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FIlm Review


Film Review: Initiation

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Film Review: Zana

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Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. With well under half-a-million inhabitants, the Nordic nation is self-contained in many ways. Boasting volcanoes, mountains, geysers and glaciers, the sub-arctic island is both starkly beautiful and mercilessly unforgiving. Icelandic cinema often reflects this. The likes of Nói albinói, Rams and Of Horses and Men are …

Growing up in the shadow of greatness can’t be easy. In the case of Romain Gavras he had to contend with the undeniable genius and political savviness of his father, Constantinos Gavras (Costa-Gavras). Whilst I’m sure their relationship hardly hampered his career, Romain has without doubt forged his own path. The main commonality in the …

It’s easy to forget that until the introduction of economic reforms in 1978, China was a purely communist country. The landscape in 2019 is a far cry from the Maoist era. Whilst things are beginning to slow down, the Celestial Empire has consistently been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Huge cities …

The Donbass is a region is eastern Ukraine or south-western Russia, depending on your perspective. Given its geographical location, the area has had a rather turbulent and colourful history since the land was first populated in the 17th century. In 2014, it became the arena for Vladimir Putin’s latest muscle-flexing land grab/reclamation project, despite some …

The migrant crisis isn’t something which can be easily solved by throwing money at the situation or simply opening up borders. It’s a complex and incredibly emotive issue which is a consequence of hundreds of years of (largely Colonial) history. Film makers have approached the subject from many angles; a wide spectrum which includes straight …

Richard Nixon launched America’s ‘war on drugs’ policy in 1971. It was a federal government led initiative which combined prohibition, military aid and intervention with the aim of eradicating the illegal drugs trade within the USA. After decades of failures, States looked at different ways to tackle the problem. In 1996, California became the first …

When it comes to Asian cinema, Japan often overshadows its Easterly neighbours. However, South Korea has consistently proved to be more than worthy celluloid adversaries. Whether that’s action (The Villainess, Snowpiercer, The Man from Nowhere, I Saw the Devil), horror (Train to Busan, The Wailing, The Host, Thirst) or mystery/thriller (Oldboy, Mother, Memories of Murder, …

There are very few, if any, directors working in European cinema today who can hold a torch to Paolo Sorrentino when it comes to exuberance, glamour and style. The Great Beauty and Youth both demonstrated what an eye the Italian has for flair and the big set-piece. The Young Pope illustrated his unique vision for …

When major wars end and countries want to move on, it’s natural to try and draw a line over events of the past. Forget those atrocities and crimes committed previously and try and come together as a nation in order to move forward. However, this can often just act as a sticking plaster and slowly …

Sam Elliott has one of the most recognisable faces and voices in Hollywood. During a career which has so far spanned six decades, he has played a variety of memorable roles in films and on TV. Impressive performances in Lifeguard, Tombstone, Conagher and Buffalo Girls garnered him recognition but like a fine wine he’s only …