“The Lovely Ones, with its Kathy-Bates-in-Misery surrogate may have birthed this year’s greatest screen villain.” The Loved Ones Directed by Sean Byrne If in a parallel dimension a young John Waters had been born in Australia and decided to remake the eighties rom-com Pretty In Pink then it would resemble Sean Byrne’s teenage love satire [...]
What is most impressive about The Dead is its languid, acrid texture, it is a very atmospheric tale of the re-animated dead which harkens back to the early days of Fulci and Romero,
September 1, 2010 | Posted in
Frightfest 2010 |
Read More »
‘From the Saul Bass inspired, cascading titles it’s evident that the master of suspense would be proud; one can quite clearly imagine an intrigued Hitchcock mining Buried’s foundations for all their anxious credentials.’
With the sponsorship and assistance of the UK’s Total Film magazine the Frightfest organisers instituted a new filament to the festival programme last year, the Total Icon event that was awarded to John Landis who hitch-hiked over to London with a sparkling digital print of An American Werewolf in London in tow. This year the strand continued with [...]
“At eighty minutes, this brisk film never outstays its welcome, and provides some entertaining quips and distressing gore effects that should satiate the gore-hound crowd…”
“If you’re in the mood for some mindless genre affection, for a film whose plot trajectory can be summarized to: revision scene, ‘legend’ episode, characterization sequence and blistering blitzkreig, then Hatchet 2 comes warmly recommended.” Hatchet 2 Directed by Adam Green World Premiere A suitably gloomy, rainswept August pallor ushered in London’s Frightfest film festival yesterday [...]
“Un Prophète is a grueling experience that will keep you utterly gripped throughout its epic 155-minute runtime”. Un Prophete Directed by Jacques Audiard Director Jacques Audiard is carving quite a career as one of the most searingly talented French auteurs working today. Cresting on the wave of a number of well-received, robust Parisian thrillers including Read [...]
“Iron Man 2 suffers from a distinct case of sequelitis. It is unfocused, messy and clumsily handled, and alas much of the charm and wit that the original employed to win over its viewers is largely absent.” Iron Man 2 Directed by John Favreau The first Iron Man movie a couple of years ago was [...]
It’s a dexterously mischievous comedy that ensures you are missing two gags whilst doubling up in hysterics at the first. Along with the machine-gun dialogue, more subtle juxtapositions are constructed for their ironic jocularity. Four Lions Directed by Chris Morris The enigmatic Chris Morris has something of a cult following in the UK, for many of [...]
“Enter The Void explores the contours of reality and screen representation, seemingly probing the very nature of existence. Its final, transcendent moments summate a unique experience and achievement, albeit one not for the faint-hearted or easily offended.” – Enter The Void Directed by Gasper Noé Ever since the notorious Irreversible prompted the dubious honor of [...]
Whilst The Hurt Locker unfolded in a theatre that felt metaphoric, Green Zone wears its heart on its sleeve and is unashamedly partisan in its political sniping of piercing accuracy Green Zone Directed by Paul Greengrass We used to have to wait a decade before the cinema could fully digest the impact and consequences of that most [...]
Fish Tank Directed by Andrea Arnold – “less politically inclined than Ken Loach or theatrically mannered than Mike Leigh – the film operates in a realm well-trod in UK cinema and serves as a welcome antidote to the adrenaline-fueled demands of the summer season.” – The UK has a proud tradition of social realist cinema, pioneered by [...]
February 27, 2010 | Posted in
Recent Reviews,
Reviews |
Read More »
As expected given its torturous production history the movie is a mess but thankfully not a dud of Van Helsing proportions, it’s a handsome looking film but the interference and mangling of the material, as with The Road, is plain to see. The Wolfman Directed by Joe Johnston Woof, woof. A mere fifteen months late, [...]
February 11, 2010 | Posted in
Reviews |
Read More »
Un Prophète is a grueling experience that will keep you utterly gripped throughout its epic 155-minute runtime. Un Prophete Directed by Jacques Audiard Director Jacques Audiard is carving quite a career as one of the most searingly talented French auteurs working today. Cresting on the wave of a number of well-received, robust Parisian thrillers including Read [...]
January 28, 2010 | Posted in
Recent Reviews,
Reviews |
Read More »
2012 Directed by Roland Emmerich This review is SPOILER ridden so beware. Then again, if you’ve seen any disaster movie made since 1960 then nothing will be a surprise. Trust me. Judd Apatow, Tina Fey, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell and all the other maestros of contemporary comedy should be afraid, as there is a new [...]
November 17, 2009 | Posted in
Reviews |
Read More »