Gavin Spoors

Borehamwood

Freelance Writer and Critic at Freelance

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Articles

The Alto Knights (Film Review)

2 weeks ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

On paper, gangster flick The Alto Knights is a compelling watch. Robert De Niro plays not one but two legendary real life crime bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, Goodfellas writer Nicholas Pileggi provides the script, and Rain Man and Bugsy director Barry Levinson helms the project. Having industry veterans together doesn't always lead to success, and unfortunately The Alto Knights proves that point.
Killer of Killers (Film Review)

3 weeks ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Back in 2022, director Dan Trachtenberg and writer Patrick Aison breathed new life into the Predator franchise with Prey. Dropping the terrifying alien hunter into a different time period was a stroke of genius that opened up new possibilities for what the nearly forty-year-old series could be. A blood-thirsty Predator battling Vikings, samurai and other warriors throughout time? Predator: Killer of Killers says yes to all of the above in one fell swoop.
David F. Sandberg Discusses Until Dawn

2 months ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Video game adaptations seem to be faring much better in recent years. Instead of mid-2000s duds like Max Payne and Doom, we're getting box office and critical hits through Sonic the Hedgehog and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Right now, A Minecraft Movie is dominating the worldwide box office and The Last of Us is mentally scarring audiences with its second season. Hoping to join these recent successes is Until Dawn, a big-screen adaptation of the horror classic.
Pixar Reveals Elio Footage In Special Preview Event

2 months ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Disney Pixar has unveiled 25 minutes of footage from their new film Elio, to select press in a special preview presentation event. Pixar's latest feature sees 11-year-old Elio (Yonas Kibreab) be abducted by aliens. In the Communiverse, pitched by the filmmakers as the United Nations but in space, Elio meets an eclectic cast of alien characters and goes on a personal journey to figure out where he belongs.
Hot Milk (BFI Flare Festival)

2 months ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Rebecca Lenkiewicz has an impressive resume when it comes to telling female-centric stories. As a screenwriter, she has written the scripts for Ida, She Said, Disobedience and Colette, with each garnering critical acclaim and awards buzz. Now, Lenkiewicz turns her hand to directing with Hot Milk. Whilst she's able to pull extraordinary performances from an incredible cast, it's the narrative adaptation from a tricky book that leaves a lot to be desired.
Departures Directors On Comedy And Authenticity

2 months ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

With a slew of successful short films under their belts, directors Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan have finally broken into feature film. And what a first feature it is. Shot over nine months, with a crew mostly comprised of working-class queer creatives, Departures is a high-energy comedy drama focused on a toxic relationship with Eyre-Morgan and Hollyoaks star David Tag in leading roles.
Departures (BFI Flare Festival)

2 months ago | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Created by a collective of working-class LGBTQ+ filmmakers from the north of the UK, Departures is a unique piece of queer cinema. Directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely, they channel the lively energy of Trainspotting with the devastating reality of toxic relationships queer folk can end up in. The film opens up on the end of a relationship, with Benji (Eyre-Morgan) at the receiving end of fiery remarks from now-ex-partner Jake (David Tag).
Director Rebecca Lenkiewicz Talks Hot Milk

Mar 27, 2025 | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

After writing award-winning features for years, Rebecca Lenkiewicz turns her hand to directing. The Ida (2013) and She Said (2022) writer adapts the 2016 novel Hot Milk, which sees Rose (Fiona Shaw) and her daughter Sofia (Emma Mackey) travel to Spain in an attempt to heal Rose of her mysterious illness. Just before Hot Milk screened at the BFI Flare Festival, FILMHOUNDS spoke with Lenkiewicz on the red carpet to find out why she made this adaptation her directorial debut.
River Gallo On Breaking New Ground With Ponyboi

Mar 10, 2025 | filmhounds.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

River Gallo has had quite the journey with Ponyboi. From premiering at Sundance Film Festival to being selected for the upcoming BFI Flare festival, this queer crime drama has made waves as the first narrative feature to feature an intersex character played by an intersex actor. FILMHOUNDS spoke to the star, writer and producer at length about shaking up queer cinema with their personal story. “All bets are off, the gloves are off, the cards are on the table.
Sundance 2025 - Sorry, Baby ★★★★★

Feb 3, 2025 | moviemarker.co.uk | Gavin Spoors

Released: TBC (Sundance 2025)Director: Eva VictorStarring: Eva Victor, Naomi AckieThe Sundance Film Festival is lauded for shining a light on exciting new talent in the cinematic landscape. But not every film stands out, with many narrative features year-on-year offering exciting ideas ladened with poor execution. Sorry, Baby is thankfully a Sundance gem: a terrific debut from writer and director Eva Victor that is wickedly funny and poignantly heartfelt.