A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
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…
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…
Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, “Evangelion: 1.11 – You Are (Not) Alone” Since the original “Neon Genesis Evangelion” anime series aired on TV over two decades…
British Films, French and French-language Films
Christian Volckman, “Paris 2054: Renaissance” (2006) A glossy animated style of minimal black-and-white presentation, emphasising detail, mood and atmosphere in a future Paris governed by corporations…
Noboru Iguchi, “RoboGeisha” (2009) For a film about two sisters and their love-hate relationship, “RoboGeisha” offers more than just the usual floods of tears, emotional declamations…
Italian and Italian-language Films, North American Films
Ubaldo B Ragona and Sidney Salkow, “The Last Man on Earth” (1964) Over 50 years since it was made, this cheaply made horror film has clearly…
British Films, North American Films
Nicholas Roeg, “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (1976) For a film with hardly much plot and maybe too much soft-core pornography, “The Man who Fell…
Duncan Jones, “Whistle” (2002) “Moon” director Duncan Jones’ first feature is a 29-minute short that initially looks bland and banal, and moves slowly in its first…
Duncan Jones, “Moon” (2009) Like father, like son, no? … decades ago David Bowie sang songs of doomed astronaut Major Tom and in 2009 son Duncan…