Podcast: The Awesome Bleakness Of The French Connection

Third episode, and to mix it up a little I’ve gone for something a little more recent with the infallible decay of The French Connection. It’s such a clever picture – efficient action delicately laced with the artistic degradation of a crime-ridden New York City. If you don’t fancy a listen just click here for

Podcast: Unlike Your Usual Western, Thunderbolt And Lightfoot Captures Something Beautiful

Not strictly new – but kind of. For the second episode, I’ve gone for a Cimino classic: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. And while the old review wasn’t bad, I’ve added a few touches to liven it up a little; I’m not sure if any of you read the previous version, and certainly none of you have

American Gigolo: What’s Behind The Mask?

With Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter set to get its theatrical release here in the UK on the 5th of November, marking the return of the giant after 2017’s First Reformed, is it not surely time to return to one of his most underrated, cult classics? Clear the floor people: here comes American Gigolo. The

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest: Uplifting, Disheartening And Just About Everything In Between

SPOILERS! Everyone knows that the ’70s were the greatest decade for cinema. It’s an undeniable fact: The Godfather, I and II; Apocalypse Now; Taxi Driver; Chinatown; The Conversation; The Deer Hunter; The French Connection – and that’s just to name a few of the very best. So where does One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

A Very, Very Short Review: The Sound Of Metal

Originally, I wasn’t going to review The Sound of Metal, but – wow. It’s not half bad, so I felt I had to give it the service it deserves. Of course, I’m a little late to the party here, but of an inferior pack of films up for the 2021 Oscars, The Sound of Metal

Full Metal Jacket: Born To Kill

Kubrick continues! Crazily, the last film of his reviewed on the blog was back in July with Dr. Strangelove, so it’s welcome to see him return – interestingly, there are some similarities between his 1964 nuclear doomsday satire and Full Metal Jacket, but we’ll get to that soon… The 1987 film focuses on a pragmatic

The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre: Potently Prospecting Paranoia

Stephen King. Alice Cooper. Hillary Clinton. Richard Dreyfuss. Jean Reno. What do these people all have in common? They’re all 73 years old. And do you know who else is? That’s right: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The 1948 Warner Bros film follows two destitute Americans, the paranoid and temperamental Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and

The Prestige: Is Magic Real, Or A Trick?

SPOILERS! Remember when I reviewed Memento? That was nearly a month ago, but revisiting Nolan for his own retrospective was always going to be a plan worth pursuing. And The Prestige is similar to Memento in the fact it’s often been overshadowed by Nolan’s flashier blockbusters, but is it one of his best? Does it

Arrival: A Four Dimensional Masterpiece

SPOILERS! Hello! Sorry for the later than usual publishing time of this review today – it is, however, my pleasure to announce that I’m currently situated in (not so) sunny Padstow! Which, to you laymen, is a little fishing port town on the North coast of Cornwall, England. However, that does mean I may be

The Quiet Earth: The Quiet Gem?

Savour this, children – it’s the penultimate review in the themed week! I know. But as I say: live and let die. Let’s get on with it, with another little known pic… The Quiet Earth is the story of Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence), an apathetic scientist, who wakes up one morning to find the world