Arrow’s release of Sleep / Schlaf, the debut feature of German director Michael Venus, on Blu-ray is not to be slept on. Puns aside, the film lives up to its name with a dreamy aesthetic and storyline that creeps under your skin. We start with Marlene playing a game of […]
Mike Leitch
I'm an autistic guy living in Cardiff, searching for any excuse to write and make the most out of what he got from his English Literature MA. Main interests are horror, in pretty much any medium, theatre and literature.
The Kid (1921): Chaplin’s Classic Comic Melodrama Newly Restored (Review)
Over a century after its initial release, Charlie Chaplin’s debut feature, The Kid, is released in a new 4K digital restoration by Criterion. Initially released as part of his eight picture deal with First National Exhibitors, The Kid built off the prolific number of short comedies he’d been making since […]
Inland Empire (2006): How much more Lynch can this be? None, none more Lynch (Review)
Re-released in a new Criterion led restoration, Inland Empire is David Lynch’s most recent feature length film (if you’re not counting Twin Peaks: The Return, which is more contentious than you’d think), and generally has the reputation of being a collection of ideas and experimentations with filming in digital, lacking […]
Mexico Macabre: Four Sinister Tales from the Alameda Films Vault (1959-62) An unmissable collection of Horror Treats (Review)
In a world premiere on Blu-ray, Indicator presents a selection of four films from Mexican film company Alameda films from their early years, in this case, between 1959 to 1963. The quartet form an array of tales that showcase a variety of horror subgenres: a Poe-esque cautionary tale, an occult […]
Leaving to Remain (2022) A Collage of Roma Life in Britain (Review)
In both fiction and documentary, British moviegoers are largely presented with the same story about migrating to Britain: the arduous journey; the difficulty of fitting in; tales of suffering and overcoming hardships. Even a film like the highly acclaimed Flee from last year, which is ultimately optimistic, spends considerable time […]
Evil Dead Rise (2023): Horror franchise reaches new heights
Evil Dead as a franchise has a clear trajectory though it is uncertain whether it has been a wholly positive one. Unlike Scream which started as blockbuster mainstream horror and has maintained that status with each instalment, Evil Dead began with a group of friends making a cheap horror film […]
Okja (2017): Superpig In the City (Review)
Originally released on Netflix, Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja is the second of a trilogy of films that launched his name recognition in the West, with Snowpiercer and the Oscar-winning Parasite on either side of it. Like the former, there is a strong Western presence with a cast including Tilda Swinton, Paul […]
Laurin (1988): A Luscious Piece of European Gothic Cinema (Review)
This new Blu-ray release of Laurin from Second Run highlights the debut of German director Robert Sigl, who made the feature when he was only 26 years old. Two accompanying short films provide some context for the preceding and following work to Laurin. Both star Sigl, with ‘Der Weihnachtsbaum/The Christmas […]
Next Exit (2022): A Heartfelt Search for Something More (Review)
After a glowing reception following its UK premiere at Frightfest 2022 and winning Total Film Frightfest Awards for Best Film, Actor and Actress, Next Exit is finally available on wide release through Blue Finch Film Releasing on digital download in the UK, having been earlier released in the US. It’s […]
Emily the Criminal (2022): Solid Thriller Showcases Plaza’s Skill (Review)
It’s a familiar and well-worn assumption that when an actor known primarily for comedy starts doing serious drama, they will likely get instant acclaim for showing previously unseen range. However, that narrative doesn’t really hold water much these days with actors going back and forth between comedy and drama with […]