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Shameless is a dark family comedy-drama series created by Paul Abbott. Based on Abbott’s British series of the same name, the Showtime series is set in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, and it follows the extremely dysfunctional Gallagher family, whose patriarch, Frank Gallagher, an alcoholic who never properly took care of his six children, leaving the eldest, Fiona Gallagher to care for her siblings. Shameless stars William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Noel Fisher, Joan Cusack, Laura Slade Wiggins, and Emma Greenwell. So, if you loved the hilarious dark comedy, intense drama, and compelling characters in Shameless, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Shameless Credit – Channel 4

Showtime’s Shameless, which we all love and adore, is actually...

The Game of Thrones universe boasts a myriad of formidable warriors. Howeve, only a select few are truly recognized as the greatest swordsmen and women of their era. While George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire features an extensive array of skilled fighters, the best swordsmen comprise many of the most iconic characters from the HBO adaptation that fans have come to admire.

Ranking Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon's best swordsmen involves more than just brute strength or speed; it also considers creativity, technique, and tactical skill. These talented men and women have made a lasting impact on audiences, showcasing their unique abilities and unforgettable moments throughout the series.

Updated by Arthur Goyaz on January 22, 2025: Some of Westeros' most impressive swordsmen were introduced in Game of Thrones. However, House of the Dragon offers a welcoming glimpse into a different era, ruled by the Targaryen dynasty.

If you’re watching “House of the Dragon” for the dragons, congratulations — and also, sorry for your loss. The HBO drama showed off its majestic CGI creatures extensively in Season 2, Episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” a beastly battle with devastating human cost.

The realm is as divided as ever, but at the top of this episode directed by Alan Taylor, one side is quite literally divided; Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) is on her way home from King’s Landing while her council unravels at Dragonstone and prince consort Daemon (Matt Smith) attempts to win over more allies in the riverlands. The queen’s absence incenses the council and irks her family; Jacaerys (Harry Collett) grows particularly restless because Rhaenyra’s secrecy and the council’s insolence both indicate disrespect for the young heir, as does his mother’s refusal to send him to battle. Jace might be old enough to join in the war,...

The previous episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2 were filled with intense brutality that certainly shocked and made everyone’s stomach turn. That’s a trademark of the show, after all, and author George R.R. Martin seemed very pleased so far with its progress.

Luke Tittensor and Elliot Tittensor in House of the Dragon / HBO

Some fans aren’t that impressed, though, and some do not agree with the author’s take on specific aspects. They believed Martin’s praise for the show wasn’t genuine at all.

George R.R. Martin Compared The Kingsguard Twins Fight To One Iconic Game Of Thrones Duel

In his latest website entry, Fire & Blood author George R.R. Martin showered praises for the show and the cast members. He particularly mentioned the real-life twins Elliot and Luke Tittensor who played Sers Erryk and Arryk Cargyll for their fierce duel on the recent episode.

This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 2, "Rhaenyra the Cruel."

The showrunner clarifies that Ser Erryk won the duel by killing his own twin brother, Arryk. House of the Dragon portrayed the duel between the twins differently while still capturing their love and tragedy. The Tittensor twins did the duel scene without stunt doubles, and Condal shared a helpful tip to tell them apart.

House of the Dragon's showrunner clarifies which twin won the duel in episode 2. The latest season 2 episode follows the immediate aftermath of young Jaehaerys slaying. Team Green, more specifically King Aegon II and Ser Criston Cole, plot an infiltration by Ser Arryk Cargyll, in which he would pose as his twin brother Erryk and assassinate Queen Rhaenyra. The impostor is spotted by Mysaria, who presumably warns Team Black, and a duel between the two twin brothers ensues in which one is...

Spoiler Alert!Major Spoilers for House of the Dragon

There’s no denying the fact that Westeros is a brutal place. From assassins to sellswords, the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones have made it pretty clear that it is a brutal world.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon | HBO

With brothers fighting brothers, George R. R. Martin introduced the world to Sandor and Gregor Clegane. But many years before them, it was Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk Cargyll, and their story, is a tragic one.

Ser Erryk Fell On His Sword For Two Reasons

It might seem at first that Ser Erryk Cargyll (portrayed by Elliott Tittensor) fell on his own sword because of guilt. Having to kill his own brother because of two different royal families, the guilt was heavy on Ser Erryk’s mind.

Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 2!

