In the mid-1920s and the dying days of the silent movie, Rudolph Valentino was in need of a hit. Laden with debt, he had recently walked away from his contract with Famous Players-Lasky following a squabble over money, and his last two movies – which saw him attempt to break […]
Reviews
First Love (2019) Miike’s Fountain of Gonzo Youth (Review)
First Love is film number 103. Back in 1991, however, Takashi Miike directed a film called “Toppuu! Minipato tai – Aikyacchi Jankushon“, a comedy about a daring policewoman dressed in a leotard who defeats criminals using gymnastics. An odd subject for a debut but such is the Japanese studio system. […]
The Winslow Boy: remarkably empathetic and genuine (Review)
“Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you?” asks Tony Hancock in Hancock’s Half Hour. “Did she die in vain?” Those in need of a refresher as to what the thirteenth-century bill of rights – the closest thing Britain has to a Constitution – actually means are encouraged to watch The […]
Fail Safe – A tension fuelled analysis of Cold War hysteria (Review)
Regardless of era, generation, class or political leaning, the premise of nuclear war is a truly terrifying thought. The idea that we could all be blown away in a moment, crushed by a cloud of radiation and be no more in a matter of seconds is rather terrifying. There have […]
Resurrected: Raw War drama from a debuting Greengrass (Review)
The Bourne franchise director Paul Greengrass made his directorial debut in 1989 with Resurrected which is, um, resurrected by Indicator this week in the shape of a rather welcome Blu-ray package. Resurrected tells the story of Kevin Deakin (played by David Thewlis who, like his director, was also making his […]
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders – A brain teasing Euro oddity (Review)
Czechoslovakia is a country whose films I am not familiar with one iota. Not one single watch from their vast, lavish works. No modern, contemporary pieces to plunge into to get a feel for the genre, nor an ounce of knowledge about its New Wave efforts or its ability to […]
Edge of the Axe (1988) Finding the joy in ropey slashers (Review)
The world of boutique home video labels exposes you to genres, styles and voices that you would never hear of otherwise. And for the horror community who are in a constant state of discovery, there has never been a better time to be a fan. One of the latest names […]
Orphans (1998): Handles the ugly side of human nature, brilliantly (Review)
Before I start this review, I think it’s important that I give a little background context. 1998’s Orphans came at a time when the British film industry was in love with Scotland, following the success of Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave ad, more importantly in terms of its cultural impact, Trainspotting. […]
Kiki’s Delivery Service – An expectantly charming Ghibli treat (Review)
Studio Ghibli animations excel at showcasing the hard work of a large group of animators, every film they make is nothing short of wonderful. Their storylines are fascinating, uniquely charming and otherwise happy to plod along at any pace they see fit. They expect the audience to just follow along […]
Being There: A Film of Endings (Review)
Let’s talk about endings. Being There is the kind of film that conjures up a lot of thought about endings, of one kind or another. For a start (can we really have a start when talking of endings? Oh well) it’s a popular misconception that Being There was the final […]