Film Review: Catch the Fair One
Sports films would be pretty limited if they were solely about the competition itself. Sure, some just focus on the subject’s attempts to achieve their goal, but the best ones go deeper. Concentrate more on a personal struggle, whether that’s internal or with an outside influence. In Catch the Fair One, a former boxing champion …
Film Review: All the Moons
At some stage, which is probably the fault of Bram Stroker and Lord Byron in equal measure, vampires became sexy. Many cultures, in almost every part of the globe, have legends or folktales of blood-sucking creatures. These monsters certainly weren’t tall handsome Counts with hypnotic eyes. The Gothic period helped fuel a narrative of immortality …
Film Review: The Automat
The concept of automats might seem alien to generations born in towns and cities now full of cafes and restaurants, but those of a certain age will remember a time before gastropubs, KFC and McDonalds. There’s something very Tomorrow’s World about the concept of a restaurant where you selected your food and drink from vending …
IFFR Review: EAMI
Climate and habitat change might be a political discussion point for most of us but for those living within the canopies of the rainforests of South America it’s a daily reality. While most conversations about the environment focus on future states, many communities are being decimated by deforestation and global warming. Indeed, while pledges have …
IFFR Review: El gran movimiento
Our exposure in the UK to the cultures and politics of South America is limited, to say the least. This is, in part, due to geography. Relatively few people from the continent arrive on our shores and it’s not like it’s a viable holiday destination for many. Bolivia, for example, is not a country which …
IFFR Review: Life Of Crime 1984-2020
Wherever you stand on the nurture versus nature debate, it’s a given that the environment in which you grow up in has a huge impact on your future prospects. Where you live can be as important in determining your life chances as education or health, but in reality they’re all interconnected. Once you have a …
Film Review: Air Doll
I think it’s fair to say that men are quite often driven more by the thing between their legs than their actual brains. There has been enough evidence of this, over the years, to fill every book ever written. It hasn’t passed filmmakers by either. Movies such as Mannequin and Lars and the Real Girl …
IFFR Review: A Human Position
Most filmmakers look for a story with a hook. A narrative heft which will make it stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression. If there are twists and turns with breathtaking cliffhangers and high stakes, all the better. In reality, our lives are full of little things and if tragedy should strike, …
IFFR Review: Freaks Out
Through the annals of history, people who are viewed as ‘different’, in some way, have never had it easy. Anyone suspected of possessing ‘special powers’ has been singled out and treated like something not quite human. If they happened to live at the ‘right time’, this could have meant being respected as a wise person …
IFFR Review: Assault
While personal achievement is always good, there’s something special about being part of a successful team. The camaraderie. The friendship. And while some tasks are just one-person jobs, bigger challenges often require a team of trained individuals who all bring their individual skills, experience and abilities to the party. Perhaps the most famous cinematic example …