The tragic ending of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 2 was a tragic fight between brothers Arryk and Erryk Cargyll, ending in both of their deaths. Showrunner Ryan Condal explained the real-world influences behind the emotional conflict and its horrific outcome. The fight scene was carefully planned to stay true to the characters and their oath to protect the royal family, despite said family now having a massive rift between them.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has unpacked the tragic ending of season 2, episode 2, explaining the decision behind making the scene play out like it did. During the last major sequence of the episode, Arryk Cargyll sails to Dragonstone, pretending to be his brother Erryk in order to get close to Rhaenyra Targaryen and kill her. However, the end of House of the Dragon's latest episode sees Erryk intervene,...

This week's episode of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, concluded with more bloodshed, and while the scene was nowhere near as harrowing as the season 2 premiere's child murder (more here), we did witness the deaths of two supporting players.

Spoilers ahead!

The majority of the episode deals with the aftermath of prince Jaehaerys' brutal murder, with his father, King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), officially declaring war on The Blacks. His grandfather and Hand Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) urges patience, and convinces the king to hold a funeral procession for the boy so that the realm might turn against "Rhaenyra the Cruel" (Emma D’Arcy).

The ploy works... until Aegon has every ratcatcher in the palace hung after one of his son's killers, Blood, tells him of his unnamed accomplice. Otto is furious, but Aegon does not take being admonished as a "fool" very well and ends up...

[This story contains spoilers from House of the Dragon season two, episode two.]

It’s not easy to track every character in the Game of Thrones universe, particularly on House of the Dragon. All of these Targaryens running around named Aegon. A couple of them named Jaehaerys (rest in peace to both the late king and the late heir). And let’s not even get into Rhaenyra and Rhaenys.

But leaving the first season of the show, few were more head-spinning than two members of the Kingsguard basically named “Eric,” albeit with fantastically George R.R. Martin spelling: Erryk and Arryk, twin brothers who are indistinguishable from one another. How in the world of ice and fire to tell the difference?

Criston Cole’s thoughts exactly.

Cargyll twins Erryk and Arryk.

The second episode of House of the Dragon features a ton of reckonings, none more violent and dramatic as the final fight between the Cargyll twins,...

Bend the knee! This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of "House of the Dragon."

Fiction has taught us that war typically begins after epic events and first strikes from which there's no coming back. "The Lord of the Rings" had the Battle of Helm's Deep usher in Middle-earth's second and decisive war against the Dark Lord Sauron. "Game of Thrones" kicked off the bloody War of the Five Kings after the one-two punch of King Robert Baratheon's death and Ned Stark's brutal killing, both of which plunged the Seven Kingdoms into blood and chaos. "House of the Dragon," however, has taken a noticeably different approach to its central Dance of the Dragons -- the civil war that's closer than ever to erupting in earnest among the Team Green and Team Black factions of House Targaryen.

Last season's dragon-fueled aerial battle between the two rival princes seemed to...

[This story contains spoilers from the second episode of House of the Dragon season two.]

The second episode of House of the Dragon season two featured a fan-favorite scene from George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood: The fatal clash of the Cargyll twins, Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk (Elliot Tittensor), whose identical looks are weaponized by Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to try an assassinate Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). Below, showrunner Ryan Condal takes a few questions about the episode of the HBO hit series, which was recently renewed for a third season.

***

The twins’ fight is a sequence I loved from book and was really looking forward to in the show. The plan is ridiculed by Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), yet it almost works because it’s actually a mad brilliant idea. You upgrade the scene by having them fight alongside Rhaenyra in her bedchamber, putting her in direct jeopardy. Can you talk about your adaptive choices in that sequence?...

This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2.

The Game of Thrones franchise features no shortage of compelling twin characters. George R.R. Martin’s source material A Song of Ice and Fire, HBO’s epic series Game of Thrones, and its spinoff House of the Dragon are all full of siblings who share the same birthday down to the hour.

From well-known story staples like Jaime and Cersei Lannister to obscure historical figures like Aegon and Aemon Blackfyre to even the castle known as “The Twins” straddling the Green Fork in the Riverlands, duality remains a major theme in this canon. Now, in the second episode of its second season (how fitting!), House of the Dragon has found an incredibly satisfying way to put its resident twins, Ser Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Ser Erryk Cargyll (Elliott Tittensor), into action.

Episode two features an epic sword battle between Arryk and Erryk.

This House of the Dragon review contains spoilers.

Through its first two episodes, House of the Dragon season 2 has developed an admirable rhythm.

Both the premiere and now episode 2 spend their first two acts delving into the psyches of combatants on both sides of the Dance of the Dragons and, just as importantly, the smallfolk whose lives this civil war will surely ruin. Then in the third act, all hell breaks loose. The final minutes here aren’t quite as horrifying as the Blood and Cheese moment of episode 1 but they are almost equally as thrilling and far more palatable. That’s because House of the Dragon has exchanged wanton child murder for a …...

