Stephen Mangan

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Breathe Review

Excellent

While this biopic has the standard sumptuous production values of a British period drama, it's also a lot more complex than expected. For his directing debut, Andy Serkis recounts the life of a man who is so genuinely inspirational that he never needs to crank up the sentimentality. Characters burst with personality, and the events unfold with some unexpected complications that make the movie strikingly edgy. It also, of course, looks gorgeous.

 

This is the story of Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield), who travels to Kenya in 1958 with his pregnant wife Diana (Claire Foy) on tea-plantation business and is stricken with polio, paralysed from the neck down and needing a ventilator to breathe. They move back to England, where Robin gets increasingly annoyed by his life in hospital. So he convinces Diana to take him home, against the doctors' advice, and gets his inventor pal Teddy (Hugh Bonneville) to design a chair with a built-in respirator so he can get out and about. This is a revolution for him, and he becomes an advocate in helping severely disabled people like him find independence from hospital care so they can life their lives.

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Breathe Trailer


Robin Cavendish seems to have everything. He is handsome, educated, extraordinarily intelligent and has a loyal wife named Diana and a baby son named Jonathan. But disaster strikes during a trip to Kenya in 1958 and he is struck down with polio, rendering him unable to move any of his limbs or even breathe by himself. At just 28, he believes his life to be over as he is flown back to England only to lie in another hospital bed on a respirator. But it is his wife who encourages him to keep on living. 

She removes him from hospital and returns him to the comfort of his own home, while his Oxford graduate friend Teddy Hall begins work on a special wheelchair with a mobile respirator which would allow Robin to travel. His long-term survival exceeds all doctors' expectations, and far from his life being over, he becomes a staunch activist for disabled people and helps in the development of numerous devices that would go on to improve the quality of life of responauts (as such people as him are dubbed) a thousand-fold. 

'Breathe' is a romantic biopic based on the life of the real Robin Cavendish - a man who did extraordinary things with a diagnosis that would have killed most people within a few years - and his fiercely faithful wife Diana who nursed and encouraged him. It has been directed by accomplished actor Andy Serkis (star of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens', 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' and 'Lord of the Rings') in his directorial debut, and written by the Academy Award nominated William Nicholson ('Gladiator', 'Les Miserables'). Serkis has lately been directing his second film, 'Jungle Book', which is due out in 2018.

Continue: Breathe Trailer

Stephen Mangan On Performing Live: It's Both "Nerve-Racking And Thrilling"


Stephen Mangan

In Steven Mangan’s latest piece for The Guardian, the Green Wing actor takes us through his pre-match thoughts as he prepares to go on stage to perform Jeeves & Wooster: Perfect Nonsense winner of best comedy at this year's Olivier awards, and is currently playing with a new cast.

Stephen ManganStephen Mangan photographed leaving ITV studios

It’s both nerve-racking and thrilling to know that any minute the curtain's going to go up, and all those people are suddenly going to go quiet and stare at you. But after six months of doing the same show eight times a week, the bigger challenge is getting yourself into exactly the same mental state every night,” writes Mangan.

Continue reading: Stephen Mangan On Performing Live: It's Both "Nerve-Racking And Thrilling"

Stephen Mangan On Using Church To Perform And Postman Pat


Stephen Mangan

Stephan Mangan’s work is usually reserved for adults. Strong language and themes of a sexual nature have been prerequisites to a huge amount of his work on comedy. But with Postman Pat – the legendary character voiced by Mangan in the upcoming movie – things take a turn towards the childish. 

Stephen ManganRupert Grint, Ronan Keating, Postman Pat and Stephen Mangan hang out

“I've watched a lot of Postman Pat with my children. He's got to be the sweetest character, there's not a bad side to him, but over 90 minutes, you want Postman Pat to go on some sort of emotional journey,” he explained, according to The Belfast Telegraph, before adding that acting in a voice only capacity is a strange experience compared to filming normally. 

Continue reading: Stephen Mangan On Using Church To Perform And Postman Pat

Postman Pat: The Movie - Extended Trailer


Pat Clifton has long nursed a passion for delivering mail as the much-loved postman of Greendale; his generosity and determination making him one of the most efficient mailmen in the country. What most people don't know is that he has another love in his life - and we're not talking about his beloved cat Jess. When a national televised talent competition travels to the village to hold auditions, those who know of his talent urge him to try out. To everyone's delight, the formidable judge Simon Cowbell is blown away by Pat's remarkable singing voice, and he quickly becomes an overnight sensation. However, his new career path takes him away from Greendale postal duties to the residents' panic, and a replacement must be made. Unfortunately, Pat has an adversary who is planning to use a series of terrifying Pat-like robots to take over the world.

