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 […]
Movies & Documentaries
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, what with their rampant machismo and gleeful jingoism. It doesn’t matter where in the world said movies originate; this is unquestionably true. With history being unkind to the acts and crimes carried out in the heat of war, a wave of critical, […]
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 […]
Jakob’s Wife (2021) Eternally left-turning Modern Vampire Movie (Review)
Acorn Media’s new Blu-Ray of Jakob’s Wife is their latest physical media release of a title that premiered on the streaming service Shudder, a platform which is probably too new to generalise about but I’m a critic and I’m at a loose end, so here we go. One way of […]
Dillinger (1973): Print the Legend (Review)
“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend” is an infamous quote from John Ford’s 1962 classic Western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance that could arguably be seen as the inspiration for Dillinger, John Milius’1973 directorial debut, dusted down by Arrow Video and given the Blu-ray treatment this week. Based on […]
In the Realm of the Senses (1976): legendary arthouse shocker returns, its power undimmed (Review)
2022’s home releases get off to a dynamite start with Criterion UK’s Blu-Ray of this legendary arthouse shocker by Nagisa Oshima, alternatively known as Ai no Corrida but not – despite the persistent mistake – known as In the Realm of the Senses. (The misunderstanding stems from the opening credits, […]