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

Quiz: A Concerning Amount of Johnny Depp

Put a hat on it! That’s right – this week guess the film from the sadly now outdated custom of hat wearing. Is it still socially acceptable to wear hats? These people don’t give a damn. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19)

Quiz: Ring Ring Ring

Oh, the humanity. Once a staple of the greatest espionage films, advancements in glitzy technology means the phone box is a thing of the past in both real life and the movie business. But that doesn’t mean we here at Over-The-Shoulder can’t celebrate it one last time and remember some of it’s most iconic moments.

The Many Saints Of Newark: The Perfect Prologue?

SPOILER FREE! The Sopranos returns! One of the most highly regarded HBO series ever made, backboned by pure quality, an impeccable reputation and plenty of diehard fans, fourteen years have passed since its controversial finale. But are you still feeling underwhelmed by the silent cut to black? Well, you’ll be delighted to know it’s long

Dunkirk: Still The Greatest War Film Of All Time?

So, it appears that Kubrick and war can amalgamate into harrowing glory – or at least that’s what we’ve seen from Full Metal Jacket. But is Nolan, a director also renowned for his breathtaking visuals, analytically cold classics and lack of regard for the orthodox, compatible with conflict? 2017’s Dunkirk is set in France, ravaged

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

Quiz: Mask Up!

Yes, a mask quiz still feels timely – global pandemic, people! I won’t waste your time, and just tell the singular rule: guess what film the picture comes from. Easy as that! Anyway, here are the answers from last week’s mirror (and reflections) quiz… ANSWERS: Joker Enter The Dragon Taxi Driver Raging Bull The Shining

Apocalypse Now Is Not About Vietnam. It Is Vietnam

War. Is there anything more harrowing, more destructive, more dehumanising? Probably not. So it’s certainly not much of a surprise that it’s been constantly replicated throughout cinema, across plenty of genres, from Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket and Paths of Glory, to black satires Catch-22 and M*A*S*H, to monumental classics A Bridge Too Far and The