Tales of redemption can come in many forms. The Bible is full of them, from Noah to Moses, depicting flawed individuals picking themselves up and striding into the divine light of the Lord. Hollywood redemption stories are a different kettle of fish. Since 2017, the culture has changed, and victims […]
Reviews
Tropic (2022) Sci-Fi as a deeply personal take on Male Pride (Review)
There can be no avoiding weeks like this – weeks where other movies run in fear of the magnitude of the big release of the week, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part Two. However, there is also something sly about weeks like this, as you can find counter-programming, antidotes to the magnetism […]
Dune Part Two (2024) Powerful Blockbuster Storytelling that leaves you wanting more (Review)
There is a moment in Dune Part Two when Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) is captured in long shot using a device to create a thumping sound. Tiny against the expanse of the desert, his actions nonetheless create expanding ripples. This is a microcosm of the film as a whole, as […]
Yakuza Wolf I & II (1972) A Snapshot of a World long gone, Oozing Cool (Review)
TOEI were at their height of their Yakuza related movie output when the early 70s came around. They also had arguably the biggest star on the block in Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba, star power that was only matched by his vast output (37 acting credits across TV and Film between 1970 […]
Deliver Us (2024): Antichrist horror sacrifices ambiguity for shock (Review)
I’m no expert on religious horror films, so it’s hard for me to gauge if there’s been a recent resurgence or there’s just a consistent stream of them. Either way, Lee Roy Kunz & Cru Ennis’s Deliver Us comes out in a relatively crowded market, though with recent blockbusters like […]
By A Man’s Face You Shall Know Him (1966) Harmony, Yakuza and the Rediscovery of Tai Kato (Review)
I’ve previously written at length about the joy of discovering new films and filmmakers through Radiance Films — one of which was I, The Executioner (1968), a brutal neo noir which introduced me to Akira Kurasawa’s former apprentice Tai Kato. Radiance are clearly passionate about restoring and celebrating his work, […]
Black Tight Killers (1966) a chic and funky throwback to simpler, stylish times (Review)
There can be a curse for any film with a great title. For every Hobo with a Shotgun, there is a Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death – i.e. a film that wholly delivers on its title’s promise versus a film that falls completely short of it. That’s […]
The Village Detective: A Song Cycle (2021) The Ocean Gives Up Its Mysteries (Review)
In 2016, a crew of Icelandic fishermen operating in the North Atlantic Ocean, dredged up something surprising from the seabed – four decaying reels of film, semi-preserved by the ocean’s natural resources of hydrogen sulphide, that set innovative documentarian Bill Morrison, of Dawson City: Frozen Time fame, on a fascinating […]
Allonsanfàn (1974) Mastroianni Dons The Mask of Anarchy (Review)
Once again, Radiance have uncovered another gem from 1970s Italian Cinema. They’ve dusted it down, smartened it up and packed it with extras and released it to Blu-ray this week. But this one isn’t a poliziotteschi or a giallo, this is Allonsanfàn, a classy period drama writer/director siblings Paulo and […]
Paths of Glory (1957) Kubrick’s Antiwar Masterpiece in 4K (Review)
Eureka’s Masters of Cinema series was formative in developing my knowledge and love of cinema. I glance over at my collection and think of how Eureka introduced me to F.W Murnau’s Tabu, Douglas Sirk’s The Tarnished Angels and a host of lesser seen Billy Wilder films. I associate that Masters […]