Film
Film Review: Love Child
Immigration has become one of the hottest topics throughout Europe over the last decade. Whilst this influx of migrants has become something of a political football, it’s easy to lose sight of the personal stories behind these journeys. Every asylum case is different. Each refugee has their own tale to tell. Unique hardships and traumas. …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Sisters with Transistors
Like most areas of life, the music industry has always been a male dominated world. Where women have excelled, it’s normally in spheres which haven’t traditionally been the province of men. Thankfully, this disparity is slowly beginning to change and with-it entrenched attitudes towards female musicians. Those pioneers who entered a man’s world, pushed boundaries …
Blu-Ray Review: Silent Night, Deadly Night 1 & 2
Whilst Christmas is a time of celebration and family for many, it can also be a truly horrific experience. Especially if you’ve been naughty. In the West we’re brought up with the legend of a benevolent Santa Claus, but that’s not how the smiling bearded figure started out. Indeed, he was initially used as a …
Film Review: Fantastic Fungi
When you hear the word ‘fungi’ the automatic response is to think of mushrooms. Possibly due to their popularity as a pizza topping! However, the fungus kingdom contains an extraordinary diverse and rich range of organisms, including mould and yeasts. They play a vital role in our ecosystems and are often greatly misunderstood. More and …
Film Review: Blood Vessel
Over the years, Nazis have proved very popular in horror movies. Obviously, it’s easy to hate one of Hitler’s minions but the rumours around occult obsessions and nefarious medical experiments make for rich pickings. Then there’s the fact that the Third Reich was inherently evil. This has resulted in a raft of popular films, including …
Film Review: Looted
Whilst the Tory government’s destruction of traditional industries during the 1980s was arguably just speeding-up the inevitable, it left scars which are still evidence in today’s Britain. Communities which have never really recovered, leaving towns and cities to decay. The traditional industrial heartland of the north of England was badly hit. With the decline of …
Film Review: Luxor
Whilst she might not be instantly recognisable to many, Andrea Riseborough is one of the most talented young British actors working in films and television today. Indeed, she seems to look different in just about every role she takes on. Her versatility is her strength, from playing Maggie Thatcher to brilliant performances in Shadow Dancer, …
Raindance Review: My Thoughts Are Silent
Ukraine, as a country, is often overshadowed by the behemoth on its eastern border. As the second largest country in what was the Soviet Union, it’s territory far outstrips its population or global influence. The same can be said about its cinema. Since gaining independence in 1991, Ukrainian filmmakers have struggled to get their voices …
Blu-ray Review: Gemini
Japan is home to the weird, the wonderful and the worrying. It’s probably no surprise that such a traditionally rigid and regimented society has proved to be a catalyst for some of the most creative and audacious art. When it comes to the extreme and the imaginative, very few directors can match Shinya Tsukamoto. Most …
Raindance Review: Survival Skills
There’s no genre of film quite like horror when it comes to obsessive fans. There’s equally nothing quite like their love for all things retro in any other sphere of filmmaking. The humble video cassette, for instance, is on a par with vinyl amongst collectors. There’s a nostalgia for those cheap straight to video films …