Film Review: Rubble Kings
“In 1979 a cult classic called “The Warriors” shook the world with its depiction of New York City as a gang infested concrete jungle. Nine years earlier the real story was far worse.” The opening of Shan Nicholson’s documentary, Rubble Kings, sets the scene for his investigation into the rise of gang culture in the …
Blu-ray Review: The Hourglass Sanatorium
The fantastical and the bizarre are elements which make up much of Polish director Wojciech Has’ work. Unlike most of his peers, throughout his career he tended to avoid political themes, preferring to create magical and surreal worlds in which to place his characters. The Hourglass Sanatorium is arguably his greatest achievement. As Joseph (Jan …
Film Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
In a world full of seemingly pointless money-making sequels and reboots, it’s refreshing to see original films being made like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Skilfully adapted from her own debut novel by Jesse Andrews, it scooped the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award (US Drama) at Sundance. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon works a litle cinematic …
Blu-ray Review: Casanova
Federico Fellini cut his teeth in the Italian neorealism movement, beginning by writing screenplays (most notably for Rome, Open City) before stepping behind the camera. After a few inconsistent early efforts he soon found his own unique style, going on to direct such classics as La Strada, 8 ½, The Nights of Cambiria and La Dolce …
Film Review: How To Change The World
A whole movement is much more than one person or organisation. In 1971, when a group of friends decided to sail out to protest against nuclear testing in Alaska they unwittingly started something that would snowball into one of the largest modern activist movements. What Bob Hunter and a small group of like-minded people began …
Blu-ray Review: The Saragossa Manuscript
The Manuscript Found in Saragossa is a prime example of a brilliantly conceived frame-tale; stories found within a story. Written by Count Jan Potocki, it was published in the 19th Century but not fully completed at the time of the author’s suicide. Polish filmmaker Wojciech Has adapted it for The Saragossa Manuscript in 1965 and …
Incoming: Dope
Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Dope is out …
Film Review: Closed Curtain
Jafar Panahi is undoubtedly the most persistent and resourceful director working in film today. Despite being banned for 20 from making films by the Iranian authorities, Panahi still finds a way to keep on working. In 2011 he made This Is Not a Film under house arrest on an Iphone which was smuggled out of …
Film Review: The Second Mother
Class barriers are present and thriving all over the world, but they’re often unspoken. The rich employ nannies to bring up their children whilst those employed to care for the progeny of others often have to leave their own offspring. Normally the justification behind this is money, but as Anna Muylaert’s new film A Second …
Incoming: American Ultra
American Ultra is a fast-paced action comedy about Mike (Jesse Eisenberg), a seemingly hapless and unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes …