Multiple Moon Film Reviews: Money Monster, Hologram for a King, Love and Friendship and Sing Street

Sing Street "a beautiful and joyous piece of cinema". 

Your Cultural Correspondent (Film & Theatre) brings you these reviews having had to endure one showing of the Durex pleasure ring advert, and some three or four viewings of the adverts for some forthcoming football match at a stadium somewhere in Paris, Air B & B, and the absolutely nauseating promo for a make of car which goes by the name of Tiguan.

Were such things worth sitting through? Readers, they were. Not least because it meant we were able to hear this sublime song by Patricia Ahn:

'Fine on the outside' plays over the trailer for 'When Marnie was there', a forthcoming feature.

Then, of course, there were the four films.

First up was 'Money Monster'. It was superb and turns the diptych of 'Spotlight' and 'The Big Short' into a triptych on modern life. Although, of course, unlike those two it doesn't have the benefit of being based on a true story. We must especially salute the script writers and players. Bravi!

Second up was 'Hologram for a King'. While not Mr Hanks' finest work, it is not the 'dud' some reviewers claimed it to be. Indeed, we much enjoyed it, finding some of it rather touching, and now we've watched it, we'll never need to go to Saudi Arabia for we've surely seen the best of it. Bonus!

Third up was 'Love and Friendship'. Of all the films we saw on 'Cinema Day', Your Cultural Correspondent (Film & Theatre) thinks that this is by far the weakest. We can't quite put our finger on it, but surely Miss Austen deserves better than this adaptation and she most certainly should never be played for laughs. She should be played straight and then the text will give the laughs.

Fourth up was 'Sing Street'. What a beautiful and joyous piece of cinema - like the marvellous 'Hunky Dory' was to the 1970s, this is to the 1980s. Readers, Your Cultural Correspondent (Film & Theatre) loved this film. The players were absolutely magnificent, the script was superb, and then there were the songs. If you buy no other album this year, purchase the sound track. Better still download only the songs performed by 'Sing Street' and you too can marvel at the voice of Ferdia Walsh-Peelo. Wonderful!