A tale of vengeance and consequences in “Kill Bill: Volume 1”
Quentin Tarantino, “Kill Bill: Volume 1” (2003) Inspired by and paying homage to grindhouse cinema and the film genres that dominate it – cheap ‘n’ cheerful…
North American Films
Reviews of films made in Canada and United States including all films made by Hollywood.
British Films, North American Films
GoldenEye: betrayal, duplicity and loyalty to one’s brother spy
Martin Campbell, “GoldenEye” (1995) Named after original James Bond creator / novelist Ian Fleming’s estate in Jamaica, itself named after an Allied WWII operation spying on…
British Films, North American Films
The Living Daylights: bringing James Bond back into the real world of grubby self-interest
John Glen, “The Living Daylights” (1987) With a new actor playing the role of British spy James Bond, this 15th film in the James Bond movie…
British Films, North American Films
Never Say Never Again: a pedestrian remake with an overstuffed spy action plot
Irvin Kershner, “Never Say Never Again” (1983) The main attraction of this “unofficial” James Bond flick – “unofficial” because it was not made by EON Productions…
For Your Eyes Only: a film of vengeance and its consequences in a morally dubious world
John Glen, “For Your Eyes Only” (1981) After the excesses of previous Bond films which among other things referenced popular Hollywood films like “Jaws” and “Star…
The Man with the Golden Gun: surface glamour obscuring an interesting plot and themes
Guy Hamilton, “The Man with the Golden Gun” (1974) Mainly memorable for the scene in which the stunt people managed to get a red coupe sports…
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: a surprising sleeper film that packs a punch
Peter R Hunt, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969) Fifty years after its cinematic release, this James Bond film may look dated but its plot and…
Control: a character study on isolation, mental breakdown and psychological assault
Carroll Brown, “Control” (2019) Filmed on a tiny budget, this science fiction horror short is an intense character study detailing the effects of long isolation in…
A tale of alienation, dehumanisation and exploitation in “Upload:U”
Samuel E Mac, “Upload:U” (2017) A creepy little short made in very sparing minimalist style, “Upload:U” may be viewed as a metaphor expressing the alienation and…
The Professor and the Madman: a deeply emotional film about obsession, suffering, forgiveness and redemption
Farhad Safinia (P B Shemran), “The Professor and the Madman” (2019) Adapted from the novel “The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the…