Blog Posts by Orlando Parfitt

Ahhh, the wonderful world of Oz. Munchkins with curly hair. Sparkly eyed dogs. Shiny footwear. it’s cockle-warming stuff.

Except that when you, ahem, peek behind the curtain of the L. Frank Baum’s many cinema outings (there’s more than you think), you find darkness, tragedy and weirdness.

Inspired by just the latest Oz adventure, prequel ‘Oz the Great Powerful’, our Joe investigated…

[Related story: How Hollywood's cashed in on fairy tales]
[Related story: The maddest movie mothers]
[Related story: Sam Raimi shows us a magic trick]

President Snow may look chilled out in this brand new (and exclusive) poster for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, but his relaxed demeanour hides a seriously evil mind.

[Related story: Exclusive Victory Tour Catching Fire posters]

Check it out below...

(Credit: Lionsgate)

The image of Donald Sutherland in his finery is the latest character poster featured on Panem’s ‘propaganda fashion site’ Capitol Couture.

Snow was certainly a bit miffed about Katniss’ antics at the end of the first movie, when she broke the rules of the games, and helped inspired a rebellion.

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ sees winners of the 74th Games Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark (Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson) paraded around the country as the media sensation they’ve become. Along the way Katniss senses a rebellion is coming, but the Capitol is still in control. That is until President Snow devises a plan for the 75th Hunger Games that could change the nation of Panem forever.

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’

‘Psycho’. ‘Mommy Dearest’. ‘East of Eden’. It’s clear that many of Hollywood’s top screenwriters have a few mother issues. To put it mildly.

Barbra Streisand’s ‘Guilt Trip’ character is just the latest in a long line of oedipal nightmares to emerge onto our cinema, but why has Hollywood got a thing about mothers?

Why are they all so barmy?

Our Joe investigates…

Check out Joe’s other Home Movies

Episode 1: why Zombie movies are not like they used to be…

Episode 2: our tribute to Die Hard

Episode 3: is Hollywood cashing in on fairy tales?

Peeta and Katniss are centre stage for these rather awesome new posters for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’.

[Related story: Hunger Games cast reveal party tricks]
[Related story: First Catching Fire pics appear online]

Check ‘em out below.

(Credit: Lionsgate)

The posters show the star-crossed lovers™ (played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson) decked out in white for the ‘Victory Tour’ - in aid of jointly winning the Games at the end of the first movie.

(Credit: Lionsgate)

As you’d except, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) isn’t too happy about their rule breaking shenanigans, and the massive rebellion it caused. There may be trouble ahead for the duo...

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ is released in the UK on 22 November 2013.

Why are so many new Hollywood movies based on fairy stories?

From ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’, to ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ to the baffling new ‘Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’, film producers can’t get enough old school fables to loosely hang their movies around.

In the third installment of ‘Joe Wilkinson’s Home Movies’, the TV funnyman ponders this bizarre new trend with the help of a dubious tooth fairy and a bear.

Check out Episode One below - which sees Joe ponder just what the hell is actually going with Zombie movies.

In Episode Two he dons a grubby vest and tackles the action genre.

What makes the perfect action movie?

Fake explosions? Dodgy one-liners? Elaborate, heart-thumping tea-making montages?

This week, in the second instalment of ‘Joe Wilkinson’s Home Movies’, the TV funnyman investigates - inspired by the release of ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’.

Check out Episode One below - which sees Joe ponder just what the hell is actually going with the Zombie genre?

The list of Best Pictures at the Oscars is a long and illustrious one.

So to commemorate 85 years of handing out statues for the best film of the year, artist Olly Moss was tasked with making a poster by the Academy of Motions Picture Arts and Sciences.

[Related story: What happened to the Oscar-nominated child stars?]
[Related story: Best Actress category breaks two records]

And what a poster it is...

Click the image for the BIG version (Credit: OllyMoss.com)

Representing each Best Picture with a twist to the iconic art deco figure, Moss has encapsulated nearly a century in filmmaking.

Often witty, sometimes poignant, it's yet more fine work from Moss, who has previously reworked posters for everything from 'Blade Runner' to 'The Dark Knight Rises'.

The question is: can you name all the winners?

You can check out more of his work here.

Welcome to Episode One of our brand new series ‘Joe Wilkinson’s Home Movies’.

Each week from his mysterious suburban base, TV’s Joe will filter the biggest film releases - in this case zombie romance ‘Warm Bodies’ - through his over-active imagination.

He’ll ponder head-scratching issues like: What do emotional zombies mean for the genre? Is it okay to fancy a zombie? Can you kill one with a gnome?

Check out the ‘Him & Her’ star in action and be sure to come back next week, when he’ll don a grubby vest before dissecting ‘Die Hard’.