Geek of Oz

Belle tells the fascinating true story of Dido Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) a mixed-race girl raised as an aristocratic in 18th century England. In a society which is heavily influenced by the economic riches of slave trading and its inherent racism, Dido’s story is incredible not only because she is raised in an aristocratic household, but that the house is that of her uncle, Lord Chief Justice, Lord Mansfield, (Tom Wilkinson) the most superior judge in all of England, who has power to influence views on slavery in his decisions in the Supreme Court. What follows is a story, most earnestly told, of Dido’s experiences growing up in English aristocracy and her striving to carve out a position of her own, in a society where position was everything. I just wish this amazing story could have been executed better. The film establishes quickly that Dido originates from an impoverished home and after the death of her mother, she is plucked from these humble beginnings by her biological Bri...

In 2003 Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp teamed up to deliver a film based upon a fifty year old theme park ride, which took the world by surprise and cemented Johnny Depp as a mega star. Ten years on, they are now bringing the unlikeliest of films to the big screen: an adaptation of a television show from the 1950s. The Lone Ranger is exactly what I want in a block buster: fast paced action, straight-forward characters, caricature villains and bucket loads of fun. I’m tipping this to be one of the better-performing films of the year.