Shadow (Ying) China (2018) Dir. Zhang Yimou "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" Whilst the above quote came from the introduction to a famous radio show of the 1930’s featuring the pulp fiction hero The Shadow, its relevance to this film is its plot involves “shadowy” people. In … Continue reading Shadow (Ying)
Ralph Breaks The Internet
Ralph Breaks The Internet US (2018) Dirs. Phil Johnston & Rich Moore No, he doesn’t post a picture of his bare bottom although this is probably the only thing Ralph doesn’t do as he ventures from the safe-haven of his old school arcade game into the vast, busy and heavily populated digital world of the … Continue reading Ralph Breaks The Internet
Zama
Zama Argentina (2017) Dir. Lucrecia Martel Director Lucrecia Martel says making this film made her feel Stanley Kubrick was being cheeky for opining “no good film will ever be made from a good novel” (ironic given his track record with book adaptations). I’ve not read the 1956 novel Zama by Antonio di Benedetto so I … Continue reading Zama
Naruto Shippuden Collection 36
Naruto Shippuden Collection 36 (Episodes 459-472) (Cert 12) 2 Discs (Distributor: Manga Entertainment) Running time: 329 minutes approx. I’m beginning to wonder if the producers behind Naruto Shippuden are vying for the title of World’s Biggest Trolls. Why? Because this latest release sees the story return to the Fourth Great Ninja War after another break … Continue reading Naruto Shippuden Collection 36
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame (Cert 12A) US (2019) Dir. Anthony Russo & Joe Russo Lament all you want, but after eleven years and twenty-one films, the sprawling, chaotic, and certainly never dull interconnected Marvel Cinema Universe is about to reach its climax with entry number twenty-two. But it can’t really be the end, can it? But I … Continue reading Avengers: Endgame
Miss Baek (Mi-sseu-baek)
Miss Baek (Mi-sseu-baek) Korea (2018) Dir. Lee Ji-Won “I’m sorry for being born!” These words no child should ever have to say to their parents, even if they are abusive monsters. Sadly, this haunting, harrowing drama from Korea is based on real events, and whilst this means not every detail is shared verbatim, it wouldn’t … Continue reading Miss Baek (Mi-sseu-baek)
WWE – Fastlane 2019
WWE – Fastlane 2019 (Cert 15) 2 discs DVD (Distributor: Fremantle Media) Running Time: 218 minutes approx. The second last PPV stop on the Road to Wrestlemania for 2019 is the very definition of a throwaway PPV show with a bevy of matches-cum-angles that easily could have taken place on TV. For this reason, the … Continue reading WWE – Fastlane 2019
Khrustalyov, My Car!
Khrustalyov, My Car! (Cert 18) 1 Disc Blu-ray (Distributor: Arrow Video) Running Time: 147 minutes approx. Russian cinema is very much in a league of its own when it comes to the arcane and idiosyncratic but this is to be expected given it is a country whose history is one of great turmoil and political … Continue reading Khrustalyov, My Car!
Across The River (Oltre il guado)
Across The River (Oltre il guado) Italy (2013) Dir. Lorenzo Bianchini “If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise” No teddy bears picnic but slightly more natural animals in their natural habitat - except something rather nasty is slaughtering them in the night. This is the premise for this … Continue reading Across The River (Oltre il guado)
The Guardians (Les gardiennes)
The Guardians (Les gardiennes) France (2017) Dir. Xavier Beauvois Stories from World War I continue to appear, adding new perspectives to improve our understanding of what life was like during this period, even when fictionalised. One area seldom explored is the women left to run the home whilst the men were fighting in the trenches, … Continue reading The Guardians (Les gardiennes)
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