Spoiler Alert: This story contains major spoilers from Season 2, Episode 2 of HBO’s “House of the Dragon.”

The fallout from “Blood and Cheese” continues in “House of the Dragon.”

Episode 2 begins with heartbreak in King’s Landing when King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) discovers the grisly murder of his young son Jaehaerys. He blames Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) for not protecting the prince — and as we saw at the end of the premiere, Criston was too busy sleeping with Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) instead of guarding the castle grounds. Everyone in King’s Landing gathers for a somber funeral procession to pay their respects to Jaehaerys, whose head was reattached for the occasion.

“I remember them being like, ‘Do you want to see the dummy?’ Oh goodness, it was really beautifully done,” Phia Saban, who plays Queen Helaena Targaryen, told Variety. “They wove gold thread and you could see...

At the heart of House of the Dragon‘s second season is an unresolvable tension, and I don’t mean the one between the Greens and the Blacks.

On one hand, both Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), the daughter that Viserys I (Paddy Considine) chose to succeed him on the Iron Throne, and Alicent (Olivia Cooke), mother of the son (Tom Glynn-Carney’s Aegon II) who actually did, want desperately to avoid all-out war, or at least to minimize the destruction when it comes. It’s an eminently reasonable and humane stance, held by two of the show’s more reasonable and humane main characters. Of course we want what they want.

On the other hand … what, we’re going to tune into a show about a succession crisis involving dragons and not root to see them burn each other to a crisp?

This contradiction is not new or unique to House of the Dragon...

After the long wait of nearly two years, our favorite epic fantasy political drama is back, and this time with even more dragons. It has been more than five years since Game of Thrones ended and no other series has been able to replace the hole it left in the television space until its prequel series House of the Dragon came out to reclaim its fans and apologize to its fans for the terrible Season 8 of Got. Now we are finally getting the second season of the fan-favorite HBO series.

Based on Fire & Blood by author George R. R. Martin, the HBO series is created by Ryan Condal and R. R. Martin. House of the Dragon’s story is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and it follows the story of a devastating war of succession between two Targaryen siblings after the death of their father. So,...

House of the Dragon tricked viewers with an actor switch-up that nobody seemed to notice.

The finale of the Game of Thrones prequel series aired on HBO and Sky Atlantic last month.

Upon the episode’s broadcast, viewers did not seem to notice that one of the characters was played by a different actor entirely.

The detail was revealed by director Greg Yaitanes who, during a podcast interview, said the producers had to improvise when actor Elliot Tittensor got Covid-19 while they were filming the episode.

Elliot appeared in the show alongside his twin brother Luke, as members of the kingsguard Sers Arryk and Erryk, respectively.

Fortunately, when Elliot was unable to perform his lines, Luke stepped in to play Erryk instead.

“There’s that scene, that big scene where Corlys comes down and they’re putting the markers on the table and the messenger comes in,” Yaitanes said on...

House of the Dragon tricked viewers with an actor switch-up that nobody seemed to notice.

The finale of the Game of Thrones prequel series aired on HBO and Sky Atlantic last month.

Upon the episode’s broadcast, viewers did not seem to notice that one of the characters was played by a different actor entirely.

The detail was revealed by director Greg Yaitanes who, during a podcast interview, said the producers had to improvise when actor Elliot Tittensor got Covid-19 while they were filming the episode.

Elliot appeared in the show alongside his twin brother Luke, as members of the kingsguard Sers Arryk and Erryk, respectively.

Fortunately, when Elliot was unable to perform his lines, Luke stepped in to play Erryk instead.

“There’s that scene, that big scene where Corlys comes down and they’re putting the markers on the table and the messenger comes in,” Yaitanes said on...

Director Greg Yaitanes reveals that, in the season 1 finale of House of the Dragon, a key scene featuring Ser Erryk Cargyll was shot using the actor who plays his twin brother, Ser Arryk Cargyll. The Cargyll twins are members of the Kingsguard, originating from the small House Cargyll and serving King Viserys with dutiful loyalty. However, following the Targaryen king's death in season 1, episode 9, the brothers are divided by their loyalty to the crown. While Ser Erryk supports Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne, Ser Arryk believes Aegon Targaryen deserves to be King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Upon arriving at Dragonstone in season 1, episode 10, Ser Erryk confirms his support for Rhaenyra by bestowing upon her Viserys' crown as a token of his loyalty and belief in her role as queen. It's a powerful scene that is soon followed by Rhaenyra's coronation, seating Ser Erryk in a high place of trust...

