MovieFest

The season 4 finale opened with excitement and nerves building over the impending boxing match, with Lizzie telling the Shelby matriarchs about her being pregnant with Tommy's baby. Lucky woman, not really! As precocious gypsy boxer Bonny began toying with Goliath in the ring, Arthur was looking shifty in the audience, his eyes darting around, anticipating ambush. The last episode seemed to promise a big set-piece here but it never really came to pass, two lone attackers quite efficiently, even perfunctorily disposing of Arthur before being rounded up and killed by the gaggle of gang members still standing. After this scene swiftly moved on to Arthur's funeral and then the gang strategising the next move, I was feeling a little disappointed. Why did the boxing ring altercation feel so flat and devoid of intrigue? Why was the death of one of the show's biggest characters moved past with barely a tear shed? Fortunately, these questions would be answered as, with the ...

Peaky Blinders season 4, Episode 5: 'The Duel' Review! We Finally Get What We've Been Waiting For: Alfie VS Luca! There was quality everywhere in last night's episode of Peaky Blinders! Steven knight started it off, showing exactly how to open an episode as we instantly pick up the action with Tommy being tailed by the mafia, culminating in a deadly shootout! After having his numbers decimated by the Peaky Blinders yet again, Luca was determined not to make the same mistake twice, seeking the help of Alfie Solomons who seemed much more reluctant to give up his friend and expecting a lot more in return. Tom Hardy absolutely stole the show, showing knavish insolence toward the Mafia that made you want to slap the nearest surface with delight (I did multiple times). "Add another tonne for being a cunt," will, I'm sure, make fans' list of favourite Peaky quotes. Alfie struck a hard bargain and yet Changretta didn't even attempt to negotiate,...

As Arthur Shelby appeared next on Luca Changretti’s hitlist after getting mysteriously invited alone to a celebration, the Shelby’s prepared to counter their plan with armed perimeters and a plotted plan of attack. Only, Luca was one step ahead. Arthur’s plotted killing was merely a decoy to distract from their infiltration of Michael Gray’s residence in hospital. As he looked set to bite the bullet in a brilliantly tense sequence, Luca opens fire with an empty barrel; instilling fear while confirming his agreement with Polly’s proposed plan to sacrifice Tommy for their family’s protection. The return of Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons was brilliant and we'll written. Arriving with hilarious put-downs against Birmingham’s modest surroundings, Alfie brings a towering prize fighter to match Aberama’s son. While a relatively understated return in the context of the stakes at play, Tom Hardy brings a welcome dose of brutish, fiery weight to the conflict of Tommy and Luca. Now if th...

Following last week’s threat from Luca Changretti, Tommy assembles the family to reveal his own Interesting course of action against the ever-present Mafia kingpin. This meeting however is missing Arthur, who’s too "fucking busy" back in the office. After some hilarious “I’m fucking busy” retorts as factory workers begin to rebel, he’s soon ambushed by two of the Italian "hitmen" in the basement after being lashed with paint. Paul Anderson generally owns the spotlight across this entire episode. His transformation from primal lunatic to a man coming to terms with relinquishing his gunning duties is oddly heartbreaking, especially as he takes the blame for John’s death in a heated exchange with Tommy. Is the show setting us up for the dramatic end of Arthur Shelby? Say it isn’t so!! Elsewhere, Adrien Brody continues to be a transfixing delight as Luca; shovelling scones into the mouths of henchmen following their hysterical complaints about spotted dick. It’...