Films
Hollyoaks spoilers: Christmas romance at last for Courtney Campbell and Jesse Donovan?
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There could be some joy this Christmas in Hollyoaks as a special hour long episode tonight sees Courtney Campbell go into labour and give birth to a baby girl – while Jesse Donovan is determined to declare his love. Can the couple overcome the Grinch that is Granny Campbell and finally find love?
Courtney’s new arrival could be a fresh start for her but Granny is determined for her to keep her distance from Jesse and so has torn up the card on which he had written down his feelings. Luke Jerdy, who plays Jesse, explained to Metro.co.uk that Jesse is on edge as he waits to find out how Courtney will respond and as he is hit with a wall of silence, he fears that he has misread the situation.
But when he then asks Courtney why she hasn’t said anything, will the pieces fit into place and reveal what Granny has done? And will this lead to Courtney taking control of her life back from her malicious grandmother and making a choice to be with Jesse?
In our chat, Luke wasn’t giving away the final outcome but it’s clear that we’re all hoping for a happy Christmas for this pair.
Hollyoaks airs the Christmas episode on Thursday 21st December at 7pm on E4.
MORE: Hollyoaks spoilers: DS Armstrong terrorises the Cunninghams and takes revenge at Christmas
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Films
‘Antebellum’ has a ‘Get Out’ vibe, but doesn’t live up to its twist
“Antebellum” is built around a provocative twist, and it’s a good one — as well as one that definite..
“Antebellum” is built around a provocative twist, and it’s a good one — as well as one that definitely shouldn’t be spoiled even a little. Once that revelation is absorbed, however, the movie becomes less distinctive and inspired, reflecting an attempt to tap into the zeitgeist that made “Get Out” a breakthrough, without the same ability to pay off the premise.
Originally destined for a theatrical run, the movie hits digital platforms trumpeting a “Get Out” pedigree in its marketing campaign, since there’s an overlap among the producing teams.
More directly, the film marks the directing debut of Gerard Bush + Christopher Renz, who have championed social-justice issues through their advertising work. The opening script features a quote from author William Faulkner, whose intent will eventually become clearer: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
If that sounds like a timely means of drawing a line from the horrors of slavery to the racism of today, you’ve come to the right place.
The story begins on a plantation, where the brutal overseers carry out grisly punishments against those tilling the fields. A few have just tried to escape, led by Veronica (Janelle Monae), and they pay a heavy price for their resistance, which does nothing to curb her defiance.
Also written by Bush + Renz, the script take too long before revealing what makes “Antebellum” different, but the middle portion — a “The Twilight Zone”-like phase when it’s hard to be sure exactly what’s going on — is actually the film’s strongest. (Even the trailer arguably gives away too much, so the less one knows, the better.)
The final stretch, by contrast, veers into more familiar thriller territory, and feels especially rushed toward the end, leaving behind a host of nagging, unanswered questions. That provides food for thought, but it’s also what separates the movie from something like “Get Out,” which deftly fleshed out its horror underpinnings.
Although the filmmakers (in a taped message) expressed disappointment that the movie wasn’t making its debut in theaters, in a strange way, the on-demand format somewhat works in its favor. In the press notes, Bush says the goal was “to force the audience to look at the real-life horror of racism through the lens of film horror. We’re landing in the middle of the very conversations that we hoped ‘Antebellum’ would spur.”
“Antebellum” should add to that discussion, so mission accomplished on that level. Monae is also quite good in her first leading film role (she did previously star in the series “Homecoming’s” second season), but otherwise, most of the characters remain underdeveloped.
