London Film Festival
LFF Review: Martin Eden
Jack London was one of the most important and influential American novelists of his generation. His writings embodied the thirst for adventure which epitomised the era but also were a product of his radical political opinions. Much of his work reflected his socialist leanings, most notably in The Iron Heel and Martin Eden. The latter …
LFF Review: The Whistlers
The Romanian new wave is arguably the most interesting current movement in modern cinema. Of those directors working under this banner, Corneliu Porumboiu is possibly the most interesting. With award-winning films such as 12:08 East of Bucharest and The Treasure, he has wowed audiences on the festival circuit. His new film, The Whistlers, is his …
LFF Review: Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
Whilst, to the outside world, the movie business might seem full of glitz and glamour, there’s a lot of sweat and tears which go into making a film. Much of which could hardly be seen as an exciting or luxurious career. There’s a ludicrous amount of money floating around the film industry but it’s only …
LFF Review: Only the Animals
The French have a knack when it comes to stylish and sexy thrillers. There’s something about the Gallic temperament which provides for scintillating and electric cinema. Over the years we’ve been spoiled by a high standard of output. From such classics as Chabrol’s Le Boucher or Clouzot’s Les Diaboliques to modern greats like Canet’s Tell …
LFF Review: Talking About Trees
The cinema of Sudan is almost completely unknown on a world stage. Whilst not overly surprising for an impoverished African country, this hasn’t always been the case. Years of oppressive governments, hard-line religion and a struggling economy has resulted in almost all the cinemas closing down. Film-makers, who at one stage were winning awards on …
LFF Review: Fire Will Come
Crime and punishment. It’s a tale as old as the hills. You do the crime and pay the time. When you’re released, your slate is wiped clean. Fully rehabilitated and ready to be an active and useful member of society once more. Welcomed back into the community with open arms. Obviously, this hardly ever happens. …
LFF Review: The Perfect Candidate
Despite being classed as a friendly nation (aka arms and oil) by most of the Western world, Saudi Arabia has a truly appalling human rights record. Whist the rather Biblical system of justice may attract the headlines it’s the truly archaic treatment of women which is arguably the hardest pill to swallow. Admittedly, things have …
LFF Review: Zombi Child
Whilst the debate around streaming versus cinema shows no sign of abating anytime soon, it’s clear that the likes of Netflix have the advantage of numbers. The ability to reach a wide audience is one of the major perks for directors choosing this platform. Bertrand Bonello’s 2016 film Nocturama was bought by the streaming giant …
LFF Review: My Extraordinary Summer with Tess
There’s something rather reassuringly nostalgic and heart-warming about your first love., especially a holiday romance. If you’re of my generation, then the British seaside was the most likely location for any innocent childhood tryst. Mine was in Bognor Regis. There’s a moment growing up when girls and boys stop being yucky and smelly and become …
LFF Review: The Prince’s Voyage
There was a time when films aimed at children were mainly concerned with adventure, discovery and instilling a feeling of awe and wonder on young minds. This has been primarily achieved through the medium of animation, whether that’s Disney, Ghibli or film-makers such as Karel Zeman. Whilst animation and anime continue to dominate children’s cinema, …