A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Dan Cohen, “The Syria Deception (Part 1: Al Qaeda Goes to Hollywood)” (2018) This first part of a two-part series is a blunt and uncompromising examination…
Robin Hardy “The Wicker Man” (1973) In spite of a small budget and the set-backs it suffered during filming and the post-production process, this short movie…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Benjamin Gilmour, “Jirga” (2018) The wonder is that this film got made at all as it was filmed in Afghanistan, and in areas possibly still dominated…
Jenan Moussa, “Undercover in Idlib” (2017) Presented and narrated by Jenan Moussa, a reporter for Al Aan TV in Dubai, this 22-minute documentary on the situation…
British Films, North American Films
Sidney Lumet, “Equus” (1977) He never won an individual Academy Award for Best Movie or Best Director but surely Sidney Lumet is one of the greatest…
Michael Oswald, “The Spider’s Web: Britain’s Second Empire” (2017) A very important and necessary documentary, in light of ongoing financial crises in many countries, supposedly necessitating…
Tim Wilkime, “Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 4: Adam Ruins Dating)” (2017) If ever there were profitable scams preying on people’s insecurities in finding lasting…
Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) Filmed as a blaxsploitation-styled comedy drama, this work revolves around a real scenario in which a black American police officer in Colorado…
Satoshi Kon, “Tokyo Godfathers” (2003) No, this ain’t no cult yakuza film – though yakuza types do appear for a short while – but instead this…
Nima Sarvestani, “Those Who Said No” (2015) A very polished film, complete with stereotypical mournful droning music in parts, this Iranian / Swedish documentary follows proceedings…