Blu-ray Review: Mandabi
Often referred to as the ‘father of African cinema’, Ousmane Sembène was certainly one of the original filmmakers to come out of the sub-Saharan region and arguably the most influential of the twentieth century. The Senegalese director was the first from the continent to bridge over into international film festivals and receive international recognition and …
Blu-Ray Review: Murder By Decree
There have been many portrayals of Sherlock Holmes on stage, TV, radio and on the big screen. Indeed, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation remains one of the most popular and recognisable figures in popular British culture. Some of the most memorable performances as the great sleugh have come from Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett and Benedict …
Film Review: Werewolves Within
The history of modern cinema is littered with a trail of not good, bad, very bad and appalling computer game adaptations. Uwe Boll is the uncrowned king of the diabolical (Alone in the Dark being a personal ‘favourite’) but the likes of Silent Hill, Assassin’s Creed, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Mortal Combat and Tomb Raider …
Film Review: Sweat
As far as I’m concerned, there’s little more pernicious in today’s society as the rise of the cult of the influencer. What began as Youtubers or Instagram accounts gaining large followings has evolved into a cottage industry of money-making self-promotion. Why anyone would trust these people is beyond me, let alone worship them. However, whilst …
Film Review: Echoes of the Invisible
Today, when there’s talk about the spheres of exploration and discovery it’s almost guaranteed to be about space travel and potential colonisation. Humans have been obsessed with the stars for centuries and more, but after a long break to tackle more terrestrial problems the focus is very much on Mars, the Moon and even further …
Blu-Ray Review: But I’m a Cheerleader
You can trace conversion therapy back to the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, but Christianity has been attempting to repress ‘wicked’ feelings and thoughts for centuries. Whilst the horrendous practice has been overwhelmingly disavowed by the medical profession, the rise of popularism and right-wing politics means it’s having a resurgence is places like America. The …
Film Review: Treasure City
Whilst Hungary might not seem, on the face of it, to be a hotbed of filmmaking talent, over the years it has produced a number of exciting directors. The likes of István Szabó, Miklós Jancsó, Zoltán Fábri and Béla Tarr made their name in their homeland and garnered a reputation across Europe and beyond. Whilst …
Film Review: It Must Be Heaven
Unfortunately, once again our news feeds are dominated by tensions in Israel and it seems that there’s unlikely to ever be a satisfactory resolution to this lengthy conflict. Whilst there are often Israeli films at European festivals it’s much rarer to get content from Palestinian directors. Let’s be honest, occupation tends to focus the mind …
Blu-Ray Review: PTU
It makes sense that filmmakers turn to actors they can trust, time and time again. You see it happen a lot in cinema, directors and stars who collaborate frequently over many years. Some of the most famous partnerships have been Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune, François Truffaut with Jean-Pierre Léaud and more recently Martin Scorsese …
Tribeca Review: Ultrasound
Whilst on the face of it the science fiction film genre should be relatively narrow in terms of definition, when you think about it there’s actually a surprising number of elements and areas which fall within its parameters. It’s easy just to dismiss it as simply time and space, but it encompasses literally anything outside …