George R.R. Martin is famous for creating characters with annoyingly similar names, leading to some confusion from both the readers/viewers and the characters themselves. It was bad enough that Alicent (Olivia Cooke) started a war because she assumed her husband was referring to the wrong Aegon, but the first season's final episodes also put a spotlight on the Cargyll twins: two identical knights of the Kingsguard named Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk (Elliott Tittensor). 

For the show's producers, however, the similarities in the actors/characters proved to be a bit of a blessing. While filming the finale, Elliot Tittensor tested positive for Covid-19 and wasn't able to be on set. Luckily, the show had Luke Tittensor around, who could fill in for him while he recovered. 

"There's that scene, that big scene where Corlys comes down and they're putting the markers on the table and the messenger comes in,...

The dust and dragon scales have barely settled on “House of the Dragon” Season 1, but fans are already clamoring for Season 2 while staring down their first free Sunday night in months. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” prequel is already renewed for a second season, but how exactly will the war amid House Targaryen play out? Who will live? Who will die? Will viewers ever see a baby dragon?

Here’s everything we hope to see in “House of the Dragon” Season 2.

1. Lucerys Avenged

Sweet, strong (sorry) Lucerys Velaryon died horribly and too young, a pawn in the war against his mother and an indescribable loss for her. His is the first major death in the war and the series and will undoubtedly lead to massive repercussions for both sides. The Blacks may come for Aemond directly, or for Vhagar, or for the entirety of Aegon’s family as they avenge...

Long before Viserys Targaryen breathed his last breath, we knew that war was afoot in Westeros. "House of the Dragon" has been planting the seeds of this Targaryen civil war since its opening minutes, and through three decades worth of story the dam always seemed on the verge of breaking. But somehow, it never did. Was Viserys the only thing holding the kingdoms together? We certainly feared as much, when the peaceful king finally died, leaving the world to cope with a complicated succession crisis.

Watching the Green Council plot their coup, it was impossible not to envision the rageful response that their scheming would inevitably receive. But "The Black Queen" offered us a surprise. For nearly the entire episode, Viserys' plea for peace lives on in his daughter. Though the blood of the dragon courses through her veins, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) does not share her uncle-husband's hot temper.

Early during season 1 of “House of the Dragon”, HBO renewed the “Game of Thrones” prequel, confirming that the series would return for a second season. Based on George R.R. Martin’s novel, “Fire & Blood”, which is a history book recounting notable events in Westeros in the 200 years before the original series, “Hotd” will continue to explore the in-fighting and intrigue surrounding House Targaryen.

With season 1 ending in dramatic fashion, with everyone in Westeros seemingly taking sides in the newfound battle between the Black Council and Green Council, here’s what we know about what’s to come in season 2.

Plot and Timeline

After spending most of season 1 establishing the main players in the battle of succession to follow the death of King Viserys, season 2 will inch the series closer and closer to war.

“We will get to the spectacle,” co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal told The Times. (His co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik...

This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.

After “The Green Council” saw the Hightowers usurp the Iron Throne by crowning Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) as king, House of the Dragon fans have been eagerly awaiting the season finale. Between the episode’s focus on the Hightowers’ plot at King’s Landing and the climactic ending that saw Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) bursting through the floor of the Dragonpit on her dragon Meleys before riding off to warn the true heir Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), it has been a long seven days waiting to see how Rhaenyra reacts to the news that her birthright has been stolen.

The season finale “The Black Queen” begins with a sweet moment between Rhaenyra and her son Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) where she reassures him that she’ll be there to help guide him as he steps into his duties as the future Lord of Driftmark.

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1-9 of House of the Dragon.Episode 9 of House of the Dragon had plenty of excitement taking place, but no event may have been more substantial than Aegon II Targaryen's (Tom Glynn-Carney) coronation. During the ceremony in the Dragon Pit, after being anointed by the Faith of the Seven, disaster strikes for the young king and his supporters. Rhaenys (Eve Best) escapes her confinement in the Red Keep thanks to the exploits of Kingsguard knight Ser Erryk Cargyll (Elliott Tittensor), making her way to the bowels of the Dragon Pit's dungeons to retrieve her dragon Meleys, the Red Queen. Meleys and Rhaenys erupt from the floor of the pit, flattening commoners and sending them scrambling for safety.

