Noel Coward remains one of the 20th century’s most acclaimed playwrights, even if his light comedies have by-and-large fallen out of popular favour. His 1941 play Blithe Spirit is probably his most famous work, and was adapted into a film by director … Continue reading REVIEW: Blithe Spirit (2020)
Be careful what you wish for, I guess. 1999’s The World is not Enough was a James Bond film that seemed oddly unenthused and lazy, relying on old franchise traditions without any real sense of spark or effort. The next Bond feature, … Continue reading REVIEW: Die Another Day (2002)
1999 saw the release of Pierce Brosnan’s third film as British secret agent James Bond – and the 19th film in the franchise overall. The World is not Enough captures the EON production team at a high point of comfort: GoldenEye (1995) brought … Continue reading REVIEW: The World is not Enough (1999)
Challenging cinema creates its own challenges for the film reviewer. Lynne Ramsay’s 2011 feature We Need to Talk About Kevin is a strong character piece that showcases a powerful performance from Tilda Swinton. It focuses on powerful themes and opens up discussion … Continue reading REVIEW: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
When it comes to directing films, Terry Jones (Monty Python’s Flying Circus) always struck me as a quiet achiever. While widely acclaimed as a comic actor, screenwriter, and historian, his directorial career sat in the shadows to a large extent. … Continue reading REVIEW: Erik the Viking (1989)
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)
In Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s The Lodge, a father leaves his two grieving children alone in a winter cabin with his new girlfriend while they mourn their mother’s death. If nothing else, The Lodge may be 2020’s winner for “Worst Father of … Continue reading REVIEW: The Lodge (2019)
In the years between playing James Bond and his 1980s career resurgence, Sean Connery starred in a wide array of dramas, thrillers, and action films – many of which have languished in obscurity. Ransom, aka The Terrorists, is one such half-forgotten film: an … Continue reading REVIEW: Ransom (1974)
Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer), convinced that he is a uncontrollable serial killer, seeks to find the rumoured secret city of Midian – a place where monsters are said to go. He is trailed by his therapist (David Cronenberg), actually the … Continue reading REVIEW: Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut (1990)
Robert Roy MacGregor was born in 1671 near Loch Katrine in Scotland’s Perthshire. As a young man, like many Scottish patriots, he was drawn to the 1689 Jacobite uprising – an armed rebellion to restore Stuart dynasty rule to the … Continue reading “Neither asked nor given” | Rob Roy (1995)
