You wait ages for a two-part independent film about making art, and then – aptly enough – two come at once. Following on from Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Parts I and II, Bulldog distribution are releasing Patrick Wang’s A Bread Factory Parts One and Two. These films were originally released […]
Movies & Documentaries
Lies and Deceit – Cop Au Vin (1985) & Inspector Lavardin (1986)(Review)
Of all the names that came to prominence during the French New Wave, Claude Chabrol is one that didn’t receive the same level of acclaim or legacy as his illustrious peers. Arrow Video are doing their part to help with his broader perception by releasing two thematically tied boxsets in […]
Don’t Go In The House (1980) Schlocky psychological video nasty? (Blu-Ray Review)
Released in 1980, Don’t Go In The House, directed by Joseph Ellison, went on to define the video nasty era of the slasher genre. The darker and more bleak of the slasher nasties, compared to the fellow 1980 release of Friday The 13th, this psychological horror was met with controversy […]
The Wanting Mare (2020) Existential, Experimental Sci-Fi with looks to kill for (VOD Review)
The Green Knight was a divisive movie, a personal favourite from last year, for sure, but its often evasive and hallucinatory storytelling alienated much of its potential audience. One key aspect that cut through this tension was the visual effects work. One of the key names behind these visual effects […]
The Prodigal Son (1981) & Warriors Two (1978) Sammo Hung, Grand Master Action Director (Review)
I’m not one for dropping hot takes in reviews, but here is a case where I cannot help myself. I have no objection in claiming that Sammo Hung is one of the best action directors who have ever been. When Sammo is firing on all cylinders, he is up there […]
Censor (2021) Edit this disc-set into your reality (Review)
Prano Bailey-Bond’s Censor was one of the most impressive films released in 2021. Shot on a tiny budget by a first-time director, Bailey-Bond offers a compelling story of grief, trauma and an unravelling psyche, set against a meticulously created vision of the 1980s. Censor offers nods to horror cinema and […]
The Party and the Guests (1966): So Good They Banned It Twice (Review)
Released on Blu-ray this week by the exemplary Second Run label, The Party and the Guests is a 1966 Czechoslovakian film from Jan Němec that holds the distinction of being one of a handful of films to be ‘banned forever’ in its native land by communist authorities who, in the […]
Red Angel (1966) Bloody And Fearless Japanese Anti-War Satire (Review)
For some, war movies are something to avoid, with their rampant machismo and gleeful jingoism. It doesn’t matter where in the world they originate—this is often true. Given history’s grim record of wartime atrocities, a wave of critical, hyper-politicized anti-war films emerged. And, to be honest, the issue of hyper-masculinity […]
Seance (2021): standard slasher with one killer extra (Review)
It won’t be my favourite film of the year, but Acorn media’s Blu-Ray release of Simon Barrett’s directorial debut Seance contains an early contender for extra of the year. Barrett begins the director’s commentary with disarming enthusiasm, saying he’s always loved director’s commentaries and is excited to be providing his […]
Shock (1977) Italian Horror without the gorgeous flamboyance (Review)
Final films of legendary directors is a fascinating topic. For every Kenji Mizoguchi who bowed out with a genuine masterwork like 1956’s Street of Shame, there are stories of directors who couldn’t finish their final works or an untimely passing that required someone else to pick up the baton. Looking […]