A horror film where the antagonist is the patriarchy is not necessarily a novel concept, at least as subtext, but the bluntness of Men is certainly very different. Our protagonist, Harper (Jessie Buckley) is a victim of abuse, specifically abuse by a male in a way that is facilitated by patriarchal dynamics. Her discomfort in … Continue reading Men (Review)
Tag: A24
The Green Knight (Review)
A simple premise turns into a mercurial tale as myth envelops reality. Those who feel greatness within their reach forgo goodness entirely, striving to become the legend. Here, this morality tale is infused with surrealist flair to create a haunting vision. The pace is slow, a perfect match for a man's journey to a fated, … Continue reading The Green Knight (Review)
Minari (Review)
At its heart, Minari is a film about assimilation. Why it is such a wonderful film is because it is about in this is so many ways. The most overt layer of this is about the cultural divides the film depicts, focusing on a family that have emigrated to America from Korea who are in … Continue reading Minari (Review)
On the Rocks (Review)
For a film about malaise and disappointment, it is perhaps appropriate that On the Rocks feels so flat. This comedy inflected drama is about a married mother of two, Laura (Rashida Jones) investigating her husband's (Marlon Wayans) suspected infidelities at the behest of, and with the help (arguably) of, her father (Bill Murray). The film … Continue reading On the Rocks (Review)
Saint Maud (Review)
Rose Glass' directorial debut is an entertaining horror film but an oddly familiar one. It is distributed by A24 in the US, which is hardly surprising as it exhibits what has become the A24 horror aesthetic (think of films like The Witch, Hereditary and It Comes at Night): stylish visuals, uneasy camera work and an … Continue reading Saint Maud (Review)
The Lighthouse (Review)
There are moments of undeniable brilliance in Dave Eggers' second feature. The atmosphere is consistently superb and the performances are outstanding. In addition to this, it's a film of obvious technical brilliance - a brilliance that is complemented by a clear sense of style. However, the Lighthouse does also feel like a purely stylistic exercise. … Continue reading The Lighthouse (Review)
Midsommar (Review)
When the premise of a film involves a group of American college students attending a pagan festival in an undocumented commune in Sweden, you know what’s going to happen. To an extent, this is very true of Midsommar. The film spends a long time putting all of its pieces on the board just so that … Continue reading Midsommar (Review)
Eighth Grade (Review)
The portrayal of a social media obsessed generation is hardly new to cinema but few - if any - films have portrayed today's teenagers with as much empathy, understanding and sympathy as Eighth Grade. Writer/director Bo Burnam's debut feature is a note perfect evocation of a generation, in which a mastery of specificity allows the … Continue reading Eighth Grade (Review)
Assorted Opinions 