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FictionMachine

Deconstructing the machinery of cinema.

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comedy, essay, musicalLeave a comment

“We’re on a mission from God” | The Blues Brothers (1980)

opinion, year's bestLeave a comment

10 great movie posters from 2020

list, year's bestLeave a comment

10 great films from 2020

opinion, science fictionLeave a comment

“This is the way” | Why it’s okay to like The Mandalorian, and why it’s still bad for Star Wars

essay, science fictionLeave a comment

“What kind of help do you need?” | In the Dust of the Stars (1976)

action, essayLeave a comment

“Neither asked nor given” | Rob Roy (1995)

comedy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: The Kid (1921)

January 21, 2021 Grant Watson

Time passes and we get old. Usually we only notice with specific triggers. A few weeks ago I watched a silent film, as I am occasionally wont to do. They are an underrated style of film that most audiences simply … Continue reading REVIEW: The Kid (1921)

animation, review2 Comments

REVIEW: Josep (2020)

January 19, 2021 Grant Watson

Political cartoonist Aurel (Aurélien Froment) makes his feature directing debut with this heartfelt and political animation set in a 1939 concentration camp. Not a German one, however: when half a million Spanish refugees fled across the French border to escape … Continue reading REVIEW: Josep (2020)

action, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

January 18, 2021 Grant Watson

It is a strange time for cinemas. In those countries where theatres are still open, and the risk is low enough, there is a remarkable dearth of Hollywood product. The big-budget tentpoles are all rattling down like pinballs through the … Continue reading REVIEW: Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

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REVIEW: Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019)

January 13, 2021 Grant Watson

Spanish filmmaker Miguel Llansó made his feature debut in 2015 with his Ethiopian science fiction film Crumbs. A surreal blend of post-apocalyptic road trip, romance, and pop culture references, it was one of the most original and memorable films of its … Continue reading REVIEW: Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019)

drama, review10 Comments

REVIEW: Music (2021)

January 12, 2021 Grant Watson

Shot in 2017 but not released until now, pop musician Sia’s debut feature Music arrives on Australian screens a full month before the rest of the world. It offers audiences here an opportunity to find out precisely what all of the fuss … Continue reading REVIEW: Music (2021)

comedy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Murder Mystery (2019)

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 Grant Watson

Let’s talk about Adam Sandler. Since his historic production deal with Netflix, which saw him star in a series of exclusive pictures for the global streamer, his profile seems somewhat dimished. We never see his face on movie posters at … Continue reading REVIEW: Murder Mystery (2019)

fantasy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: The Mad Fox (1962)

January 10, 2021 Grant Watson

One of the absolute pleasures of this glorious age of streaming media, collector’s edition blu-rays, and international distribution is that it has never been easier than ever to track down and watch films. Old and new, any genre, any country … Continue reading REVIEW: The Mad Fox (1962)

fantasy, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Double World (2020)

January 9, 2021 Grant Watson

Last year the Chinese videogame Zhengtu (aka Double World) received a film adaptation courtesy of Hong Kong-based director Teddy Chen – his first feature since 2014’s Kung Fu Jungle. Due to the closures of cinemas last year it was released online … Continue reading REVIEW: Double World (2020)

drama, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: A Private War (2018)

January 7, 2021 Grant Watson

Documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman made his narrative feature debut in 2018 with A Private War. It is a biographical film about American journalist Marie Colvin whose war reporting for London’s Sunday Times earned her enormous international acclaim. It is a sensational … Continue reading REVIEW: A Private War (2018)

drama, reviewLeave a comment

REVIEW: Sid & Nancy (1986)

January 5, 2021 Grant Watson

In the hands of director Alex Cox, a potentially tacky melodrama is transformed into a tragic nightmare of muck, pain, and addiction. Sid & Nancy is often a miserable and even difficult watch, but its treatment of its subject matter feels unique … Continue reading REVIEW: Sid & Nancy (1986)

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