Film
IFFR Review: Birds of America
One of my local galleries houses John James Audubon’s beautiful Blue Crane, Or Heron. It’s a picture which has always fascinated me. It’s a magnificent work of art but it’s the sheer vibrancy and animated majesty of the illustration which jumps out at you. The French ornithologist, naturalist and painter embarked on his quest to …
Film Review: Caveat
There’s a tendency today, especially within mainstream genre cinema, to rely on jump scares and manufacturing tension using abrasive soundscapes and invasive camera techniques. This can often leave a bad aftertaste and is no replacement for conjuring up a genuine atmosphere of dread. Of wrongness. Of anticipation. Look deep into the shadows and you’ll find …
Film Review: Flashback
The history of cinema is littered with child stars who struggled to adjust to the adult acting world. Hollywood seems to have addressed this by casting older actors as younger teenagers. It has worked remarkably well for many stars of YA adaptations, with Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson becoming household names. Dylan O’Brien …
Film Review: After Love
If you’re an avid watcher of British television it’s likely that Joanna Scanlan will be a familiar face, although there’s a chance you might struggle to place her. The Welsh actor is probably most famous for playing the much put-upon Terri Coverley in The Thick of It, as well as being nominated for a BAFTA …
Grimmfest Review: To Your Last Death
Whilst it’s become something of a cliché, the portrayal of rich and powerful white men as bad parents, not to mention dubious people, still often rings true. Power and money can easily corrupt and that obsession with accumulating as much as possible can lead to neglecting other areas of your life. Especially your family and …
Grimmfest Review: A Perfect Enemy
Airports are eerie and haunting places. They function as transit hubs for people who are either embarking on a journey or returning home, providing a space which acts like something akin to being in a state of limbo. There is a lot of thought and planning which goes into building these ‘cathedrals of the sky’ …
Blu-Ray Review: Time and Tide
Tsui Hark has played a pivotal role in Hong Kong filmmaking since the 1980s as a producer, director and writer. He’s been heavily involved in some of the most iconic and impressive films to come out of the ‘Fragrant Harbour’. The likes of Once Upon a Time in China, A Chinese Ghost Story, A Better …
Film Review: Two Lottery Tickets
If you urgently need to raise a large sum of money, what do you do? You might have friends who could lend you it but it’s unlikely that they’ll have such a large amount just lying around. Or be willing to part with it. Some turn to crime, but breaking the law comes with a …
Film Review: Initiation
I’d guess I’m not the only British person who is kind of flummoxed by the concept of fraternity houses in America. They seem to mix the snobbery of Oxbridge and elite private schools with the inanest elements of toxic masculinity. At least, this is how they’re often portrayed on our screens. Fraternities and sororities have …