A Clockwork Orange: a political and social comedy satire relying too much on audiovisual shock tactics
Stanley Kubrick, “A Clockwork Orange” (2013) Not a bad film but for what it is, “A Clockwork Orange” is fussy and relies too much on shock,…
British Films
Reviews of films from the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales).
Hell Drivers: under-rated classic of British 1950s social realism and commentary on a society in transition
Cy Endfield, “Hell Drivers” (1957) An interesting and very much under-rated example of 1950s British noir / social realism, “Hell Drivers” is probably better known for…
British Films, French and French-language Films
The Yes Men Fix the World: taking down predatory global corporate fascism with hilarious pranks and comedy
Kurt Engfehr, Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, “The Yes Men Fix the World” (2009) Well no, actually they don’t but that was a pretty good little…
Australian and New Zealand Films, British Films
Murdoch (Part 2): slap-dash documentary with racy tone is a damp squib
Janice Sutherland, “Murdoch (Part 2)” (2013) As I suspected, the second half of this series turns out to be a damp squib: it’s basically a rundown…
Australian and New Zealand Films, British Films
Murdoch (Part 1): the rise and rise of outsider newspaper owner turned media empire king-maker
Janice Sutherland, “Murdoch (Part 1)” (2013) Here be the story of the rise and rise of the global media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his empire News…
Obey: important message about 21st century corporate fascism is obscured by fast narrative, tricky visual imagery and annoying music
Temujin Doran, “Obey” (2012) Initially this documentary promised to be an inquiry into the rise of corporatism as the dominant ideology in the West during the…
Sun, Sea & Satan: highly impassioned and uncompromising film exposing child abuse, political corruption and an unhealthy society
Bill Maloney, “Sun, Sea & Satan” (2008) A highly impassioned film on child abuse in a care home in Jersey, one of the Channel Islands in…
Masters of Money (Episode 3:Marx): failing to challenge and question important economic and political issues
Will Yearsley, “Masters of Money (Episode 3:Marx)” (2012) The third and final episode of this rather so-so series on significant economist / philosophers who influenced 20th…
Masters of Money (Episode 2: Hayek): a breathless race through the life and work of a defender of classical economics
Tristan Quinn, “Masters of Money (Episode 2: Hayek)” (2012) Using a mix of interviews with former politicians, economists and academics together with a voice-over narrative by…
Masters of Money (Episode 1: Keynes): good introduction to the work and ideas of a major 20th century economist
Martin Small, “Masters of Money (Episode 1: Keynes)” (2012) This is the first episode of a three-part series by the BBC on significant economists / philosophers…