Warning: Spoilers for House of the Dragon season episode 9 And Fire & Blood ahead.Princess Rhaenys Targaryen survived in the aftermath of King Viserys' death in House of the Dragon episode 9, but her lingering next to Balerion's skull during her escape from King's Landing has a double deeper meaning for both what has happened and what will. As House of the Dragon episode 8's ending had already set up Viserys' death and Alicent misinterpreting his dying words as his final say on who should succeed him, episode 9 fully put things in motion for the Greens to claim power in King's Landing while also looking for Aegon to place him on the Iron Throne. House of the Dragon episode 9 also had the few Rhaenyra loyalists all pay the price for not bending the knee when Otto Hightower asked them to support the future Aegon II, with only Rhaenys (Eve Best) of those supporting Rhaenyra managing to escape.

This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon episode “The Green Council” features one of the most divisive scenes of the series so far. And that’s saying a lot considering that the series has featured two women dying fairly brutal deaths while giving birth, Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) murdering his father and brother, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) betraying Rhaenrya (Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy) after they sleep together, literal child brides, and a lot of incest (even by Game of Thrones standards). What makes this scene in “The Green Council” so divisive, however, seems to be a blatant disregard for the lives of the common people of King’s Landing.

“The Green Council” focuses on Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Otto Hightower’s (Rhys Ifans) plot to supplant Princess Rhaenrya as the true heir to the Iron Throne and instead crown Alicent’s son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) as king.

Warning: Spoilers for House of the Dragon Episode 9 - "The Green Council" - And Future EpisodesEven though King Viserys (Paddy Considine) is dead, his crown will take on an even greater significance in House of the Dragon. As season 1 enters its endgame, the sides have been set for the Dance of the Dragons. Fueled by Ser Otto Hightower's (Rhys Ifans) ambitions, which were given credence by Queen Alicent's (Olivia Cooke) belief that Viserys' dying wish was for Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) to be King, the Hightowers usurped the Iron Throne.

However, Viserys' crown takes on new importance when it belongs to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy). Rhaenyra will have no choice but to declare war to press her claim to the Iron Throne and declare herself the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Of course, the Queen will need a crown and Rhaenyra will don the same headgear as her late father wore.

Spoiler warning for House of the Dragon episode 9

The king is dead, long live the king! After two months of Paddy Considine slowly decomposing as the good king Viserys, the inevitable has finally happened on House of the Dragon. In an opening that echoes the famous sequence in the “The Winds of Winter” (the episode of Game of Thrones where the crypt goes boom), juvenile spies relay the message of the king’s demise to the sound of Ramin Djawadi’s tremulous score. The reason for that note of tension is clear: what happens next?

Bad Heir Day

Well, what happens next is that the Queen (Olivia Cooke) makes the decision to push through her son Aegon’s claim. “I saw [Viserys] last night,” she tells her father. “He told he wished for Aegon to be king.” And so the wheels spring into motion – and, as ever with House of the Dragon,...

Spoiler warning for House of the Dragon episode 9

The king is dead, long live the king! After two months of Paddy Considine slowly decomposing as the good king Viserys, the inevitable has finally happened on House of the Dragon. In an opening that echoes the famous sequence in the “The Winds of Winter” (the episode of Game of Thrones where the crypt goes boom), juvenile spies relay the message of the king’s demise to the sound of Ramin Djawadi’s tremulous score. The reason for that note of tension is clear: what happens next?

Bad Heir Day

Well, what happens next is that the Queen (Olivia Cooke) makes the decision to push through her son Aegon’s claim. “I saw [Viserys] last night,” she tells her father. “He told he wished for Aegon to be king.” And so the wheels spring into motion – and, as ever with House of the Dragon,...

Spoiler warning for House of the Dragon episode 9

The king is dead, long live the king! After two months of Paddy Considine slowly decomposing as the good king Viserys, the inevitable has finally happened on House of the Dragon. In an opening that echoes the famous sequence in the “The Winds of Winter” (the episode of Game of Thrones where the crypt goes boom), juvenile spies relay the message of the king’s demise to the sound of Ramin Djawadi’s tremulous score. The reason for that note of tension is clear: what happens next?

Bad Heir Day

Well, what happens next is that the Queen (Olivia Cooke) makes the decision to push through her son Aegon’s claim. “I saw [Viserys] last night,” she tells her father. “He told he wished for Aegon to be king.” And so the wheels spring into motion – and, as ever with House of the Dragon,...

Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you haven’t watched Episode 9 of “House of the Dragon,” titled “The Green Council.”

King Viserys is dead, long live King Aegon!

Season 1 of “House of the Dragon” barrels toward an explosive finale next Sunday, as the battle lines are further drawn between the greens and the blacks. The penultimate episode didn’t feature Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) or her side of the impending civil war, instead focusing on how Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her supporters usurped the Iron Throne and ushered in the new, somewhat reluctant, King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).

