DVD Review: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances…” Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are assuredly players but they’re pretty stumped as to which production they’re meant to be in. Not entirely sure if in fact a play exists or whether they are indeed figments of …
Incoming: Trumbo
In 1947, Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) was Hollywood’s top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. Trumbo (directed by Jay Roach) recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice of the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist …
Film Review: Rams
If you’ve read Halldór Laxness’ Independent People you’ll have a good idea of the relationship between Icelandic farmers and their sheep. Fast-forward almost a hundred years and there are still people struggling to eke out a living in the Icelandic hills, exposed to the harshness of the county’s climate. Grímur Hákonarson’s film Rams follows a …
Incoming: The 33
In 2010, the eyes of the world turned to Chile, where 33 miners had been buried alive by the collapse of a gold and copper mine. Over the next 69 days, an international team worked tirelessly in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped men as their families and friends, as well as millions of …
Incoming: The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2016
Since 2004, the Japan Foundation, London has organised a Japanese film programme in close partnership with distinguished film venues and programme advisors in the UK. Each year, a programme of titles are put together under a carefully chosen theme to highlight trends in Japanese cinema and showcase the versatility and uniqueness displayed by Japanese filmmakers. …
DVD Review: The House on Pine Street
Haunted house movies have been a staple of the horror genre for decades now. There have been three great periods so far, beginning with the classics of The Haunting, House on Haunted Hill and The Innocents. The 1980s saw a renaissance (or 1979 when it comes to The Amityville Horror) including The Shining, The Changeling …
Film Review: Backtrack
After seeing the marketing behind Michael Petroni’s new film Backtrack you could be forgiven for assuming that it’s a horror or thriller. Despite a few early ‘jumps’, Backtrack is more of a creepy psychological drama, with a crime angle thrown in. It’s another impressive example of the films coming out of Australia at the moment. …
Film Review: Innocence of Memories
Orhan Pamuk will be a familiar name to many and is widely regarded as one of the best authors of the last decade. In 2006 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Born in Istanbul in 1952, Pamuk’s life has revolved around the Turkish capital and it has been an integral part of his …
Blu-ray Review: Essential Godard
Jean-Luc Godard was arguably the greatest film director of the 1960s. He was also the driving force behind the French New Wave (La Nouvelle Vague) movement and one of the most influential film-makers of all time. Essential Godard brings five of his best films together, two available on Blu-ray for the first time. All made …
Incoming: Youth
Springtime. Fred and Mick, two old friends now approaching eighty, are on vacation together in an elegant hotel at the foot of the Alps. Fred, a composer and conductor, is now retired. Mick, a film director, is still working. The two friends know that their time is quickly running out, and they decide to face …