A Star is Born (15)
Directed by Bradley Cooper

THIS third remake of A Star is Born is a true revelation in its ingenious and powerful on-screen coupling of Hollywood star turned film-maker Bradley Cooper and the iconic Lady Gaga.

The two are extraordinary together. Who knew Cooper could sing or play the guitar as well as he does, while Lady Gaga, stripped of make-up and gimmicky paraphernalia, shows what a talented actor and tremendous singer and artist she truly is.

The film opens with Cooper as the great rock star Jackson Maine performing at an open-air gig and having to take booze and pills before going on. On his desperate hunt for a drink after the concert, he enters a drag bar where he watches wannabe singer Ally (Lady Gaga) sing La Vie En Rose in a goose pimples-inducing performance and realises that a star is about to be born.

She's hugely unconfident — many people in the music industry have told her that they like the way she sounds but not the way she looks — but, after he takes her under his wing, her career and fame begin to soar. His own trajectory is slowly ending up at the bottom of a glass, along with their love.

This is an impressive directorial debut feature by Cooper, who also produced and co-wrote the script and a number of the songs with Lady Gaga, as well as starring in the film. Raw and passionate, it captures the thrill and excitement of performing live in front of thousands as well as providing a more contemporary rendition of the original story.

It was shot at numerous music festivals, including Glastonbury, with all the songs sung live and it gives a unique perspective of the stage and the performers looking out onto a sea of faces.

Apparently there is now some kind of Oscar buzz around Lady Gaga and the multitalented Cooper and, whatever happens on that front, it will be interesting to see what the latter comes up with next.