Comedian Shangguan Didi (Dee Hsu) makes a middling living out of appearances on stunt and gag-based comedy television shows, while being estranged from her much more successful actress sister Lingling (Lin Chi-ling). Didi’s first big chance at success comes when … Continue reading REVIEW: Didi’s Dream (2017)
Everything Everywhere All at Once had an odd run of it in 2022. The film itself was a weird blend of comedy, drama, science fiction, and action. The audience reaction was unexpectedly enthused; this is the kind of film that usually … Continue reading REVIEW: Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Released in Italy for last Christmas, and now available internationally on Netflix, 7 Women and a Murder is an odd little remake of François Ozon’s 8 Femmes (2002), itself an adaptation of a Robert Thomas play. It seems odd for two reasons: firstly, … Continue reading REVIEW: 7 Women and a Murder (2021)
Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) are lifelong friends, who meet daily to drink at their local tavern on the small Irish island of Inisherin. One day, however, Colm does not turn up for a drink. When Pádraic tries … Continue reading REVIEW: The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
One of my favourite films of the year has crept up via Amazon Prime, defied my expectations, and thoroughly charmed me to bits. Based on a Karen Cushman novel, Catherine Called Birdy is a light, knowing comedy about a teenage girl resisting … Continue reading REVIEW: Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
An uneven as it is amiable, new romantic comedy Rosaline tries to turn William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on its head with a story about Romeo Montague’s mentioned, but never seen, girlfriend immediately prior to the events of the play. Director … Continue reading REVIEW: Rosaline (2022)
“Just Jen” I remarked recently that She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law, Marvel’s latest Disney+ series, seemed to get better the less it had to do with the rest of the MCU. This sixth episode, “Just Jen”, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt … Continue reading TV REVIEW: She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law 1.06
There are many good films released around the world every year. Masterpiece celebrates the best of the very best: genuinely superb works of cinema that come with FictionMachine‘s very highest recommendation. If we had our own Criterion Collection, these are the films we … Continue reading MASTERPIECE: Shallow Grave (1994)
The original Hocus Pocus was a modest 1993 hit for Disney, one that demonstrated much stronger legs on cable television than in theatres. Its Halloween setting, combined with a canny blend of family comedy and child-appropriate horror, made it something of an … Continue reading REVIEW: Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
“Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans” It seems an obvious thing to write, but the further that She-Hulk moves away from other elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the more enjoyable it becomes. This fifth episode largely does … Continue reading TV REVIEW: She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law 1.05
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