The Wizard of the Kremlin | TAKE ONE Magazine | A dose of Polonium-210 already begins to feel inviting a mere half hour into the prolonged 136-minute runtime of THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN.

“A dose of Polonium-210 already begins to feel inviting a mere half hour into the prolonged 136-minute runtime of THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN.” - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews. #filmsky

Wasteman | TAKE ONE Magazine | Even though WASTEMAN’s brutal narrative isn’t anything novel, it possesses a freshness courtesy of McMau’s first time behind the camera, added to the debut screenplay from newcomers Hunter Andrews and...

“Even though WASTEMAN’s brutal narrative isn’t anything novel, it possesses a freshness courtesy of McMau’s first time behind the camera, added to the debut screenplay from newcomers Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran.” - Nancy Epton reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/wasteman/

Departures | TAKE ONE Magazine | BFI Flare 2026 Even if DEPARTURES leans heavily on its influences before it establishes what it wants to say, there are enough novel angles and flourishes that its bolshy Mancunian voice is clearly heard and worth l...

“Even if DEPARTURES leans heavily on its influences before it establishes what it wants to say, there are enough novel angles and flourishes that its bolshy Mancunian voice is clearly heard and worth listening to.” - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/departu...

We’re old enough to remember when Sora and video GenAI was the death of cinema. Most folk are. It was only last year.

The Drama THE DRAMA renders philosophical thought experiments as tangible personal relationships. The film is both fiendishly juvenile and thought-provoking, with Kristoffer Borgli's black comedy approach harmonising these two qualities.

“THE DRAMA renders philosophical thought experiments as tangible personal relationships. The film is both fiendishly juvenile and thought-provoking, with Kristoffer Borgli's black comedy approach harmonising these two qualities.” - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews. #filmsky

A man (Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford) runs away from a huge boulder with a look of panic on his face. He is labelled “Trying to watch any other film in a cinema this week”, and the boulder is labelled “92,618 screenings of Super Mario Galaxy”.

Going to the cinema this weekend be like

The year is 2085. Fifty years after a Looney Tunes reboot referenced 2020s internet culture, everybody thinks that ducks eat Dubai chocolate. Many ducks have perished with the myth.

The Bride! | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews The story of Shelley’s Frankenstein is, in part, about unchecked ambition and “filthy creation”. In pursuing greatness for himself, Victor brought misery upon a creature of which he lost control.…

"Frankenstein is, in part, about unchecked ambition & 'filthy creation'. In pursuing greatness for himself, Victor brought misery upon a creature of which he lost control. Maybe THE BRIDE! is a good adaptation of her work in spirit, if not in practice." - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews:

First of a couple of new reviews from me this week. First up, PROJECT HAIL MARY, which I enjoyed a lot even if I wanted a bit more of what Sandra Hüller was bringing to the film. Review for @takeonecinema.net here!

Project Hail Mary | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews PROJECT HAIL MARY remains emotionally simple (sometimes stubbornly so), but few films can offer as many shining moments.

"PROJECT HAIL MARY evokes many forebears which have perhaps examined such themes more deeply or to better effect. However, even if it remains emotionally simple (sometimes stubbornly so), few films can offer as many shining moments." - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/project...

Happy don't-post-anything-bizarre-or-nobody-will-believe-you day, everyone!

California Schemin' | TAKE ONE Magazine | Festival Coverage CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ has hints of greatness throughout its script but ultimately lands as a safe debut for James McAvoy that doesn’t dare to tread very far outside the formula for music biopic cinema.

"CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ has hints of greatness throughout its script but ultimately lands as a safe debut for James McAvoy that doesn’t dare to tread very far outside the formula for music biopic cinema." - @simonxix.com reviews out of GFF:

The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews THE FALL OF SIR DOUGLAS WEATHERFORD is the story of a tour guide in a small Borders town, driven mad by the intrusion of a television crew filming a prestige fantasy series, balancing a light comedy t...

"...the story of a tour guide in a small Borders town, driven mad by the intrusion of [filming] a prestige fantasy series, balances a light comedy tone with unexpected poignancy, even if some of its more impactful ideas are underdeveloped." - @simonxix.com reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/the-fal...

Sukkman Island (My Father's Island) | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews SUKKWAN ISLAND (also known as MY FATHER’S ISLAND) is a slow devastation. The conclusion seems inevitable from the outset but, like the young man in the film, we are dragged along for the experience.

"SUKKWAN ISLAND (also known as MY FATHER’S ISLAND) is a slow devastation. The conclusion seems inevitable from the outset but, like the young man in the film, we are dragged along for the experience." - @simonxix.com reviews at GFF: takeonecinema.net/2026/sukkman...

On this month's episode, we discuss TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES which is bland, kind of homophobic, and needlessly misogynistic. And somehow the franchise goes downhill /after this/.

