The crop of fantasy films made in the 1980s are a mixed bunch. On one end, there are the legitimate epics like Conan the Barbarian which still hold up well today, and on the other there are crimes against art and reason like Hawk the Slayer, which nonetheless end up being priceless entertainment because of how astonishingly bad they are. Highlander falls somewhere in the middle … [Read more...]
Review: Festen (1998, Denmark)
In 1995, two friends and filmmakers Thomas Vinterberg and Lars Von Trier created the Dogme 95 manifesto and associated ˜vow of chastity'. They felt that movies had become far too much about special effects and technology and so, in an attempt to get away from this, gave themselves a set of rules and restrictions to abide by. By doing so they hoped to put the story, acting and … [Read more...]
Review: The Kid with a Bike (2012, Belgium)
The Kid With a Bike is Cyril, a young boy in care home in Seraing, a town in the Wallonian region of Belgium. Actually, at the start of the film he is in fact without a bike and unable to locate it, or of greater concern, his father. The Kid With a Bike opens by leaping straight into the middle of a story “ Cyril is on the phone from the care home, trying to reach his dad, … [Read more...]
Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest (2009, Swedish)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest is the finale to the Millennium trilogy, based on Steig Larsson's phenomenally popular novels. As regular readers of these reviews will know, I was less than impressed by the first two instalments. This third film, however, begins confidently, launching straight in from where The Girl Who played With Fire left off. Director Daniel Alfredson … [Read more...]
Review: When the Wind Blows (1986)
The Cold War was a state that the Western world found itself in from the end of the Second World War right up until 1991. Tensions arose between USA, with allies NATO and what is now known as Russia and their satellite states. After the war as they were the remaining two super-powers, and having such profoundly different ideologies and politics caused great tension, which was … [Read more...]
Review: StreetDance 2 (2012)
It must be nice to live in a world where all your problems can be solved by simply dancing. Horribly cut-up that you may have ruined a blossoming romance? Dance the pain away. Can't afford your ridiculous tour of Europe to assemble a team of stereotypical street dancers? Dance and the public will give you money. Tired of listening to a flatmate snore? Have a pillow fight and … [Read more...]
Review: The Last Unicorn (1982)
It's difficult to compare The Last Unicorn to anything which has come before or after it. Part children's animation, part epic fantasy, part fable, Peter S. Beagle's adaptation of his original novel is as beautiful as it is simple, as sweet as it is sad and as enjoyable for adults as it is for children (perhaps even more so). An immortal unicorn (Mia Farrow) lives in her forest … [Read more...]
Review: Shrek 2 (2004)
The Shrek series is, it's fair to say, DreamWorks' most popular series of films, although I suppose it's possible that Kung Fu Panda may yet overtake it, and Shrek 2 is the best of the bunch. Grossing over $1 billion worldwide, it's certainly the most successful film of the franchise, and also marks the last time, at least until recent prequel Puss in Boots, that the series was … [Read more...]
Review: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
One Disney tale that is sure to put children off eating their 5-a-day is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney has always prided itself as being an innovative production company and surpassed itself when creating this story, becoming the first American animated feature film created in full colour. To gain perspective of the reception Disney showcased the film once in December … [Read more...]
Review: Titanic (1997)
James Cameron, before the release of Titanic, was considered one of the world's most daring action film-makers. His previous canon of work, including The Abyss, Aliens, True Lies and the first two Terminator films made the world stand up and pay attention to a man whose vision of action and adventure ranked with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Then he announced he was … [Read more...]