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The Smit Awards 2015: Putting the Oscars to shame

2015. It’s been one hell of a year. New records all over the shop, bigger, more involving narratives and a little thing called Star Wars happened thi…
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First Take: Belle- a film based on a painting?

SYPNOSIS: The mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral is raised by her aristocratic great-uncle in 18th century England I may hate the costume dram…
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First Take: The Shawshank Redemption- I’m not even writing a joke here. It was that good.

Plot in simpler terms- based on a Stephen King novella about a banker who gets sent to prison for a double murder, ultimately befriending a contraban…
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First Take: Behind The Candelabra- too much of a good thing is wonderful

Plot in simpler terms- Steven Soderbergh’s take on the tale of Scott Thorson, the man who had a secret relationship with Liberace for 6 years So, this…
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First Take Classics: Nightcrawler- viewer discretion is advised

SYPNOSIS: When Louis Bloom, a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and …
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First Takes: Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace- going back to where it all began

CASINO ROYALE (2006) Plot in simpler terms- Bond becomes 007 as he deals with Blofeld-esque villain Le Chiffre over a high stakes game of poker Casino …
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First Take: Die Hard- yippie kay-yay mother film lover

Plot in simpler terms- off duty NYPD officer takes on a group of criminals who disguise themselves as terrorists Die Hard. A film regarded by many as …
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First Take: Othello- a very underrated film indeed

Plot in simpler terms- Shakespeare’s play adapted very lovingly for a 90s audience This is a very rare beast, as this adaptation stays very much true …
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First Take: A Streetcar Named Desire- officially the oldest film to be reviewed

Plot in simpler terms- based on Tennessee Williams’ play, follows an upper class girl as she loses the plot in a working class Louisiana environment S…
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First Take: Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D- just let it in

Spoiler free as usual. Because I will get force choked if I even say anything. SYPNOSIS: Three decades after the Empire’s defeat, a new threat arises …
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First Take: Bridge of Spies- Spielberg is back in style

Plot in simpler terms- a true story about a New York lawyer who becomes the negotiator for the US soldiers captured by Germany during the Cold War Spi…
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First Take: The Good Dinosaur- Pixar go from hero to zero

Plot in simpler terms- dinosaur meets cave boy who teaches the traditional Pixar family values Now, where do I begin on this film? It feels like Pixar…
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First Take: La Haine- retro French cinema is always amazing

Plot in simpler terms- a story about 3 boys who escape the banlieues of Paris for a literal thug life I officially love French film now. This is one o…
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First Take: The Lady in the Van- surely it gets too cold during the winter

Plot in simpler terms- a (mostly) true story about a pensioner setting up her house (a van) in the driveway of writer Alan Bennett’s home in Camden f…
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First Take: Brooklyn- possibly the most emotive piece of cinema I've seen for a very long time

SYPNOSIS- An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance with a local. When her past catches up with her, however…
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First Take Classics: Girlhood- this film is very much born independent

SYPNOSIS: A girl with few real prospects joins a gang, reinventing herself and gaining a sense of self confidence in the process. However, she soon fi…
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First Take: SPECTRE- The writing is definitely on the wall

Plot in simpler terms- Bond comes face to face with an old friend who claims to be the author of all his pain, all while trying to keep the 00-sector…
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First Take: Suffragette- earning the vote of approval with ease

SYNOPSIS- The story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse…
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First Take Classics: A Bout De Souffle (Breathless)- and so the French New Wave begins

SYPNOSIS: A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American …
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First Take: Team America: World Police- 'Murica? Hell yeah?

Plot in simpler terms- satire from the dudes who created South Park, this time involving puppets who have the job of killing Kim Jong-il  2004 is stil…
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First Take: The Bad Education Movie- so funny it hurt my ears

Plot in simpler terms- based on the very popular BBC show, the film follows rebel teacher Alfie Wickers (Jack Whitehall) and his class on a trip to C…
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First Take: Trainwreck- everyone fell in love with Amy Schumer

Plot in simpler terms- based on Schumer’s stand up material as she writes an article on (and falls in love with) a sports doctor Comedy perfection is …
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First Take: Mission Impossible Rogue Nation- This review will self destruct in 5...

SYNOPSIS: Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled …
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First Take: Life of Pi- cinematic storytelling at it's finest

SYNOPSIS: A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpect…
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First Take: Inside Out- FINALLY, Pixar have done it

Plot in simpler terms- an 11 year old girl’s journey into adulthood, but documented through the eyes of her emotions So, after 3 years Pixar are back …
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First Take: Ant-Man- No Edgar Wright? No problem.

SYNOPSIS: Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his in…
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First Take: Ted 2- STILL thunder buddies, right?

Plot in simpler terms- talking teddy bear takes on court for his human rights There’s a lot of expectations for a sequel like this, but Ted 2 didn’t d…
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First Take Classics: Ted- thunder buddies for life

Plot in simpler terms- story of a man and his talking, smoking teddy bear as they try and keep their sanity Ted is a film that has become a cult class…
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First Take: Magic Mike XXL- it's very hard to resist

Plot in simpler terms- the Kings of Tampa reunite for one last ride down to the Myrtle Beach stripper convention, albeit with many secrets revealed a…
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First Take: Memento- no notes or tattoos needed for this one

Plot in simpler terms- based on the short story Memento Mori, basically a typical Chris Nolan plot that follows a man with amnesia who has a unique w…
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First Take: Spy- Feig has done it yet again

Plot in simpler terms- CIA agent who is out of her league in the spy game gets thrown into the world of espionage It’s fitting that I was introduced t…
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First Take: TT Closer to the Edge- more brutal and hard hitting than a punch in the gut

Plot in simpler terms- follows the riders of the 2010 Isle of Man TT as they prepare for the world’s toughest road race. Ah, it’s TT time again, and t…
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First Take: Pitch Perfect 2- Aca awesome? No.

SYPNOSIS: After a humiliating command performance at The Kennedy Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group h…
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First Take: Avengers: Age of Ultron- we’re part of a bigger universe but we don’t know it yet

As spoiler free as it can get… for now. Plot in simpler terms- picks up where Avengers Assemble left off, this time though the Avengers have to take d…
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First Take: The Dark Knight Trilogy- Christopher Nolan provides hit after hit after hit- inception anyone?

BATMAN BEGINS (2005) Plot in simpler terms- the traditional origin story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman The opening to this trilogy sets up many aspe…
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First Take: Annie - Modernising yet another classic

Plot in simpler terms- based on the musical we all know and love about a little orphan (foster kid in this version) who takes New York by storm Now, t…
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First Take: Big Hero 6- Disney and Marvel finally let it go

Plot in simpler terms- inspired by the comic books about an inventor who creates a healthcare companion who ends up doing the exact opposite Big Hero …
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First Take Classics: Kingsman: The Secret Service- manners maketh man

SYNOPSIS- A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program, just as a global t…
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First Take: The Theory of Everything- A brief (well, 2 hours 3 minutes) history of Stephen Hawking's time

Plot in simpler terms- based on Jane Hawking’s book Travelling to Infinity, follows Stephen Hawking as he writes and publishes Brief History of Time. …
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First Take: Taken 3- my particular set of skills are used for the first time of 2015

Plot in simpler terms- Liam Neeson is back as Bryan Mills as he is framed for his ex-wife’s murder and uses his skillset to practically own the polic…
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