Film
Film Review: The Real Charlie Chaplin
The silent era produced a number of famous faces and Hollywood stars, but the big three of comedy were Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin. Indeed, it’s the latter’s ‘Tramp’ which remains the most iconic visage from that period in today’s popular culture. With the likes of Modern Times, The Kid, City Lights and …
Film Review: A Banquet
When discussing horror cinema, thoughts naturally turn to vampires, werewolves, witches and other supernatural creatures, which have dominated popular culture. These are the monsters of our childhood and the popular face of the genre. That or humans who embody, whether by nature, nurture or by dint of possession, something inherently evil. However, as most of …
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, …