Much to its credit, Judas and the Black Messiah takes an important story and tells it with real energy. Audiences will leave the film informed and with a clear picture of the importance of the Black Panther Party and of the villainy of the Feds and the police (and other) that fought against them. The … Continue reading Judas and the Black Messiah (Review)
Tag: politics
City Hall (Review)
Revered documentarian Frederick Wiseman's four and a half hour documentary about Boston's city government ends up, frustratingly, as too reflective of its subject. This is a well meaning, extremely competently put together thing that is often fascinating but, ultimately, is so unwieldy and talky that it never really gets anything done. This is an exhaustive, … Continue reading City Hall (Review)
Misbehaviour (Review)
The Miss World competition of 1970 is a fascinating moment in history. It is a landmark event due to the first victory by a woman of colour; due to including a woman of colour as a contestant from South Africa (who placed second) and due to the entire event being overshadowed by a feminist protest … Continue reading Misbehaviour (Review)
The Platform (Review)
A great premise can get you very far. However, it is what you do with it that ultimately matters. The Platform has a great premise and, to an extent, executes this premise well. But, with a film as overtly political and allegorical as this one, you need to provide a cogent thesis or clearly illustrate … Continue reading The Platform (Review)
Humanising Iran: Two Films by Abbas Kiarostami
Now is a good time to explore the diverse world of Iranian cinema. When countries are targeted by other nations, these countries coalesce into something homogenous: they become a singular entity rather than a collection of people. It's easy to view a country by way of its regime or by way of its outward facing … Continue reading Humanising Iran: Two Films by Abbas Kiarostami
Blinded by the Light (Review)
Music is a powerful thing: it crosses generational boundaries; cultural boundaries and shapes identity. Blinded by the Light is a film all about this - specifically the impact of Bruce Springsteen's music on the child of a Pakistani-immigrant family in Thatcherite Britain. It's an oddly specific premise but it works brilliantly, presenting the theoretically incongruous … Continue reading Blinded by the Light (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)
It: Chapter 2 (Review)
2017's It adaptation worked brilliantly. It was a well directed, well acted coming-of-age movie bolstered by terrific horror set-pieces, some well handled thematics and a great sense of humour. Unfortunately, its sequel is uniformly disappointing, managing to drop the ball in almost every area that the previous film kept it so impressively aloft. Chapter 2 … Continue reading It: Chapter 2 (Review)
Assorted Opinions 