Scum, 1979. Directed by Alan Clarke. Starring Ray Winstone, Mick Ford, Julian Firth and Phil Daniels. SYNOPSIS: When Carlin (Ray Winstone) is sent to a Borstal young offenders institute carrying a hard man reputation he is pushed to the limit by wild inmates and cruel officers to uphold it. In this brutal concrete jungle it’s […]
Mann Handled: A Michael Mann Profile (Part 1)
Trevor Hogg profiles the career of director Michael Mann in the first of a two-part feature… For a city that gave birth to the legend of Al Capone, it is not surprising to discover that Chicago is the hometown of a movie director who is known for his visceral depictions of criminals and law enforcement […]
Five Essential… British Romances of the Nineties and Noughties
Tressa Price selects her Five Essential British Romances of the Nineties and Noughties… 5. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001 dir, Sharon Maguire) Total escapist romance. Just imagine being torn between Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. Bridget, played by Renee Zellweger with an impeccable British accent, has to choose between her disreputable, unreliable and sexy boss Daniel […]
I Sat Through That? #2 – The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)
In which Gerry Hayes wants to believe it can be better than this… The X Files: I Want To Believe, 2008. Directed by Chris Carter. Written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz. Starring David Duchovny, the lovely Gillian Anderson, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet, X to the Z. Full disclosure: In common with many men who […]
British Cinema – Genova (2008)
Genova, 2008. Directed by Michael Winterbottom. Starring Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Willa Holland, and Perla Haney-Jardine. SYNOPSIS: A haunting, eerie journey to a place where souls stir and hearts go to mend themselves, Genova is the dark, brooding voyage of discovery for one family, torn apart by tragedy. Acclaimed British director Michael Winterbottom continues to […]
World Cinema: The French New Wave
Santosh Sandhu discusses the French New Wave… French cinema in the post war years consisted mainly of genre movies with high production values. It was often studio bound and formulaic. The Gaullist regime came to power in the late 1950s and wanted to promote a home grown industry to compete against the dominance of Hollywood. […]
British Cinema – Get Carter (1971)
Get Carter, 1971. Directed by Mike Hodges. Starring Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, John Osborne, and Britt Ekland. SYNOPSIS: Jack Carter (Michael Caine), a classy but brutal criminal, travels to Newcastle from London in an attempt to find out the real cause behind the suspicious death of his brother. As the sinister facts behind his brother’s […]
Five Essential… Films of Alfred Hitchcock
Gary Collinson selects his Five Essential Films of Alfred Hitchcock… Without question, legendary director Alfred Hitchcock is among the very best filmmakers in history, and in my opinion the greatest British directing talent of all time. The Master of Suspense enjoyed a long and hugely influential career across six decades, beginning in the silent era […]
I Sat Through That? #1 – Hostel (2006)
In which Gerry Hayes explains why Hostel is pointless twaddle… Hostel, 2006. Written and directed by Eli Roth.Starring a bunch of people you’ve probably never heard of.Presented by Quentin Tarantino? Hostel wins the award for Most Flagrant Use Of A Tenuous Relationship To A Famous Name To Foist Tripe On The Public. Tarantino was executive […]
Thoughts on… I, Robot (2004)
I, Robot, 2004. Directed by Alex Proyas. Starring Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, and Bruce Greenwood. SYNOPSIS: In the year 2035 a techno-phobic cop investigating the death of a scientist suspects that the crime may have been committed by a robot, leading to a greater threat against humanity. Starting off within the prolific field of science […]
