Second Sight
Blu-Ray Review: Censor
While it seems like a long time ago now, the 1980s was a great period of change. The social and political unrest of the previous decade was replaced by a Conservative government led by the inimitable Margaret Thatcher and her free market politics. Technology was moving at pace and cheap access to VHS meant people …
Blu-ray Review: Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
When Mary Shelley published Frankenstein (or The Modern Prometheus) in 1818, she couldn’t have envisaged just how popular her creation would turn out to be. How it would go on to inspire and terrify, in equal measure, generations to come. The concept of the mad scientist and their re-animated monster remains an enticing prospect. The …
Blu-Ray Review: The Mummy
There was a time, before the internet and globalisation, when Egyptology felt exciting and exotic. Much of this can be attributed to Empire, with Britain and France, in particular, having a keen eye for antiquities. Expeditions to Cairo, and the surrounds, unearthed a number of treasures, but also brought with them a fair smattering of …
Blu-ray Review: The Witch
The idea of a witch, or similar, has been present in folklore from around the world for hundreds and even thousands of years. While the familiar figure of the old crone wearing a tall pointy hate and riding a broomstick can probably be traced back to medieval and early modern Europe, it’s derived from multiple …
Blu-Ray Review: Drive
Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most fascinating of modern auteurs. There are few directors working in cinema over the past thirty years who have such a recognisable and distinctive style. The Danish filmmaker first came to prominence with his Pusher trilogy before going on to work in Hollywood. Making some of the most …
Blu-ray Review: Session 9
When people discuss their favourite or the ‘best’ horror films it’s normally the same usual suspects that come to the fore. However, as those who delve a little deeper will know, there are so many great movies which have flown under the radar over the years. For obvious reasons, they tend to emanate from outside …
Blu-ray Review: The Guest
Dan Stevens has had one of the more unusual career trajectories as an actor. Like many, the British actor started out on the stage before making the jump to TV with roles in various BBC adaptations. However, his big break came playing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, becoming a familiar face to UK audiences. After …
Blu-Ray Review: Paranormal Activity
One of the most contentious and derided areas of horror cinema is the sub-genre of found footage films. It’s a conceit that was occasionally used in the past but first came to prominence with the release of The Blair Witch Project in 1999. It has been used badly so many times since, but had a …
Blu-ray Review: The Babadook
If all you had to go on were the countless upbeat social media posts and photo galleries we see every day, parenting might seem like a walk in the park chock full of magic moments. That every day will bring a new and amazing revelation about your beautiful, bright and creative little genius. Spoiler alert: …
Blu-Ray Review: Lake Mungo
Whilst found footage was an intriguing concept at first, most genre film fans soon became weary of its lazy application. Indeed, whilst the likes of Rob Savage’s Host demonstrates that it still has a place in a modern online world, it’s perhaps the sub-genre of fake documentary horror which remains the more fascinating. Admittedly, there’s …