Film
Film Review – Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura
Whilst Japan has a rigid social and ultra-conservative society, it’s a country with a long, unusual and complex history of myths and legends. Shinto is one of the oldest continually practiced religions in the world and an odd one for Western sensibilities. One of the most unusual aspects of the Japanese psyche is a belief …
Incoming: Escape Room
Escape Room is a psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die. Escape Room is in cinemas from 1 February.
Blu-Ray Review: The Fifth Cord
Making a film is often a huge undertaking involving hundreds of different people carrying out a vast array of roles. Whilst the tendency is to focus on directors and actors, without everyone pulling in the same direction and being on top of their game, films won’t reach their full potential. A pivotal role is that …
Incoming: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
The true story of best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats) Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) who made her living in the 1970’s and 80’s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with …
Film Review: Her Love Boils Bathwater
In a conservative country like Japan, the traditional family plays a central role. Whilst attitudes are changing rapidly, there’s still a lot of emphasis placed on the nuclear family. This duty of care is broadened to looking after the old and infirm. When someone become sick it’s the responsibility of their family to take care …
Film Review: Crucible of the Vampire
In the space of just a few years horror cinema has gone from being a niche genre to one of the most popular and mainstream. Even pompous film critics have embraced what they ignorantly term ‘elevated horror’. However, whilst it has become the norm to see slick and stylish movies on the big screen, independent …
Blu-ray Review: Orphée
In a career which spanned four tumultuous decades of French history, few men can claim to have been more influential or culturally important than Jean Cocteau. He began as a poet and that influence remained throughout his career as a writer, playwright and film director. As a key player of the avant garde he was …
Preview: The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2019
Since 2004, the Japan Foundation has organised a touring Japanese film programme in close partnership with independent film venues across the UK. Each year, a number or eclectic films are carefully chosen to highlight trends in Japanese cinema and showcase the versatility and uniqueness displayed by Japanese filmmakers. It also acts as a showcase for …
Incoming: The Mule
Clint Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a man in his 80s who is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he’s just signed on as a drug courier for a Mexican cartel. He does well—so well, …
Blu-Ray Review: The Wife
If you don’t think that women get a rough ride in life, then you’re probably living with your head in the sand. That or you’re part of the problem. Whilst there have been huge strides forwards over the last few decades, the pace of change is nowhere near quick enough. However, unlike most of history …