FIlm Review
Film Review: House of Darkness
When it comes to identifying the problem, more often than not the answer is ‘men’. Whether that question is around safety on the streets, sexual assault, harassment in the workplace or a myriad of other things. There’s an entitlement which often follows us around, backed up by the physicality which usually comes with being born …
Film Review: Hockeyland
North Americans have a rather unique relationship with high school and college sports. While it differs from place to place, football, baseball, basketball, hockey and wrestling, amongst others, take up a disproportionate amount of time and money. These teams can often become the heart of a community. Fostering intense rivalries with local adversaries and providing …
Film Review: We Are as Gods
While the name might not be familiar, you’re likely to at least be aware of some of Stewart Brand’s ideas and concepts. He is a pioneer. A futurist. A man who has always been ahead of the curve, but not always, it could be argued, travelling in the right direction. He’s perhaps most famous for …
Film Review: Our American Family
There are few things more vicious than generation cycles of addiction. They destroy both families and communities. While genetics play a part in this, socialisation, environment and homelife are also huge contributing factors. Children who witness alcohol and drug abuse in the home are more likely to become addicts themselves. Childhood trauma, often caused as …
Film Review: Burial
When Adolph Hitler committed suicide in his bunker on 30 April 1945, it brought to an end the most horrendous and brutal period in modern human history. The Third Reich collapsed a few days later and the Nazis were, to all intents and purposes, no more. That didn’t stop some fanatics carrying on, even to …
Film Review: Dry Ground Burning
The rise of Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing mix of populist nationalism and hyperbolic authoritarianism has made life increasingly difficult for anyone who finds themselves in a minority group in Brazil. While the militarised police take an increasingly robust stance towards crime, anything deemed even marginally liberal often finds itself in conflict with the law. The pandemic …
Film Review: Private Desert
Modern romance is a very tricky thing. In the old days, you’d go to a dance or meet someone at the office, but the onset of the internet and mobile technology means that the primary source of relationships now comes via an algorithm. First contact mostly happens online, introducing a whole new element to the …
Film Review: Glorious
When planning your movie, location is key. Scouting for the perfect place to stage your production can be the difference between success and failure. Finding a set which both manifests the essence of your story but also adds to it. One of the most famous examples is the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, which is …
Film Review: Anaïs in Love
Growing up is never easy. The transition from (often cossetted) youth into adulthood and the new responsibility this brings can be a struggle for some. Swapping full-time education for a regular job requires a huge change of mindset. The 9-5 grind is not for everyone, nor is the prospect of settling down and ticking off …
Film Review: My Old School
While every child will have their own unique educational experiences, anyone attending school at a similar time and place will have encountered a number of commonalities. There is always a really strict, scary teacher and conversely one who is far too nice and easily manipulated. Every schoolyard has their bullies and the geeks. The quiet …