The Ravine Of Goodbye (Sayonara keikoku)

The Ravine Of Goodbye (Sayonara keikoku) Japan (2013) Dir. Tatsushi Ohmori It’s a hot summer and a small Tokyo suburb is bustling with excitement as local and national media converge on the bijou housing complex which is home to Satomi Tachibana, a woman accused of murdering her young son. As much as this is a …

Haunters (Cho-neung-ryeok-ja)

Haunters (Cho-neung-ryeok-ja) Korea (2010) Dir. Kim Min-Suk After miraculously surviving being hit by a van Im Kyu-Nam (Ko Soo) gets a job at Utopia, a run down pawn shop where he is made manager by owner Jung-sik (Byun Hee-Bong). While Im is hosting a lunch with two friends from his former job, Turkish immigrant Ali …

North By Northwest

North By Northwest US (1959) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock This is another one of Hitchcock’s most revered entries in his extensive catalogue of celebrated and seminal works being viewed for the first time by yours truly. It is one that most will recognise as “the one with crop duster plane scene” but in fact it there …

Cœur fidèle (True Heart)

Cœur fidèle (True Heart) France (1923) Dir. Jean Epstein Marie (Gina Manès) has lead a harsh life; an orphan adopted by strict bar-owner Hochon (Claude Benedict) and his wife (Madame Maufroy) in Marseille, and raised with little love Marie, is forced to work in the bar. A regular patron, Petit Paul (Edmond van Daële), an …

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (La passion de Jeanne d’Arc)

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (La passion de Jeanne d'Arc) France (1928) Dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer I don’t think I have ever approached a film with more trepidation than I have this one, simply because of the (pardon the pun) deific standing it has among film buffs and historians alike. There are some classic …

Shady

Shady (Cert 15) 1 Disc (Distributor: Third Window Films) Running Time: 94 minutes approx. Children who are bullied at school rarely have friends to rely on or turn to for support while their tormentors make their lives a misery. Misa Kumada (Mimpi*β) is such a girl, picked on because of her stocky frame and called …

Naruto Shippuden Collection 17

Naruto Shippuden Collection 17 (Episodes 206-218) (Cert 12) 2 Discs (Distributor: Manga Entertainment) Running time: 294 minutes approx. Usually when we pick up a continuing story I ask you to “cast your mind back” but there is no need as this latest volume of Naruto Shippuden does this for us! If you are a fan …

Kick Ass Girls

Kick Ass Girls Hong Kong (2013) Dir. Cheuk Wan Chi The boxing gym Kick Ass Girls owned by Boo (Chrissie Chau) has no customers and the rent is not only overdue but her landlord is increasing it. At a rival gym Boo sees boy crazy Miu (Dada Lo) show off some impressive fighting skills and …

Bleach Series 13 Part 1

Bleach Series 13 Part 1 (Episodes 266-278) (Cert 12) 3 Discs (Distributor: Manga Entertainment/Kaze UK) Running time: 313 minutes approx. Let joy be unconfined. Ring out the bells, break open the party poppers, hold a chicken in the air and stick a deckchair up your nose – the Arrancar Arc is finally resuming! After what …

Tiger & Bunny – The Beginning

Tiger & Bunny – The Beginning (Cert 12) 2 Discs DVD/Blu-ray Combo (Distributor: All The Anime) Running time: 92 minutes approx. After quickly becoming one of the most popular and successful shows in recent years the announcement of a Tiger & Bunny movie no doubt made fans giddy with excitement. But with anime film spin offs …