Wildland
WILDLAND is a slow but compelling film that dissects the complexities between family loyalty and the faux-tender inevitabilities the still familial criminal world. Elle Haywood reviews.
Category Archives: Reviews
My Salinger Year
Quaint and charming, MY SALINGER YEAR (directed by Philippe Falardeau) is a fitting and enjoyable opening to the 70th Berlinale. Set in New York in 1995, the story takes us through Joanna’s (Margaret Qualley) time at a literary agency after fleeing her academic pursuits at Berkeley. With an air of innocence and ambition, Joanna winds … Continue reading My Salinger Year
Rag Doll
What RAG DOLL has done is bring to the surface the potential of reforming and evolving a relatively restrictive niche genre that could lead to a brand new glimpse into the unexplored world of female MMA.
Vai
A sprawling and ambitious project involving nine female filmmakers from the South Pacific region, VAI is a superb achievement. The film manages to communicate the essence of common experiences whilst retaining cultural specificity. That the collection achieves this with a visual vibrancy and tonal coherence makes it all the more remarkable. The film’s team describe … Continue reading Vai
First Love
Takashi Miike’s latest film retains his eclectic mix of genre, with dark humour, ultraviolence and romance to create a bizarre yet thrilling exploration of love amidst the chaos of gang warfare. Nancy Epton reviews.
Miss Americana
Among its moments of raw vulnerability, and focus on Swift’s personal growth narrative, the biggest takeaway of MISS AMERICANA is its passionate encouragement of young people: to use their voices. Courtney Ibbotson on the Sundance selection.
Alive
Jimmy Olsson frames and directs the character of Viktoria in ALIVE in a way which empowers her and conveys her charisma and humour with a realist subtlety and restraint.
Bombshell
BOMBSHELL should be celebrated for shining the spotlight on female survivors of sexual harassment. Although flawed in its execution, it is to be hoped that this film will be one of many in a long line of #MeToo era movies. Chris Dobson reviews.
Daniel Isn’t Real
DANIEL ISN’T REAL is the story of a college freshman whose imaginary childhood friend makes a comeback – it’s an accessible and attractive story, but the film’s true strength lies in the subjective experience it offers. Rosy Hunt reviews.
VHYes
VHYES celebrates VHS and ‘80s TV aesthetics by recognising that, like music recorded on vinyl, the imperfections of the format are what it makes it special. Simon Bowie reviews.