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First Take: We Live in Time - the director of Brooklyn + Film4 funding = a great start to 2025

SYNOPSIS: An up-and-coming chef and a recent divorcée find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-span…
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First Take: Paddington in Peru - the trilogy doesn’t quite stick the landing

SYNOPSIS: Paddington returns to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, a…
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First Take: Piece by Piece - the most ‘out there’ documentary released for a while

SYNOPSIS: A vibrant journey through the life of Pharrell Williams, told through the lens of LEGO animation. I never thought Lego breaking away from Wa…
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First Take: Venom: The Last Dance - Sony once again fumble another superhero film

SYNOPSIS: Eddie and Venom, on the run, face pursuit from both worlds. As circumstances tighten, they’re compelled to make a heart-wrenching choice …
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First Take - The Wild Robot - DreamWorks’ best hope at an Oscar as their in-house era ends with a bang

SYNOPSIS: After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with…
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First Take: Despicable Me 4 - sometimes minions can’t save a film from daddy issues

SYNOPSIS: Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new neme…
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TheJackSmit.com at the 2024 Lytham International Film Festival

August Bank Holiday meant only one thing - the mother of all storms - but also the second edition of a film festival that’s making waves in the Nor…
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First Take at LYIFF: The Way to Happiness - a delicatessen themed around film, taking its owner on a very personal journey

SYNOPSIS: Saül Birnbaum is a “hidden child”, separated from his parents at the age of 6 to escape the upcoming Shoah, sent by a Kindertransport abro…
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Projection Room: open for business at last - Prime Video, meet The Renata Road

Stills from The Renata Road courtesy of Beyond The Bar Ltd Long-time readers of the blog - especially those who have been here from the UCLan days o…
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First Take: Deadpool and Wolverine - zero Fox given in the long-awaited threequel

Spoiler free as usual . Because the MCU is back. SYNOPSIS: Wolverine is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth Deadpoo…
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First Take: IF - rumours of the U certificate’s death are greatly exaggerated

SYNOPSIS: A young girl who goes through a difficult experience begins to see everyone’s imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-lif…
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First Take Classics: The Mummy (1999) - let’s pretend Tom Cruise never ruined the franchise

SYNOPSIS: At an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Hamunaptra, an American serving in the French Foreign Legion accidentally awakens a mummy…
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First Take: The Garfield Movie - love Mondays. Hate this film.

SYNOPSIS: After Garfield’s unexpected reunion with his long-lost father, ragged alley cat Vic, he and his canine friend Odie are forced from their pe…
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First Take: Inside Out 2 - bring all the feels

SYNOPSIS: A sequel that features Riley entering puberty and experiencing brand new, more complex emotions as a result. As Riley tries to adapt to her…
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First Take: The Fall Guy - stuntmen get more love than the people who actually put the films on

SYNOPSIS: A down-and-out stuntman must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend’s blockbuster film. When you have a film which involves a LOT of stu…
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First Take: Challengers - sport can be cruel sometimes

SYNOPSIS: Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, turned her husband into a champion. But to overcome a losing streak, he needs to face his ex-b…
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First Take: Dune: Part 2 - he who controls the spice, controls the box office

SYNOPSIS: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Well, the impossible…
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First Take: Wicked Little Letters - Colman + Buckley + swearing = madness

SYNOPSIS: When people in Littlehampton–including conservative local Edith–begin to receive letters full of hilarious profanities, rowdy Irish migrant…
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First Take: Anyone but You - nothing fake about this ‘rom-con’

SYNOPSIS: After an amazing first date, Bea and Ben’s fiery attraction turns ice-cold… until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at a destinati…
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First Take: Poor Things - ‘jumping’ so furious it got (rightly) cut by the BBFC

SYNOPSIS: The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter; a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox sci…
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2023 Wipe: The Journal Year in Review

Start your engines - once again, it’s time to Wipe off 2023 and review it in style. Jack Smit takes a look back at a 12 months of strikes, solid f…
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