A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
“Through Sherlock’s Eyes: The Letter M” (EZ Productions, 2014) Presented by Russian actor Vasily Livanov, known in the West for playing Sherlock Holmes in a highly…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Michael and Peter Spierig, “Predestination” (2014) Based on a short story by Robert Heinlein (“All You Zomvies” which features no zombies, disappointingly enough), “Predestination” is an…
German and German-language Films
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, “Der Amerikanische Soldat / The American Soldier” (1970) A loosely stitched pastiche of elements borrowed from old Hollywood and French New Wave film…
German and German-language Films
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, “Götter der Pest / Gods of the Plague” (1970) Following on from “Love is Colder than Death” in R W Fassbinder’s trilogy of…
German and German-language Films
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, “Liebe ist kälter als der Tod / Love is Colder than Death” (1969) Gangster films might be an unusual choice for film-makers to…
Errol Morris, “The Thin Blue Line” (1988) Originally intended to be a documentary about another person who appears briefly in the film, “The Thin Blue Line”…
Latin American Films (Spanish language)
Fabián Bielinsky, “El Aura / The Aura” (2005) While promoting this film, Fabián Bielinsky died from a heart attack so “El Aura” and “Nueve Reinas / Nine Queens”,…
French and French-language Films
Roman Polanski, “Frantic” (1988) For a film proclaiming itself “Frantic”, this suspense thriller is surprisingly cool, calm and collected as it follows its hapless protagonist doctor…
Multi-media Presentations, North American Films
Ray Younis, “On Meaning and Purpose: ‘Blade Runner’ Frame by Frame” (The University of Sydney / Centre for Continuing Education, Saturday 8 February 2014) Not often…
Seijun Suzuki, “Branded to Kill / Koroshi no Rakuin” (1967) After his previous gangster flick “Tokyo Drifter”, director Suzuki fell afoul of his bosses at Studio…