There is a cold competence to Greyhound that turns its all action promise into an all monotony result. This is a film full of bombast, explosions and climactic battles. Most moments are all out war at sea, with a focus on specific details and with solid sound design. If you want to see things go … Continue reading Greyhound (Review)
Tag: war
The Painted Bird
Part way through this film, we have the scene from which it gets it title. It is a visual metaphor that overhangs the whole film and gives us the best window into the film's message. A man grabs a bird in his hand and he paints it, marking it as different. He lets the bird … Continue reading The Painted Bird
Da 5 Bloods (Review)
When Da 5 Bloods is at its best, it is something rather incredible. Here, like in many of the best Spike Lee movies, we see the director's ability to entertain and inform whilst pushing meaningful ideas and clear political messages. Though the tonal consistency isn't as strong here as in some of his finer pictures … Continue reading Da 5 Bloods (Review)
A Hidden Life (Review)
Terrence Malick's latest film, a cerebral drama about an Austrian farmer during World War 2, is an engrossing and powerful portrait of idealism. The film centres around a choice that is obviously admirable now but - at the time - brought huge negative consequences on the individual: refusing to fight for the Nazis. The film … Continue reading A Hidden Life (Review)
1917 (Review)
There's no denying the technical brilliance of 1917. It's a precision crafted piece of filmmaking that shows incredible skill and talent from almost all involved. For a lot of people, this technical skill will fade into the background and will support a gripping - if unexceptional - WW1 drama, a tale in which two soldiers … Continue reading 1917 (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
Official Secrets (Review)
At the heart of Official Secrets is a very important story that people need to know. For this reason, people should see this film. Outside of this, Official Secrets is unimpressive. There's an excellent central performance by Keira Knightley but there are a number of cartoonish performances and bizarre film-making choices that relegate Official Secrets … Continue reading Official Secrets (Review)
Dutch Angle: Chas Gerretsen & Apocalypse Now (Review)
Every film about Apocalypse Now lives in the shadow of the superb Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse. Dutch Angle is no exception and, though it introduces the viewer to what looks like a fascinating exhibition, it is singularly uninteresting. The film is about photographer Chas Gerretsen, who went from photographing the actual Vietnam war … Continue reading Dutch Angle: Chas Gerretsen & Apocalypse Now (Review)
Assorted Opinions 