Smoking Causes Coughing
SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING has thin characters, subplots that are never followed up on, and a main plot where the heroes’ actions make no difference: none of that matters because the film is so wildly absurd and entertaining.
All posts by Simon Bowie
Asteroid City
ASTEROID CITY’s lasting gift is an emotional resonance that could act as a skeleton key to Anderson’s films, even for those who’ve previously found them cold and unapproachable. Simon Bowie reviews.
The Astronaut
Nicolas Giraud directs and stars in THE ASTRONAUT (L’ASTRONAUTE), a gentle and beautifully shot film with some ambitious ideas around opening up space exploration and connecting with people on Earth. Although slow, the drama of the climax makes the journey worthwhile. Simon Bowie reviews.
The Ordinaries
Sophie Linnenbaum’s debut feature THE ORDINARIES crafts a story that very nearly collapses under its own concept but manages to say something about class and emotional expression. Simon Bowie reviews.
The Artist and The Wall of Death
The theme of failure has such potency for a documentary film, but THE ARTIST AND THE WALL OF DEATH ends up with a rather traditional narrative trajectory that doesn’t get to the root of the importance of failure in creativity. Simon Bowie reviews.
Typist Artist Pirate King
Carol Morley’s TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING is a psychogeographic tour across England through the prism of an unappreciated artist suffering with mental illness. Simon Bowie reviews.
Tropic
Although some structural issues weigh it down, TROPIC’s allusions to sci-fi horror elevate the story, mainly told through unspoken expressions and gestures. Simon Bowie reviews.
Other People’s Children
With OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN (LES ENFANTS DES AUTRES), Rebecca Zlotowski crafts a wonderfully mature romantic comedy-drama that tackles adult themes with grace and boldly positions itself in the canon of modern romance films.
Nightsiren
Tereza Nvotová’s second feature NIGHTSIREN (SVETLONOC) uses the genre trappings of folk horror to explore patriarchy and sexual norms for women, and benefits from a dreamy expressionism in cinematography and editing.
Sanctuary
SANCTUARY is a well-considered film that draws the audience into the tangled and shifting power dynamics of sub-dom kink and keeps the audience guessing until its unfortunate final moments.