Eureka have scored another tremendous success with their “Strange New Worlds: Science Fiction at DEFA” boxset that brings four fascinating glimpses at a Socialist approach to the genre beyond the traditional USSR output of On the Silver Globe, Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel or Stalker. The first entry, Silent Star, was one […]
Reviews
Sinners (2025) A Must See Theatre Experience
I was surprised before seeing Ryan Coogler’s Sinners how well it was being received both critically and commercially, by audience members. Of course, after seeing it, I’m not surprised at all. It’s quite an original project, something that is unfortunately a rarity in Hollywood these days. But I do not […]
Oil Lamps (1971) Juraj Herz’s dazzling and decadent psycho-sexual period piece
I’m a little late to the latest Second Run party because I’ve been caught up moving house. As a welcome escape from packing stress, I found myself lost in the Blu Ray World Premiere of Juraj Herz’s Oil Lamps (1971). Second Run have been a long-time champion of Herz’s work, […]
Doctor Who (2025) Lucky Day: An Average Start That Reveals A Sublime and Timely Message (SPOILERS)
Ncuti Gatwa’s second series is so far following a very similar blueprint to his first. This is something I discussed the other week, but both series started with a silly sci-fi opener, a 20th-century period romp, and a tense space-based thriller. 73 Yards, probably the most acclaimed episode of last […]
Night Moves (1975) Gene Hackman’s Memorable 70’s Thriller Comes to 4K
I ended up seeing Night Moves (1975) about a month before this Criterion edition came out, due to the passing of its star, Gene Hackman. I will admit, I thought the film was fine, though many people consider it to be a much better film than I did. Hackman’s performance […]
Tokyo Pop (1988) The Lost Gen-X Cult Classic Gets Its Moment
If you’ve heard an extra joyful noise in the air this spring, it may be coming from devotees of Tokyo Pop. Victim of a failed distribution company that kept it from taking its rightful status as a cult classic, the time for Fran Rubel Kuzui’s debut to have its moment […]
Freaky Tales (2024): High on Style, Inconsistent on Substance
The amount of 80s nostalgia there has been over the last ten years or so has meant that it’s harder and harder for films set in the decade stand out: regardless of quality, there’s nothing that stops them being seen as cynical bursts of nostalgia for a time gone by, […]
The Magnificent Trio (1966) & Magnificent Wanderers (1977) Unearthing the Bookends of Chang Cheh’s Wuxia Reign
In the years that followed the move from Shanghai to Hong Kong as the heart of the Chinese film industry, following the “Cultural Revolution” in 1949, Shaw Brothers wanted to modernise their studio by bringing in new and fresh directors and stars, tying them to contracts and giving them regular […]
A Woman of Paris (1923) Chaplin’s First Drama Film Falls Short
A Woman of Paris (also known with the subtitle: A Drama of Fate) was Charlie Chaplin’s second directed feature. He made the odd choice, given how his fame was based on comedy, of wanting to direct a completely dramatic work and avoid comedy entirely. The film begins with the main […]
Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) The Italian Gore Master’s Pivotal Horror
For anyone who has made the deep dive into horror or lowbrow Italian cinema, it’s hard to find a person who doesn’t harbour an affection for the dirty, sleazy, violently imaginative work of Lucio Fulci. He’s a director who’s gory nightmares rank him among Mario Bava and Dario Argento as […]