Blu-Ray Review: The Squid and the Whale (Criterion Collection)
When it comes to telling contemporary stories of New York life there’s no one better than Brooklynite Noah Baumbach. His debut, Kicking and Screaming is a semi-biographical account of his time at colleague. Despite a sojourn in LA where he notably made Greenberg, the Big Apple has been a vibrant backdrop for films such as …
Blu-ray Review: The Royal Tenenbaums (Criterion Collection)
There are few, if any, living directors who have such a large cult fanbase as Wes Anderson. His work is epitomised by its unique visual style, unusual plotting, and recurring cast members. The big breakthrough came with Rushmore, but he subsequently received widespread praise for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Moonrise Kingdom and The …
Incoming: Bleed For This
Based on the incredible true story of Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller), one of few American boxers to hold world titles in three different weight categories, who suffered a near-fatal car accident at the peak of his career. Told he would never walk again, Vinny spent months recovering in a neck brace until, against doctors’ orders …
Blu-Ray Review: Jinnah
Biographical films have always been good box office. Often huge undertakings, in terms of cost and size of cast, they’ve proved to be popular both critically and with cinemagoers. They range from epics such as Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia and Braveheart to the more intimate affairs of American Splendour and Ed Wood. Whilst Jamil Dehlavi’s …
Incoming: A United Kingdom
A United Kingdom tells the inspiring true story of Seretse Khama, the king of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. Seretse and Ruth defied family, apartheid and empire – their love …
Blu-Ray Review: Assault on Precinct 13
In general, remakes are a blight on cinema. Probably due to his original films being low-budget and acquiring such a cult status, John Carpenter finds his work keenly coveted for new versions. With Starman and Big Trouble in Little China being in the pipeline, directors and producers never learn that his films are too unique …
Incoming: Paterson
Paterson is a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey — they share the name. Every day, Paterson adheres to a simple routine: he drives his daily route, observing the city as it drifts across his windshield and overhearing fragments of conversation swirling around him; he writes poetry into a notebook; he walks …
DVD Review: Tickled
Anyone who’s been to a documentary film festival knows it can often turn into a bit of an endurance event. Whilst mostly fascinating, it’s a genre which can take a lot out of you. So, when a light-hearted film comes along, it can be a blessed relief. That’s what David Farrier and Dylan Reeve thought …
Incoming: Bad Santa 2
Bad Santa 2 returns Billy Bob Thornton to the screen as America’s favourite anti-hero, Willie Soke. Fuelled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie teams up once again with his angry little sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Along for the ride is ‘the kid’ – chubby and …
Film Review: Magnus
Despite having somewhat of a stigma as a pursuit for ‘nerds’ or ‘dweebs’, chess has maintained a status somewhere between a sport and board game. Grandmasters are treated as celebrities and the World Chess Championship attracts huge media attention. It’s also a documentary favourite, producing Searching for Bobby Fischer, Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine …