Film Festival
LFF Review: Stonewalling
Last year, the United States Supreme Court essentially repealed Roe vs. Wade, overruling the judgement which gave women the substantive right to have an abortion. While it was a terrible day for Americans, access to women’s reproductive rights has been much more firmly controlled in many parts of the world. In China, the authorities are …
LFF Review – Bobi Wine: The People’s President
Like many of its neighbours, Uganda has had a bumpy road since independence. While it currently describes itself as a democracy, there’s not much democratic about the current regime. Following six years of war, Yoweri Museveni came to power in 1986. While elections happen, the opposition and their supporters are routinely arrested, tortured and killed. …
Grimmfest Review: Moon Garden
Relationships are hard. They require a lot of work and the person you were madly in love with just a year ago could now be your sworn enemy. Communication is key, but it’s far too easy to let petty differences build up until this becomes the hardest thing to do. The catalyst for such difficulties …
LFF Review: The Woman in the White Car
One of the most compelling areas of crime fiction is that of the police procedural. A book, TV show or film which concentrates on the investigative process. Following the police or, in many cases, a downbeat inspector with an alcohol problem, go through the steps they take to try and solve a crime can be …
Grimmfest Review: Candy Land
When the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, it held the promise of a brand-new life for those onboard. The Pilgrims (or Pilgrim Fathers) landed in the New World with a determination to establish a new form of Christianity. Their puritanical brand of worship set them apart, but today this has morphed into something much …
Grimmfest Review: Holy Shit!
It seems to follow that first time directors, usually for financial reasons, often confine their shoot to as few locations as possible. After climbing the ladder and receiving more financial backing, they tend to quickly expand their horizons; using multiple locations and digital effects. This doesn’t, for one second, mean that the film is likely …
LFF Review: 1976
In 1973, President Salvador Allende’s left-wing political alliance was overthrown by a military coupe d’état. This followed a period of social unrest and political turmoil. Led by General Augusto Pinochet, a group of military chiefs took control and formed a junta. Ending a period of relative stability when Chile was hailed as an example of …
LFF Review: Nayola
While it clearly had its benefits, colonialism was a blight on the African continent and continues to be so. Although independence began a new chapter in their history for many countries, it often led to a renewed period of turmoil. Angola, for instance, was thrown into civil war as soon as they threw off the …
LFF Review: Fragments of Paradise
Although the Lumière brothers are widely credited as the pioneers of what has become modern cinema, there wasn’t just one event, or film, which brought motion pictures to life. It was the culmination of the hard work and efforts of many, over a number of years. However, as a medium it never stands still. There …
Grimmfest Review: Magalomaniac
If you’re a fan of Netflix’s slick and stylish true crime dramas, you’ve probably noticed how bright and crisp they tend to be. Serial killers living in either spotless houses or in designer detritus. In reality, the picture tends to be a lot more squalid. While the base facts of the murders don’t change, the …