Film Festival
EIFF Review: The Gig Is Up
As long as there has been the concept of ownership, workers have been abused and exploited by their employers. Whilst slavery might well now be illegal in most of the world, that doesn’t mean to say that slave labour or the equivalent of indentured servitude doesn’t still exist. Indeed, whilst the industrial revolution and technological …
EIFF Review: The Bright Side
Comedians are often depicted as being happy on the outside, crying on the inside. Going on stage and making people laugh night after night has to take a psychological toll. It’s an inherently lonely profession and rates of depression, anxiety, alcoholism etc are much higher than most other careers. The sad clown paradox is alive …
EIFF Review: Pig
It’s fair to say that over the years Nicolas Cage has garnered a reputation for being a man on the edge. The internet is full of memes and compilation videos of the American letting rip. Indeed, this ‘craziness’ seems to have now almost become expected of him in a career which is prolific, to say …
EIFF 2021 Preview
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is renowned for unearthing the best in new cinema, showcasing a range of works from British and international filmmakers. Providing a springboard for some of the most innovative and creative emerging talents. Inaugurated in 1947, it was the world’s longest continually-running film festival until you know what. This year’s …
Fantasia Review: Hellbender
Of all the genres of film, traditionally horror has been the easiest and cheapest for filmmakers to get into. There’s a much wider potential audience, for one, not to mention the number of specialist companies within the industry. And let’s be honest, it’s going to be much more fun than making say a romantic comedy. …
Fantasia Review: Straight to VHS
Until the widespread adoption of VHS (and the less than universal take-up of Betamax) opportunities for would-be filmmakers were very limited. With the advent of the medium, it opened up a whole new world of possibilism for budding directors. Today, we have access to huge catalogues of films thanks to numerous available streaming services, but …
Fantasia Review: Baby, Don’t Cry
There have always been outsiders within society. People who don’t confirm to the norms expected by those in charge. Who are alienated or ostracised by their peers for their non-conformity. Forced into the margins. Whilst this can happen to anyone it often forms part of the migrant experience. Misunderstood, bullied and abused, trying to fit …
Fantasia Review: Giving Birth to a Butterfly
It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in our lives, focussed on the daily grind and simply taking one day at a time, losing sight of the bigger picture. Anything that threatens to interfere with this routine can feel like an unwanted distraction. Sometimes we just need to just stop, breathe, and take stock …
Fantasia Review: Hold Me Back
We live in a world where the expectation to get married and raise a family is almost as strong as ever. Whilst the nature of relationships may have changed, being single after a certain age is still viewed by many as a failure, or at least something distinctly odd. However, when you live alone for …
Fantasia Review: Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break
Whilst the primetime programmes can often leave a lot to be desired, Britain has always excelled when it comes to what can loosely be described as ‘alternative comedy’. You can trace this back to the likes of The Goon Show, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Derek and Clive, The Young Ones and the output from the …