FIlm Review
LFF Review: Only the Animals
The French have a knack when it comes to stylish and sexy thrillers. There’s something about the Gallic temperament which provides for scintillating and electric cinema. Over the years we’ve been spoiled by a high standard of output. From such classics as Chabrol’s Le Boucher or Clouzot’s Les Diaboliques to modern greats like Canet’s Tell …
LFF Review: Talking About Trees
The cinema of Sudan is almost completely unknown on a world stage. Whilst not overly surprising for an impoverished African country, this hasn’t always been the case. Years of oppressive governments, hard-line religion and a struggling economy has resulted in almost all the cinemas closing down. Film-makers, who at one stage were winning awards on …
LFF Review: Fire Will Come
Crime and punishment. It’s a tale as old as the hills. You do the crime and pay the time. When you’re released, your slate is wiped clean. Fully rehabilitated and ready to be an active and useful member of society once more. Welcomed back into the community with open arms. Obviously, this hardly ever happens. …
LFF Review: The Perfect Candidate
Despite being classed as a friendly nation (aka arms and oil) by most of the Western world, Saudi Arabia has a truly appalling human rights record. Whist the rather Biblical system of justice may attract the headlines it’s the truly archaic treatment of women which is arguably the hardest pill to swallow. Admittedly, things have …
Film Review: Itsy Bitsy
We humans have a strange and wonderful array of phobias. These range from the everyday, such as the fear of flying or needles, to something debilitating like agoraphobia. Probably the most common is arachnophobia. Spiders are almost universally feared. Although mostly harmless, it can feel like they’re everywhere and the thought of one slowly descending …
Grimmfest Review: Rabid
David Cronenberg will forever have a unique place is genre cinema. The Canadian made his name making intelligent, visceral and challenging horror and science fiction films. More often than not, that took the form of body horror with a political and/or fantasy edge. These included The Fly, Videodrome and Shivers. One of his best films …
Film Review – Tehran: City of Love
Iran has found itself in the news a lot recently. If it’s not the breakdown of the nuclear deal or maritime piracy it’s the alleged attacks on Saudi Arabia. It’s a country we hear little about unless there’s a diplomatic crisis or something awful has happened. However, it’s easy to forget that until the 1979 …
LFF Review: Zombi Child
Whilst the debate around streaming versus cinema shows no sign of abating anytime soon, it’s clear that the likes of Netflix have the advantage of numbers. The ability to reach a wide audience is one of the major perks for directors choosing this platform. Bertrand Bonello’s 2016 film Nocturama was bought by the streaming giant …
LFF Review: My Extraordinary Summer with Tess
There’s something rather reassuringly nostalgic and heart-warming about your first love., especially a holiday romance. If you’re of my generation, then the British seaside was the most likely location for any innocent childhood tryst. Mine was in Bognor Regis. There’s a moment growing up when girls and boys stop being yucky and smelly and become …
Grimmfest Review: 1BR
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable and decent accommodation in most major cities in the Western world. The more popular the city, the more difficult it gets. If you’re looking for a nice, central and affordable apartment in say London, San Francisco or Tokyo, you may as well forget it. It’s no better …