Sony Pictures UK
Blu-Ray Review: Five Easy Pieces
During the 1970s, there were a number of great American actors who both captivated cinema audiences and won a string of awards. Jack Nicholson was up there at, or near, the top. There are few who could claim to have had a stronger decade than the New Jerseyan. The likes of One Flew Over the …
Blu-Ray Review: Girlfriends
The 1970s was a time of change and liberalisation in America. Following on from the conservative post-war years, the 1960s opened up a whole new world of opportunity; which continued into the next decade. Feminism began to make waves across the major urban areas, including LA. Hollywood reacted slowly, but it’s a period when several …
Blu-Ray Review: Show Boat (1936)
Whilst he was only actively making films for just over a decade, James Whale played a pivotal role in the development of genre cinema in America. Influenced by early European expressionist cinema, the West Countryman made some of the most iconic early horror films, including The Old Dark House, Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein and …
Blu-Ray Review: Safety Last!
Whilst many of the films produced during the silent era may now be lost, damaged or forgotten, it was a pivotal period in cinema and established a strong bond between audiences and motion pictures. A variety of genres began to flourish during that time but it’s perhaps the American comedies which still retain the most …
Blu-Ray Review: Taste of Cherry
They say cinema flourishes in adversity and nowhere is that more apparent than in Iran. Since the revolution in 1979, the now Islamic republic has produced some of the best cinema in the world. It’s a remarkable accomplishment under often severe restrictions. Arguably the greatest director of this era was the late Abbas Kiarostami. Whilst …
Blu-Ray Review: Three Outlaw Samurai
In many ways, the western and samurai genres are often intrinsically linked. Indeed, tales of wandering Ronin and revenge didn’t become popular in Japan until after American boots were occupying the land of the rising sun. By far and away the most famous example of this symmetry is the Seven Samurai/The Magnificent Seven film. A …
Blu-Ray Review: Escape Room
Humans love a good conundrum. Whether it’s the Sunday Times crossword or taking part in one of the myriad ‘escape rooms’ which have shot up around the world, there’s something compelling about being intellectually challenged. The enduring popularity of The Crystal Maze and Countdown demonstrate we’re keen voyeurs as well. On the big screen, the …
DVD Review: Searching
Whilst the rise of social media and mobile communications has had a huge impact on our daily lives, it has caused a whole host of problems for film-makers. Especially when they’re trying to make a contemporary crime thriller or horror. So much thought has to go into each scene. It’s hard to pull of a …