FIlm Review
Not Forgotten At Christmas: Die Hard *
*for the purpose of this review and in homage to my cinema companion, Bruce Willis will be referred to as Bruiser throughout. It was a stroke of genius that caused Cineworld Sheffield to put Die Hard in their schedule of classic movies on a cold, dark Monday night in December, a stroke of genius that …
Film Review: Kon-Tiki
Many people are born with a natural desire for discovery. A few are driven throughout their lives towards adventure and exploration, occasionally spurred on to great things. The Dark Ages, and the loss of knowledge, led to centuries where the prevailing belief was in a flat Earth. The efforts of people such as Columbus, Cook, …
Film Review: Electricity
Mental disorders are frequently portrayed on film. Indeed, there have been many instances of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rewarding actors for their portrayal of characters suffering from neurological illnesses. A Beautiful Mind, Silver Linings Playbook, Rain Man and As Good As it Gets all picked up awards and portrayed characters who …
Film Review: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Cinema can be many things. It can be funny, crass, scary, moving, unpleasant and much, much more. Occasionally, a film arrives which is something more deep and profound, not only instigating debate and spawning a cottage industry in speculation, but also blurring the lines between cinema and art. Space has fascinated humans for centuries (if …
DVD Review: Goodbye to Language
Jean-Luc Godard has never been one to play by the rules. Even at the august age of 83, his unflinching desire to bury down into the very fabric of cinema and philosophy never stutters. He’s never been a director to rest on his laurels and revels in taking liberties with the medium of film. Off …
Film Review: Interstellar
Some films sneak into the cinema with only a smidgeon of promotion. Others bash the cymbals, crash the drums, have months of hype and millions of dollars spent on a campaign that takes expectation beyond the stratosphere into the stars. In the case of the latter, the film has got to be good. After much …
Film Review: Stations of the Cross
Growing up is tough. There have been many cinematic representations of this difficult period in a young person’s life. Some of the highlights included Stand By Me, The Breakfast Club, Show Me Love, The Virgin Suicides and 400 Blows. Richard Linklater’s Boyhood turned out to be to be one of the best films of 2014. …
Film Review: Winter Sleep
Nuri Bilge Ceylan is one of the best directors working in cinema today. Ceylan seems to improve with almost every film and there’s no one who makes more visually arresting and powerful fables. Since his debut Kasaba, every film he’s made has notched-up a succession of awards. The Turkish director’s last two films (Once Upon …
Film Review: The Imitation Game
Some stories will always prove troublesome to translate to the big screen. Alan Turing’s tale is as strange as it is , and despite being one of the most important people in this nation’s history, his life was shrouded in mystery. Hi role during the war was only revealed decades after his death. A posthumous …
Film Review: Nightcrawler
Patrick Bateman is probably the most famous sociopath to grace the big screen. Masterfully played by Christian Bale, his total contempt, hatred or disregard for other people was only matched by his ultra self-confidence and oily charm. Hannibal Lecter is partial to people, but only if they’re served with some fava beans and a big Amarone. Lou Bloom, …