Continue: Postman Pat: The Movie - Extended Trailer

A Week In Movies: 12 Years Rules London, Stars Mourn Hoffman, New Films From Russia, Macfarlane And Gyllenhaal


Chiwetel Ejiofor Gary Oldman Steve Coogan Philip Seymour Hoffman Seth Macfarlane Jake Gyllenhaal Stephen Mangan

The London Critics' Circle Film Awards

Awards season finally hit London on Sunday night as Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave collected three top awards at the London Critics' Circle Film Awards: Film of the Year, best actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and supporting actress for Lupita Nyong'o. Winners in attendance included McQueen, supporting actor Barkad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Excellence in Film honouree Gary Oldman, and cast and crew of the double winner The Selfish Giant. In addition, Steve Coogan collected Judi Dench's British actress award, while Andy Serkis read out a hilarious message from Cate Blanchett, who won best actress. Have a look over our photos from the event, we have The London Critics' Circle Film Awards Arrivals photos as well as photos of the guest leaving and signing for fans at the end of the night. We also have a full list of London Critics' Circle Film Awards winners, lead by 12 Years a Slave.

The awards ceremony started just a few minutes after it was confirmed that Philip Seymour Hoffman died in New York, and when the announcement was made the audience rose in a spontaneous standing ovation. Over the last few days, the film and theatre communities have been speaking out over Hoffman's untimely death. We have video footage shot as Philip Seymour Hoffman's body is retrieved from his apartment. We also recap his glorious career - Philip Seymour Hoffman's movies list features classic after classic.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: 12 Years Rules London, Stars Mourn Hoffman, New Films From Russia, Macfarlane And Gyllenhaal

'Postman Pat: The Movie' Delivers A Cracking British Cast In A Starry New Adventure [Trailer]


Stephen Mangan David Tennant Jim Broadbent Rupert Grint

The well-loved British children's programme, Postman Pat, is being turned into a new movie that will bring the stop motion techniques employed in the series into the 21st century with 3D animation. The show, which followed the routine of Greendale's friendliest postman, Pat Clifton, and his "black and white cat" Jess, will receive a new incarnation this year with Postman Pat: The Movie.

Postman Pat movie
'Postman Pat: The Movie' Will See The Iconic Postie Juggle His Day Job With New-Found Fame.

For any Briton who grew up in the eighties or nineties, the cherished Postman Pat holds many fond memories. Having first screened on BBC1 in 1981, the original programme ran for nine series and 141 episodes yet retained its universally-recognised English kitsch and iconic design. Ken Barrie originally voiced Pat but reportedly left the role when he became dissatisfied with the show's modern CGI makeover.

Continue reading: 'Postman Pat: The Movie' Delivers A Cracking British Cast In A Starry New Adventure [Trailer]

Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer


Pat Clifton is well-known in the village of Greendale for, not only his prompt and polite deliveries having been in the postal business for many years, but for frequently taking it upon himself to help out his friends and neighbours in other areas of their lives. It appears, however, that delivering letters and parcels and saving his village isn't the only talent this postman has. When he discovers that a televised talent competition is holding auditions in the town, he is encouraged to try out. Much to everyone's surprise, his flawless singing voice renders the judges, led by Simon Cowbell, completely blown away and his rise to stardom begins. However, a singing career means that he won't have a lot of time to continue his postal duties, something that causes major chaos when his adversary replaces him with a series of frightening mail-robots hell bent on world domination.

Continue: Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer

Rush Review


Excellent

Exhilarating racing action punctuates this true story, which sharply traces the rivalry between two Formula One champs. It's superbly well-shot and edited, with engaging performances from the entire cast. And with only one moment of calculated sentimentality, it's director Ron Howard's most honest movie in years.

The story begins in the early 1970s, when two rising-star F1 drivers clash over their very different styles. Britain's James Hunt (Hemsworth) is a swaggering womaniser, revelling in the rock-star lifestyle. By contrast, Austria's Niki Lauda (Bruhl) is a fiercely detailed technician who loves pushing barriers. They clearly see things they like in each other, so their different approaches on the track develop into a competitive relationship that spurs them to the front of the pack. Over the years, both meet their wives (Wilde and Lara, respectively) and move from team to team as they rise to the top of their sport. And their rivalry comes to a head at the 1976 German Grand Prix when world champion Lauda is involved in a horrific, fiery accident.

Morgan's script is essentially two biopics cleverly woven together to let us see the push and pull between these two iconic figures. Unexpectedly, Bruhl's Lauda emerges as the stronger character, with his grounded approach and sardonic wit allowing Bruhl to play effectively with submerged emotions. By contrast, Hemsworth's Hunt is little more than a gifted good-time boy who isn't worried about his lack of substance. It's a likeable, loose performance (we barely notice the wobbly British accent). Opposite them Lara and Wilde provide solid, subtle support, as do the fine actors who fill out the pit crews.

Continue reading: Rush Review

Stephen Mangan

Stephen Mangan Quick Links

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Stephen Mangan Movies

Breathe Movie Review

Breathe Movie Review

While this biopic has the standard sumptuous production values of a British period drama, it's...

Breathe Trailer

Breathe Trailer

Robin Cavendish seems to have everything. He is handsome, educated, extraordinarily intelligent and has a...

Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer

Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer

Pat Clifton has long nursed a passion for delivering mail as the much-loved postman of...

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Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer

Postman Pat: The Movie Trailer

Pat Clifton is well-known in the village of Greendale for, not only his prompt and...

Rush Movie Review

Rush Movie Review

Exhilarating racing action punctuates this true story, which sharply traces the rivalry between two Formula...

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