The episode begins with word quickly spreading within the Red Keep of King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) death overnight. As we saw at the end of the previous episode, Alicent conveniently misinterprets Viserys’ final words about Aegon the Conqueror to be about her son Aegon and how he should be king instead of Rhaenyra.

Despite its semi-interesting premise, a new take on star-crossed lovers, Steven Nesbit’s low-budget Brit gangster flick fails to deliver

This week’s geezerfest has a semi-interesting premise – dividing up a bizarro Britain along Romeo and Juliet lines, as blossoming young love threatens the tenuous truce between regional heavies – but no sense of how to develop it. Instead, variably grizzled types (Bernard Hill and Freema Agyeman repping the north; Steven Berkoff and Keith Allen the south) sit around picking their teeth and casually lobbing C-bombs at one another, while a florid Elliott Tittensor voiceover strives to assure us the stakes are being raised. With writer-director Steve Nesbit preoccupied with delaying his under-budgeted action, an odd listlessness takes over: you just want Danny Dyer to stroll on and tell everyone to stop poncing about.

Continue reading...

Stars: Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder, Ralph Ineson, Ian Burfield, Lorraine Ashbourne, Elliott Tittensor, Siobhan Finneran | Written and Directed by Clio Barnard

This film was first brought to my attention when I saw some guerrilla marketing in and around Bradford, England, the place in which The Selfish Giant was set and filmed. I’m from West Yorkshire so I was interested to see the region represented and was curious about the story too.

Written and directed by Clio Barnard (The Arbor), The Selfish Giant follows the two characters of Arbor and Swifty, two young Yorkshire lads who, after being excluded from their school for fighting, take to the streets in their local area in Bradford and stumble on a scrap dealer named Kitten (Sean Gilder) who puts them to work collecting scrap metal for him, which they can weigh-in and get some money for. Based on the actual occurrence...

Stars: Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder, Ralph Ineson, Ian Burfield, Lorraine Ashbourne, Elliott Tittensor, Siobhan Finneran | Written and Directed by Clio Barnard

There is something disarming about stories that deal with childhood friendships, especially ones that are filmed close to where you live. The Selfish Giant was filmed around the city of Bradford, so there is a familiarity to the landscapes that I see in the movie as I live there. What is more effective is the natural acting of two boys plucked out of obscurity showing a friendship that is all too real and all too painful at the end.

The Selfish Giant is based on an Oscar Wilde short story, and after watching the film you’ll find yourself wanting to read the tale to compare the two. For the film though it tells the story of Arbor (Conner Chapman) and Swifty (Shaun Thomas). Brought together as...

“I knew next to nothing about Dinard, and also it’s just me and the producer here and she didn’t really tell me anything.” It’s a warm October day in the French village of Dinard, and Chloe Pirrie, star of the acclaimed Brit-flick Shell is talking with me about her experiences of the town’s festival of British film.” “It’s much more chilled out, and schedules are much less rigid”, she continues, “and general conveying of people from one place to another is much less rigid than I’ve ever experienced before”

And she’s not alone. The festival has an incredibly relaxed atmosphere, where any sense of formality is subverted by a combination of small-town friendliness and free-flowing drink. In the most pleasant way possible, it’s utterly bizarre. As Spike Island writer, Chris Coghill puts it, “Technically we’re supposed to be in competition with each other,...

World War Z | Before Midnight | Spike Island | Fire In The Night | Like Someone In Love | Snitch | I Am Nasrine | The Seasoning House | Shun Li and The Poet | Black Rock | I Am Breathing | A Haunted House

World War Z (15)

(Marc Forster, 2013, Us/Mal) Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale. 116 mins

In the end, the much-reported delays, reshoots and overspend have at least resulted in a watchable disaster epic, even if this brings little to the zombie apocalypse party save for a huge guest list. Forster's film finds Pitt pitted against insect-like hordes of the sprinting dead, as his Un agent trots round the globe trying to trace the source of the epidemic, save his family and avoid getting chomped. Mild spoiler alert: blame Wales.

Before Midnight (15)

(Richard Linklater, 2013, Us) Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Walter Lassally. 109 mins

A satisfying return for the comfortable screen couple, now together but burdened by history,...

Mat Whitecross's film about the legendary Stone Roses gig acts as a B-side to Shane Meadows' recent documentary

Mat Whitecross made a real impression in 2010 with his excellent biopic of Ian Dury, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. While this new film isn't quite as distinctive, it's a heartfelt picture with the right kind of energy and sentimental euphoria, about a bunch of lads in 1990 desperate to get to the Stone Roses' now increasingly legendary gig. The period is intensely evoked (although I'm not certain people said "soz" and "tomoz" in those days) and the film acts as a B-side to Shane Meadows' mighty documentary.

