by Robbie Jones Sam Mendes’ cinematic output for the last 10 years has sat comfortably in the category of spectacle, from the thrills and kills of the James Bond franchise to the Oscar-winning WW1 epic 1917. With Empire of Light, Mendes returns to a far more intimate level of storytelling. Sadly, his latest effort gets off to a strong start before it falls on its … Continue reading Empire of Light – BFI London Film Festival 2022 Review
by Sarah Cook Shakespeare has had more adaptations than you can wag a staff at. He is perhaps the most prolific and famed writer of the British Isles whose plays have been retold through centuries. We all know the plots; two star crossed lovers torn apart by their warring families; a son avenges his father’s death; a Lord is told he will become King. Shakespeare’s … Continue reading The Tragedy of Macbeth – BFI London Film Festival Review
by Nathan Osborne Making its world premiere at BFI Flare, Peeter Rebane’s familiar but beautifully crafted feature debut is a soaring exploration of masculinity, homophobia and sexuality in secret. Set at the height of the Cold War and based on a true story, Firebird charts the love triangle between a troubled young private, a daring fighter pilot and a female comrade on a soviet Air … Continue reading Firebird – BFI Flare 2021 Review
by Jordan King There’s a strong argument to be made that the only truly functional family is a dysfunctional family. It is in the clashes of character and convictions mediated by the bond of blood and instinctual inseparability that family life is defined, especially in the ever-maddening and increasingly divisive world we occupy today. In multi-hyphenate artist extraordinaire Miranda July’s latest self-written and directed feature … Continue reading Kajillionaire – BFI London Film Festival Review
The film industry has a had a long history of using and abusing anyone different. Whether it’s is casting non-disabled actors in dramatic roles about being inhibited by their disability or simply making them the villains of the piece. From Todd Browning’s Freaks to even latest musical escapade The Greatest Showman, those who are different have been exploited on the big screen. Aaron Schimberg’s feature … Continue reading Chained for Life – Review
Fairy-tales.. They have seeped throughout time and history. Chattered imagination has been whispered in bed-time stories and campfire horrors. For centuries with been spooked by spectres, haunted by horrors, and frightened by fantasies. In Scandinavia, adults and children have been particularly terrified by their own particular historical creatures. Creatures which Ali Abbasi has spun into a glorious modern yarn. Border revolves around Tina, a woman … Continue reading Border – Review
Movies on Weekends 