A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Hanneke van Ravenswaay and Ben Jurna, “Moral Dilemma … Can Ethics Help?” (1998) This episode of “The Examined Life” investigates a moral dilemma faced by a…
French and French-language Films
Jean-Pierre Melville, “Le Samouraï” (1967) A beautiful and seductive film that spawned many imitators, of which some like John Woo’s “The Killer” also became cult flicks,…
D Zyuz’kov, Natalia Yurchenko documentary (1984) A curious little 20-minute gem on Youtube, this Soviet television documentary about the gymnast Natalia Yurchenko, made about the time…
John Allman, “Is Ethics based on Virtue?” (1998) Part of a series “The Examined Life” which brings theories of ethics to bear on contemporary life, this…
Julie Taymor, “Frida” (2001) A very pretty and colourful film on the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907 – 1954), “Frida” plays the artist’s life…
Derren Brown and Simon Dinsell, “Derren Brown – The Experiments: The Secret of Luck” (2011) Now for his next trick … in this final episode of…
Derren Brown and Simon Dinsell, “Derren Brown – The Experiments: The Guilt Trip” (2011) In this rather creepy episode, the third in a 4-part series, Derren…
Derren Brown and Simon Dinsell, “Derren Brown – The Experiments: Gameshow” (2011) In Episode 2 of a 4-part psychology series, sceptic and mesmerist Derren Brown is…
British Films, North American Films
Christopher Nolan, “The Prestige” (2006) Rather fussy if good-looking film about duplicity and duplications, duelling and an all-consuming devotion to one’s art, “The Prestige” is a…
Piotr Dumala, “Little Black Riding Hood / Czarny Kapturek” (1983) Piotr Dumala, “The Walls / Sciany” (1988) Based on the familiar childhood story but rendered in…