DVD/Blu-Ray Review
Blu-ray Review: Cocoon
When Steven Spielberg released Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977 he spearheaded a raft of American alien encounter movies which would continue for over a decade. Whilst best known for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Spielberg went on to make family friendly sci-fi films with a saccharine touch such as A.I. Artificial Intelligence and War …
DVD Review: Love and Peace
Japanese culture, as you probably already know, is distinct and often puzzling. They’re a nation who like pigeon-holing and almost everything you can possibly think of sits neatly into one category or another. One much-loved genre is that trodden by the likes of Godzilla, Gamera and Astro Boy. Tokusatsu encompasses TV and Films which rely …
DVD Review: Queen of Earth (Masters of Cinema)
Alex Ross Perry is a name you may not be familiar with but he’s lauded by many film critics as something of a wunderkind. However, his films have not really generated the same reaction at the box office, only getting limited theatrical releases. The Color Wheel and Impolex may not be familiar to most but …
Blu-Ray Review: Andrei Rublev
Andrei Rublev was considered to be one of the greatest Russian medieval painters of Orthodox frescos and icons. His authenticated work was all carried out in the 15th century and he was canonised as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988. Andrei Tarkovsky took up the challenge of documenting his life on film, …
Blu-ray Review: Burroughs: The Movie (Criterion Collection)
William S Burroughs was one of the leading players of the Beat Generation. Along with Allen Ginsberg, Herbert Huncke and Jack Kerouac they changed the narrative around 1950s America for a whole generation. Burroughs himself is best known for his book Naked Lunch, which was published in 1959. Throughout his life he battled with heroin …
Blu-ray Review: Highlander 30th Anniversary Edition
There can only be one. Sadly, Highlander was a franchise that didn’t know when to stop. When director Russell Mulcahy returned for the sequel he created something so ridiculous that it cast a lasting shadow over the original. Then there are the other three films which fortuitously passed most people by, not to mention the …
DVD Review: Suture
Film noir was one of the most iconic and stylish film genres of the twentieth century. In the 1990s there was a resurgence of interest with a spate of neo-noir movies being released. These built on the original aesthetic but employed contemporary visual styles and themes. The most notable are LA Confidential, King of New …
DVD Review: The Ones Below
There are many intensely emotional issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth including huge anxiety and stress surrounding the unknown, self-doubt around whether you’re ready to become a parent and fear regarding giving birth to a healthy child. Antenatal and postnatal depression are growing problems and it’s hard to even contemplate the trauma miscarriage can cause. David …
Blu-ray Review: Gilda (Criterion Collection)
In the golden days of Hollywood films some of the most bankable stars were those who were given the label of ‘Screen Goddess’. The Studios’ response to the horrors of World War II was glamour, and during the ’40s and ’50s the likes of Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and Lana Turner set screens …
Blu-ray Review: Ivan’s Childhood
Andrei Tarkovsky is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. His genius and mastery of the cinematic medium has rarely been surpassed. Whilst his films, such as Stalker, Solaris and Ivan’s Childhood are much-loved by cinephiles around the world, the quality of the prints aren’t always that good. Thankfully, Curzon Artificial Eye are …