Roger Ebert famously wrote that cinema is an empathy machine, a medium that can present the position of those you have little in common with and allow you to relate to them. She Said is a story that takes the position of women and makes it entirely relatable for a male […]
Vincent Gaine
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) The Social & Political Consciousness of the MCU (Cinema Review)
Modern science knows more about the surface of the moon than the ocean. It is perhaps therefore fitting that after many excursions through space, it is the thirtieth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that ventures into the deep. Furthermore, Ryan Coogler’s follow-up to the 2018 groundbreaking, box office conquering, […]
Dear Zoe (2022) Sadie Sink and the humanity beyond Cliche (VOD Review)
The voiceover is a tricky cinematic device. It can be overused and feel both clumsy and obvious; or appear as a heavy-handed technique at the beginning and end of the film to explain what the audience should feel. If used precisely, it helps draw the viewer into the world of […]
The Vanished (AKA Vanishing) (2022) Intelligent International Thriller of social connectivity (VOD Review)
Globalisation can be expressed without globetrotting, as multiple nationalities come together in particular locations and productions can utilise a range of global influences in their production. Such a film is Vanishing, also called The Vanished, depending on which site you find it on, or indeed ‘Salajin’ or ‘salajineun’ in Korean. […]
Eve’s Bayou (1997) A Lingering, Compelling and Emotional Icon of Modern Black Cinema (Blu-Ray Review)
DISCLAIMER: This review is written by a white man with all of the privilege and bias that entails. Eve’s Bayou has earned a place within black film history since its release in 1997. Selected by the US Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being ‘culturally, […]
Mean Spirited (2022)Youtuber Found Footage’s buzz harshed by incessant Bro Chatter (Festival Review)
Horror fans are accustomed to certain tropes, and one of those is that any time a group of young people head off on a trip it is going to go wrong. From The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to The Evil Dead to Wrong Turn to The Cabin in the Woods, this […]
The Twin (2022) Ambitious Horror if full of contradictions (Blu-Ray Review)
The Twin is a film that offers many horror devices and tropes. Some of which are unsettling and startling, others are likely to leave the viewer asking what was the point of that? Taneli Mustonen’s blend of Midsommar and Rosemary’s Baby is reminiscent of various more accomplished horror films, and […]
They Live in the Grey (2022) The Desperately Sad, Haunting Horror of Grief (DVD Review)
Horror cinema, like science fiction, is often reminiscent of other entries in the genre. See one horror film and it will likely remind you of others. Such is the case with They Live In The Grey, the third feature from writer-director duo Abel and Burlee Vang. While it is somewhat […]
The Big Chill (1983): nostalgic, reflective, snarky and full of love – a warm hug of a film (Blu-Ray Review)
College days, or university days as they are known in the UK, can be among the most memorable and formative that people experience. The friendships made, the ambitions held, the ideals believed in. Sometimes these days help shape our lives, other times we wonder what happened to the days and […]
Root Letter (2022) Japanese Video Game turned evocative directorial debut (Cinema Review)
Two teenagers exchange letters. Both have considerable emotional baggage. The primary setting is the Deep South town of Baton Rouge, Louisiana (with some time in Tulsa, Oklahoma). Soft and lustrous lighting illuminates the hot and humid surroundings, prompting a dreamy sense of inertia in which contentment and frustration jostle for […]