DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-ray Review: Full Alert
While he might not be as well known as the likes of Johnnie To, John Woo, Tsui Hark or Jackie Chan outside of his native Hong Kong, Ringo Lam made a number of great films and was highly influential on countless filmmakers. Probably best known for City on Fire, which was one of the inspirations …
Blu-ray Review: Sailor Suit and The Machine Gun
There have always been child prodigies whose talent and dedication have allowed them to succeed in their area of expertise. Performing well ahead of their years. This success if usually down to incredibly hard work, as well. Then again, there are those thrust into a position of responsibility well ahead of their time. It used …
Blu-Ray Review: Spirited Away 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
While the work of Studio Ghibli was familiar to many film fans around the world before the release of Spirited Away, it was their 2001 film that (finally) brought their work to mainstream audiences. The likes of My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Kiki’s Delivery Service became firm …
Blu-ray Review: Giallo Essentials
Over the last decade or so, giallo has become increasingly popular. As a sub-genre it has always had an ardent set of fans and has garnered an almost cult-like status, but its influence has started seeping into mainstream horror cinema. Its heady mix of bloody style, pulpish crime and often bizarre mystery has proved to …
Blu-ray Review: The Damned
There was an attempt to sanitise history following the end of World War II. If you read the history books then the only bad people are those wearing certain uniforms. The entire crimes of Germany have largely been pinned on the SS. With everyone else some form of victim. It’s obviously much more complicated than …
Blu-ray Review: The Guest
Dan Stevens has had one of the more unusual career trajectories as an actor. Like many, the British actor started out on the stage before making the jump to TV with roles in various BBC adaptations. However, his big break came playing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, becoming a familiar face to UK audiences. After …
Blu-ray Review: The Singing Ringing Tree
Regardless of where you come from, there are local myths, legends and folklore everywhere in the world. These have been passed down from generation to generation, often by word of mouth. They can morph into fairy tales. Stories to tell to your children. A cautionary tale or parable. While Disney have done their upmost to …
Blu-ray Review: 9 Souls
There’s nothing that captures the imagination of the viewing public quite like a prison break drama. Some of the most popular films of all time have been based around this central premise. The likes of The Great Escape, The Shawshank Redemption, Escape from Alcatraz and The Rock are all great examples of what the sub-genre …
Blu-ray Review: Celia
While the Cold War pitted the United States of America against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, its influence spread to every corner of the world. One of the more unlikely battlegrounds was Australia. The Communist Party of Australia was formed in the 1920s, reached their political peak during World War II, were banned in …
Blu-Ray Review: The Sabata Trilogy
The ‘Wild West’ needs its heroes but they can come in some of the strangest guises. Especially in Spaghetti Westerns, where genre tropes and cliches are treated with disdain and often inverted. This irreverent approach has created some of the most iconic films and characters within the wider genre. While the figure of Clint Eastwood …