REVIEW: They Reach (2020)
They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, but it is also a handy method of testing cultural footprints. It has been five years since Netflix debuted its nostalgia supernatural series Stranger Things, and there is now a steady … Continue reading REVIEW: They Reach (2020)
REVIEW: Thor (2011)
Let us jump back a decade. Of the four superheroes launched in Marvel Studio’s initial production schedule, Thor stood out as the most challenging to adapt. Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk were effectively no-brainers, and Captain America was easily … Continue reading REVIEW: Thor (2011)
REVIEW: Cat Cafe (2018)
The high density apartment living experienced by many Japanese people makes it difficult for most people to own and care for pets. This has led to the popularity of cat cafes – venues where customers can visit and play with … Continue reading REVIEW: Cat Cafe (2018)
REVIEW: Gatao: The Last Stray (2021)
Gatao, a series of Taiwanese crime dramas, are shaping up to be one of the world’s more promising ongoing screen franchises. Gatao: The Last Stray (2021) is the third film to date and easily the strongest of the set. Gatao is … Continue reading REVIEW: Gatao: The Last Stray (2021)
REVIEW: Urban Legend (1998)
The mid-to-late 1990s witnessed a revival of slasher films, spearheaded and largely inspired by Wes Craven’s post-modernist feature Scream. Urban Legend was one of the also-rans of the period: while it scored two direct-to-video sequels, it never really captured the audience’s enthusiasm and … Continue reading REVIEW: Urban Legend (1998)
REVIEW: Alice in Earnestland (2015)
Ahn Gooc-jin makes one hell of an impression with Alice in Earnestland (2015), a pitch-black South Korean comedy. At times the film feels a more more pitch-black than it does a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it uneven tone aside this is not a … Continue reading REVIEW: Alice in Earnestland (2015)
REVIEW: Phoenix Forgotten (2017)
Found footage films represent a particularly divisive form of cinema. Usually exploited for horror purposes more than anything else, they are typified by a deliberately amateurish quality and a first-person perspective in which the viewer’s visibility of the action is … Continue reading REVIEW: Phoenix Forgotten (2017)
REVIEW: Romper Stomper (1992)
Here is a film almost impossible to review. Romper Stomper (1992) is an Australian film drama directed by Geoffrey Wright, and stars Russell Crowe, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Daniel Pollock. It focuses on a gang of skinheads – violent neo-nazis who maraud inner-city … Continue reading REVIEW: Romper Stomper (1992)
REVIEW: The Reckoning (2020)
Neil Marshall is one of the UK’s most valuable genre filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 2002’s Dog Soldiers and then his reputation with 2005’s exceptional horror film The Descent. Subsequent films like Doomsday (2008) and Centurion (2010), while perhaps not as groundbreaking or effective, have … Continue reading REVIEW: The Reckoning (2020)
REVIEW: Atragon (1963)
In Ishiro Honda’s science fiction film Atragon (1963) the Earth faces the threat of a hidden underwater empire, but all things considered it is a somewhat middling threat – and a fairly mediocre movie. Honda absolutely holds the pedigree to pull … Continue reading REVIEW: Atragon (1963)
