Doc Martin will hang up his stethoscope for the final time.

Martin Clunes returns to Cornwall in the last series of the phenomenally successful ITV show Doc Martin to reprise his role as the nation's favourite grumpy surgeon.

Martin Clunes will play as Dr. Martin Ellingham, a brusque general practitioner with a blood phobia, in eight new episodes of the popular drama produced by Buffalo Pictures and set in the picturesque hamlet of Portwenn in Cornwall.

Buffalo Pictures has announced that a Christmas special will be produced to bid farewell to Doc Martin.

Picturesque Port Isaac provides the beautiful backdrop for the series, with all the regular members of the cast reprising their roles.

Caroline Catz plays Doc Martin's wife, Louisa Ellingham, who resigned from her job as headmistress at the local school to pursue a new career in child counselling.

Also returning for the finale are Dame Eileen Atkins who plays Doc Martin's formidable Aunt Ruth. Ian McNeice is back to play Bert Large, with Joe Absolom as his son Al. John Marquez is PC Joe Penhale, Jessica Ransom is the doctor's receptionist Morwenna Newcross and Selina Cadell is pharmacist Mrs Tishell.

After having his medical career scrutinised by the General Medical Council because of his blood fear, Doc opted to leave as Portwenn's GP at the end of the previous series.

The Doc makes efforts to conquer his anxiety in this final series, and begins to question whether resigning was the correct option. He and Louisa have recently welcomed a newborn daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who will be a sibling to James Henry, who is four years old.

Because Louisa is pursuing her new job as a child therapist at his former practise, the Doc is left holding the infant and mending clocks on the kitchen table. But does he really want to go back to his previous job?

Martin Clunes:

"I have loved going to Cornwall to make Doc Martin over the last 18 years, and I have looked forward to returning to this beautiful county this year for the tenth and final series. The people of Cornwall, and Port Isaac in particular, have always been so helpful to us when we are making the series. We have some great story lines for the new series, and for the Christmas special, which I hope Doc Martin fans will love. I shall miss Cornwall, and all the lovely people we have worked with. But it is the right time to say farewell to the Doc, and Portwenn."

REVIEW: The 355 Starring Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger, and Lupita Nyong'o.

I know what we need, an action spy film that has a piece of technology that can hack any computer in the world, and people chase after it!

Possibly the most overused plot line in spy films, but alas that is what we have here.

The 355 is directed by Simon Kinberg and stars Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger, and Lupita Nyong'o. The women play various international spies who end up having to work together to stop the outbreak of WW3, after a special decryption program is created by a drug lord in Colombia. This device can hack any system on the planet.

The device is put up for sale, CIA tries to buy it, various bad guys try to buy it, it gets swapped out, stolen, and you pretty much can imagine the rest.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/review-355-starring-jessica-chastain.html

Interview with Paul Hyett

Ahead of Horror Channel's UK TV Premiere of PERIPHERAL, director Paul Hyett talks about directorial ambitions, twisted technology, and why aliens aren't interested in us.

How did you become attached to Peripheral?

The producer Craig Touhy and I had been friends for a while and we'd nearly done another movie together. He'd liked the claustrophobia and tension of The Seasoning House so we met up to discuss Peripheral. When he pitched it to me, very much a low budget, contained movie, in one apartment. I must say I was a little hesitant. I wanted to broaden my directing and do bigger scope. Craig persuaded me to at least read it. I did and loved the script. The story, the character of Bobbi, of this writer blocked, being forced to adjust to what is wanted of her, and having to succumb to a technology that ultimately fucks her in so many ways and being forced to write for a corporation that she hates. It all felt so very relevant.

Was the cast already in place and what's it like directing legends such as Jenny Seagrove and Tom Conti?

No we cast from the ground up, Jenny Seagrove was the first cast, I was so happy we got her. She loved the script and the character of Merlock. She was an absolute joy, so professional, so excellent and willing to discuss everything

Full Interview at

http://www.mastersofhorror.co.uk/2022/02/interview-with-paul-hyett.html

E4’s Celebrity Cooking School - "Celebrity" line up revealed

Kerry Katona, Toby Aromolaran, Stevo The Madman, Sam Thompson, Zeze Millz, Laura Tott, Maeva D'Ascanio, Shaun Ryder, Paul Chowdhry and Kim Woodburn are your "celebrities" for Celebrity Cooking School.

Melvin Odoom, the radio and TV personality, is ready to unleash a brand-new gastronomic feast on E4 and All 4, as ten self-proclaimed "horrendous" home cooks compete in a gourmet competition series unlike any other.

Celebrity Cooking School (w/t) (8X60') tests whether any of our celeb cooks can be turned around when schooled by one of the best in the culinary business. All that most of the celebs will know about food to start with is how to order it, but working solo and matched in pairs, an intensive cookery crash course will have them sweating it out in the kitchen, as they hilariously tackle a series of complex cooking challenges well beyond their ability – leading to chaos in the kitchen.

