Films can be a very worthy way to spend your recreational time and can often be found for very little outlay. In this edition of “From The Bargain Bin”, we examine and analyse 2014’s low budget, British-made Robot Overlords (Blu-Ray) and a famous book to film adaption from 1939 entitled The Wizard Of Oz (DVD). […]Read More
This article contains spoilers for Simple Passion. Dosch is uninhibited in her portrayal of a woman in the throes of love, although younger audiences may find the film’s sexual politics off-putting. Simple Passion tells the enigmatic tale of a middle-aged woman obsessed with the idea of love itself. Based on Annie Ernaux’s 1992 eponymous novel, it […]Read More
Adolescence is a strange time: old enough to be aware of your responsibilities, but still aeons away from the mysterious and serious world of adulthood. In this curious new film, a debut feature for writer/director Tyler Taormina, these divisions and differences are given a significance to reflect the heightened teenage emotions. Ham on Rye is […]Read More
Packed with dread and gore, Hunted makes up for what it lacks in characterisation with a visually stunning cat-and-mouse plot. For the uninitiated, Shudder is an online streaming service that specialises in horror and thriller film and TV. Its most recent original movie is Hunted, a gory and nail-biting journey through the woods that makes […]Read More
Floating through a cloud-filled void, a man and woman embrace; there may be a city below but all that matters is the strength of their humanity before the blankness. The loose, pale clothes may be formal wear, theatrical costumes or evidence of a historical setting, but all that should be relevant drops away with the […]Read More
For a film shot during a global pandemic with a very small crew and schedule, HELP is an impressively strong thriller that draws you in to its world of false idyll. Set in the British countryside, HELP follows the story of a young girl, Grace (Emily Redpath), whose life takes a sudden turn as her […]Read More
It may not have the best grasp on the nature of evil, but The Exception provides an intriguing story aided along by excellent acting performances. After the last nine months of working from home and social distancing, many have been yearning for their old lives—even going back to the office now sounds appealing. If you’re […]Read More
Don’t be fooled by its vibrant soundtrack—Schemers had the potential to capture the spirit of the Dundee music scene, but instead becomes a vanity project lacking heart or humour In the coastal city of Dundee, Scotland in 1980, cocky fledgling promoter Dave McLean has booked Iron Maiden for a gig that will be remembered by […]Read More
The further that modern Western animation has strayed from traditional hand-drawn animation, the more it has honed in on one particular aesthetic. The big studios favouring 3D animation want to reflect an identical cartoonish reality. Animation has, in some regards, become monolithic. There are exceptions to this massive generalisation. The Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, […]Read More
TW: sexual assault, miscarriage, substance abuse (addiction/alcohol) Pieces of a Woman is an intensely personal story of a woman’s life that is upended by the death of her child following a traumatic home birth Harrowing and heart-breaking in tone, director Kornél Mundruczó explores the knotty subject of grief and its detrimental impact on mental health, […]Read More
The difficulty stage-to-film adaptations often face is their attempt to justify their own existence beyond the theatre. They struggle to make the most of the new medium while keeping the spirit of the original play intact. With Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, director George C. Wolfe strikes the balance just right, creating a masterclass in sizzling […]Read More
Whilst Soul only debuted on Christmas Day, it could be right up there with the best films of the year. Produced by Pixar, Soul follows the misfortunate adventure of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), after a devastating accident on what he believes to be the luckiest day of his life. Due to this, his soul emerges […]Read More
After countless films have been delayed thanks to COVID-19, the arrival of a new one feels like a momentous occasion—even for standard ‘Netflick’ fare. So, I went into Ava with no expectations other than ‘woo new film!’. I should have just stuck with an old one. Ava follows Jessica Chastain as the titular assassin who, […]Read More
As one of our generation’s most heralded directors, any film David Fincher attaches his name to is always a hot prospect. Since the major success of 2014’s Gone Girl, Fincher has mostly focused on TV for Netflix, producing their hit shows Mindhunter and Love, Death & Robots. His latest collaboration with the streaming behemoth, though, […]Read More
In our post-#MeToo world, Safe Spaces does its best to create a story from the point of view of a naïve teacher defending himself from abuse accusations. But does this work? The film, which is directed and written by Daniel Schechter, focuses on Josh Cohn (Justin Long), a creative writing professor in New York City. […]Read More
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