A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Sinan Saeed and Tom Duggan, “Aleppo Renaissance” (2017) Here’s a very welcome documentary on Aleppo and its significance in Syria’s history, culture and economy, and why…
Craig Zobel, “Compliance” (2012) Based on a series of incidents over a decade from the mid-1990s to 2004, in which a prank caller convinced the staff…
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Zhang Yimou, “Raise the Red Lantern” (1991) This is a beautiful film of minimal, even severe and classic simplicity, that lets the cruelty and jealous passions…
Dean Parisot, “Galaxy Quest” (1999) Conceived as a homage to and spoof of the famous science fiction TV series “Star Trek” and of the obsessive fan…
Werner Herzog, “Queen of the Desert” (2013) Renowned German film director Werner Herzog, maker of classics like “Aguirre: Wrath of God” and “Fitzcarraldo” could have done…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Rosie Jones, “The Family” (2016) For over 20 years, the quiet town of Eildon and the Melbourne suburb of Ferny Creek played host to a bizarre…
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s Speech to Senior Officers of the Military Academy of General Staff, Moscow (23 March 2017) On 23 March 2017, Russian Foreign…
Rob Marshall, “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2002) Essentially a variation on the Cinderella story through Western stereotypes about geisha and their role and function in Japanese…
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Zhang Yimou, “Hero” (2002) If one needs proof that a visually gorgeous film with a good cast can ultimately be undone and wasted by a demoralising…
Ben Wheatley, “High-Rise” (2015) British author J G Ballard’s novels and short stories are famous for their perceptive originality on the condition of 20th-century humankind and…