Blu-Ray Review: Andrei Rublev
Andrei Rublev was considered to be one of the greatest Russian medieval painters of Orthodox frescos and icons. His authenticated work was all carried out in the 15th century and he was canonised as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988. Andrei Tarkovsky took up the challenge of documenting his life on film, …
Blu-ray Review: Burroughs: The Movie (Criterion Collection)
William S Burroughs was one of the leading players of the Beat Generation. Along with Allen Ginsberg, Herbert Huncke and Jack Kerouac they changed the narrative around 1950s America for a whole generation. Burroughs himself is best known for his book Naked Lunch, which was published in 1959. Throughout his life he battled with heroin …
Blu-ray Review: Highlander 30th Anniversary Edition
There can only be one. Sadly, Highlander was a franchise that didn’t know when to stop. When director Russell Mulcahy returned for the sequel he created something so ridiculous that it cast a lasting shadow over the original. Then there are the other three films which fortuitously passed most people by, not to mention the …
DVD Review: Suture
Film noir was one of the most iconic and stylish film genres of the twentieth century. In the 1990s there was a resurgence of interest with a spate of neo-noir movies being released. These built on the original aesthetic but employed contemporary visual styles and themes. The most notable are LA Confidential, King of New …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Sour Grapes
Wine has become big business. What was once a gentle hobby for the affluent has now become a huge global economy with hundreds of thousands of dollars changing hands for the rarest wines. With some auction houses specialising in this market, Burgundy often generates most money interest. Domaine Posnot is one of the most renowned …
Incoming: Notes on Blindness
In the early 1980s, after decades of steady deterioration, writer and academic John Hull lost his sight. To help him make sense of the ensuing upheaval in his life, he began to keep an audio diary. Across three years, he created over 16 hours of material; these recordings would form a unique testimony of loss, …
DVD Review: The Ones Below
There are many intensely emotional issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth including huge anxiety and stress surrounding the unknown, self-doubt around whether you’re ready to become a parent and fear regarding giving birth to a healthy child. Antenatal and postnatal depression are growing problems and it’s hard to even contemplate the trauma miscarriage can cause. David …
Film Review: The Colony
Emma Watson has come a long way since starring in the first Harry Potter film at he age of eleven. Whilst she may be fated to be best remembered for her role as Hermione Granger, Watson is beginning to amass an impressive CV. Roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and in her latest …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Life, Animated
As adults we’re often warned about the negative influences of TV and films on children. The next scare story is never too far away. However, the benefits are rarely ever even touched on. Disney has become much-maligned over the last few years but for decades it has made beautifully crafted animation which has beguiled and …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Hooligan Sparrow
China has a population of well over a billion people. However, it’s highly likely that you or I know much more about what’s going on in the country than those actually living there. Despite relaxing restrictions in the new global climate, China is very much a nation under censorship. Corruption is rife amongst government officials …