FIlm Review
Film Review: Heaven Adores You
Unassuming. It’s probably the best word to describe Elliott Smith. Whilst his music continues to entrance anew generation of music fans ten years on since his tragic death, the man himself always shunned the limelight. In terms of a celebrity presence there was no ego, but when it came to music it was a different …
Film Review: Darkest Day
Many of us have dreamed of making our own film, but very few of us have the motivation or desire to just get on and do it. That is precisely what Dan Rickard did, taking a short unfinished student project and persistent. Ten years later, it eventually morphed and grew into a full feature length …
Film Review: Rigor Mortis
Mr Vampire, and its loose sequels, formed the heart of a comedy horror craze in Hong Kong during the mid to late ’80s and early ’90s. It spawned many imitators and headed its own sub genre in Asian horror cinema. Juno Mak’s Rigor Mortis is a tribute to Mr Vampire, but approaches its flavour of …
Film Review: A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence
A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence is the third in a trilogy of films by Roy Andersson which look at the modern human condition. Along with Songs From The Second Floor and You, The Living, it focuses one of the many aspects of living. Andersson takes the viewpoint of the titular observer, …
Film Review: Dark Horse
Sporting documentaries are often very hit and miss, with an interest in the subject often a prerequisite to enjoyment. However, great documentaries traverse those kind of boundaries. Notable entrants into the milieu include Touching The Void, Senna, Riding Giants, When We Were Kings and Hoop Dreams. In Louise Osmond’s Dark Horse she concentrates on a …
Film Review: Home From Home: Chronicle Of A Vision
When Edgar Reitz made the Heimat film series in 1984 he created an incredible chronicle of German rural life in the 20th century. He went on to release another couple of mini-series, bringing events up to the modern era. At over 53 hours they were beautifully made and together are an epic saga of the …
Film Review: Cobain: Montage Of Heck
Nirvana were undoubtedly a huge band by any measure. However, the untimely death of Kurt Cobain propelled them into musical folklore. The cost of Nirvana CDs suddenly spiralled and a whole new swathe of fans appearing out of nowhere. There have been several films about the mercurial lead singer, but Brett Morgen’s Cobain: Montage of …
Film Review: Force Majeure
Relationships are based on trust and understanding. There’s a tendency to bury issues and try to continue on with the relationship as if nothing is wrong. Often unsaid anxieties and issues are brought to the fore by seemingly unrelated or unusual events. In Force Majeure, director Ruben Östlund plays on these uncertainties using a ‘Force …
Film Review: Jauja
Myths and legends of mythical lands and places have been predominant throughout the world since the dawn Humankind. The most famous examples are probably El Dorado, Shambhala and Shangri-La (we’re all agreed that Atlantic existed, right?). The former capital of Spanish Peru, Jauja, obtained a mythical status due to its riches; entering into Spanish folklore …
Film Review: Altman
Robert Altman was one of the most important, challenging and visionary American directors off the last 40 years. Despite myriad setbacks and periods in the wilderness, he made some of the most influential films in modern American cinema. Despite never winning an Oscar for any of his movies, he was recognised by the Academy with …