Elliott Tittensor plays Tits, a wannabe singer and Roses-worshipper, whose parents (Steve Evets and Lesley Manville) are bowed down by illness. Poor, lonely Tits has made a massive personal investment in getting into the Stone Roses gig, by any means necessary. Jodie Whittaker has...

Director: Mat Whitecross; Screenwriter Chris Coghill; Starring: Elliott Tittensor, Nico Mirallegro, Jordan Murphy, Adam Long, Emilia Clarke; Running time: 105 mins; Certificate: 15

Earlier this month, Shane Meadows's heartfelt documentary Made of Stone bucked expectations by focusing as much on the fans in the ticket queue as on the Stone Roses themselves, and emerged as more an affectionate reminiscence than a journalistic document. Mat Whitecross's 1990-set Spike Island makes no claims to be documenting anything, except for a certain kind of devoted teenage fandom, and while it's far from revolutionary as a coming-of-age story, its game young cast elevate even the clichés.

Manc teens Tits (Matthew McNulty) and Dodge (Nico Mirallegro) are lead singer and guitarist, standing in for Ian Brown and John Squire in an indie band that might as well be a straight-up Roses tribute act, but instead call themselves Shadowcatcher. They're hellbent on getting to Spike Island,...

Bowlcuts, wide trousers, bad weather – it's Madchester all over again as Laura Barton spends a day in a field with the makers of Spike Island, a film about a legendary Stone Roses show

Once the birthplace of the British chemical industry and later a toxic wasteground, the area of reclaimed woodland and wetland known as Spike Island gained a certain notoriety in May 1990 as the venue for the Stone Roses' Sunset Sunday gig. With a crowd of 27,000, the show in this once-industrial area of Widnes in Cheshire has become the stuff of Madchester legend, rhapsodised, euologised, recounted ad infinitum. This summer, that gig and the band's later reunion are commemorated in two film releases: Made of Stone, a documentary made by Shane Meadows; and Spike Island, a drama directed by Matt Whitecross.

I visited the set of the latter during shooting on a bitter spring day last year, finding the quiet parkland cluttered with trailers,...

It ended the only way that Shameless could. With a car on fire, a pub-load of punters and families partying, a police chase and the overwhelming message that even in the worst situations and with the worst people, there is always something holding us together. Family matters.

Paul Abbott's comedy drama has spanned an impressive 11 series and despite many cast departures, the show has maintained a loyal audience and tonight's (May 28) finale delivered a treat for those who have stuck with the show from the very start.

Anne-Marie Duff, Dean Lennox Kelly, Elliott Tittensor, Jody Latham and Kelli Hollis all returned for one last jaunt around the Chatsworth Estate, while the episode managed to squeeze in a birth, a funeral, an extended Frank Gallagher rant about overpaid footballers and technology-obsessed kids and a brilliant line about Jesus ("He never had a wife. God as his father. Silver spoon up the arse that one.

American detectives. Russian spies. Brits who are just a little bit off - Tube Talk's latest edition of Must-See TV has gone global!

Honourable mentions this week go to two shows that are not exactly 'appointment viewing', but still should give us a good laugh - the new series of sports quiz A League of Their Own (Wednesday, May 29 at 8pm on Sky1) and the perma-tanned Towie lot taking us on their hols in The Only Way Is Marbs (Sunday, June 2 at 10pm on ITV2).

Britain's Got Talent: Monday (May 27) at 7.30pm on ITV

Prepare for close to the bone 'My Simon' jokes from David Walliams and little kids sobbing, because Britain's Got Talent goes live this week with six nights of semi-finals.

As our Must-See TV rundown goes up before the final 45 are revealed on ITV tonight (May 26), we can't brief you on which acts from the series...

Earlier today we put up the exclusive poster for the movie that Stone Roses fans are going to love, Spike Island! Vertigo have released the first trailer for the film which comes from screenwriter Chris Coghill. It’s directed by Mat Whitecross and stars Elliott Tittensor, Nico Mirallegro, Jordan Murphy, Adam Long and Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones fame although you may not recogniose her when you see her in this!

Check out the trailer below, I think you’re gonna love it and if you missed them, have a watch of our interviews with the cast and filmmakers at the UK Premiere from the London Fim Festival last year.

School is nearly out for summer (and forever) for our lads – five Stone Roses fans from Manchester. Nothing will stop our boys from seeing their heroes on stage. This is the story of their journey to Widnes and the...

A trailer for Spike Island has been released.

Directed by Mat Whitecross (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), the coming-of-age drama focuses on a group of five Manchester teenagers in 1990.

