DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-Ray Review: The Mourning Forest (Masters of Cinema)
The Japanese have a unique relationship with spirituality, death and nature. In a society grounded in ritual and traditions, a mortal’s passing to the other side is shrouded is mysticism and lore. Even in Aokigahara, also known as Suicide Forest, there’s an oddly regimented and ceremonial way of ending your life. In The Mourning Forest, …
Blu-Ray Review: The Bleeder
Hollywood has long held a fascination with boxers and boxing. In the post-war era, the likes of The Set-Up, Someone Up There Likes Me and Requiem for a Heavyweight all proved popular at the Box Office. However, it was the advent of Rocky and Raging Bull which really revitalised the sub-genre for subsequent generations. The …
Blu-Ray Review: The Saga of Anatahan (Masters of Cinema)
After his family emigrated to the United States when he was in his teens, Josef von Sternberg set out on a path to becoming one of the most iconic, difficult and dominating film-makers of the Golden Age of Hollywood. He discovered and ‘made’ Marlene Dietrich, working together with her seven times; most successfully on Blue …
Blu-Ray Review: Clash
There’s been extensive media coverage of the ‘Arab Spring’, with much of the focus falling on Egypt. And whilst the country came together to help bring down President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egypt is not, and never will be, a united country. It’s a subject which has fascinated documentary film-makers. In his debut film, 678, …
Blu-Ray Review: Ronin
Before he was abducted by aliens and brainwashed into making incredibly bad comedy films, Robert De Niro owned the title of being the greatest and most iconic actor of his generation. Performances in Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Heat, Casino and Goodfellas ensured he was sat on top of the tree. By the time …
Blu-Ray Review: The Transfiguration
Whilst today’s pop-culture depictions of vampires seem to be more about Twilight and The Vampire Diaries than Nosferatu and Bram Stoker, there’s room for a wide array of interpretations of the legend. The Transfiguration riffs off Near Dark and Let the Right One In. However, whilst the fascination centres-on the vampire myth, this is only …
Blu-Ray Review: The Music Room (Criterion Collection)
Whilst Bollywood dominates the Indian film industry, there’s much more to Bharata’s cinema than merely the conveyor belt of love, loss, song and satire. The greatest Indian film-maker of all time, is without doubt, Satyajit Ray. His masterpiece is indubitably The Apu Trilogy. The story of a young Bengali boy growing up in the early …
DVD Review: Wakefield
Despite living longer than ever before, having access to the best medical science and technological advances allowing us to watch all manner of entertainment in our own livings rooms, as a society we’re rather unhappy. Whilst the socio-economic climate in America and Europe may be more polarised than ever before, many who suffer from mental …
Blu-Ray Review: Dreamscape
The 1980s was a strange time for cinema. The Cold War was reaching its endgame and technological advancements were heralding a whole new era of gaming and lifestyle possibilities. It was a fertile environment which allowed science fiction and fantasy cinema to flourish. Dennis Quaid seemed to be synonymous with the former. Innerspace and Enemy …
Blu-Ray Review: Castle Keep
Whilst Sydney Pollack may not have been the most prolific of directors (he only made 20 features), the films he did make were almost always of the highest quality. He won an Oscar for Out of Africa and also received nomination for Tootsie and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Other notable works include The Firm, …