A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
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…
Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, “Spring” (2014) A rather long and thin character study romance that’s equal parts comedy, drama and gore-blimey slimy body horror makes up…
George A Romero, “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) Made on a minuscule budget, George A Romero’s famous horror film is proof that a large pot…
Australian and New Zealand Films
John Pilger, “The Coming War on China” (2016) Two years in the making with literally a cast of thousands involved in crowd-funding it, Pilger’s “The Coming…
Peter Weir, “The Truman Show” (1998) Once in a while Hollywood releases a film that encapsulates philosophical ideas about the purpose of life and the human…
French and French-language Films
Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli, “Une Vie de Chat / A Cat in Paris” (2010) Some kitties are happy to spend their hours traipsing from one…
French and French-language Films
Chris Marker, “Sans Soleil” (1983) Picture yourself receiving a letter from a long-time friend who has been living and travelling for many years in Japan, Iceland…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Rolf de Heer, “The Tracker” (2002) On the surface, a simple story of four men hunting a fugitive who has committed a crime, “The Tracker” is…
John Cameron Mitchell, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001) A feisty little number showcasing John Cameron Mitchell as a director, actor, scriptwriter and singer, “Hedwig and…