With musical aspirations of their own, the group hatch a plan to deliver a demo tape to their idols, the Stone Roses, at the band's legendary Spike Island concert.

Elliott Tittensor and Nico Mirallegro lead the film's young cast, which also includes Jordan Murphy, Adam Long, Oliver Heald and Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke.

> Stone Roses movie tickets sell out in under a minute

> The Stone Roses confirm secret London show - ticket details

Spike Island premiered at the London Film Festival last year, and will be released in the UK on June 21. View Stone Roses's career in pictures below:...

Here’s a movie that we’ve been very much looking forward to ever since it we spoke to Emilia Clark for the Game of Thrones Season 1 DVD release a year ago! Spike Island is directed by Mat Whitecross with a screenplay from Chris Coghill and stars Elliott Tittensor, Nico Mirallegro, Jordan Murphy, Adam Long and Emilia Clarke. The movie focuses on a group of 5 friends who all decide that no matter that they’re going to attend a Stone Roses gig.

We attended the premiere at the London Film Festival late last year and if you missed, them, you can catch out interviews with the cast and filmmakers here. The film gets it’s UK release June 21st and we’ll have a review of it on the site as soon as possible. A trailer will be dropping for the movie later today so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Stuck with what to watch on TV this week? Never fear, Tube Talk is here with our guide to all the best bits on the box, so make sure your remote's in hand and your planner of choice is ready for action.

Highlights this time include the beginning of the end for Shameless, the return of procedural juggernaut CSI and the arrival of Simon Cowell's scrumptious new reality show Food Glorious Food.

CSI: Tuesday (February 26) at 9pm on Channel 5

Believe it or not, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is pretty much the biggest show in the world nowadays, so the arrival of its 13th season on Channel 5 is bound to excite just a few of you...or at least your mums and aunties.

The Las Vegas criminalists' first case is one that's close to home, as Ted Danson's Russell and the rest of the team set out to rescue his granddaughter,...

Anne-Marie Duff is returning to 'Shameless'. The 42-year-old actress will make a return to the Channel 4 drama series for its very last episode, it has been announced. Anne-Marie - who departed her role of Fiona Gallagher eight years ago during the show's second series - will be joined in returning for the finale by other show favourites, including Jody Latham and Elliott Tittensor, who played her brothers Lip and Carl. The plot will see the Gallagher children ''summoned to show solidarity'' for their dad, Frank (David Threlfall). A spokesperson for the show - which is set on the fictional Chatsworth estate in Manchester...

Anne-Marie Duff is to return to Shameless for the final ever episode. It was confirmed in October that the long-running comedy-drama will draw to a close after 11 series, with Duff - who played Fiona Gallagher / McBride in the show's first two years - recently returning to filming. Annabelle Apsion will also reprise her role of Monica in the final Shameless run, with Jody Latham and Elliott Tittensor additionally returning as Lip and Carl Gallagher. The characters Kev (Dean Lennox Kelly) and Yvonne Karib (Kelli Hollis) will also be back for the last 14 episodes, which will air on Channel 4 from (more)...

This evening myself and Stefan Pape were privileged to spend time in the company of dozens of Britain’s best movie stars and celebrities at the 2012. Last year was one of my favourite evening’s and we managed to conduct over 55 interviews! This year we’ve broken the record and managed to chat with nearly 60 people.

Below are all the interviews we conducted from the evening including interviews with the likes of Billy Connolly, Jude Law, Ben Wheatley, James Nebitt, Paul Andrew Williams to name but a few. As well as the red carpet, we also caught up with the winners and award presenters which will appear in a separate post so look out for that.

The full list of interviews includes:

James Nesbitt, Elliot Grove, Eileen Davies, Eloise Laurence, Felicity Jones, Jared Harris, Claire Jones, Ben Wheatley, James Floyd, Paul Andrew Williams, Tom Cullen, Alice Englert, Billy Connolly, Elliott Tittensor,...

The nominations for the 15th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards have been unveiled in London.

They were announced by patron Adrian Lester (above), the Birmingham-born actor whose credits include The Day After Tomorrow and TV series Being Human, Bonekickers, Merlin and Hustle.

In a statement, joint directors of the awards Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson said: "In this our 15th year, we are delighted to welcome back six-time former host James Nesbitt.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated Pre-Selection Committee who watched over 200 films in order to produce the 2012 nominations, which once again reflect the diverse range of British film talent, and also welcome this year's appointed independent jury who will now spend the next month considering the nominated films."

The highest number of nominations this year goes to Broken with 9 nominations including Best Film, Best Director and Best Debut Director for Rufus Norris,...