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 […]
Movies & Documentaries
Julia Scott: Funny That Way (2020) Nothing short of fantastic for both the familiar and unfamiliar (Review)
For those of you who don’t know, the 31st of March marked Transgender Day of Visibility, a worldwide event first observed in 2009 which celebrates trans and non-binary individuals, in addition to helping raise awareness of anti-trans discrimination. I suppose there’s no better day that Bohemia Media and playwright Susan […]
Married to the Mob (1988) Jonathan Demme’s Wise Guy Screwball Farce (Review)
Radiance Films continues an impressive run in its debut year with a new 2K restoration release of Jonathan Demme’s hit 1988 farce Married to the Mob, the movie that launched Michelle Pfeiffer’s star into its bright ascendency. Pfeiffer stars as Angela de Marco, a young Long Island housewife whose unfaithful […]
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 […]
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Almost 50 years later, it has lost none of its power (Review)
Sally, her brother Franklin, and three of their friends are sidetracked when travelling to a grandparent’s house. Their impromptu detour leads them into the clutches of the Sawyer family, and the deranged killer known as Leatherface. There has been so much written about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre over the years […]
The Unheard (2023) Compelling Thriller Elevated by Innovative Sound Design (Review)
Never mind the eyes, it’s the ears playing tricks on our unsuspecting protagonist in the Unheard, a clever little thriller by ‘The Beach House’ director Jeff A. Brown. Lachlan Watson plays Chloe, a young profoundly deaf Gen Y-er who we meet while preparing for an experimental procedure to repair her […]
The Suspicious Death of a Minor (1975) Giallo Essentials: White Edition (Review)
The term ‘Giallo’ tends to evoke images of black gloves, much darkness, and a de-emphasis on the plot in favour of lurid colours. A viewer could be forgiven, therefore, for their surprise when coming across a film labeled Giallo that features jaunty music, comedy pratfalls and gymnastics, and an engagement […]
Boyhood (2014) Epic Achievement that Somehow lacks a Definitive Direction (Review)
I think Boyhood will go down in my viewing history as one of these films that I appreciate more than I actually like. While it is ultimately a straightforward coming-of-age film, it is certainly ambitious, as sporadically filming a group of actors over the course of twelve years and making […]
The Whisper of Silence (2020) Fascinatingly Meditative Yet Risks Aimlessness at Times (Review)
The Whisper of Silence is the first film from El Salvador to be given a general release in the UK, and director Alfonso Quijada showcases the country in a way that is very attractive to the viewer. Normally an abundance of establishing shots would strike me as padding but here […]
The Killer (2022) Less John Woo, More John Wick (Review)
One of the disadvantages of mainly consuming western cinema is that when one encounters films from further afield, there is a temptation to find western equivalents. Then again, it is also fair to say that much of the cinematic output of China, Japan and Korea has been influenced by Hollywood, […]