Tag: Lily Knight

FACKHAM HALL (2025)

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Directed By: Jim O’Hanlon 

Written By: Steve Dawson, Andre Dawson, Tim Inman, Jimmy Carr and Patrick Carr

Based on an original idea By: Jimmy Carr and Patrick Carr

Cast: Ben Radcliffe, Damien Lewis, Katherine Waterson, Thomasin McKenzie, Tom Felton, Emma Laird, Adam Woodward, Lily Knight, Jimmy Carr 

A new porter forms an odd bond with the youngest daughter of a well-known UK family. As the Davenport family, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport, deals with the epic disaster of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin.

At heart this film is a comedy. Well, I will admit I expected a fast paced witty British comedy of errors and manners what it actually ends up being is more a spoof-Ish wacky comedy along the lines of the naked gun mixed with throwback aristocratic. Period piece  romance dramas of the British variety like downtown Abbey.

Where throughout the film, it feels like there are mile a minute jokes being thrown all over to see what sticks, but maybe with its upper crust background of characters. It ends up being a bit surprising, and yet quite charming.

I think this is a film that will appeal to all audiences even those who might be unfamiliar with the films or shows like DOWNTON ABBEY. As at times, the film is all over the place, but manages to stick to the landing and staying with it storyline and plots, even if they don’t always make sense.

So it’s an interesting mix that keeps it lively and an experiment that may be more films should take when mixing genres as at least it doesn’t make it evident at first, and you slowly get into that groove in atmosphere of it. It’s not so obvious nor were too ingredients. Don’t mix in the right way so that it’s actually well thought out.

Unfortunately, after a while, it does start to run out of steam or you get so used to it. It’s hard to surprise you anymroe.

The film is wacky and can be a bit offensive, but manages to keep its charms about it as well as giving us a romance that we want to see basic successful. 

GRADE: B- 

SAINT MAUD (2021)

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Written & Directed by: Rose Glass
Cinematography: Ben Fordesman
Editor: Mark Towns 

Cast: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer, Marcus Hutton, Lily Knight, Noa Bodner

Deeply religious Maud, a tight-lipped live-in nurse with a dark past, takes a job in a humdrum English coastal town to look after Amanda Köhl: a once-celebrated, now terminally ill former dancer and choreographer. Convinced that she has been sent to sensualist, chain-smoking Amanda with a purpose, ascetic Maud soon becomes obsessed with saving her vulnerable patient from herself, and in the process, lead her to the light. However, is worldly Amanda prepared to receive absolution for her sins?

This is a film that I was looking forward to seeing. It was at the top of my must-see list for 2020, until it got postponed, and finally got to recently watch. It is definitely a case of a movie living up to my expectations.

You can tell that this film feels lien something special. Even for as dark as it is.

The film is a great production and has committed performances and is definitely the work of a gifted filmmaker. As the filmmaking is gorgeous and sumptuous. That doesn’t fit into expectations. 

The film offers a lot of build-ups. That has a bunch of elevated horror cliches. As the film Challenges the audience’s expectations. As they might be looking for more than what the film has to offer.

The film revolves around loneliness at heart. While going through mental illness and stability. It ends up with strongly disturbing images.

The film is a slow burn that takes it’s Time with it’s Story and characters. Where it is meant to be more than what you are seeing. This film wants to be more than entertainment. It wants to affect you. Say, present and experience its Story more. 

It deals with obsession which causes a mental undoing to someone who was already fragile. Where she punishes herself. When she is only

Trying to help and seeking forgiveness for her past through religious fundamentalism. Which strangely she turns into a kind of eroticism for herself.

Her devotion spins takes form In trying to awaken others and give them what they want to try and help them. While having more and more delusions.

Where eventually she keeps building an intimacy out of loneliness. That once making a connection in helping others to make herself feel better and not worthless. 

As we are given hints to her life before he became so devout that seemed aimless and wild before an accident that changes her. 

By the end, the film is Sad and depressing but effective. In the last act of the film, the film becomes more of a horror. as it becomes more tension-filled. Where it feels like anything can happen.

Grade: B+