to parades hits like Dead Ringer For Love, Two Out Of Threes Ain’t Bad and the titular Bat Out Of Hell.
Meatloaf is one of the most instantly recognisable and powerful vocalists in rock history, so it’s a massive compliment to the entire West End cast that they are able to fully match that note perfect power and collectively reimagine his popular back catalogue. Aided by elaborate production value and the grandeur of one of London’s most lavish Theatre spaces the musical fully succeeds in avoiding ever feeling merely like skilful karaoke. There’s genuinely electrifying atmosphere to these live performance that gives audiences so much more than watching a YouTube medley of Meatloaf music videos ever could.
Bat Out Of Hell has assembled a talented cast of seasoned theatre veterans and undaunted newcomers. The shows core quartet of Rob Fowler, Sharon Sexton, Christina Bennington and Andrew Polec all deserve considerable praise for vocally flawless performances and for bravely tackling some of the more cringe inducing dialogue. The show often nods to self-awareness of its more ridiculous elements and the cast’s consistently earnest and enthusiastic performances carry audiences through those moments with a confident smirk.
Though the first act lurches often from the sublime to the ridiculous an indisputably stronger second act sees the show deliver a steadier stream of musical spectacle less often interrupted by silly narrative elements. Uncertain audiences are likely to be won over entirely as the show finds its feet and struts through a succession of iconic power ballads with their rapturous support. Having adjusted to the somewhat weird and wonderful world of Bat Out Of Hell The Musical audiences are ultimately left with the simple truth that these songs are uniquely entertaining and meaningful in the way only rock anthems truly can be.
The Bad
Meatloaf’s unique brand of gothic rock opera is widely appealing, but there are still some who are of course less enthralled by its kitsch charms. Those reluctant to embrace the ostentatious vocal theatrics of Meatloaf and Jim Steinman’s elaborate compositions are unlikely to find that opinion altered by the transition to stage. Indeed those that specifically object to the self-indulgence of 10 minute long power ballads will only be left more exhausted by a series of them tied together by sparse dialogue and a frequently bizarre narrative.
Shamelessly gothic production design and a near constant use of heavily stylized video projections may also divide audiences between those who love the camp fun factor and those left unsure how seriously to take anything. Likewise while Steinman’s lyrics have always been elaborate and wildly melodramatic, without the swooping support of symphonic guitar riffs that same language risks becoming outright laughable dialogue during the connecting scenes. Though of course that bare chested crudely poetic silliness is an entertaining guilty pleasure in its own right.
Though the show undeniably captures much of what millions of fans love about Meatloaf, amplifying those distinctive traits won’t win over everyone and especially those who find endless rock opera more draining than delightful.
The Ugly Truth
Bat Out Of Hell soars onto stage with triumphant performances of the most beloved rock ballads. The show pays loving tribute to the unique charms of Meatloaf while equalling his legendary live performances, especially in a relentlessly spectacular second act. After 40 years this new musical is a unique addition to the West End and essential viewing for existing fans and those discovering these song for the first time alike.
Review By Russell Nelson