In interviews, Jackie Chan has admitted again and again that he prefers working in Hong Kong over America. He has stated that in his native Hong Kong the camera is an observer in any action scene, watching the events take place, allowing the performers to ply their artistry. It’s a […]
Rob Simpson
Chief Editor
Host of the Uncut Network. With a love of movies kicked off by Hong Kong Action and Claymation Monsters, Rob has forever been cradled in the bosom of Cinema. Rob has his hands in many a pie, including no budget film making. Filthy
Sword of Doom (1966) one of the highest watermarks in Samurai cinema (Review)
The title of any given movie is supremely important, as many adage’s state first impressions matter and for any film that title is where we make that impression. Looking at the UK catalogue of Criterion, we can separate a movie title into two camps – we have the abstract, like […]
A Touch of Sin (2013) few filmmakers have their finger on the pulse of the developing Chinese identity like Jia Zhangke (Review)
For the longest of times, the idea of Chinese film didn’t really stretch past the borders of Hong Kong and its legendary action cinema. It’s only been in recent years that mainland China has found its way onto the global market, for a country with such a complex modern political […]
Phenomena (1985) Dario Argento side steps the Giallo to bring the wildest and most fun horror of his career (Review)
Whether or not he was the best director remains to be seen, when the topic of the Giallo comes up one of the first names to come up is Dario Argento. Even if his career took a near-legendary nosedive in the early 1990s, his peak stands among the best runs […]
New World (2013) The Perfect entry point to Korean Gangster Movies (Review)
Crime movies are a captivating microcosm, there are vast differences to be found depending on where in the world a specific title was made. When you go further afield than America and the UK, there are big differences to be found. Hong Kong Crime Movies saw the ascendancy of a […]
78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (2017) Whether it is a glorified extra or a film of its own right remains to be seen (Review)
Is there a scene more ingrained into the popular consciousness than the shower scene from Psycho? That question is answered by Documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe in his film 78/52. He applies a laser focus on those 78 setups and 52 cuts to discuss this watershed moment for horror from every […]
The General (1926) The Greatest Failure in American Cinema History (Review)
In 2016, Eureka re-issued their wonderful collection of Buster Keaton shorts and in that not only can you find the genesis of big-screen comedy, you can also find the work of a man experimenting with effects and stunt work decades ahead of its time. Two shorts, in particular, Haunted House […]
Witchhammer (1969) The Best Witch Trials movie ever made (Review)
Reality is something to be surpassed in horror. The promotional line of being based on a ‘true story’ is something which is used as a basic inspiration point as illustrated by the original Amityville and Conjuring movies or the countless identikit exorcism films using this in their marketing spiel. Witch […]
House of Wax (1953) An early Vincent Price classic that paved the way for many years to come (Review)
James Cameron has a lot to answer for, off the back of Avatar’s success film fans have been subjected to a decade of shoehorned 3D features. Luckily the trend has subsided outside of a biggest of superhero mega-blockbusters, otherwise, 3D has left the building. This decade wasn’t the first cycle, […]
The Crazies (1973) Romero obliterates small-town America in harsh anti-military satire (Review)
As with any Romero film, The Crazies is a politically charged satire that uses the language of the genre to take stock of what is happening in the world – with war and science fiction the tools adopted. Unlike other war films, Romero tracks both sides in Evans City, Pennsylvania. […]