DVD Review: The Night Before
Christmas is a special time of year, but it wouldn’t be the same without some of our much-loved traditions. Mince pies, that bloody John Lewis advert, horrible work parties and, of course, the American Christmas comedy. We warmly remember such classics as Elf, Scrooge or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation whilst blithely purging our brains of …
Incoming: Speed Sisters
The Speed Sisters are the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East. Grabbing headlines and turning heads at improvised tracks across the West Bank, these five women have sped their way into the heart of the gritty, male-dominated Palestinian street car-racing scene. Weaving together their lives on and off the track, Speed …
Film Review: Iona
Tales of regret and paying the price for the deadly consequences of those actions taken in haste have graced cinema screens since the inception of motion pictures. We all have regrets and often we’re avoiding, if not running from, something or someone. Something about our roots always seems to pull us back eventually, especially when …
Film Review: Mojave
William Monahan made his name writing screenplays. His work on Body of Lies and Kingdom of Heaven was widely praised but it’s his treatment for The Departed which made him famous, receiving an Oscar for his troubles. Following a well-trodden path, Monahan moved behind the camera, but his first film, London Boulevard, only received mixed …
Film Review: Court
When there’s a discussion around Indian cinema it’s only natural that talk turns to Bollywood. Boasting the biggest movie industry in the world, the influence and reach of the likes of Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan is global. Often overlooked in favour of its more glamorous sibling, the Indian film industry is having …
Incoming: Risen
“Risen” is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton), are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of …
DVD Review: Occupied
The news headlines have been dominated this year by the upcoming referendum on whether the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union. One of the main arguments from the ‘out’ campaigners is that Britain can base its future on the Norwegian model. However, they might want to watch Erik Skjoldbjærg’s new TV series, Occupied, …
Film Review: Marguerite
History is littered with tales of those whose own self-belief and confidence belied their actual ability. It’s an arguably admiral and endearing character trait which has traditionally been associated with eccentricity, but more recently with mental health issues. Florence Foster Jenkins was a socialite and operatic soprano who was ridiculed for her atrocious singing ability. …
Film Review: The Pearl Button
Patricio Guzmán has built up a reputation of being one of the most thoughtful and meditative documentary film makers over the last 40 odd years. His contemplative style continues into his output, only releasing a film every 4 or 5 years or so. However, as Nostalgia for the Light and Salvador Allende attest, they’re well …
Incoming: High Rise
Directed by Ben Wheatley, High-Rise is an adaptation of J.G. Ballards’s novel. The film centres around Robert Laing, a young doctor who is seduced by a residential tower block and its visionary creator who has designed the building as a luxurious world apart from the problems of the city it stands in. But when discord …