They'll need to master crucial cookery techniques and gain confidence if they're to be crowned 'Best in Class' at the end of the series.  But if they don't impress, they'll get an F for Fail and leave the school for good.

Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli, who believes he can teach anybody to cook, will train and judge the celebrities. Poppy O'Toole, a Michelin-trained chef and TikTok star, will be assisting him in his endeavour. Along with Poppy, Locatelli will not only be determining who remains and who goes, but he will also be teaching the stars how to prepare and present world-class cuisine. However, when the celebrities try their hardest to impress their teacher, it isn't long before he realises he has his work cut out for him with these celebrity chefs.

Coming to E4 and All 4 later in 2022.

REVIEW: WarHunt (2022) - Starring Mickey Rourke, Jackson Rathbone and Robert Knepper

The year is 1945, a US military cargo plane has lost control and crashed behind enemy lines, deep in a German forest.

Major Johnson (played by the always strange looking Mickey Rourke) decides to send in a squad of top soliders on a top secret resuce mission, but not to rescue the lost soldiers, but to rescue the secrets that the cargo plane was transporting.

Leading the squad is the always impressive Robert Knepper as Sergeant Brewer, and make no mistake, for most of this film, Knepper is the star. Along with Walsh (Jackson Rathbone), the squad travel deep into the forest to look for the crash site.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/review-warhunt-2022-starring-mickey.html

REVIEW: Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop - Starring Nathalie Cox and Kelsey Grammer

Brad Watson directs Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop, Elizabeth Willoughby a University professor, played by Nathalie Cox, has an insatiable appetite for investigation and is asked by some old family friends to investigate a series of hauntings at their antique bookstore.

Elizabeth Willoughby lost her parents at a young age, she is raised by a family friend Robert Thompson, (Kelsey Grammar) who is now her legal guardian, and we start off with Elizabeth Willoughby as a young child, being taught everything from literature, to chess, to self-defence and martial arts.

After some early scenes we fast forward to the present and Elizabeth Willoughby is now a grown woman. (Not really sure how old the character is supposed to be, perhaps a fair bit younger than Nathalie Cox is in real life) A successful career woman, a University Professor. After visiting her favourite bookstore, she meets up with Helen Deakin (Louise Bangay) and her husband Oliver Deakin (Steven Elder). Helen claims that the bookstore is haunted, as she keeps seeing her deceased father. Helen asks Elizabeth if she can help discover what is happening.

Read Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/review-miss-willoughby-and-haunted.html

REVIEW: The Legend of La Llorona (2022)

How am I back to reviewing another B movie horror film! This time it is The Legend of La Llorona, starring Autumn Reeser, Antonio Cupo, Danny Trejo, Zamia Fandiño, Josh Zaharia, Fernanda Aguilar, Nicolas Madrazo, Edgar Wuotto, and Angélica Lara.

The basic story revolves around a couple vacationing in Mexico, they discover that their son's disappearance is tied to a supernatural curse. Sounds good right!

The whole film is set in a dense, dark forest, and you know when things are dark from the start, it is a cover for some dodgy special effects.

Read full review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/review-legend-of-la-llorona-2022.html

Max Von Sydow stars in 'ECHOES OF THE PAST' with an arresting final performance in this powerful historical drama arriving on digital 21 Feb

The late Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Flash Gordon) gives a striking and tender-hearted final performance in Echoes of the Past, a poignant and powerful drama inspired by true events – one of the darkest moments in modern Greek history.

Helmed by lauded Greek director Nicholas Dimitropoulos (Alter Ego), Echoes of the Past is the first film to explore the Kalavryta Holocaust and the infamous massacre of Kalavryta by Nazi troops on December 13, 1943. The film opened in Greece in November 2022 to the #1 spot at the Greek Box Office and won the Youth Audience Award at Thessaloniki International Film Festival, now this moving and momentous feature is set to arrive on digital platforms on 21 February from Reel 2 Reel Films.

When the Greek government launches a multi-billion legal claim for war reparations, Caroline Martin (Astrid Roos – Dreamland) a high-flying lawyer representing the German government visits Kalavryta to investigate.

More info and trailer at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/max-von-sydow-stars-in-echoes-of-past.html

For Children's Mental Health Week, the Duchess of Cambridge will read a CBeebies Bedtime Story.

To commemorate Children's Mental Health Week, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, will read a CBeebies Bedtime Story (7th-13th February). To coincide with this year's subject of 'Growing Together,' the Duchess has chosen to read Jill Tomlinson's The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.

Children's Mental Health Week is a national event that highlights and recognises the mental health of children. This year, children and adults are encouraged to reflect on their emotional development, recognising that doing new things can help people move beyond their comfort zones, and that difficulties and disappointments can help them progress and adapt.

