It's much easier to catch a terrorist if you've created them yourself. This, rather disturbing, truth is a large part of US counter-terrorism policy and is adequately skewered by Chris Morris' latest satire. The Day Shall Come is certainly not a true story - it's a farce comedy - but it is inspired by reality: … Continue reading The Day Shall Come (Review)
Category: Films
Rabid (2019) (Review)
Remakes are controversial. However, some of them are also very, very good - especially ones that reboot or re-imagine older films. The Soskas' remake of David Cronenberg's (whose masterpiece The Fly stands out as one of the greatest remakes of all time) Rabid (1977) is a prime example of an excellent remake. The spirit of … Continue reading Rabid (2019) (Review)
Harpoon (Review)
One of my favourite types of film can be roughly defined as the cinema of escalation: a narrative approach in which a potent central conflict is pushed and pushed to the point of extremity. If you want a concrete example of this, look no further than Rob Grant's terrific exploitation movie, Harpoon. Harpoon also fits … Continue reading Harpoon (Review)
I See You (Review)
To a certain extent, I See You puts its best foot forward. The film opens with a string of polished, if stylishly melodramatic, sequences that interestingly intertwine family drama with something much more sinister. Throughout its run time, it is a film that delights in setting up expectations - often cleverly manipulating cinematic language - … Continue reading I See You (Review)
1BR (Review)
So, it turns out, LA may have a dark side. In fact, perhaps, Hollywood is parasitic and, perhaps, the manufactured apartment communities are home to something deeply sinister... Okay, we've seen all these ideas before, but 1BR (shorthand for a 'One Bedroom' property listing) provides a really fun spin on these well worn tropes. The … Continue reading 1BR (Review)
Dead Dicks (Review)
Often, a horror film is only as good as its central metaphor. This saying certainly holds up for the compelling, yet somewhat flawed, Dead Dicks. It's a film full of charm, spirit and clear passion, elevating it above the sum of its parts. The premise of Dead Dicks is really interesting, though merits a content … Continue reading Dead Dicks (Review)
Joker (Review)
There's a central scene in Joker of a protest. A violent, dimly lit and unglorified protest. The uniform of protest is the clown mask, because a man dressed as a clown shot dead three Wall Street workers in public and this has led a, perceived, underclass to take to the streets. Because, in this film, … Continue reading Joker (Review)
Ready or Not (Review)
It's easy to classify Ready or Not as a combination of Brian Yuzna's Society and Adam Wingard's You're Next. But, this comparison only goes so far; instead, it is important to clarify that the ideas percolating in Ready or Not are better handled in the two previously mentioned films - and they're handled with more … Continue reading Ready or Not (Review)
Ad Astra (Review)
Ad Astra is a film that really lives up to its name. The translated meaning, 'To the Stars,' reflects the film's admirable ambition, while the use of Latin reflects its self seriousness and, dare I say, self indulgence. Big budget, idea focused science fiction is inherently ambitious, regardless of quality. In this regard, At Astra … Continue reading Ad Astra (Review)
Hustlers (Review)
In the wrong hands, a film about female strip club dancers who drug men from Wall Street and take their money could be absolutely heinous. It turns out that Lorene Scafaria, however, was the right person for the job, skilfully turning what could have been wealth porn via the male gaze into something rather brilliant. … Continue reading Hustlers (Review)
Assorted Opinions 