Paprika (Japan, 2006)

Shamefully this didn’t get cinematic distribution in the UK but the buzz about it, and Satoshi Kon’s other films, such as Millennium Actress, made sure it was on my DVD rental list. However I was a bit disappointed; visually it is as stunning as the other films I’ve seen by him, but I found the [...]

JCVD (Belguim, Luxembourg, France, 2008)

It’s very difficult for action heroes to get thespian credibility; Sylvester Stallone got some for Copland (1997) but I can’t imagine Keanu Reeves ever receiving a nice sounding gong. Jean-Claude van Damme lives, as a movie star, in straight-to-video land mostly. He surfaced most prominently in John Woo’s first Hollywood film Hard Target (1993) but [...]

Sex and Lucia (Sexo y Lucia (Spain-France, 2001)

Director – Julio Medem
Producer – Fernand Bovaira, Enrique Lopez Lavigne
Script – Julio Medem
Art Direction – Montse Sanz
Cinematography – Kiko de la Rica
Music – Alberto Iglesias
Cast – Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri, Daniel Freire
Running time 128 mins.
Narrative, and shifting identities, are themes that run through Medem’s films which, along with his striking visual style, have [...]

Millennium Actress (Sennen joyû, Japan, 2001)

This movie flirts with postmodern frivolity but transcends it with a thoughtful, bitter-sweet meditation of memory, life and the impossibility of perfect love. Movies offer the illusion of the latter and the eponymous lead  spends her life seeking her Mr Right who she bumped into twice when a youth. By the end she realises that [...]

Fallen Angels (Duo luo tian shi, Hong Kong)

This is probably my favourite Wong Kar-Wai film. I love its portrayal of urban alienation and Chris Doyle’s cinematography is sensational. WIth its companion piece, Chungking Express (Chung Hing sam lam, Hong Kong, 1994), Fallen Angels offers a vision of Hong Kong as a hyper-real landscape on the brink (of Chinese takeover). Hong Kong, as [...]

I’m Not There (US-Germany, 2007)

This is an incredible rendering of Dylan’s life up until the ’80s. I’m not sure what sense it will make to those unfamiliar with this genius but watching the numerous seminal moments being re-enacted, with the original singing on the ‘track, made a riveting experience. Only the Gere as Billy-in-Pekinpah’s movie didn’t really work for [...]

Cloverfield (US, 2008)

American liberty has lost its head.

It’s taken 10 years for Blair Witch (1999) to get a proper sequel. Whilst Cloverfield is not as effective as its predecessor, it is a fascinating take on a (western) world at war on terror. It’s not just the camcorder aesthetic that is so effective, much of what is happening [...]

Cursed (US, 2004)

Kevin Williamson’s and Wes Craven’s take on the werewolf movie fails to catch alight (though there’s a great comic scene were Christina Ricci (made for horror with her pale complexion) describes the publicist to police). Jesse Eisenberg transforms himself well from nerd to er jock and there’s fun with the repressed homosexuality of jocks. (OAR) [...]

Far From Heaven (US, 2002)

Beautifully made retro-update of All That Heaven Allows. Fascinating movies that looks like it was made by Sirk in the ’50s but couldn’t have been (Sirk did tackle racism in Imitation of Life but homosexuality couldn’t’ve been dealt with in such a fashion). (DVD, 2). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297884/

The Untouchables (US, 1987)

Stands up pretty well but for what I felt was a fast-paced thriller when it came out seems, in places, somewhat laboured now (eg the capture of the booze on the bridge). However, the Potemkin steps sequences is excellent. (DVD, 3). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/