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, illustrated by Paul Howard, follows the story of Plop, a baby barn owl, who is helped by others to grow in confidence and overcome his fears.

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark read by The Duchess of Cambridge will air at 6.50pm, Sunday 13 February.

Deep Heat - ITV2 commissions brand new comedy

Holly (Jahannah James), a disgruntled wannabe wrestler facing the battle of a lifetime, is the star of the 6 x 30" series. Holly's mother, Pam (Pippa Haywood), is heartbroken when her brother Nick Nitro (Richard Fleeshman) poaches all of Boss Pro's top wrestlers. It appears like the North West's oldest pro-wrestling firm is doomed. But, if Holly can assemble Boss Pro's surviving gang of misfits, the company might just make it...if Pam would only let Holly wrestle herself.

We join the Boss Pro crew as they look toward a summer of slams and self-discovery – can our underdogs come together and come out on top to put on the show of a lifetime?

Deep Heat boasts an impressive ensemble cast that includes: Jahannah James (The Self-Tapers), Pippa Haywood (Green Wing), Richard Fleeshman (Four Weddings and a Funeral), Paul Olima (Newcomer), Alistair Petrie (Sex Education), Max Olesker (W1A), Ivan Gonzalez (W1A), Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary), Sasha Desouza-Willock (Adult Material) and Abby Russell (Hang Ups) with guest appearances from Matt Lucas (Little Britain), John Thomson (Cold Feet), Ben Ashenden (Stath Lets Flats) and Carla Langley (There She Goes).

Louise Delamere and Stephen Mangan, Executive Producers said "We can't wait to unleash the wonderful Deep Heat on the world – a high-energy and joyous comic celebration of wrestling, glamour and tight spandex".

REVIEW: Nightmare Alley (2021)

Guillermo del Toro is back with Nightmare Alley, a film that is sure to get plenty of awards. Based on a 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham of the same name, stars Bradley Cooper as Stanton Carlisle, we first get introduced to Stanton as he is burning down his family home, and escaping whatever life he previously had. He visits a travelling carnival, and upon watching a few shows, he manages to convince the boss to give him work. He soon befriends Zeena the Seer played by the excellent Toni Collette, a fake psychic/clairvoyant. Early on in the film we get to see the secrets behind some classic psychic trickery, including a famous mentalism trick where by a code is used between two people to give the illusion of transmitting information psychically. She performs this trick with her husband Pete (David Strathairn), in front of Stanton, and just as it seems he is being convinced, they reveal how it is done. 

Stanton eventually asks Pete to teach him all the tricks of the trade, and we then get the birth of "Master Stanton", with his new assistant Molly played by the lovely Rooney Mara.

What follows is a fascinating and very high-quality film, whereas usually the monsters of Guillermo del Toro films are creepy and horrifying, the monsters in Nightmare Alley are very much the psychological evils of the people involved.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/02/review-nightmare-alley-2021.html

REVIEW: See For Me (2022) Stars Skyler Davenport and Jessica Parker Kennedy

See For Me is a great new film that looks at how a blind person could deal with a home invasion.

Sophie (played by Skyler Davenport, who is most famous for video game voice work) is a blind former skier, who lives with her mother. For work Sophie house sits, (cat sits) luxury houses in New York.

Early on, the film gives the Sophie character extra layers, outside the obvious layer of not being able to see. (Actress Skyler Davenport is partially blind in real life), by showing that Sophie is not your innocent young girl, when you see her stealing some expensive wine with the help of a friend who guides her.

Sophies mother encourages her to download an app called "See For Me", which connects you to someone who will help you if you are in trouble as a blind person.

After arriving at a house to house sit, Sophie accidentally locks herself out, she decides to use the app for help. Sophie ends up being connected to Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy who you might recognise from The Flash). Kelly is a former servicewoman, so gives straightforward easy to understand instructions to help Sophie get back in the house.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/01/review-see-for-me-2022-stars-skyler.html

REVIEW: The Amityville Uprising (2022)

I seem to be reviewing a lot of B movies recently, the latest one to come across my desk is The Amityville Uprising, released by Lionsgate. Not sure why Lionsgate are making and releasing B movies, they clearly don't need the small change that this film would make.

The film starts off with some terrible CGI showing a chemical blast at a military base. The general idea of the story is that this strange blast, creates a cloud of toxic acid rain. Most of the story takes place at a police station.

Now as I have mentioned before, there are Good Terrible movies and Bad Terrible movies. So where does this one fit in. Well its tough to say. The film is roughly 80 minutes long, HOWEVER, here is an awesome life hack I am going to give you right now. You can watch the entire film in 40 minutes! All you need to do is fast forward the first 40 minutes, and then start to watch from there.

Full Review at

http://www.beentothemovies.com/2022/01/review-amityville-uprising-2022.html