DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-Ray Review: A Man For All Seasons
The past decade has seen a huge resurgence in interest in historical drama. This has manifested itself in the literary world with the likes of Philippa Gregory, C.J. Samson and Hilary Mantel releasing a raft of best-selling novels. Along with award-winning shows such as Victoria and The Crown, many of their works have been successfully …
Blu-Ray Review: We are the Flesh
Since the inception of cinema, there has been directors and writers intent on pushing boundaries; both in terms of taste and extremes. Whilst films such as The Devils, Cannibal Holocaust, Life of Brian, The Exorcist, or Last Tango in Paris have lost their shock value over the years, there are a few which have retained …
Blu-Ray Review: Tower of London
Vincent Price longed to be taken seriously as an actor. Although he made his name epitomising sinister in horror films, in his heart he wanted to compete with the best of his generation. Whilst films such as House of Wax, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, House of Usher and Witchfinder General made his name, Price was …
Blu-Ray Review: Cover Girl
Whilst La La Land may have swept the awards circuit and captivated a generation of people unaccustomed to musicals, at one time they were mainstream Hollywood. Today, there’s the odd one which gains any acclaim, often down to Baz Luhrmann, but these are few and far between. In her day, Rita Hayworth was one of …
Blu-Ray Review: The Unknown Girl
Since the inception of cinema, film-makers have used the medium as a way of highlighting social issues and driving social consciousness. However, it’s in times of great change or crisis where this becomes more prevalent. We’re living in politically and socially turbulent times, and as the success of I, Daniel Blake goes to show there’s …
Blu-Ray Review: Raising Cain
Today, John Lithgow is probably best known for his work on the small screen. Whilst he’s currently gracing our screens in his Emmy-nominated role as Winston Churchill in The Crown, Lithgow also delivered eye-catching performances in 3rd Rock from the Sun and Dexter. He still pops-up in films now and again, but his more prominent …
DVD Review: Absolute Power: The Complete Series
Stephen Fry is arguably one of the most distinctive faces and voices in British comedy television. He’s currently the host of QI, but he’s had a career on the small screen which spans four decades. Whilst the Cambridge University alumnus is probably best known for A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder …
Blu-Ray Review: The Childhood of a Leader
It’s perhaps quite apt, given what has been happening around the world, that Brady Corbet released his directorial debut in 2016. It rides this year’s wave of growing right-wing sentiment. However, whilst we can see the end product of years of political neglect and failure to combat unpalatable (and sometimes justified) opinions, the American film-maker …
Blu-Ray Review: Vampires
Myths and legends of vampires have fascinated and frightened people around the world for hundreds of years. They featured in some of the earliest horror films. Even before World War II, Nosferatu and Vampyr set a high standard for directors to live up to. Myriad films followed, with Interview with a Vampire, The Lost Boys, …
Blu-Ray Review: Ghosts of Mars
Even before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the Moon, humans have been looking to the stars. The 1950s became boom time for sci-fi cinema as writers and directors captured the imagination of an entire generation. The Forbidden Planet, War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and …