TAKE ONE Magazine | Episode 3 - Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) | Pod With Us if You Want To Live Simon and Jim discuss Jonathan Mostow’s TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES, a pivot from interesting and distinctive Terminator films towards generic early 2000s action films. They discuss this…

The T3 episode of Pod With Us If You Want To Live is here! @simonxix.com & @jimgr.bsky.social discuss the pivot to generic early 2000s action, wild tonal whiplash, casual laddish misogyny & Arnold’s small distraction during this film of running for Governor of California.
buff.ly/oZO1lAJ

Being told by the social media manager there is no overlap in cinephiles and Pep Guardiola meme fans.

Think of England | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews THINK OF ENGLAND starts by evoking the idea of indecency with a wry grin, but what it ends up producing is something more reflective.

"THINK OF ENGLAND starts by evoking the idea of indecency with a wry grin, but what it ends up producing is something more reflective." - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews ahead of the @glasgowfilmfest.bsky.social premiere: buff.ly/x2vVGzH #GFF26 #GlasgowFilmFestival #filmsky

Cracking film. I reviewed many years ago for @takeonecinema.net before even conceiving of doing a podcast series looking at the whole Alien franchise.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die | TAKE ONE Magazine | There is more than enough wit and wisdom in the delivery of GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE that it rarely fails to be entertaining, even if the film struggles to shape a unique viewpoint from its méla...

"There is more than enough wit and wisdom in the delivery of GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE that it rarely fails to be entertaining, even if the film struggles to shape a unique viewpoint from its mélange of influences." - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/good-lu...

The Last Viking | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews THE LAST VIKING entertainingly shifts between identities in a way that parallels its characters, but a surprisingly sensitive treatment of neurodiversity is marred by a bitter undercurrent of misogyny...

"THE LAST VIKING entertainingly shifts between identities in a way that parallels its characters, but a surprisingly sensitive treatment of neurodiversity is marred by a bitter undercurrent of misogyny that leaves a bad taste." - @simonxix.com: takeonecinema.net/2026/the-las...

Rose of Nevada | TAKE ONE Magazine | Reviews Mark Jenkin’s unique filming style lends texture and physicality to ROSE OF NEVADA, a blend of British social realism and ghost story, even while the dream-like nature of it means that it fades like a...

"Mark Jenkin’s unique filming style lends texture & physicality to ROSE OF NEVADA, a blend of British social realism & ghost story, even while the dream-like nature of it means that it fades like a dream upon ending." - @simonxix.com at @glasgowfilmfest.bsky.social: takeonecinema.net/2026/rose-of...

Everybody to Kenmure Street | TAKE ONE Magazine | Glasgow Film Festival 2026 Felipe Bustos Sierra’s latest documentary is a fitting one to open Glasgow Film Festival 2026 as a thoughtful exploration of Glasgow’s political history and how a community can come together to make a...

"Felipe Bustos Sierra’s latest documentary is a fitting one to open @glasgowfilmfest.bsky.social 2026 as a thoughtful exploration of Glasgow’s political history and how a community can come together to make a political difference." - @simonxix.com reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/everybo...

The @glasgowfilmfest.bsky.social is underway, and so is our coverage. Articles incoming from @simonxix.com, @carmenchloie.bsky.social & @jimgr.bsky.social at least. Here's a thread as they come in! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🎞️

Wuthering Heights | TAKE ONE Magazine | Emerald Fennell manages to achieve some new and striking things, but it’s an odd irony that in trying to be stirring and daring, WUTHERING HEIGHTS ends up rather blunted and safe.

"Emerald Fennell manages to achieve some new and striking things, but it’s an odd irony that in trying to be stirring and daring, WUTHERING HEIGHTS ends up rather blunted and safe." - @jimgr.bsky.social reviews: takeonecinema.net/2026/wutheri...

Not this shit again

Everybody to Kenmure Street | TAKE ONE Magazine | Glasgow Film Festival 2026 Felipe Bustos Sierra’s latest documentary is a fitting one to open Glasgow Film Festival 2026 as a thoughtful exploration of Glasgow’s political history and how a community can come together to make a...

For @takeonecinema.net, I reviewed EVERYBODY TO KENMURE STREET, the opening film of this year's Glasgow Film Festival. It's a stirring documentary focused on the individuals who chose to defend their neighbours that day and the Scottish context of the protest. People Make Glasgow. #GFF26

We said we'd be back.

This film has loads of literature on it so we get into quite a few different readings of the film in this episode particularly around representations of masculinity and femininity.

TAKE ONE | Episode 2 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) | Pod With Us if You Want To Live We continue our Terminator series with one of the most successful films ever made, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY. Simon and Jim discuss what this film does to develop as a sequel, the film’s production…

We continue our new pod with T2: JUDGMENT DAY. @Simonxix.com & @JimGR.bsky.social discuss how this film develops as a sequel, the various - some dubious - readings of this film in literature, shifting of genre and tone, how masculinity & femininity are presented & subverted: buff.ly/dtZrKZv #filmsky