Film Festival
TIFF Review: After Blue
You might think that westerns are an outdated genre. One which harks back to the likes of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart. A world of taciturn, broody and angry men. Of hard drinking heroes and women in need of rescue. The good guys and the bad guys. The cowboys and Indians. …
Tiff Review: The Other Tom
It is estimated that something like seven million children in the United States suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This behavioural and mental disorder, characterised by bouts of excessive energy and often impulsive actions, affects around one in ten of all under-eighteens. While diagnosis is still an issue, treatment has become increasingly controversial; medical …
TIFF Review: Medusa
Since his victory in the elections at the beginning of 2019, President Jair Bolsonaro’s reign has been controversial, to say the least. Styling himself as a South American Donald Trump, his populist and militaristic leadership has resulted in clamp downs on individual freedoms, a rise in corruption and violence, and an elevation of the church’s …
TIFF Review: The Rescue
Sometimes truth can be more unlikely than fiction. A true story can grip an audience much more than even the best thriller. A lot of this can be attributed to jeopardy. We know bigshot Hollywood stars aren’t going to die but what about a person we don’t know? With their last film, Free Solo, Jimmy …
TIFF Review: Zalava
Iran has a rich history of making some of the best cinema coming out of the Middle East, despite the numerous obstacles placed in the way of directors. It has been Persian filmmakers who have often made the transition to European festivals and won international awards. Over the last decade we’ve seen a number of …
TIFF Review: You Are Not My Mother
Irish culture is awash with myths and legends. The lush green countryside of the Emerald Isle is fertile ground for all manner of magical and supernatural creatures. Fairies play a major role in Irish folklore, with myriad tales of the wee folk, An Saol Eile, hawthorn trees and fairy mounds. Indeed, the behatted leprechaun has …
TIFF Review: Fahra
At the end of World War I, the territory of Palestine was ceded by the Ottoman Empire and governed under British Mandate. For three decades colonial rule was characterised by protests and violent clashes with both the Jewish and Palestinian Arab communities. When it ended in 1948, the withdrawal of troops left a vacuum in …
TIFF Review: Drunken Birds
Mexico is a troubled country. Rife with corruption, poverty and violence, often fuelled by drug cartels, it’s no surprise that many see the United States and Canada as a much better prospect for a good life. Much of the continent, especially Southern America, now relies heavily on Mexican labour to undertake low-paid jobs. Indeed, the …
TIFF Review: Becoming Cousteau
We are born inquisitive. Childhood is one great exploration. The world around us seems infinite, exciting and scary. As we grow older, it gradually shrinks. This curiosity usually fades as we enter a world of work and family. However, for some, it lasts a lifetime. These adventurers and explorers look to the stars and to …
TIFF Review: Comala
We seem, as humans, to have an intrinsic desire to understand our roots. To know where we come from and to try and frame our existence in the context of our forefathers. This is particularly the case when it comes to our parents. The Mexican drug war has impacted families across the country and beyond. …