Incoming: Winchester
On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it …
Blu-Ray Review: The Battle of Algiers
After World War II the nature of combat, resistance and indeed war changed markedly. Countries were no longer prepared or able to be involved in traditional arenas of conflict. The nature of armed forces has shifted towards technologically driven killing machines. With the price of human life depending more on socio-political considerations rather than risk …
Incoming: Phantom Thread
Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed …
Blu-Ray Review: Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Inferno
The history of cinema is littered with those ‘what if?’ moments. The biggest shock of this decade so far is Terry Gilliam finally finishing The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (or maybe the fact someonone was prepared to give him the money to do so). Sadly, Tim Burton and Nicolas Cage’s Superman Lives will never …
Incoming: Den of Thieves
Den of Thieves is a gritty Los Angeles crime saga which follows the intersecting and often personally connected lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles. Den …
Film Review: Makala
Over the course of history, most civilisations and societies have relied on agriculture and fishing to survive. However, due to technological advances in the First and Developing Worlds, traditional farming has become increasingly unsustainable and scarce. Whilst the Third World is beginning to move away from traditional industries, millions of people still rely on them …
Incoming: 12 Strong
Set in the harrowing days following 9/11, a U.S. Special Forces team, led by their new Captain, Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), is chosen to be the first U.S. troops sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission. There, in the rugged mountains, they must convince Northern Alliance General Dostum (Navid Negahban) to join forces with …
Preview: The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2018
Since 2004, the Japan Foundation has organised a touring Japanese film programme in close partnership with distinguished film venues across the UK. Each year, a handpicked selection of films are carefully chosen to highlight trends in Japanese cinema and showcase the versatility and uniqueness displayed by Japanese filmmakers. It also acts as a showcase for …
Blu-Ray Review: The Cat O’ Nine Tails
As Ana Lily Amirpour discovered to her cost last year, following up on a critically acclaimed debut can be a tricky business. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was widely lauded, and for good reason. However, her second film, The Bad Batch, was at best messy. The ‘sophomore slump’ has afflicted many directors, most …
Incoming: Early Man
Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of courageous caveman hero Dug (Eddie Redmayne) and his best friend Hognob as they unite his tribe against a mighty enemy Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) and his Bronze Age City to save their home. Early Man is in …