Effie Gray (12A)
Effie Gray (12A)
Dir: Richard Laxton
With: Dakota Fanning, Emma Thompson
Runtime: 108 minutes
THE sexless marriage of the titular Effie and the critic John Ruskin comes under screenwriter Emma Thompson's gaze in this stiff as a corset period drama. Dakota Fanning plays Effie, delighted to flee dreary old Scotland for what she believes will be a thrilling life and exciting marriage in London. Poor old Ruskin rather gets the fuzzy end of the lollipop as the womenfolk, including Thompson, playing grand society dame Lady Eastlake, resolve that up with this situation no woman should have to put. Shot in London and Scotland, Richard Laxton's drama looks the Farrow and Ball and soft furnishings part, and the cast includes Julie Walters and David Suche, but in its determination not to be frivolous Effie Gray is awfully dull.
Annabelle (15)
Dir: John R Leonetti
With: Ward Horton, Annabelle Wallis
Runtime: 99 minutes
YOU will perhaps recall the doll from horror hit The Conjuring, a toy so horrifically evil-looking no one in their right mind would give it house room.
Well, here is the story of how the Annabelle doll came into being, and why she continues to wreak havoc.
Set in Sixties America, with a hefty nod to Rosemary's Baby, John R Leonetti's chiller supplies a handful of decent frights before descending into hot and cold running silliness.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (PG)
Dir: Miguel Arteta
With: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner
Runtime: 81 minutes
A ROTTEN title but an amiable enough family film to fill a half-term afternoon. The Coopers, led by ma and pa (Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner) are an all American family who generally lead happy go lucky lives. But one of their number seems cursed by rotten luck and wishes the rest of his family could have a taste of that too. The usual face-achingly wholesome messages are sent, but there are some decent gags along the way.
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