LAST SUMMER
Wins Best Film at
2019 BAFTA Cymru Awards

​The recipient of the Best film award at the 2019 BAFTA Cymru Awards,

Last Summer takes place in a long hot summer in the 1970s. Tragedy strikes four young friends, in this coming-of-age tale, as they venture into the woods. Written and directed by Jon Jones and edited by John Richards,

Last Summer depicts a cherished and nostalgic view of the mindless heroism of young boys.

From drunk poet to drunk detective-when disgraced poet and journalist, Ted Wallace (Roger Allam) visits his friend’s country mansion he discovers there’s something strange about the estate and decides to investigate.

Adapted from the hit Stephen Fry novel of the same name, 2017’s The Hippopotamus, directed by John Jencks and edited by John Richards, is eccentric and witty as was the book before it.

A well-regarded leading performance from Allam is the highlight of the film, with the Hollywood reporter stating:
‘In both voiceover and dialogue, whether he’s dismissing Wordsworth, Byron or social niceties, Allam delivers every mellifluously malign morsel with such unforced conviction that it barely feels like a performance’.

Filmed in and around London, UK, it’s a beautifully shot work of cinema as we watch inspiration strike Ted Wallace once again.

Jack to a King, is the remarkable story of a group of life long fans who band together, with courage and determination to reclaim their club from the brink of extinction.

United against an owner who’s first task is to sack the six best players, they risk everything to get Swansea City a shot at playing in the richest football league in the world.

One match, a prize of £90 million, winner takes all. Easy, “not if you know Swansea City”

A universal tale of triumph over adversity that will appeal far beyond fans of the Beautiful game.

On the 12th of September 2014, Swansea City are three games into their fourth Premier League campaign. Memories of their remarkable ten-year rise from near extinction are never far away for fans who have followed them through thick and thin. After three wins, they are joint top of the Premier Division. What better day for the release of the documentary feature film

Jack to a King. The Swansea story, is the incredible true story of Swansea City FC’s momentous journey from the lower rungs of league football to the mighty heights of the Premier League, the most watched league in the world.

The film celebrates the Swans’ survival using the voices of those who came together, through blood, sweat and tears, both of joy and sadness, to save the club they love.

In 2001 Swansea City was sold for £1 to businessman Tony Petty. His turbulent three-month reign almost brought the club to its knees and made him “the most hated man in Wales”. His plan to cut costs by sacking players met huge opposition from supporters, who joined forces to take over the club and rebuild its fortunes. As anyone from Wales will recognise, you need someone from outside to galvanise the troops, one enemy to fight. Tony Petty played that role and the fans on the North Bank, the Double Decker and the other terraces became the heroes of the hour.

While some groups of fans pressurised Tony Petty to quit by chaining the gates shut and threatening violence, others put money into a consortium which included the Supporters Trust, local businessmen and not so local fans from Holland and New York. Just as the VAT man was rumoured to be calling at “The Vetch” to close the club down the consortium stuffed £20,000 of their own cash into a Tesco carrier bag and drove off to meet Tony Petty and buy a football club. But as the old saying goes, ‘Be careful what you wish for, you might get it!’

As the new owners of Swansea City, the consortium now had to find the money to keep the lights on and to water the pitch. On home game weekends, they would loan cash for the gate float, getting it back on the Monday. David Morgan was one of the fans who took control of the Swans’ and became scared that if he made the wrong move, he could now be blamed for the football club being destroyed. The people of Swansea supported the club by filling the stands but as David says, “Unfortunately, it was the worst season for football at Swansea.”

For the first time in their 91-year history, Swansea found themselves at the very bottom of the English football ladder and facing the very real prospect of dropping out of the professional league altogether.The Swans had to win their final game of the season against Hull City to ensure their survival. As in all good fairy tales, Swansea’s shining knight emerged that day in the form of the big centre forward James Thomas, who scored a hat trick to help Swansea secure a 4–2 win and football league survival.

From here the Swans rebuild until 2011 when they reach the Premier League play-off final. Victory over Reading at Wembley, in a game reputedly worth £90m to the winner and give entry to arguably the best league in the world. The film offers a rare view of a game of such magnitude through the chairman, players and fans eyes. It’s a fitting climax to the Swansea City fairytale. That was their day, and this is their story.

“Jack to a King” then is clearly a football film, but it’s ultimate strength, and what sets it apart is that it is not actually a film about football. It is a film about people. Ordinary people possessing a passion for football. A passion for their club. A passion for their town. A passion for doing things the right way. It is a story of spirit, of fight, of determination, of violence, but also one of love, of care and of humour.

It takes the audience on a roller coaster ride, exploring the harsh realities of competitive sport but, at the end of the day, it explores loyalty.

What really gives this film a soul is the experience of one young fan.

As an anorexic, she hoped her hospital trips would kill her.

As a fan of the Swans, she wanted to live, live and live again.

Jack to a King is now showing in selected cinemas.

Details of screenings can be found on the films website.

DVD released on December 26th 2014

A woman snoops through her boyfriend’s palm pilot and reveals his former girlfriends, which causes her to question why they’re still listed in his little black book.

• Official website
• Little Black Book at the Internet Movie Database
• Little Black Book at AllRovi
• Little Black Book at Box Office Mojo
• Little Black Book at Rotten Tomatoes
• Little Black Book at Metacritic

Little Black Book – Behind the Scenes Gallery

[See image gallery at jrfilms.com]

This iconic 2006 romantic comedy film features Woody Deane (Kevin Zegers) and Nell Bedworth (Samaire Armstrong), total opposites who, as fate would have it, swap bodies due to an ancient Incan spell.

As they both begin exploiting these new incarnations to destroy the others’ life, once they come to terms with their situation, they realise they must work together to reverse the curse.

It’s A Boy Girl Thing was produced by Elton John’s motion picture company Rocket Pictures, directed by Nick Hurran, written by Geoffe Deane and film editing was done by John Richards.

Storytelling is important to John, and at the heart of this romcom is a coming-of-age tale about two individuals, overcoming obstacles and learning to work harmoniously.

The film has a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes and remains a teen cult classic to this day.

Plots with a View Movie title as on the non US release

In a small town in Wales, Betty (Brenda Blethyn) is married to philandering town councillor Hugh Rhys-Jones (Robert Pugh) and has to care for his obnoxious and demanding mother. When the latter chokes to death on a bowl of breakfast bran, she comes into contact with local funeral director Boris Plotz (Alfred Molina) who has cherished a secret passion for her since childhood. In the meantime, rival funeral director, eccentric American Frank Featherbed (Walken) and his Igor like assistant (Lee Evans) seek to drum up business with cut-rate novelty funerals. Boris and Betty develop an elaborate plot to run away together which involves faking Betty’s death. Much mayhem ensues in the realization of this scheme and Rhys-Jones and his mistress (Naomi Watts) finally get their comeuppance and Featherbed’s dreams of empire are realized.

Dawn has always dreamed of going to Las Vegas so, on impulse, Jackie buys the tickets and off they go on one last great adventure together. In Las Vegas they meet the enigmatic Cody who is attracted to Jackie but immediately understands the situation and helps the two friends to enjoy their dream holiday in Las Vegas by taking them on a trip into the desert.

The two friends return home for Dawn to make her peace with her friends and family before her ultimate demise. Dawn’s death, even though expected, devastates Jackie leaving her friendless and alone, or does it?

IMDB

A group of homosexual people try to live with dignity and self-respect while events build to the opening battle in the major gay rights movement.